The wait is almost over – Nintendo’s Switch 2 officially ships starting today, and the gaming community is electrified with anticipation. With its announcement sending shockwaves through the industry, the Switch 2 promises upgraded hardware, enhanced graphics, and a fresh wave of exclusive titles that have fans and newcomers alike counting down the hours. Social media and gaming forums are buzzing with unboxing plans, early impressions from pre-release units, and speculation about which features will define this next generation of hybrid gameplay. As any veteran Switch owner knows, the right accessories can dramatically enhance the gaming experience, and the Switch 2 is no exception. Whether it’s for extended play sessions at home, on-the-go protection, or boosting multiplayer fun, accessories are the unsung heroes that maximize the console’s potential. From ergonomic thumb grips and bumper cases to game-cartridge-holders, a well-equipped setup can make all the difference – and JSAUX seems to have everything sorted. Designer: JSAUX 1. JSAUX Carrying Case for Nintendo Switch 2 No one wants to risk their brand-new Switch 2 rattling around in a flimsy pouch. JSAUX’s Carrying Case ditches the generic for a custom-molded fit, wrapping your console in thick, dual-layer EVA hard-shell that shrugs off drops and shields against everyday scuffs. The plush microfiber lining is a small luxury, keeping your screen pristine even after you inevitably toss the case into a crowded backpack. There’s room for everything you actually need: 15 game card slots, a mesh pocket for cables and earbuds, and enough space for your Switch 2 with its own protective case attached. JSAUX nails the details with a smooth dual zipper, a Velcro strap to keep your console locked in place, and an adjustable stand that turns any table into a mobile gaming station. Whether you’re heading out for a weekend or just want to keep your gear tidy at home, the comfortable handle and detachable shoulder strap make carrying a breeze. It’s protection, organization, and a flex of practicality, without the bulk. Why We Recommend It This is the Switch 2 case for real-world gamers – the ones who actually take their console outside, swap cartridges in weird places, and need gear that isn’t just stylish, but built for chaos. The customizable storage and soft-but-tough protection mean your Switch 2 and accessories survive every bump, drop, or accidental coffee spill. It’s the kind of case that lets you focus on the game, not what’s happening to your hardware. Click Here to Buy Now: $14.39 $21.99 (34% off, use coupon code “JSSWITCH2”). This code can be stacked with existing product deals or discounts. Hurry, deal ends in 48-hours! 2. JSAUX 3-Pack Tempered Glass Screen Protector for Nintendo Switch 2 You know the moment you peel the plastic off a brand-new console? That pristine look deserves to last. JSAUX’s Tempered Glass Screen Protector for Switch 2 nails that first-day shine with edge-to-edge coverage, engineered specifically for Nintendo’s 2025 flagship. The guide frame makes installation foolproof – seriously, it’s almost impossible to misalign or trap bubbles, even if you’re all thumbs and shaky from launch-day excitement. Once on, the 99% transparency keeps every pixel crisp and colors vibrant, so Breath of the Wild 2 or Mario Kart pop just like on day one. Built from dual-tempered 9H glass, it shrugs off scratches, rogue keys, and the random chaos of backpack travel. The 0.3mm thickness is as subtle as it gets – no loss of touch accuracy, no weird drag. And thanks to a nano-oleophobic coating, smudges wipe away quickly, so you’re never gaming through a fingerprint haze. Whether you’re marathon grinding or passing the Switch to a pizza-fingered friend, this protector is ready for real-world gaming. Why We Recommend It Forget triple-checking your bag for sharp objects – this JSAUX screen protector means your Switch 2 just isn’t precious anymore, it’s practical. Installation is stress-free, the display stays flawless, and your frantic touchscreen mashing never feels laggy. For anyone tired of treating their console like fine china, this is the protection that lets you just play. Click Here to Buy Now: $5.59 $9.99 (44% off, use coupon code “JSSWITCH2”). This code can be stacked with existing product deals or discounts. Hurry, deal ends in 48 hours! 3. JSAUX Protective Case Compatible with Nintendo Switch 2 Skip the bulky bricks—this JSAUX Protective Carry Case is precision-engineered for the Switch 2 and the Switch 2 only. You get a snug, movement-free fit that feels purpose-built because it is, and it won’t work with any extra shells or cases. The hard PC exterior shrugs off scratches, dust, and splashes, holding up under café tables and cross-country flights alike. Inside, soft silicone strips keep your Switch 2 floating safely, while the clever raised sections mean your joysticks never take the brunt of an accidental bump. Traveling light? The detachable wrist strap is a small convenience that makes a big difference, and the slim profile means this case slides into any backpack or shoulder bag without hogging space. Built-in game card slots are a thoughtful touch – no more loose cartridges rattling around or getting lost in the depths of your bag. It’s the kind of accessory that makes daily Switch 2 use seamless, keeping your console clean, protected, and always ready to play. Why We Recommend It No-nonsense protection, zero wasted space. This case is for people who toss their Switch 2 into a bag and actually live life. The fit is tight, the shell is tough, and the joystick protection is smarter than most cases twice the price. Game card slots mean your library travels with you, not in a Ziploc. It’s the everyday armor you don’t have to think about, but you’ll notice the moment you need it. Click Here to Buy Now: $13.59 $25.99 (47% off, use coupon code “JSSWITCH2”). This code can be stacked with existing product deals or discounts. Hurry, deal ends in 48-hours! 