Many speculate about the Switch 2. However, MeinMMO editor Benedikt Schlotmann believes: If Nintendo listens to the calls of some fans, then the Switch loses one of its greatest strengths and the reason why people bought the Switch OLED years ago.
The Nintendo Switch is one of my regular companions in everyday life. This is one reason why I follow leaks and rumors with a watchful eye. Particularly certain wishes from fans do not really make me happy.
While some fans are calling for more power and a Switch 2 with the performance of an Xbox Series S, I want something completely different. One of the greatest strengths of the Switch is quickly forgotten.
More Power, 4K, preferably a Gaming PC or a Mini Series S
What do fans want? Those who take a look on reddit or read along in other forums will find that many players have differing opinions, but they can also agree on certain points regarding what they wish for from a Switch 2 or Switch Pro:
- Significantly more performance, ideally 4K. Many fans are calling for this. Some fans are simply tired of playing Pokémon and the like in low resolution and 30 FPS.
- Modern next-gen features like ray tracing, DLSS, and stable 120 FPS are also wished for by many fans.
- Improved Joy-Cons, for example with Hall-effect switches, are also being requested by many fans.
However, for me, all these wishes overshadow a central strength of the Nintendo Switch, which is why I bought it in the first place: excellent portability and accessibility.
Steam Deck, Rog Ally, and Co – the Nintendo Switch beats them all in one aspect
I have played on numerous gaming handhelds over the past weeks and months. All devices share several common problems:
- They are all large, heavy, and bulky, weighing more than half a kilo. The heavier they are, the quicker my hands and arms get tired.
- With the Asus ROG Ally X being an exception, all devices have terrible battery life. Generally, after 90 to 120 minutes, it’s over.
- No modern handheld is truly comfortable for me in the long run, which is also due to the general size of handhelds. After all, powerful hardware and the corresponding cooling must be integrated somewhere.
Even the Steam Deck, which I currently play the most, becomes too heavy for me after three or four hours. Then I switch to my PC and continue playing with a controller that weighs much less and usually does not need a charging cable.
What is the strength of the Switch? The Switch OLED, in my opinion, is almost perfect for on-the-go:
- Very good battery life of 4.5 to 9 hours, depending on the game.
- The Switch OLED weighs “only” 422 grams, while other handhelds weigh between 600 and 800 grams, almost double that.
- The Nintendo Switch is also very comfortable for my large hands in the long run with slightly larger rubber grips from third parties for the Joy-Cons.
What bothers me about the wishes for the Switch 2? My biggest issue with the extra performance that many want: More performance requires more energy and produces more heat.
Nintendo would need to install stronger ventilation and a thicker battery. And I fear this would make the Switch 2 as bulky as the Steam Deck or other gaming handhelds.
And a heavy, chunky Switch 2 would lose, in my opinion, exactly the strength that defines the Switch for me: namely, that it is so light and comfortable that I can and want to really play on the go.
I really do not need another hybrid PC or another Steam Deck for Switch games.
The target audience for the Switch is not professional players
The crux with exclusive games: Of course, Nintendo aggressively focuses on exclusive titles that can only be played on Nintendo consoles. But anyone who wants high-end should not expect that from a game console that has consciously focused on families and children for years.
We do not need another device for professional players, but rather a game console that continues to target casuals and ordinary consumers, such as families and children. Anyone who wants to play AAAA titles from Ubisoft or God of War either has a powerful gaming PC, a PS5, or a Steam Deck at home. Or all of those devices.
I do not want or need another hybrid PC
Where should the goal of the Switch 2 be? I want a light, portable game console that I can pack in my backpack, that provides hours of battery life, and does not become uncomfortable for me even after several hours. And that is exactly what the Switch offers and what I would also wish for from the next generation of Nintendo.
- I do not need a high-end device with 4K graphics, ray tracing, or an oversized display.
- I’m fine as long as the frame rates do not drop in every city in the next Pokémon game. I would also love Hall-effect switches in the Joy-Cons 2.0.
- But I do not want a third or fourth bloated hybrid PC lying on my desk.
- I want an accessible console that I can still hand to children and that is not overwhelmed by any social features.
- I want a console that is light and small, which I can quickly shove into my travel luggage. The reason I bought the Switch in the first place.
- Additionally: Who among you would buy the Nintendo Switch 2 if it suddenly cost 800 euros like the PS5 Pro?
And I say this as someone who has underestimated the Nintendo Switch for years and has now become an enthusiastic fan of the console. You can read why the Switch was my purchase of the year in 2022 on MeinMMO: I laughed at it – Now the Nintendo Switch is my purchase of the year 2022
