‘Nintendo is losing their identity’: Shuhei Yoshida says Switch 2’s focus on power is what other companies would do

The DS already had 2 screens. The 3DS added glassesless 3D to enhance the visuals but it was basically just a more powerful DS.

The Switch 2 is just a more powerful Switch but with dual mouse controls and an in built mic.

I think they are a similar type of upgrade.
oh you were saying from DS to 3DS, then yeah that was a similar upgrade.

but 3ds had a notorious terrible launch.

and if we are to go that route, each one of the "iterations" nintendo has made has sold worse if we are using 3ds, GC and Wii U , Although i don't agree that GC and Wii U are iterations at all.
 
You people should read the article instead of saying some form of: HEHE SWITCH 2 NOT POWERFUL DUH.

He is saying there's no innovation, it's just a beefed up Switch, which is not what Nintendo is about. It's the same idea with 4K, 120hz. Is that a bad thing? No, not at all. Many or us are happy. But it's bittersweet because it seems like no console has innovated in any meaningful way in the last 10 years.

The Switch 2 is absolutely a powerful machine, it can already do some impressive stuff with Switch 1 games, can't wait to see what can be done with games built just for it.
This is what I've been saying since the rumors started. Switch but with better graphics isn't going to get the casual audience interested. They don't care about 120 fps or ray tracing. And they obviously don't care about ports of AAA games because switch 1 barely had those either. Add in the insane price and I'm not seeing this thing sell after the diehards buy theirs.

Ever since the Wii Nintendo lives or dies on its hardware not its software. This is in contrast to Sony who makes hardware to serve the software needs of developers. I'm not seeing anything about this hardware that's supposed to get the casual gamer excited.
 
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What are they supposed to do exactly?

Innovate for the sake of hardware innovation? Haven't we reached a ceiling of sorts when it comes to hardware gimmickry?

You could equate the Switch 2 as this generation's SNES (to the NES) and I think that's a good thing. I'm kinda tired of Nintendo always trying to find some kind of hardware gimmick/slant to "justify" their brand of products. This is more true to the original spirit of the company when Yamauchi was president.

It's a good thing that they're focusing more on specs on OS instead of this constant appeal to reel people in to some kind of gimmick that will be half used for the future library of the system.

The Wii is 20 years old already, let's move on.
 
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oh you were saying from DS to 3DS, then yeah that was a similar upgrade.

but 3ds had a notorious terrible launch.

and if we are to go that route, each one of the "iterations" nintendo has made has sold worse if we are using 3ds, GC and Wii U , Although i don't agree that GC and Wii U are iterations at all.
I didn't say Wii U, I did say GBA though.

What were the changes Gamecube introduced?
 
What are they supposed to do exactly?

Innovate for the sake of hardware innovation? Haven't we reached a ceiling of sorts when it comes to hardware gimmickry?

You could equate the Switch 2 as this generation's SNES (to the NES) and I think that's a good thing. I'm kinda tired of Nintendo always trying to find some kind of hardware gimmick/slant to "justify" their brand of products. This is more true to the original spirit of the company when Yamauchi was president.

It's a good thing that they're focusing more on specs on OS instead of this constant appeal to reel people in to some kind of gimmick that will be half used for the future library of the system.

The Wii is 20 years old already, let's move on.
This is one of those damned if you do, damned if you don't situations. No matter what direction they go in people will complain.

I agree that hardware innovation for the sake of hardware innovation is not needed right now. People weren't asking for a new, non-standard controller layout, or other gimmicks. They wanted access to their Switch games and more power. That's what we got.
 
This is what I could come up with. Very minor stuff.

Cartridge > Discs
C buttons > C stick
N64 controller layout > N64 buttons in a more standard controller layout
Cartridge saves > Memory Cards
Analog triggers maybe, the rest weren't an innovation. The biggest one was the connectivity to GBA.
 
Those of you who say that the switch 2 is outdated because it uses 2020 hardware are aware that the Steam Deck (which was considered the best portable hardware at the time) was released in 2022, and that the switch 2 is more powerful... right?

I'm sure it is but even still isn't the Switch 2 running off trimmed down 30XX tech?
 
This is one of those damned if you do, damned if you don't situations. No matter what direction they go in people will complain.

