I can’t lie and say I wasn’t rocking in my seat when the Nintendo Switch 2 announcement dropped at the beginning of 2025. It was actually surprising to see leaks confirmed and that the Japanese gaming behemoth was going next-gen before the competition.
Disguised as a 40th Mario Anniversary Nintendo Direct and announcing the Super Mario Galaxy Movie, the stream shocked the world, revealing the smoother, upgraded look for the Switch’s successor.
The pure hype around Donkey Kong Bananza to end the stream was enough to keep the flame burning until backwards compatibility restrictions, price increases, and shameless cash grabs made it harder to stay positive. Now, a year post-announcement and months post-release, when is it appropriate for the latest Nintendo console to be categorized as boring? Here are three reasons why the launch lived and died in a single calendar year.
1. The "Safe" Franchise Backfire
It is no surprise that a new console would be accompanied by platform exclusives, especially when Nintendo reigns supreme in the IP department among competitors. Kirby Air Ride, Pokemon Z-A, Metroid Prime 4, and Mario Kart World Tour all have now made their way to our screens, and while it’s a nice update, they have never felt like new-gen games.
Absurd glitches, inconsistent textures, and lazy programming have left developers in the mud for every one of these launch releases, inherently turning what were supposed to be safe hits at bat into swings, misses, and strikeouts.
Add to that the price increments for both physical and digital copies, the heightened expectation of returning beloved sagas, and the average final product, and it feels weird to see all Nintendo fans agree on how quickly the illusion deflated.
2. GameCube Virtual Console Fail
If the new content isn’t making gamers cop the latest Nintendo Switch 2, then maybe sprinkling some nostalgia on top will make it more appealing to the older demographic. Adding the Nintendo GameCube library was a huge announcement, again, until further details were revealed.
Promising dozens of fan-favorites whilst making only seven titles available upon release has made gamers impatient all across the globe. The convenience of booting up a 20-plus-year-old library on the Switch 2 was the only redeeming feature until the delayed, subpar library became a reality.
Plus, with a yearly subscription and a forgotten console line-up that gets refreshed once in a blue moon, it’s starting to sound like Nintendo’s Virtual project was put together as a marketing stunt rather than a real option for gamers. Anything but letting the community emulate, I see.
3. AAA Heavy-hitters MIA
With the 40th Mario Anniversary, it seemed natural for a new mainline 3D platformer to be announced, let alone teased. No, siree. Instead, Donkey Kong Bananza is attempting to carry the weight of an entire 4Q console cycle, and it’s already showing signs of exhaustion.
Missing are Link and Zelda, the Super Smash Bros. saga, and the ever-hopeful multiplatform AAA releases that the Nintendo Switch 2 specs promise to run. Cool thing, all iconic Nintendo Switch releases got Nintendo Switch 2 DLCs disguised as upgrades. Oh, surprise, they’re charging for those, too.
Naturally, the Nintendo Switch 2 has been an enormous success – on paper. Money falling out of the sky must be nice for publishers, directors, and stockholders. Still, developers and gamers alike are left wondering if the ship will correct course in 2026, or if this is another Wii U fiasco, as once suspected.
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