more feasible and possibly more cost-effective, increasing the likelihood that new, feature-rich games will launch alongside other major consoles and PC, ultimately strengthening the position of the Switch 2 among more dedicated gaming audiences.


WHEN NINTENDO GETS SERIOUS Nintendo’s strength has always been bringing unique game experiences and innovative play styles to players. For the Switch 2, success hinges on how well Nintendo maintains and enhances this signature approach with their first-party titles while embracing new possibilities. Upgraded hardware of the Switch 2 enables Nintendo to create more ambitious first-party exclusives with enhanced scale and visual quality. Nintendo has already demonstrated impressive achievements with previous hardware limitations—The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild sold over 32 million copies, showcasing the company’s ability to craft stunning open worlds on a compact and power-efficient platform. With the Switch 2, Nintendo-exclusive titles can further close the visual gap with PlayStation and Xbox exclusives, positioning the console as a compelling choice for serious gamers. An expanded lineup of third-party titles, coupled with larger


Nintendo games, fuels a snowball effect: as the platform attracts more core gamers, it encourages even more external developers to invest in the ecosystem. The strengthened game catalogue then continues to draw new players, cementing the Switch as a formidable console for gamers ranging from casual to core.


AVAILABILITY AND HARDWARE CHALLENGES However, the ability of the Nintendo Switch 2 in attracting core gamers may still be limited by game availability and pricing, as well as the hardware restrictions within its ecosystem. Despite a boost in AAA titles compared to the original Switch, PCs and competing consoles—as more mature platforms with larger player bases—still maintain a more robust library of non-Nintendo games. Add to this the historical pattern of staggered Switch game releases, and you’ve got a situation where core players on the Switch might feel they’re always a step behind in accessing new content. Beyond availability concerns, the Switch marketplace has traditionally featured higher price points and fewer sales than its competitors. That pricing dynamic, combined with broader factors such as rising costs of living and price sensitivities globally, could further impact sales. And with some upcoming Switch 2 titles hitting the $80 mark, this trend seems set to continue. For avid gamers who purchase multiple titles throughout the year, these premium prices add up to a substantial investment over time. There is also the hardware reality to consider. While the Switch 2


certainly packs more power than its predecessor, its portable nature means it cannot fully match the raw performance of gaming PCs or the latest PlayStation and Xbox consoles. Players who prioritise cutting- edge graphics and performance may still find this compromise difficult to accept. Taken together, these factors mean the Switch 2 may face some challenges in becoming the primary gaming device for dedicated PC, PlayStation, or Xbox players—which may not necessarily be Nintendo’s goal.


After all, the Switch 2 remains an excellent supplementary option for


portable gaming. Despite the abovementioned limitations preventing it from fully replacing PC or other consoles for the most hardcore connoisseurs, we still expect to see a greater share of core gamers in the Switch 2 player base compared to the original Switch.


CLASSIC SWITCH CHARM, UPGRADED For its traditional, more casual audience, the Switch 2 keeps much of the charm that helped its predecessor soar to 150 million units sold. The biggest draw continues to be access to exciting new, potentially larger and better first-party Nintendo games, many of which were highlighted during the April 2025 Nintendo Switch Direct. This alone gives casual gamers a solid reason to consider upgrading from the original Switch, even if they don’t necessarily need the extra power. Another important factor is the Switch’s strong social play potential,


both locally and online— a defining feature of the platform. Nintendo looks to be doubling down on this with the Switch 2, introducing controllers featuring a new “C” button dedicated to the new “GameChat” feature. GameChat aims to bring group multiplayer, group calls, private game streaming, and more all into one place. It’s easy to imagine Nintendo using this to make social play in their first-party titles even more engaging—after all, who wouldn’t want to verbally show off their stunning island in Animal Crossing to friends? And while the original Switch was all about playing the same game


together with friends, GameChat on the Switch 2 takes social gaming a step further by letting friends hang out in a shared social space even while playing different games. These additions boost the Switch 2’s social appeal, giving owners of the original Switch yet another good reason to upgrade—especially if their friends have already made the jump. “More choice is always welcome and the Switch 2 looks set to


deliver just that. The new hardware could open the door to even more ambitious, previously out-of-reach titles, while backwards compatibility makes the transition smoother for existing players. That mix could drive strong uptake in the UK, while giving the original Switch a longer tail—great news for players and publishers alike,” said Tim Dunn, Chief Product Officer, Third Kind Games. The Switch 2’s enhanced hardware positions it as a much more


capable console for larger third-party titles, with major developers like Microsoft, CD Projekt Red, and EA showing enthusiasm about bringing their games to the Switch player base. When you pair those third-party offerings with larger first-party games from Nintendo, the Switch 2 presents a package that is increasingly appealing to core gamers—especially those who were on the fence for the original Switch. Conversely, casual players who’ve grown fond of Nintendo’s first-party titles have their own motivation to upgrade: maintaining access to new versions of those high-quality Nintendo games they’ve come to love. The new GameChat feature and its enhanced social elements add another layer of appeal, strengthening what was already a standout quality of the Switch as a social gaming platform. All together, these improvements and additions make the Switch 2 uniquely positioned to appeal to both casual and core gamers alike—a sweet spot that few consoles manage to hit so effectively.


August/September 2025 MCV/DEVELOP | 43


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