I agree that hardware innovation for the sake of hardware innovation is not needed right now. People weren't asking for a new, non-standard controller layout, or other gimmicks. They wanted access to their Switch games and more power. That's what we got.

I would argue this is the first time we've seen Nintendo resist the temptation of striving to innovative hardware exclusively.

This puts the software library to the forefront (as we've seen already with certain announcements this Nintendo Direct just passed) having them focus more on the games.

I welcome this new (olde) trend.
 
You could equate the Switch 2 as this generation's SNES (to the NES) and I think that's a good thing.
This is, BY FAR, my greatest takeaway from all of this. That being said, I also look at a few winds blowing in Nintendo's favor that separates those two comparative generations:

In this space Nintendo has carved out for themselves, their only competition are PC handhelds (including the Steam Deck), which is as niche as niche gets.

The Switch 2 is backwards compatible to the Switch; could you imagine the flex Nintendo could've put on the industry if the SNES was backwards compatible to NES software back then?

Interesting times.
 
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Ok, yeah, but outside of those minor additions, what else really?

It's certainly not as drastic as the Wiimote+Nunchuck, is it.
These "minor" additions are the almost default (+2 shoulder buttons) until today. 🤷‍♂️

Not as drastic as the wimote+nunchuck, yes. (RIP in peace pointer for shooters).
 
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Bring this man (Shuhei Yoshida) to a doctor.

Switch 2 specs are the bare Maximum Ninty gets for the money this thing costs to produce and is the mlnimum they need to get ports from PS5 and Xbox. The Leap will be absolutely crazy from Switch 2 to PS6 and the next Xbox.
 
Switch 2 is a bit of a hard sell for consumers and the mouse feature so far seems kind of pointless. It doesn't even have that much power but it will at least mean easier ports of third party games that will bring more sales into their ecosystem.
 
Their thinking hasn't changed. They showed the camera stuff albeit it's a peripheral. They put in mouse control.

It always depends on what cheap tech is in the pipeline that they can take advantage of in new ways. There isn't always something dramatic ready to go.

The only difference is the high price point. But that's inflation shock as much as anything.
 
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These "minor" additions are the almost default (+2 shoulder buttons) until today. 🤷‍♂️

Not as drastic as the wimote+nunchuck, yes. (RIP in peace pointer for shooters).
Yes, those 'minor' additions had, and continue to have, more impact than the Wiimote.

I think the Wiimote will come back in a stronger form though, in a sense it already is through motion controls in VR.
 
I get what Shu is trying to say but you can't just ask Nintendo to completly change the game every 8 years. That's not realistic and trying to force it will just lead them back to a Wii U situation.
 
It's weaker than the ps4 right?

Depends on what metric you use. In real world operation playing games after accounting for all the differences -no, it's better.

I'd look at it like a PS4 Pro X. Maybe it doesn't have as much raw compute as Pro's GPU with a power brick, but it doesn't have the cpu bottleneck. DLSS instead of FSR, flash memory instead of HDD. So I would expect it to run some next gen games not possible on PS4 at all, while trading blows visually with Series S, depending on the tech in the game.

Anyway, I see the disappointment in safety after Nintendo has "reinvented the wheel" so many times, but they have done plenty of iterative updates in their past as well, and I think Nintendo fans need a break from gimmicks once in a while, we didn't mind it just being about games on nes/snes that badly. To me adding mice isn't a gimmick, it just makes it about games, now it can play more of them.
 
Switch 2 will be more powerful than Deck, until Valve releases a refresh in 2026.

Or Valve will be Valve and the Deck will join the other hardware ventures that was successful, popular, but for whatever reason they abandon because they get bored.
 
Speaking as someone who's getting a Switch 2 on day one, to me, their identity hasn't changed to me. They are still:

1. Releasing a new console in a half assed technical approach. If it's performance is PS4 at a max, to me, that's lame for 2025, but they're never on top technically with their hardware
2. Doing things their own way no matter what anyone says (no achievements/trophies, price of games, etc...)
3. Going to have the best exclusive 1st party titles out there which is all i care about (Metroid, Mario eventually, and whatever new Zelda we eventually see)

To me they've been known for all of that for the last several consoles they released and that's fine with me.

PS5 is my main technical powerhouse and for 3rd party titles. If Switch 2 would've had trophies, id have considered it for 3rd party releases that will be on multiplatforms. PS5 gets the edge there with trophies automatically.
 