4. JSAUX Thumb Grips for Nintendo Switch 2 If you’ve ever wished for a thumbstick upgrade on the Switch 2, these JSAUX Thumb Grips are as close as it gets to pro-level control, without needing a soldering iron or a warranty-voiding moment. Designed specifically for the Nintendo Switch 2, they snap on with a reassuring snugness and stay put through frantic boss fights or marathon Splatoon sessions. Three sizes (1, 2, and 3) are included in the kit, so you can fine-tune each stick for your hand size and play style – no more settling for “one size fits all” discomfort. Function isn’t sacrificed for comfort, either. The soft-touch finish and sculpted ergonomic shape actually take the edge off finger fatigue, so you can grind through RPGs or rack up wins in fighters without your thumb locking up. Each cap height serves a purpose: short for fast, twitchy moves in action games, tall for accuracy and steady aim in shooters, original size to simply boost grip. Mix and match to build your own hybrid layout. Why We Recommend It Who knew a 10-second upgrade could totally shift your game? These JSAUX Thumb Grips for Switch 2 let you dial in comfort and precision, whether you’re craving snap reflexes in Smash or pixel-perfect aim in Splatoon. No slipping, no awkward fit, no thumb fatigue after hours – just that satisfying soft grip and a custom feel that actually matches your play style. For anyone tired of stock sticks, this is the tweak you’ll wish you’d made sooner. Click Here to Buy Now: $6.39 $12.99 (50% off, use coupon code “JSSWITCH2”). This code can be stacked with existing product deals or discounts. Hurry, deal ends in 48-hours! 5. JSAUX Dockable Case for Nintendo Switch 2 The JSAUX Protective Case for Nintendo Switch 2 is engineered for gamers who want real protection without sacrificing style or convenience. Its split design means you can effortlessly detach the JoyCons without wrestling with stubborn plastic, and the ultra-thin 1mm PC back shell slides right into the official dock – no need to remove the case every time you charge or play on the big screen. The U-shaped cutout perfectly frames the Switch 2’s built-in kickstand, so you can go from handheld to tabletop mode in seconds, without ever fumbling or forcing a fit. Hybrid construction is the secret sauce here. The JoyCon covers fuse a transparent, scratch-resistant PC front with a soft-touch TPU back, letting the Switch 2’s design shine while adding grip and comfort for marathon sessions. Every port and button stays fully accessible thanks to precise cutouts, and popping the covers on or off is a breeze. No more risking cracked clips or flaky plastic – just smooth, reliable protection dialed in for everyday use. Why We Recommend It Forget clunky cases that ruin the Switch’s sleek vibe or force you to undock every time you want to play on your TV. JSAUX nails the essentials: dock-friendly fit, proper grip, zero interference with the kickstand, and a clear finish that doesn’t hide your console’s good looks. It’s protection that respects the Switch 2’s design – no bulk, no hassle, just smart, seamless defense you barely notice until you need it. Click Here to Buy Now: $12.99 $19.99 (35% off, use coupon code “JSSWITCH2”). This code can be stacked with existing product deals or discounts. Hurry, deal ends in 48-hours!The post Don’t Unbox Your Nintendo Switch 2 Without These Gaming Accessories first appeared on Yanko Design.

Launch week is finally here, and though I would love to be bringing you a proper review of the Nintendo Switch 2 right now, I still don’t have one at the time of writing. In its wisdom, Nintendo has decided not to send review units out until the day before release, so as you read this I will be standing impatiently by the door like a dog anxiously awaiting its owner.I have played the console, though, for a whole day at Nintendo’s offices, so I can give you some first impressions. Hardware-wise, it is the upgrade of my dreams: sturdier JoyCons, a beautiful screen, the graphical muscle to make games look as good as I want them to in 2025 (though still not comparable to the high-end PlayStation 5 Pro or a modern gaming PC). I like the understated pops of colour on the controllers, the refined menu with its soothing chimes and blips. Game sharing, online functionality and other basic stuff is frictionless now. I love that Nintendo Switch Online is so reasonably priced, at £18 a year, as opposed to about the same per month for comparable gaming services, and it gives me access to a treasure trove of Nintendo games from decades past.But here’s the key word in that paragraph: it’s an upgrade. After eight years, an upgrade feels rather belated. I was hoping for something actually new, and aside from the fact that you can now use those controllers as mice by turning them sideways and moving them around on a desk or on your lap, there isn’t much new in the Switch 2. Absorbed in Mario Kart World, the main launch title, it was easy to forget I was even playing a new console. I do wonder – as I did in January – whether many less gaming-literate families who own a Switch will see a reason to upgrade, given the £400 asking price.Brilliant … Mario Kart World. Photograph: NintendoSpeaking of Mario Kart World, though: it’s brilliant. Totally splendid. It will deservedly sell squillions. Alongside the classic competitive grand prix and time trial races, the headline feature is an open, driveable world that you can explore all you like, as any character, picking up characters and costumes and collectibles, and getting into elimination-style races that span the full continent. All the courses are part of one huge map, and they flow right into one another.Your kart transforms helpfully into a boat when you hit water, and I found an island with a really tricky challenge where I had to ride seaplanes up towards a skyscraper in the city, driving over their wings from one to the other. Anyone could lose hours driving aimlessly around the colourful collection of mountains, jungles and winding motorways here. There’s even a space-station themed course that cleverly echoes the original Donkey Kong