Former PlayStation exec questions Nintendo’s direction with Switch 2

Former PlayStation exec Shuhei Yoshida, who has previously called himself a “huge Nintendo fan,” has had a ton to say about the Switch 2 so far. Following the full-on reveal of the platform, Yoshida said he wanted to see more new games, less ports, and found the Direct “underwhelming,” giving it an overall score of 7 out of 10. Now Yoshida has even more to say about Switch 2, and this time he’s talking about Nintendo’s overall approach.

In an interview with Easy Allies, Yoshida seemed to think that main idea behind the Switch 2 was somewhat unimpressive. It’s clear Yoshida sees Nintendo as an innovator and a company to forge their own path, but thinks with Switch 2 that they are giving consumers something more straightforward; the next iteration of Switch. This direction leaves something to be desired for Yoshida. (h/t Genki)

“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.”

[Former PlayStation exec Shuhei Yoshida]

There’s a lot to unpack in that statement, and there’s both points to agree and disagree on. It’s certainly true that the Switch 2 takes more a direct approach to hardware successors than Nintendo typically has throughout the years, but there are certainly platforms you could say fell into that proposition as well. For example, the 3DS was basically a DS but with improved graphics and stereoscopic visuals, and Game Boy Color to Advance was much the same.

Yoshida’s statement also ignores things like the mouse-mode controls on Switch 2, which aim to provide a unique play experience on the platform not possible on Switch. How those controls pan out remains to be seen, and it’s up to both Nintendo and third parties to embrace the feature to its fullest. We’ve seen companies do that with things like the Wii and its motion controls, but ignore hardware elements as they largely did on Switch with HD Rumble.

Another point worth mentioning is Nintendo’s constant push to be different and unique. It’s a directive that has brought them huge success as well as sizable disappointments. Again, the Wii was a runaway hit for the company, but the Wii U failed to find any meaningful audience due to a mixed message on advertising, as well as controller features that seemed to confuse more than inspire.

The most important thing to recognize here is that we hardly ever see analysis prior to a Nintendo platform release that is positive. If you think back or even research the commentary before platform launches like the GameCube, DS, Wii or what have you, you see a healthy amount of industry experts and gamers alike questioning if Nintendo’s hardware will win people over. This has led to the “Nintendo is doomed” meme over years, yet Nintendo keeps finding ways to succeed or bounce back from a rough spot.

Yoshida’s statement isn’t right or wrong, it’s just his opinion. There are points where what he said can be countered, and points that are worth agreeing on. In the end, it’s up to the consumer to decide if what Nintendo if offering with Switch 2 is enough to earn their hard-earned money, or if they’re going to sit things out. The right piece of software at the perfect time can work wonders, and Nintendo is no doubt banking on that moving into the Switch 2 generation.