"Ex-PlayStation President Disappointed Yet Pleased with Nintendo Switch 2 Reveal"

Former Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida recently shared his candid thoughts on the Nintendo Switch 2's reveal during an interview with Easy Allies. His response was notably reserved, expressing a sense of disappointment with the direction Nintendo has taken with their latest console.

In the interview, Yoshida remarked, "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's perspective is that while the Switch 2 is a great upgrade for those who exclusively game on Nintendo hardware, it lacks the innovative flair that has historically defined Nintendo's products. He highlighted that the console's reveal featured many ports from past generations, which he found less exciting for gamers who already own other platforms.

He specifically mentioned the game Enter the Gungeon 2, which he felt was a strong highlight of the reveal, praising its announcement and the creativity behind it. Additionally, he appreciated Drag x Drive for embodying what he considers to be "very Nintendo."

Yoshida also touched on the Switch 2's pricing, noting the differences between Japan and other regions. He expressed some disappointment in the overall reveal, stating, "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 acknowledged the business acumen behind the Switch 2, recognizing the technical improvements and the intelligent design decisions made by Nintendo's team. The general sentiment, echoed across the internet and discussed in various articles, is that while the Switch 2 plays it safe, it may still be the right move commercially. Yet, it leaves fans yearning for the unique and playful experiences that Nintendo is known for.

As for pricing, Yoshida discussed it at length, but the exact cost of the Switch 2 in the U.S. remains uncertain. Nintendo has paused North American pre-orders due to new tariffs announced on the same day as the console's reveal. With a global launch scheduled for June 5, the company is under pressure to resolve these issues promptly.