arcade game, delivering a nostalgia hit as delightful as Super Mario Odyssey’s climactic New Donk City festival.Pushing Buttons correspondent Keith Stuart also had a great time with another launch game, Konami’s Survival Kids, which is a bit like Overcooked except all the players are working together to survive on a desert island. (Be reassured, if you generally find survival games hard work: it’s very much fun over peril.)However: I would steer clear of the Nintendo Switch Welcome Tour, an almost belligerently un-fun interactive tour of the console’s new features … that costs £7.99. Your tiny avatar walks around a gigantic recreation of a Switch 2 console, looking for invisible plaques that point out its different components. There are displays with uninteresting technical information about, say, the quality of the console’s HD rumble. One of the interactive museum displays shows a ball bounding across the screen and asks you to guess how many frames per second it is travelling at. As someone who aggressively does not care about fine technical detail, I was terrible at this. It’s like being on the least interesting school trip of your life.And it felt felt remarkably un-Nintendo, so dry and devoid of personality that it made me a little worried. Nintendo Labo, by contrast, was a super-fun and accessible way of showing off the original Switch’s technical features. I had assumed that Welcome Tour would be made by the same team, but evidently not.I couldn’t wait to get back to Mario Kart World, which, once again, is fantastic. I’m excited to spend the rest of the week playing it for a proper review. And if you’ve pre-ordered a Switch 2, you’ll have it in your hands in the next 24 hours. For those holding off: we’ll have plenty more Switch 2 info and opinions in the next few weeks to help you make a decision.What to playArms akimbo … to a T is funny and weird. Illustration: Annapurna interactive/SteamLast week I played through to a T, the beautifully strange, unexpectedly thoughtful new game from Katamari Damacy creator Keita Takahashi. It is about a young teenager who is forever stuck in a T-pose, arms akimbo. As you might imagine, this makes life rather difficult for them, and they must rely on their fluffy little dog to help them through life. It’s a kid-friendly game about accepting who you are – I played it with my sons – but it is also extremely funny and weird, and features a song about a giraffe who loves to make sandwiches. I love a game where you don’t know what to expect, and I bet that if I asked every single reader of this newsletter to guess how it ends, not one of you would be anywhere close.Available on: PS5, Xbox, PC Estimated playtime: What to readTake chances … Remy Siu (left) and Nhi Do accept the Peabody award for 1000xRESIST. Photograph: Charley Gallay/Getty images 1000xRESIST, last year’s critical darling sci-fi game about the immigrant experience and the cost of political resistance, won a Peabody award this week. From the creators’ acceptance speech: “I want to say to the games industry, resource those on the margins and seek difference. Take chances again and again. This art form is barely unearthed. It’s too early to define it. Fund the indescribable.” Keith Stuart wrote about the largely lost age of midnight launch parties – for the Switch 2 launch, only Smyths Toys is hosting midnight releases. Did you ever go to one of these events? Write in and tell me if so – I remember feeling intensely embarrassed queuing for a Wii on Edinburgh’s Princes Street as a teenager. The developers of OpenAI are very proud that their latest artificial “intelligence” model can play Pokémon Red. It’s terrible at it, and has so far taken more than 80 hours to obtain three gym badges. I’m trying not to think about the environmental cost of proving AI is terrible at video games. When Imran Khan had a stroke last year, he lost the ability to play games. I found this essay about the role that Kaizo Mario (super-difficult hacked Mario levels) played in his recovery extremely moving. skip past newsletter promotionSign up to Pushing ButtonsFree weekly newsletterKeza MacDonald's weekly look at the world of gamingPrivacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.after newsletter promotionWhat to clickQuestion BlockSoothing … Unpacking. Illustration: Humble Games/SteamReader Gemma asks:“At this moment I am cuddling my three-month-old as he naps on the sofa while I’m playing Blue Prince. It might be the best postnatal game: it has very little background sound or music; can be paused any time; is very chill with zero jeopardy; but also has a fascinating storyline and incredible puzzles. I also find myself narrating the letters and talking out loud for the maths puzzles. (Do three-month-olds understand algebra?) Your article [about Nintendo at naptime] made me feel less guilty, so thank you. Any other updated tips for similar games that you’ve discovered in the last eight years for postnatal gaming?”In the small-baby years I played two types of games: five-hour ones that I could complete in a couple of evenings, or endless Stardew Valley/Animal Crossing-type games where you could just drop in and zone out for as long as you needed, and it didn’t matter whether you were “achieving” anything. I couldn’t play anything with a linear plot because my brain was often mush and I’d simply forget what had happened an hour ago. It’s different for everyone, though – my friend Sarah was obsessed with Grand Theft Auto when her baby was wee.I became hooked on a couple of exploitative phone games that I won’t recommend – don’t go near those in a vulnerable brain-state, you’ll end up spending hours and £££ on virtual gems to buy dopamine with. Something like Unpacking or A Little to the Left might be soothing for a puzzle-brain like yours (and they’re short). I’ll throw this out there to other gamer mums: what did you play in the early months of parenthood?If you’ve got a question for Question Block – or anything else to say about the newsletter – email us on pushingbuttons@theguardian.com.