I could be mistaken, but I believe what many are missing is that Nintendo typically doesn't adhere to the graphical prowess of their systems.

This is one of the rare instances where I see people touting the S2 as a more graphically optimized console.

Whereas before, Nintendo made innovation, controls, and gameplay the focus. Which is why Pokémon games earned the ire of "graphic whores" but still sold gangbusters.

I'd rather Nintendo keep the price down by offering fun, imaginative games instead of entertaining the "Nintendo NEEDS to compete with the processing power of Sony and XBOX!"

I feel that was never Nintendo's identity and that they shouldn't change course now of all times, when development cycles are crazy long and return of investments seem harder to obtain.
 
Switch 2 will be more powerful than Deck, until Valve releases a refresh in 2026.

Or Valve will be Valve and the Deck will join the other hardware ventures that was successful, popular, but for whatever reason they abandon because they get bored.

Maybe not. They set up the market and now set up OEMs with SteamOS so...the purpose of the venture may be over.

If Steam thinks that they don't need to make Deck2 to sell playing games on Steam with a portable, they may well not bother. But they needed to sell us on it first. I see it as planting the seed that would guard 99% of all portable indie games being sold on a Nintendo, but it might blossom into autopilot.
 
App Deploy GIF
 
Switch 2 will be more powerful than Deck, until Valve releases a refresh in 2026.

Or Valve will be Valve and the Deck will join the other hardware ventures that was successful, popular, but for whatever reason they abandon because they get bored.
I think it is very likely the Steam Deck doesn't get revised beyond the OLED version. The whole point of it was to build interest in portables that use Steam OS so they have access to more customers.
 
S2 is just an upgrade of S1 much like the N3DS was an upgrade of the 3DS. I guess if they want to say Nintendo is focusing on Power the other companies should focus on making good games and not 1 and done movies.
 
I think Nintendo deciding to not use a 4nm die will hurt them long term. The efficiency and power savings would have been welcomed along with more RAM.

In just two short years, the Switch 2 will be struggling. Unless the plan is to release another console by 2029, which seems unlikely, but not impossible.
 
Switch 2 will be more powerful than Deck, until Valve releases a refresh in 2026.

Or Valve will be Valve and the Deck will join the other hardware ventures that was successful, popular, but for whatever reason they abandon because they get bored.
I'm pretty sure steam deck 2 will be released and it will be great, steam deck 3 however....
 
Nintendo is going upstream with the hybrid concept which is still unchallenged while trying to absorb other use cases like the mainly mouse-driven games more typical on PC.
It's NDS -> 3DS all over again in term of going upstream, in the sense that that will happen the same shift in which key big sellers unfeasible on Switch 1 could run on Switch 2 (echoing of 3DS absorbing Monster Hunter).
The big difference between 3DS and NS2 is that 3DS was going against the trends that were emerging in those years by being based on custom made games and with a lack of digital distribution (e-shop wasn't even available at the 3DS launch!).
Instead NS2 (and before it NS1) is in tune with recent trends.
 
LoL..nice troll from Yoshida. ;) Fact is, the joycon mouse controls are a major innovation for the console space and will bridge console/PC gaming like never before. Calling it now: Sony will release a new Dual Sense controller with split pad/mouse functionality in the future. :unsure:
 
I like this current soulless, identity less Nintendo. They spent years fucking around with gimmicks that ultimately were detrimental and even made forward compatibility difficult. They have now struck gold with the switch concept. Totally fine with them sticking with it from now on.
 
Just like Sony with PS5?

Because I barely reconize Playstation brand anymore.
You being stupid isn't Sony's fault, but the PS5 is in line with the iterative approach of previous PlayStation consoles. Few but key innovating controller features is in line with PS4.
 
No they aren't, lol!
idc laughing GIF


I didn't read shit but I will say this. Fucking Sony associate talking about something losing their identify!? Bwahaha. Remember when you closed Japan Studios?

Can someone post the cuck meme with Bloodborne 2(I mean duskbloods), Sony and Nintendo?

I assume many people here don't actually follow gaming that closely based on these replies, but have you not noticed how Sony AND Microsoft have completely changed directions, let their old studios and IP go to shit with no explanation, and began trend chasing? Isn't this just a little bit ironic coming from Yoshida of all people? Did you notice that?
 
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