Nintendo Switch 2 is one of the most exciting (or perhaps worrying) consoles coming out later this year. Due to the controversy surrounding the device and its manufacturer, Nintendo, some industry experts have chimed in and analyzed the Nintendo Switch 2; among them is none other than Shuhei Yoshida (former PlayStation head). Yoshida is a little mixed on Nintendo’s motives and is apparently disappointed with the Switch 2.
The info came from an Easy Allies podcast where they interviewed Yoshida about his take on the Nintendo Switch 2. Yoshida admitted that he was trying to be polite during the official Switch 2 reveal, but in actuality, the former PlayStation boss felt that it was a mixed message from Nintendo.
“Yeah, so I was actually in the live reaction stream in MinnMax, and I wanted to be polite. So, something I didn’t say there was, to me, it was a mixed message from Nintendo. In a sense, I think Nintendo is losing their identity. In my opinion,” explained Shuhei Yoshida in the Easy Allies podcast.
Hence, Yoshida is not that happy with how Nintendo handled the Switch 2, especially since he thinks that one of its main appeals is the better hardware. Nintendo notably showcased the Switch 2’s upgraded hardware by saying it can now handle ports of more hardware-intensive games like Elden Ring or Cyberpunk 2077.
That, Yoshida thinks, is a bit of a weak showing since they’re old games. Cyberpunk 2077 will notably be five years old this year, for example. Furthermore, around 70 percent of Switch owners already have either a console (PS5 or Xbox) or a PC. That means the old games that the Switch 2 is getting have already been played in higher fidelity and on a larger screen by most Switch gamers.
If Nintendo plans to sell these old games for the Switch 2 at a high price, it’s a hard sell since one can already obtain these games with a massive discount on the PC. Not to mention, the Steam Deck could already run games like Cyberpunk 2077 while being theoretically less expensive than the Switch 2.
Price is Also a Big Concern
Of course, the elephant in the room is how much exactly the Nintendo Switch 2 will cost, especially in the US. Yoshida also pointed out how in Japan, the Switch 2 was retailing for nearly the same price as the first Switch on release (when compared to global prices). Meanwhile, the rest of the world gets it at a huge markup.
Furthermore, President Donald Trump’s tariffs have ensured that the Switch 2 will likely cost around the $550 range, or perhaps even close to $600. For reference, a PS5 already costs that much (probably cheaper). Meanwhile, a Steam Deck is only around $400, give or take.
Switch exclusives are still one of the platform’s biggest strengths, and thankfully, something you can play on the older Switch. In fact, Nintendo’s executives even state that you should just get an old Switch if you can’t or don’t want to afford the Switch 2 for some reason.