Any time a new console launches, it goes without saying that the actual hardware itself and the games that it is releasing with are always the top priorities for early adopters, but for a great number of the people who are hopping aboard that early, instant pickups of accessories are also usually high on that list. The Nintendo Switch 2’s release is right around the corner, and as you would expect, upon its release, a number of different accessories will also become available to allow players to optimize, customize, and supplement their Nintendo Switch 2 experience in a variety of ways. With the console’s release right around the corner, here, we’re going to talk about a few Switch 2 accessories that will be available alongside its release, and everything that you should know about them. NINTENDO SWITCH 2 PRO CONTROLLER – $84.99 Same as with the Switch 1 (and the Wii and the Wii U), Nintendo will also offer a Pro Controller with the Switch 2, an option that many are likely to make use of. For the most part, you can expect the Switch 2 Pro Controller to be similar to the Switch 1 Pro Controller, though as you’d expect, Nintendo will offer a few upgrades and enhancements with the controller’s new version. Similar to the jump from the Switch 1 to the Switch 2 itself, you can expect iterative changes between the two controllers. Let’s talk about those… NINTENDO SWITCH 2 PRO CONTROLLER – NEW FEATURES On top of everything that you’d expect from its previous version, the Switch 2 controller will also come with its own set of new features, including GL and GR buttons on the back that you’ll be able to map different actions and inputs to, the improved HD Rumble 2, the GameChat-tied C Button, and a 3.5 mm audio jack so you can directly plug in headsets. JOYCON 2 CONTROLLERS AND STRAPS – $13.99 In case you want to have additional JoyCon 2 pairs available for multiplayer gameplay (or as backups in case your main pair stops working, even though Nintendo is promising hardier JoyCons this time around- but you never know). they will be available to pick up. For now, Nintendo has only one colour combo available for JoyCon 2 controllers. They will be sold with straps, though straps are purchasable separately as well. JOYCON 2 CHARGING GRIP – $39.99 Much like the original Switch, you can buy a separate JoyCon charging grip for your JoyCon 2 controllers, too, in case you want to be able to play with them while charging them. And much like the regular, non-charging capable JoyCon 2 grip that comes with the Switch 2 console out of the box, this grip will also have the extra GL and GR paddle buttons for players to be able to map any button or action to, and save a profile for on a per-game basis. JOYCON 2 WHEEL – $24.99 Nintendo has something of a tradition of offering steering wheel controllers with its consoles, and that will continue with the Switch 2. JoyCon 2 steering wheels are also available, and each purchase comes with two sets- a red and a blue, same as JoyCon 2 controllers. With Mario Kart World being the big Switch 2 launch title, many will presumably be picking up the steering wheel accessory (though it will of course work with other racing games as well). NINTENDO SWITCH 2 CAMERA – $54.99 One of the big signature features for the Switch 2, at least from Nintendo’s perspective, is Game Chat, the built in voice and video chat platform that will be offered to Switch 2 owners as part of a Nintendo Switch Online subscription. Obviously, the whole video chat aspect of that only makes sense with a camera, and since the Switch 2 doesn’t come with a camera built in, you can buy one separately if this is something that appeals to you. The good thing is that it seems like, at least initially, Nintendo plans to support this accessory in a fair few games too. Mario Kart World will support it right at launch, and Super Mario Party Jamboree is getting an updated native Switch 2 release to support it as well. So you should be able to get some good use out of it, if you do get it. HORI’S PIRANHA PLANT CAMERA FOR NINTENDO SWITCH 2 – $59.99 If you want a different, whackier version of the Switch 2 Camera, an officially licensed third party option is available courtesy of Hori, which is selling a Piranha Plant Camera for the console. As its name suggests, the accessory is a Switch 2 Camera that comes in the shape of Super Mario’s iconic Piranha Plant. GAMECUBE CONTROLLER – $64.99 The Nintendo Switch Online subscription will offer a brand new library of retro games on the Switch 2, with GameCube titles finally set to be added. The fan favorite console has been requested for retro compatibility on Nintendo consoles for what feels like forever now, so it’s great to see it finally happening here. Much like was the case for other home consoles added to Nintendo Switch Online, Nintendo will offer authentic recreations of GameCube controllers that subscribers can buy and use, if they want to really kick up their nostalgia into next gear. This controller will, like every other Switch 2 controller, include the C button on it. Confusingly enough, this GameCube controller will be totally separate from the GameCube controllers Nintendo has been selling for the last decade for Smash players; those, presumably, can still be used with these GameCube games, although they do lack this controller’s wireless functionality or C button. NINTENDO SWITCH 2 DOCK – $119.99 The Switch 2 will obviously come with a dock right out the box, but if you do need an additional or a spare (or, you know, a replacement in the worst case scenario), you will be able to purchase individual Switch 2 docks, just like with the Switch 1. And though this should really go without saying, do keep in mind that Switch 1 docks won’t work with the Switch 2, and vice versa. CARRYING CASES Carrying cases are something of a necessity with portable consoles for a great many people, and yes, official first party options are available with the Switch 2 as well. A first party carry case and screen protector are being sold by Nintendo, as is a larger All-in-one carrying case that will also let you carry a dock cables, controllers, and cards all together. Of course, plenty of third party carry cases and screen protector options are also available. SAMSUNG MICROSD EXPRESS CARD – 256 GB FOR NINTENDO SWITCH 2 – $59.99 The Switch 2, much like every other current generation machine on the market, comes with a built in SSD for its internal storage, to allow for quicker game streaming and loading times. But, much like on other systems, this poses a unique dilemma when it comes to expanding the storage space available- in fact, the problem is more pronounced for the Switch 2 because as a hybrid console, it can’t really rely on large SSD enclosures. The answer lies in its support for MicroSD Express cards- the “express” part of the name is important, because these cards read and write data incredibly fast, at speeds comparable to a solid state drive. These cards are the only microSD cards that will work on a Switch 2- the regular ones can be used to transfer or store screenshots and videos, but other than that, you need a microSD Express card. Currently, these cost a fair bit, but since this is a market standard format, hopefully the prices will go down very quickly over time. NINTENDO SWITCH ACCESSORIES COMPATIBILITY The most important point to keep in mind for Switch 2 accessories, arguably, is this one- every single Switch accessory and controller you already own is compatible and supported on the Switch 2. There are some obvious exceptions where those have been necessary- as mentioned, regular microSD cards won’t work on Switch 2 beyond in a very limited capacity, and obviously you cannot use you existing Switch 1 carrying cases or screen protectors for your much larger Switch 2. But those obvious exceptions aside, everything works on the Switch 2, other than when you need to use specific features that weren’t available with the Switch1. So, for instance, while your old Switch 1 JoyCons will work with the Switch 2,, you won’t be able to use any C button related features, since, well, there is no C button for you to use. Similarly, you can continue using your Switch 1 Pro Controller with the Switch 2, but you won’t be able to use it to power on your console. So if you’re not really in the mood to spend a lot of money on getting these accessories, which, let’s face it, are going to be pricey- well, you don’t have to. Most of your existing stuff will work just fine, with some caveats.

