It’s been six years since the release of Nintendo Switch, which means it’s high time the company reveals its next system. In September 2023, rumors started swirling about Nintendo showing off dev kits for the Nintendo Switch 2 at Gamescom. This has led to rampant speculation that Nintendo’s next era could start this year, and according to industry consultant Dr. Serkan Toto it’s more than likely the new system will be more iterative than innovative. He also has some interesting ideas about changes Nintendo will make, including leaving behind the Joy-Con controllers.
Toto is the CEO and founder of Kantan Games Inc., a consultancy firm that focuses on Japan’s video game industry. With much of Nintendo’s 2024 a mystery, Toto has some big thoughts on what the company might be planning.
“I think the ‘Switch 2’ will be a different device and not only a beefed up version of the current model. After 7 years, Nintendo needs a successor, not just an upgrade,” Toto tells Inverse.
His comments come after a new Gamesindustry.biz article, which rounds up predictions from prominent analysts and consultants, including Toto himself.
“The time is finally here for a Switch successor, even though I can say a "Pro" model actually did exist and certain developers were already working with the dev kit. I believe the next hardware will drop next year for $400,” Toto told Gamesindustry.biz, “There is a high chance that games will cost more, too: $70. The next system is also likely to be an iteration rather than a revolution.”
Nintendo certainly has a history of heavy iteration on each system, releasing different models of almost all of its systems, including the Nintendo Switch which has seen the standard model, Nintendo Switch Light, and Nintendo Switch OLED. Each time a “new” console releases though it’s tended to be new technology, rather than just a powered up version of the last system.
Toto thinks that the new system will be inherently similar to the Switch, but come with new “bells and whistles.” The last three systems have held true to that, with the motion controls of the Wii, tablet controller of the Wii U, and portability of Switch. With the Switch 2 that might indicate ditching some of what’s currently in place, and introducing new interfaces.
“For instance, it is high time for Nintendo to get rid of these (in my view) terrible Joy-Cons and introduce a new user interface and redesigned controllers,” Toto tells Inverse.
The Joy-Cons have been one of the more controversial pieces of the Switch over the years. There’s a common issue called “Joy-Con Drift,” which causes the analog sticks on the controllers to move around randomly or select inputs on their own. Apparently Nintendo has received thousands of faulty Joy-Cons over the years, and even adopted a policy of fixing Joy-Con Drift for free. In December 2022, a UK consumer group claimed the issue was caused by a fundamental design flaw, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see Nintendo drop the controllers entirely.
Of course, where the Switch has wildly succeeded is in its innovation for mixing home consoles with portability. It’s hard to see that changing, especially if the company has interesting in making Switch games backward compatible. Toto mentioned how strongly the Pokémon series has been associated with handheld gaming, and how that could influence Nintendo.
“Pokémon is one of Nintendo's top 3 IPs, and as such critically important. I don't think that Nintendo will design the system or even a component around Pokémon, but the brand will of course play a role in the minds of their hardware teams,” Toto tells Inverse, “Portability is in Pokémon’s DNA, so Nintendo will never ever drop that feature with its new system.”
It’s important to keep in mind that this is all speculation at the moment. However, with game releases clearly slowing down and substantial rumors, it does seem like a Nintendo Switch 2 reveal is simply a matter of time.
