Switch 2 Not Aimed At People Who Want "High-Performance Hardware," Nintendo Says

Nintendo never considered making the Switch 2 a piece of "high-performance hardware" aimed at consumers who wanted more-powerful tech. Takuhiro Dohta from Nintendo's Entertainment Planning and Development Department made the comments in part of the company's lengthy Q&A session following the Switch 2 Nintendo Direct.

A Nintendo representative asked Dohta and Kouichi Kawamoto, also from the Entertainment Planning and Development Department, why the team decided to call the system the Switch 2. Kawamoto said the team toyed with the idea of calling it the Super Nintendo Switch, but in addition to Nintendo already having a system with "Super" as a descriptor--Super Nintendo--the team didn't want people to focus on the console's specifications.

"Switch 2 is a new system with improved performance, but we'd like players who get their hands on it not to focus on the specs, but rather to think of it as the latest system developed by Nintendo," Kawamoto said. "So, in the hope that it becomes the new standard for Nintendo Switch, we named it Nintendo Switch 2."

Dohta expanded on Kawamoto's comments and suggested that focusing on the Switch 2's hardware improvements over the original system might alienate people who just want to play more Nintendo games.

"From the beginning of development, we wanted Switch 2 to be a system that can be enjoyed by a wide variety of players," Dohta said. "I also wanted to create an experience that as many players as possible could enjoy, rather than an experience made specially for those who prefer high-performance hardware. So, we wanted a name that would communicate simply to potential customers that, if you're considering buying a Switch, Nintendo Switch 2 is the newest system."

That said, Nintendo did build the Switch 2 with more power than its predecessor. During the Switch 2 Nintendo Direct, Nintendo said the console will support 60fps for games such as Metroid Prime 4 and includes HDR even in handheld mode. That's in addition to improved speakers and support for 3D audio.

Nintendo Switch 2 launches on June 5, 2025, for $450. Nintendo will open Switch 2 preorders on April 9, 2025, at its own online store and other retailers, including Amazon and Best Buy.