NookNinja Member Jan 15, 2025 504 tokyo Switch 2 is hype. hype season is here. God knows that I am more hyped about this than anyone. But there is one section of the hardware I feel they really fucked up The damn Joycon trofts on sides of the tablet are colored. WHY Should have been like this man, i swear to god. what the hell were they thinking? I buy all the joycon colors. What are they going to do? make a green joycon with blue and red inside?! WHAT THE FUCK. my OCD is not ready for this.. I legit might not buy more joycon because of this.  Wrexis Member Nov 4, 2017 29,759 NookNinja said: Should have been like this man, i swear to god. what the hell were they thinking? Click to expand... Click to shrink... "The blue one goes in the blue slot, the red one goes in the red slot." I can see why they did it.  OhhEldenRing Member Aug 14, 2024 2,964 Maybe they'll have a plain grey Switch2 at some point like the OG and absent the joy con. I suspect those internal colours are specific to the joy cons they are packaged with. Still doesn't solve your problem lol  PapaJustify Member Nov 3, 2017 1,325 Germany What if they are not selling new colors seperately anymore but only in a Switch 2 bundle with the matching color on the device? Or they do sell seperately but you have to live with matching a green Joy-Con insert with a blue port on your Switch 2.  Aleh Member Oct 27, 2017 20,211 It's silly but annoying yeah. At least it won't be a real issue since you can't see the mismatch when they're attached   Liam Allen-Miller Member Nov 2, 2017 8,037 Shibuya NookNinja said: [...] I buy all the joycon colors. What are they going to do? make a green joycon with blue and red inside?! WHAT THE FUCK. my OCD is not ready for this.. I legit might not buy more joycon because of this. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Well, I don't want to tell you what to do with your money, but maybe not having to buy every color Joy-Con isn't such a bad thing! :P Real talk I have to imagine future units will have different color schemes. When I was looking at the demo unit at my local Bic Camera I was thinking the same thing, that it was an odd choice.  Pentagon Member Mar 14, 2025 73 Much like themes, you're going to get two colours the whole generation and you're going to like it, dammit!   Dukie85 Chicken Chaser Member Oct 25, 2017 3,165 NookNinja said: Switch 2 is hype. hype season is here. God knows that I am more hyped about this than anyone. But there is one section of the hardware I feel they really fucked up The damn Joycon trofts on sides of the tablet are colored. WHY Should have been like this man, i swear to god. what the hell were they thinking? I buy all the joycon colors. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Peer, is that you?   SixelAlexiS Member Oct 27, 2017 9,267 Italy NookNinja said: Switch 2 is hype. hype season is here. God knows that I am more hyped about this than anyone. But there is one section of the hardware I feel they really fucked up The damn Joycon trofts on sides of the tablet are colored. WHY Should have been like this man, i swear to god. what the hell were they thinking? I buy all the joycon colors. What are they going to do? make a green joycon with blue and red inside?! WHAT THE FUCK. my OCD is not ready for this.. I legit might not buy more joycon because of this. Click to expand... Click to shrink... I'm more annoyed by the first image not working :P   Shahadan Member Oct 27, 2017 5,620 Bluer and Redder edition Or they will color the black part and leave the blue and red for maximum ugliness. Or better yet they change the inner colors but release a switch 2 model with matching trofts, each time. You'll have to buy them all  KaladinSB Member Oct 27, 2017 844 They have the PLUS and MINUS indicator so the inner plastic doesn't have to color match. You'd only have to push through the agony for a few seconds when you see the green joycon going in or out of the blue slot or train yourself to do it blindfolded.   OP OP NookNinja Member Jan 15, 2025 504 tokyo i hate that there is color on the inside of the grooves. infuriating. It will bother me every time I put something that doesnt match it on there. WHY   OP OP NookNinja Member Jan 15, 2025 504 tokyo Liam Allen-Miller said: Well, I don't want to tell you what to do with your money, but maybe not having to buy every color Joy-Con isn't such a bad thing! :P Real talk I have to imagine future units will have different color schemes. When I was looking at the demo unit at my local Bic Camera I was thinking the same thing, that it was an odd choice. Click to expand... Click to shrink... but what if they make green ones? or red? I'll need purple ones and Yellow.. Real talk? What if they do a dpad one. PLEASE GOD.  Delaney Member Oct 25, 2017 3,947 Maybe the joycons this time around do something like the Chroma Dualsenses while keeping the blue-orange inside.   OP OP NookNinja Member Jan 15, 2025 504 tokyo Delaney said: Maybe the joycons this time around do something like the Chroma Dualsenses while keeping the blue-orange inside. Click to expand... Click to shrink... So every joycon 2 has to have some element of blue and red? so lame   Duffking Member Oct 27, 2017 6,799 They'll make pure blue/red ones and sell them to you for extra in 6 months.   Killyoh Member Oct 28, 2017 1,809 Paris, France   Windrunner Sly Member Oct 25, 2017 7,836 Calm down, it's not that serious.  

