Rumours surrounding the much-anticipated Nintendo Switch 2, or colloquially known as the Switch Pro, have been gaining momentum in recent months. The speculation started as far back as 2019 with the teaser of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and heightened with the release of the Switch OLED in 2021. Now, as the original Switch celebrates its sixth anniversary, enthusiasts are eager to glimpse the next evolution in Nintendo’s gaming console line up.
The Nintendo Switch has undoubtedly been a game-changer, offering a unique gaming experience with an impressive library of titles and evolving online features. However, with the gaming landscape constantly evolving, it’s natural to expect an upgrade to address the system’s limitations. Nintendo’s recent announcement that there won’t be a Switch upgrade in the upcoming fiscal year has intensified the anticipation, setting the stage for a potential reveal in late 2024 at the earliest.
1. 4K Resolution and Faster Processing
One of the most pressing demands from the gaming community is a significant boost in the Switch 2’s graphical capabilities. While the current Switch has carved a niche for itself, it often struggles with performance, particularly when handling multi-platform titles. Gamers have witnessed instances where titles like Pokémon Scarlet and Violet faced bugs at launch, and performance issues plagued Sonic Frontiers on the Switch.
To stay competitive in a market dominated by powerhouses like the Xbox Series X and PS5, the Nintendo Switch 2 needs to step up its game. Aiming for 4K resolution and a higher frame rate would not only enhance the gaming experience but also ensure smoother performance across a broader spectrum of titles.
2. Make the OLED Screen the New Standard
The introduction of the OLED screen in the Switch OLED model was a visual treat for gamers, offering improved black levels, brightness, and colour accuracy. To maintain this high standard, it’s imperative for Nintendo to make the OLED screen the new standard for the Switch 2. The vibrant and captivating gaming experiences that Nintendo is known for deserve nothing less.
3. More Built-in Storage
The storage limitations of the current Switch models have been a long-standing issue for users. While the Switch OLED increased the internal storage to 64 GB, the growing size of modern games makes this increment insufficient. To address this, the Switch 2 should transition to an internal solid-state drive (SSD), offering not only increased storage capacity but also faster load times. This move would alleviate the need for users to invest in separate, often pricey, microSD cards for additional storage.
4. Improved Joy-Cons
The versatility of the Switch’s handheld and docked modes is one of its standout features, but the quality of the Joy-Cons has been a point of contention. Joy-Con drift, a persistent issue since the console’s launch, continues to plague users, leading to inconvenient gameplay problems. The Switch 2 should prioritize enhanced build quality, ergonomic design for extended gaming sessions, and a resolution to the long-standing Joy-Con drift problem.
5. Color Customization Options
While Nintendo has released special edition Switch models, the options for customization remain limited. Introducing a variety of colour schemes for the base model and allowing users to personalize the console, dock, and Joy-Cons could add a layer of uniqueness to the Switch 2. Allowing users to order online and choose their preferred styles would make the Switch successor more appealing, encouraging existing users to upgrade.
In addition to hardware improvements, extending the customization options to the user interface (UI) would be a welcome move. Bringing back themes reminiscent of the Nintendo 3DS and enhancing the current Switch’s minimalist menu screen could further enhance the overall user experience.
As we eagerly await official confirmation from Nintendo regarding the Switch 2, these expectations reflect the desires of a gaming community hungry for innovation and improvements. The next-gen Nintendo console holds the promise of elevating the gaming experience, and fans are hopeful that it will deliver on these expectations when it finally makes its debut.
