Nintendo Is Very Aware That Switch 2 Looks Pretty Similar To Original Switch

Following the announcement of the Switch 2 last month, many players remarked on how similar it looks to the original Switch. Especially compared to the jump between the Wii U and the Switch--or even the Wii and Wii U--the Switch to Switch 2 transition is more iterative than revolutionary, at least in terms of the form factor. From recent comments in an investor call, Nintendo itself is aware of this, and it stresses that the Switch 2's hardware has been built "from the ground up."

Responding to a question about the Switch 2's apparent lack of generational change, Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa acknowledged that "it may appear that there is not a major change between Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch." However, Furukawa told investors that the Switch 2 was designed as a full new console, not beholden to the hardware of the original Switch. "We have created new hardware and accessories from the ground up," Furukawa said, "and these are products very characteristic of Nintendo, packed full of our development team's dedication to quality through various creative efforts and integrated hardware-software development."

Furukawa also explained that the Switch 2 is meant to allow Nintendo to continue innovating in gameplay and software. He noted that the original Switch's processing power has become an obstacle for game developers working with the platform. "Over the course of these eight years and counting," he stated, "it has become necessary to increase hardware processing performance in order for software developers to realize one of Nintendo's most valued tenets: offering new gameplay experiences. Thus, this time we decided to design the hardware with enhanced processing capability."

During the earnings call, Nintendo executives additionally addressed the looming threat of tariffs, mentioning that US tariff policy could cost the company tens of millions of dollars in forecasted revenue. This number may shift in light of continued changes in US trade policy, but Nintendo has been open about how the uncertainty caused by trade shifts have impacted the company's plans for the Switch 2 launch.

Switch 2 launches on June 5, and preorders are underway. The console costs considerably more than its predecessor, a change that Nintendo has said may pose an obstacle for widespread early adoption. Despite this, Switch 2 preorders quickly sold out at US merchants, and there is no indication yet of when there might be a restock.