IDontBeatGames ThreadMarksman - Saved Transistor's sanity twice Member Oct 29, 2017 21,074 New York Welcome to the brand new Nintendo Switch 2 Community |OT|! Nintendo Entertainment Planning & Development Division, commonly abbreviated as Nintendo EPD, is the largest division within the Japanese video game company Nintendo. The division focuses on developing and producing video games, mobile apps, and other related entertainment software for the company. EPD was created after merging their Entertainment Analysis & Development (EAD) and Software Planning & Development (SPD) divisions in September 2015. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Current Projects:​ Game Title​Metacritic Score​The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom​96​Everybody 1-2-Switch!​56​Pikmin 4​87​Super Mario Bros. Wonder​93​Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition​73​Emio - The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club​74​The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom​85​ The Pokémon Company (株式会社ポケモン, Kabushiki Gaisha Pokemon) (TPC) is a Japanese company responsible for brand management, production, publishing, marketing, and licensing of the Pokémon franchise, which consists of video game software, a trading card game, anime television series, films, manga, home entertainment products, merchandise, and other ventures. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Current Projects:​ Game Title​Metacritic Score​Pokemon Scarlet/Violet​72​Pokemon Scarlet/Violet: The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero: Part I​66​Detective Pikachu Returns​66​Pokemon Scarlet/Violet: The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero: Part II​70​ Upcoming Projects:​ Game Title​Source​Pokemon Legends: Z-A​ Monolith Software Inc., trading as Monolith Soft, is a Japanese video game development studio originally owned by Namco (later Bandai Namco) until being bought out by Nintendo in 2007, best known for the Xenoblade Chronicles series of games. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Current Projects:​ Game Title​Metacritic Score​Xenoblade Chronicles 2​83​Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition​89​Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna ~ The Golden County​80​Xenoblade Chronicles 3​89​Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Expansion Pass Wave 4 - Future Redeemed​92​ Upcoming Projects:​ Game Title​Source​Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive Edition​ HAL Laboratory, Inc., formerly shortened as HALKEN (derived from its native name), is a Japanese video game developer founded on 21 February 1980. While independent, it has been closely tied with Nintendo throughout its history, and is often referred to as a second-party developer for the company. The company is most famous for their work on the Kirby and Mother series, as well as the first two Super Smash Bros. games. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Current Projects:​ Game Title​Metacritic Score​Kirby Star Allies​73​Kirby and the Forgotten Land​85​Kirby's Return to Dreamland Deluxe​79​ Upcoming Projects:​ Game Title​Source​Kirby: Planet Robobot​ Retro Studios, Inc. is an American video game developer and subsidiary of Nintendo based in Austin, Texas. The studio is best known for its work on the Metroid Prime and Donkey Kong Country series, and has contributed to several other Nintendo-developed projects, such as Mario Kart 7. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Current Projects:​ Game Title​Metacritic Score​Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze​83​Metroid Prime Remastered​94​ Upcoming Projects:​ Game Title​Source​Metroid Prime 4​Official Youtube Video​Rumors: Metroid Prime 2 & 3 Ports​Jeff Grubb​ NDcube Co., Ltd. is a Japanese video game developer and a subsidiary of Nintendo based in Japan with offices in Tokyo and Sapporo. The majority of the company is made up of former employees of Hudson Soft. They have also been the developers of the Mario Party series since Mario Party 9 onwards. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Current Projects:​ Game Title​Metacritic Score​Super Mario Party​76​Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics​82​Mario Party Superstars​80​Everybody 1,2 Switch​56​Super Mario Party Jamboree​82​ Intelligent Systems Co., Ltd. is a Japanese video game developer best known for developing games published by Nintendo with the Fire Emblem, Paper Mario, WarioWare, and Wars video game series. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Current Project:​ Game Title​Metacritic Score​Fire Emblem: Three Houses​89​Paper Mario: The Origami King​80​WarioWare: Get It Together!​76​Fire Emblem: Engage​80​WarioWare: Movie It!​73​Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door Remake​88​ 1-Up Studio Inc. (stylized as "1-UP Studio Inc."), formerly Brownie Brown Inc., is a Japanese video game developer founded on June 30, 2000, in Tokyo, Japan by Shinichi Kameoka and Kouji Tsuda who worked on the Mana series. The studio developed games for both Nintendo and Square Enix, including Magical Vacation and Sword of Mana. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Current Projects:​ Game Title​Metacritic Score​Ring Fit Adventure​83​Animal Crossing: New Horizons​90​Super Mario 3D All Stars​82​Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury​89​ Next Level Games, Inc. is a Canadian video game developer owned by Nintendo based in Vancouver. The company is best known for its work with Nintendo, the Mario Strikers games and Punch-Out!! for the Wii, Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon and Metroid Prime: Federation Force for the Nintendo 3DS, and Luigi's Mansion 3 for the Nintendo Switch. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Current Projects:​ Game Title​Metacritic Score​Luigi's Mansion 3​86​Mario Strikers: Battle League​73​ About the Nintendo Switch Online and the Expansion Pack: Play online with friends, family, and other players around the world. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Play old-school favorites like the Super Mario Bros.™ 3, Donkey Kong Country™, and The Legend of Zelda™: Link's Awakening games. These games include added online functionality so you can compete (or cooperate) online with friends depending on the game. Nintendo Switch Online members can buy a pair of Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers* and redeem each one for a digital game in the voucher catalog to score savings. For example, get The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and one other game for up to $30 in savings with Game Vouchers! Click to expand... Click to shrink... Get all the benefits of Nintendo Switch Online, plus access to classic Nintendo 64, Game Boy Advance, and Sega Genesis games, along with select DLC. