If you’re waiting for the Nintendo Switch 2 (or Switch Pro, whatever you want to call it), you’ll have to keep waiting. Nintendo has apparently confirmed that it has no new Switch hardware planned until at least April 2023. And judging by previous statements from Nintendo, a new console could be as far away as 2024 or 2025.
In other words, if you have a Switch, Switch Lite, or Switch OLED, get comfortable with it because you’ll probably have it for a while.
Still, there’s no denying that the Switch is starting to show its age, especially when compared to consoles like the PS5 and the Xbox Series X. And while we don’t expect Nintendo to release a sequel for a while, it’s fun to imagine what such a device might look like.
In the spirit of exercising our imaginations, I’d like to pitch seven features that I’d like to see from the Switch 2. Maybe we can look back in a few years and see which ones made it.
4K docked output
The Switch is the only current-gen console that doesn’t offer 4K output, and it was already a noticeable drawback two years ago. While 4K TVs were still a luxury when the Switch launched, they are now the norm, while 1080p TVs are almost exclusively budget models.
Admittedly, impressive graphics aren’t the most important thing a game has to offer. But when every new Microsoft and Sony game comes out in stunning 4K, we wonder how wonderful a Zelda or Mario title would look if Nintendo followed suit. It’s hard to imagine Nintendo holding onto 1080p output for another generation, so let’s hope this is a reasonable request.
1080p handheld screen
While a 4K docked mode is a must-have, a 1080p handheld display would be nice to have. Overall, the 720p resolution is fine on a six- or seven-inch screen, as the best Switch OLED games in particular demonstrate. Still, the best phones offer 1080p or higher resolution on a 6-inch screen, and there’s no reason a new Nintendo Switch couldn’t do the same.
With most smartphones offering console games over cloud gaming, a Full HD handheld Switch would be a strong contender, especially since it doesn’t require an internet connection to play most games. We do wonder whether a refresh rate of 120 Hz is feasible, or whether we have to settle for 60 Hz again.
Better controllers
In general, the staff at Tom’s Guide do not hold the Joy-Cons in high regard. While they can facilitate some fun impromptu multiplayer sessions, that’s about the best we can say for them. Each individual Joy-Con is small and the controller mount places the analog sticks at odd angles.
Joy-Con drift is an ongoing problem, and if you want a superior Switch Pro controller, you’ll have to pay $70 for the privilege. Perhaps the Switch should have 2 wired buttons on the console and a Pro Controller in the box, which would facilitate the best of both worlds. On the other hand, the Joy-Cons are kid-friendly in a way that most other controllers aren’t, so maybe there’s a happy medium.
Classic games, a la carte
Now if you want to play NES or SNES games on the Switch, you have to pay a monthly fee for the Nintendo Switch Online service. If you want to play Genesis or N64 games, you’ll need to purchase an even more expensive Expansion Pass. Compare and contrast with the Wii, Wii U and 3DS, which let you buy classic games à la carte and keep them forever.
While there’s nothing wrong with the subscription model, it shouldn’t be the only way to experience classic games on the Switch. As we’ve noted, the Switch could be a great retro console, if only Nintendo were a little more flexible in offering its extensive and much-loved back catalog.
Revamped Online Multiplayer
Let’s face it, the Nintendo Switch Online app isn’t very good, and neither is the experience of playing Switch games online. Where Sony and Microsoft perfected friend lists, multiplayer parties and voice chat years ago, the Switch still requires tedious solutions with smartphones.
This creates a vicious circle: as gamers buy large multiplayer games for other platforms, developers are less and less likely to release or support Switch versions. Online multiplayer has traditionally never been a priority for Nintendo systems, but it’s just something that console gamers now expect – and they have every right to expect it to work seamlessly, too.
Save sensible data transfer
The only word to describe the Nintendo Switch’s current storage system is “horrible.” I learned this firsthand when Nintendo deleted all my save files during a routine repair procedure, and I had no way to recover them. While the Switch can connect to computers and use microSD cards without any problems, the only way to back up your save files is to subscribe to the disappointing Nintendo Switch Online service. Even then, syncing data between multiple Switches is a pain, and some games don’t support standard cloud storage at all, requiring tedious solutions instead.
SSD storage
The current Switch uses flash memory for installing games and storing files. In 2017, this was a sensible solution for a system that was too small for a standard hard drive. However, we now have the M.2 solid-state drive – a tiny SSD that can store whole terabytes of data and load files almost instantly. Both the PS5 and Xbox Series X use SSDs, and this generation’s load times are much, much faster than they used to be. Switching Nintendo from flash memory to an M.2 SSD seems like a no-brainer, as there don’t seem to be any limitations on size, power, or performance.
For now, that’s our wish list for the Switch 2. What would you like to see – and more importantly, when do you think we could see it?
0 Comments