Ex-PlayStation President Reacts to Nintendo Switch 2: 'Expected More Disappointment'

Former Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida recently shared his thoughts on the reveal of the Nintendo Switch 2 during an interview with Easy Allies. His reaction was notably reserved, expressing a sense of mixed feelings about the new console.

Yoshida commented, "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 gamers exclusively on Nintendo hardware, the Switch 2 offers exciting prospects, such as playing games like Elden Ring that were previously unavailable. However, for gamers with access to other platforms, the reveal was less thrilling.

He noted, "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 praised Drag x Drive for its "very Nintendo" feel and discussed the system's pricing, noting differences between Japan and the rest of the world. He concluded, "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."

Throughout the discussion, Yoshida recognized that the Nintendo Switch 2 was a sound business decision, with technical improvements likely crafted by highly skilled designers. The general sentiment aligns with online discussions suggesting that while the Switch 2 plays it safe in some aspects, it still includes innovative features like mouse controls that reflect Nintendo's playful spirit.

While Yoshida touched on the Switch 2's pricing in his conversation with Easy Allies, the exact cost for the U.S. market remains undisclosed. Nintendo has paused North American pre-orders due to new tariffs announced on the same day as the system's reveal. With the Switch 2 set to launch globally on June 5, Nintendo faces a tight deadline to resolve these issues before the release.