Nintendo Switch 2: Analysts react to huge key detail

Analysts have been reacting to the Nintendo Switch 2 console being called... Well... Nintendo Switch 2 and they've said it makes complete sense, even though it's a completely new avenue for Nintendo.

Nintendo finally officially revealed the successor to the Switch on January 16 showing off a number of features, including what might have been a look at a brand new Mario Kart game, which all went down incredibly well with fans.

It was one (of many) of the console's worst kept secrets that it would be called Nintendo Switch 2, a move which Nintendo has never done before in terms of calling a new console the same as a previous one but sticking a bigger number on the end (think NES, SNES, Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, the list goes on).

And after the confusion that reigned from Nintendo calling its Wii successor the Wii U, and the 3DS succeeding the DS, a number of different analysts told IGN this move makes complete sense.

George Jijiashvili, of Omdia Research, said: "While calling it Switch 2 isn't creative, it's very clear and effective - it's a strategy that has served PlayStation very well for quarter of the century. Calling it something like Super Nintendo Switch would have provided nice fan service but doing so would have risked causing confusion among consumers, similar to what happened with Wii U and 3DS."

Rhys Elliott, of MIDiA, added: "Now that Nintendo has all its console eggs in the Switch basket, it simply cannot risk confusing fans."

A number of analysts have said Nintendo calling the Switch 2 exactly that makes a whole lot of sense / Nintendo

The reveal video for the Switch 2 showed the current Switch console morph into the Switch 2 and confirmed features that were previously leaked.

Two USB-C ports were shown on the top and bottom of the console, along with a kickstand that runs the full length of it.

Bigger Joy-Cons were shown in black with colour detailing on the rail and behind the sticks; it seems the shoulder buttons on these are bigger too and there is indeed an optical sensor with the controllers shown being used in the way a computer mouse would later in the video.

It appears they will connect magnetically and there is a connector with pins in the middle of the Joy-Con rails.

The screen of the Switch 2 is much bigger than its predecessor and it goes much further towards the edges.

The logo is the same as the previous Switch one but with a number two added next to the Joy-Cons.

The dock was shown too and is similar to the current one but with more rounded edges and more of the top of the screen is visible when the console is docked.

Details of the console's backwards compatibility were confirmed too - Switch games will be playable on the console, including physical cartridges, but not everything will be covered.

A Nintendo Direct event was confirmed for April 2 where the company said a closer look at the console will be shown.

A release window of 2025 was given.

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