It's been over 7-and-a-half years since Nintendo launched the original Switch console. I can hardly believe it's been so long, but there have been a bunch of hardware launches since too – from the Switch Lite to the Switch OLED upgrade. And some incredible, captivating games too, of course.
But in the wake of many Switch 2 rumours, it's seemingly time for Nintendo to drop its next-gen console to the world. I'm certainly ready for one this year. But it did get me thinking: I hope Nintendo doesn't make a repeat of its biggest mistake – which, in my opinion, comes down to naming.
Remember the time before the Switch? The Japanese gaming company has always been on a rollercoaster ride when it comes to hardware success, after all. In 2001/2002 the company launched the Gamecube, its successor to the super-popular N64, and it was ultimately a flop – squeezed out by Sony's PlayStation 2 and the original Microsoft Xbox.
But Nintendo had a huge about-turn success when, in 2006, it revealed the original Wii to the world. A console that defied the odds and, after selling more than 101 million units worldwide, put Nintendo firmly on the map as a family favourite. It was a company doing things differently – and lifelong fans and newcomers alike, whether younger, older or families, were drawn to the Wii's unique controls and first-party games.
But then it all went wrong. In 2012 the Wii U launched and, still to this day, I think it was Nintendo's biggest mistake – not because it was actually a bad console, but because its name was confusing. Having pulled the less-gaming-savvy families on board en masse with the Wii, the Wii U, for many would-be buyers, simply sounded like an accessory for the original Wii in my opinion. It was a marketing failure – and a financial flop too.
So that's got me wondering about the would-be Nintendo Switch 2. Is that name the right call? The various leaks online seem to point to a console that looks altogether similar to the original, and with earlier rumours of the Switch Pro never coming to light, is Nintendo running the risk of its next-gen hardware failing to reach its full audience potential?
Sure, it's obvious to the whole world that Sony PlayStation's sequential console numbering convention has been a great success for the gaming giant. Granted, there's never been a 'PlayStation U' to disrupt things, Nintendo-style. So perhaps slapping a '2' on the next Nintendo Switch's box will be enough to convince the masses.
I certainly hope so, because I think the Nintendo Switch has reached its limit – it's a fantastic console that, like the Wii years before it, changed the world of gaming immeasurably. But we need new hardware and graphical potential to allow Nintendo's forthcoming games to flourish in this day and age.
I'm sure a Switch 2 will absolutely deliver that – I'm just hoping its name choice is wise and the would-be buyers are equally as wise in understanding its position as a brand new platform.