Ex-PlayStation President on Nintendo Switch 2: 'Expected More, But Not Disappointed'

Former Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida recently shared his thoughts on the Nintendo Switch 2's reveal during an interview with Easy Allies, and his reaction was notably lukewarm.

Yoshida expressed that the Switch 2's reveal felt like a mixed message from Nintendo. He believes that Nintendo is known for creating innovative experiences by designing hardware and games together, yet the Switch 2 seemed to him like a straightforward upgrade of the original Switch. He pointed out the larger screen, more powerful processor, higher resolution, 4K capabilities, and 120 fps, and noted that even the presentation style mimicked other platforms, which he felt deviated from Nintendo's unique identity.

"To me, it was a bit mixed message from Nintendo. In a sense, I think Nintendo is losing their identity, in my opinion. For me, they are always about creating some new experience, like designing hardware and games together to create something that [is an] amazing new experience. But Switch 2, as we all anticipated, is a better Switch, right? It's the larger screen, more powerful processor, higher resolution, 4K, 120 fps, they even have a hardware person starting the stream, like other platforms do, right? And because it's a better Switch, the core premise of the whole Switch 2 is, you know, 'We made things better'. And that's something other companies have been doing all the time."

Yoshida acknowledged that for those who exclusively game on Nintendo hardware, the Switch 2 is exciting because it allows access to previously unavailable games like Elden Ring. However, for gamers with other platforms, the excitement is somewhat diminished.

He also commented on the reveal event, noting that it was one of the most-watched shows of the year, and while it was great for announcing and launching new games, many of the showcased titles were ports from past generations. Yoshida highlighted Enter the Gungeon 2 as a standout announcement and praised Drag x Drive for being "very Nintendo."

"Publishers must have known that that show, last week, would be one of the most-watched shows this year. Millions and millions of people watched. It's amazing to announce and launch your new game, if you have a chance, but most of the games were ports from past generations. I don't know if this is Nintendo's direction or third parties' choice. But one game I reacted strongly [to] was Enter the Gungeon 2. That looks amazing. They did a great job announcing that there."

Yoshida also discussed the system's pricing, noting differences between Japan and the rest of the world, and concluded with a sense of disappointment, feeling that the Switch 2 did not live up to the expectations of delivering something truly innovative.

"Anyway, with some of the things Nintendo is doing, with the camera or mouse controls, creating new experiences, that's great. But other than that, I was personally a bit disappointed, because they didn't disappoint everyone. Because everyone wanted that better Switch."

Despite his reservations, Yoshida recognized the Switch 2 as a smart business move, crediting the technical improvements to talented designers. The general sentiment aligns with online discussions that the system plays it safe but retains some elements of Nintendo's playful nature, such as mouse controls.

As for the pricing of the Switch 2 in the U.S., details remain pending. Nintendo has temporarily halted North American pre-orders due to new tariffs announced the same day as the system's reveal. With the global launch set for June 5, the company is under pressure to resolve these issues promptly.