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Party like it's 1996 with classic Nintendo 64™ games like Mario Kart™ 64, GoldenEye 007, The Legend of Zelda™: Ocarina of Time™, and more! Click to expand... Click to shrink... Includes classics like The Legend of Zelda™: The Minish Cap and Super Mario™ Advance 4: Super Mario Bros.™ 3. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack members also get access a collection of SEGA Genesis™ games—like Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Golden Axe—that are great to play anytime, anywhere! Click to expand... Click to shrink... Uncover top-quality experiences from independent developers with Indie World! Covering a wide range of genres, Indie World represent some of the best titles available for the Nintendo Switch from independent developers. Click to expand... Click to shrink... The Nintendo Switch 2 has officially been announced!​ Per Bloomberg: Robin Zhu, an analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein, said ahead of the announcement that Nintendo has prepared a supply chain network that will allow the company to sell more than 20 million units in its first year. That compares with the current Switch's sale of around 15 million units in its first four quarters. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Go hands-on with Nintendo Switch 2 at Nintendo Switch 2 Experience events in New York, Los Angeles, and Dallas! A free Nintendo Account is required to register. You can sign up here starting January 17. A free Nintendo account is required for signups. Dates and Locations: New York, April 4-6, 2025 Los Angeles, April 11-13, 2025 Dallas, April 25-27, 2025 Toronto, April 25-27, 2025 Europe: Paris, April 4-6, 2025 London, April 11-13, 2025 Milan, April 25-27, 2025 Berlin, April 25-27, 2025 Madrid, May 9-11, 2025 Amsterdam, May 9-11, 2025 Oceania: Melbourne, May 10-11, 2025 Asia: Tokyo (Makuhari), April 26-27, 2025 Seoul, May 31-June 1, 2025 Hong Kong, To be announced Taipei, To be announced Click to expand... Click to shrink... A Nintendo Direct focusing on the Nintendo Switch 2 has been confirmed! It will release in... Apr 2, 2025 at 10:00 AM ​   Last edited: Jan 16, 2025 Shaman Member Jan 18, 2024 3,556 Oh baby here we go. Exciting times ahead!   OP OP IDontBeatGames ThreadMarksman - Saved Transistor's sanity twice Member Oct 29, 2017 21,074 New York Shaman said: Oh baby here we go. Exciting times ahead! Click to expand... Click to shrink... Let the good times finally begin!   PAFenix Unshakable Resolve Member Nov 21, 2019 20,123 A disappointing lack of Donkey Kong in the OT.   Bishop89 What Are Ya' Selling? Member Oct 25, 2017 42,767 Melbourne, Australia All aboard!   lednerg Member Dec 18, 2017 248 We've made it! Does anybody have access to a press kit with higher quality images/video?   Geg Member Oct 25, 2017 6,606 What the hell is a Switch   Neoxon Spotlighting Black Excellence - Diversity Analyst Member Oct 25, 2017 93,516 Houston, TX Joining in on a new era of Nintendo.   OP OP IDontBeatGames ThreadMarksman - Saved Transistor's sanity twice Member Oct 29, 2017 21,074 New York PAFenix said: A disappointing lack of Donkey Kong in the OT. Click to expand... Click to shrink... We will make it up for it by posting about Donkey Kong its ok we're about to get bananas   ClickyCal' Member Oct 25, 2017 65,518 The year of Metroid Prime 4.   Lukar Unshakable Resolve - Prophet of Truth Member Oct 27, 2017 28,250 Slick OT! ClickyCal' said: The year of Metroid Prime 4. Click to expand... Click to shrink... I reeeaaally hope it has Mouse-Con support on Switch 2. Playing the previous Prime games via PrimeHack feels so good.   jman0625 One Winged Uncle Works at Nintendo Member Dec 18, 2017 845 The year of a New Mario Kart after 11 years   Zekes Member Oct 25, 2017 7,955 Can't wait for the western release of Mother 3 on the Switch 2 baby   PAFenix Unshakable Resolve Member Nov 21, 2019 20,123 IDontBeatGames said: We will make it up for it by posting about Donkey Kong its ok we're about to get bananas Hell yeah, welcome to the super Mario Party! Click to expand... Click to shrink... Feel like we're going to have one hell of a Jamboree  OP OP IDontBeatGames ThreadMarksman - Saved Transistor's sanity twice Member Oct 29, 2017 21,074 New York lednerg said: We've made it! Does anybody have access to a press kit with higher quality images/video? Click to expand... Click to shrink... This is what I'm waiting on! I want to add more Nintendo Switch 2 related content into the OP, I had to make due with various news outlets websites lol Geg said: What the hell is a Switch Click to expand... Click to shrink... That's a good question right there Neoxon said: Joining in on a new era of Nintendo. Click to expand... Click to shrink... ClickyCal' said: The year of Metroid Prime 4. Click to expand... Click to shrink... You've waited so long, your time is almost here, how does it feel?! Lukar said: Slick OT! Click to expand... Click to shrink... Thank you!   jort Member Sep 18, 2024 305 In on first page   Amnixia ▲ Legend ▲ The Fallen Jan 25, 2018 11,942 Can't wait for the direct in April   BannerThief Member Apr 10, 2019 279 Seattle Gonna be my first Nintendo console since the GameCube, lfg.   fox Member Oct 25, 2017 197 Should be fun!   SofNascimento cursed Member Oct 28, 2017 24,911 São Paulo - Brazil I don't own a Switch but I must confess the Switch 2 is an alluring prospect. Waiting for more info.   Spooky_Lantern Member Nov 21, 2017 2,156 So is it confirmed the joycon can be used as a mouse?   MrSaturn99 One Winged Slayer Member Oct 25, 2017 13,066 I live in a giant bucket. We're sorry we doubted ya, Nate! Fantastic work. Here's to a new era of Nintendo.  Aniki "This guy are sick" Member Oct 25, 2017 7,253 I hope I can get one day one. Looking forward to Monolith's new game.   Televoid Uncle Works at Nintendo Member Nov 28, 2024 1,458 Alright so now that Mous-con is real, over/under on if we're finally getting DS NSO on the new system.   Rndom Grenadez Prophet of Truth Member Dec 7, 2017 6,095 We in here!   OP OP IDontBeatGames ThreadMarksman - Saved Transistor's sanity twice Member Oct 29, 2017 21,074 New York BannerThief said: Gonna be my first Nintendo console since the GameCube, lfg. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Hell yeah!! We're happy you're here!   