Former Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida recently shared his candid thoughts on the Nintendo Switch 2's reveal during an interview with Easy Allies. His reaction to the new console was notably tempered, expressing a sense of mixed feelings about Nintendo's latest offering.
In the interview, Yoshida remarked, "To me, it was a bit mixed message from Nintendo. In a sense, I think Nintendo is losing their identity, in my opinion. For me, they are always about creating some new experience, like designing hardware and games together to create something that [is an] amazing new experience. But Switch 2, as we all anticipated, is a better Switch, right? It's the larger screen, more powerful processor, higher resolution, 4K, 120 fps, they even have a hardware person starting the stream, like other platforms do, right? And because it's a better Switch, the core premise of the whole Switch 2 is, you know, 'We made things better'. And that's something other companies have been doing all the time."
Yoshida's comments highlight his belief that the Switch 2, while technically improved, lacks the innovative spirit typically associated with Nintendo. He noted that for those who exclusively game on Nintendo hardware, the Switch 2 offers new experiences, such as the ability to play games like Elden Ring that were previously unavailable. However, he suggested that for gamers familiar with other platforms, the excitement might be less pronounced.
He further elaborated on the reveal event, stating, "Publishers must have known that that show, last week, would be one of the most-watched shows this year. Millions and millions of people watched. It's amazing to announce and launch your new game, if you have a chance, but most of the games were ports from past generations. I don't know if this is Nintendo's direction or third parties' choice. But one game I reacted strongly [to] was Enter the Gungeon 2. That looks amazing. They did a great job announcing that there."
Yoshida also praised Drag x Drive for embodying the "very Nintendo" spirit and discussed the system's pricing, noting differences between Japan and the rest of the world. He concluded his thoughts by saying, "Anyway, with some of the things Nintendo is doing, with the camera or mouse controls, creating new experiences, that's great. But other than that, I was personally a bit disappointed, because they didn't disappoint everyone. Because everyone wanted that better Switch."
Despite his reservations, Yoshida acknowledged the Switch 2 as a sound business decision, recognizing the technical improvements as the work of talented designers. He echoed a sentiment common among fans and analysts: while the Switch 2 plays it safe in some respects, it still retains elements of Nintendo's playful and innovative nature, such as mouse controls and other unique features.
As for the pricing of the Switch 2 in the U.S., details remain pending. Nintendo has paused North American pre-orders due to new tariffs announced on the same day as the system's reveal. With the global launch scheduled for June 5, the company faces a tight deadline to resolve these issues before the release.