Shaman Member Jan 18, 2024 3,556 IDontBeatGames said: Let the good times finally begin! Click to expand... Click to shrink... Hell yeah! The gif is mental and I LOVE IT! Also the Direct will be on my birthday  Undeniablybiased Member Oct 25, 2017 4,163 Can't wait for everybody 1 Switch 2 Genuinely though, very excited to see a new Mario kart and whatever weird games the mouse-con bring us. Full version of that caveman online playtest maybe??  mavericktopgun Member Oct 27, 2017 5,447 Will the Switch 2 be bigger or as big as the ROG Ally? It's almost too big tbh.   EPaul Member Oct 30, 2017 650 Let's Goooo!   RebelStrike Member Apr 28, 2020 925 Hell yes and wow, very elaborate OT! Can't wait for the April Direct and more than ready to pick this up day one lol.   Xwing This guy are sick of the unshakeable slayer Member Nov 11, 2017 11,611 This is an excellent OT; awesome work! Looking forward to the Halo MCC announcement.  Jakenbakin "This guy are sick" and Corrupted by Vengeance Member Jun 17, 2018 14,385 Please god give me a new Monolith trailer in April   Lutv Member Nov 17, 2017 178 Jakarta Can't wait!   Vex Member Oct 25, 2017 25,625 GODDAMN NEW THREAD SMELL?   Punished Dan Member Oct 27, 2017 4,534 We will be there.   KanjoBazooie ▲ Legend ▲ Avenger Oct 26, 2017 32,726 Chicago BannerThief said: Gonna be my first Nintendo console since the GameCube, lfg. Click to expand... Click to shrink... welcome back to having a Nintendo console, this one should be dope   Maxime Member Oct 27, 2017 3,590 Highly doubt I'll be there day one, not even a big Nintendo client. But ngl, a new Nintendo console is always something special.   Ramsiege Avenger Oct 27, 2017 1,599 Excited for this one! Can't wait!   PaultheNerd Member Dec 25, 2018 978 Exciting times, looking forward to more news in April! Until then, Switch 1 direct and Pokemon Legends ZA trailer in February should hold me over.   poptire Avatar Wrecking Crew The Fallen Oct 25, 2017 15,517 Hello Switch 2 family   Punch_Rockgroin Member Feb 7, 2022 849 My poor wife has committed to getting this for me as a Father's Day gift. I wish her luck. 🫡 Are we actually getting joycon mice?!  Lukar Unshakable Resolve - Prophet of Truth Member Oct 27, 2017 28,250 lednerg said: We've made it! Does anybody have access to a press kit with higher quality images/video? Click to expand... Click to shrink... IDontBeatGames said: This is what I'm waiting on! I want to add more Nintendo Switch 2 related content into the OP, I had to make due with various news outlets websites lol Click to expand... Click to shrink... There are a couple of pics on their press site, one sec EDIT: Here you go  Televoid Uncle Works at Nintendo Member Nov 28, 2024 1,458 BannerThief said: Gonna be my first Nintendo console since the GameCube, lfg. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Honestly a good choice with the BC of the new system. You'll have two generations of games to easily play on.   Kouriozan Member Oct 25, 2017 24,836 Posting in a new legendary thread. Switch 2 took it sweatass time but is finally showing itself !  Mattmo831 Featuring Mattmo831 from the Apple v Epic case Member Oct 26, 2020 6,541 Hello my family. cant wait for a new 3d mario (plz)   Bizarre Member Dec 7, 2024 970 Here goes The season of F Zero must be coming this time around  rewkol One Winged Slayer Member Oct 27, 2017 420 BannerThief said: Gonna be my first Nintendo console since the GameCube, lfg. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Don't know if I envy you for having so many great games to go back to, or if I feel sorry for you because there are so many games to go back to and (hopefully) so many more great games to come!  Genesius Member Nov 2, 2018 20,586 Gonna wait for Animal Crossing before I pick up a Switch 2 Mario Kart is evergreen  thecowboypoet Avenger Oct 25, 2017 2,533 Bishop89 said: Ultimate tier gif. 

The lifespan of a games console has extended a lot since I was a child. In the 1990s, this kind of technology would be out of date after just a couple of years. There would be some tantalising new machine out before you knew it, everybody competing to be on the cutting edge: the Game Boy and Sega Genesis/Mega Drive in 1989 were followed by the Game Gear in 1990 and the Super NES in 1991. Five years was a long life for a gaming machine.Now, it’s more like 10. The Nintendo Switch 2 will be released in a couple of weeks, more than eight years since I first picked an original Switch up off its dock and marvelled at the instant transition to portable play. Games consoles often feel like they mark off particular eras in my life: the Nintendo 64 was the defining console of my childhood, the PlayStation 2 of my adolescence, and the Xbox 360 of the first years of my career, the first console launch I ever covered as a (ridiculously young) journalist. The Nintendo Switch came along just a few months after my first child was born, and for me it has become the games machine of that era of harried early parenthood.When I reflect on my experiences with the Switch, I remember snatching moments in Breath of the Wild’s Hyrule while the baby napped beside me; hiding on the veranda of a French villa to play the odd Splatoon match on our first family holiday; and trying to make a mint on my Animal Crossing turnip trades while walking my second baby around the house in his sling, trying to get him to sleep (he never did). When they got old enough, the first games I played with my children were on the Switch. We all played Pokémon Sword and Shield together, and most recently my youngest made his way through the surprisingly entertaining Princess Peach Showtime with only minimal assistance from me.Hello to the moo … The Nintendo Switch created a unique gaming space all of its own. Photograph: Justin Lane/EPAOver the last eight years, my living room TV became dominated by things like Bluey and Moana and most recently (god help me), Alvin and the Chipmunks, and I no longer have the hours of uninterrupted gaming time in the evenings. The Switch gave me some of that that time back, though, letting me dip into games whenever I had a moment – which gave me vital stress relief, a route back to myself during some of the most challenging years of my life. Eight years is a long time, enough for anyone’s life to change beyond recognition. In that time I’ve lost people, moved cities, gained new friends, too. And, of course, we all went through the pandemic. Animal Crossing: New Horizons became perhaps the defining game of that time, and I am not the only person for whom the Switch was a blessed oasis, a way to connect when we were starved of in-person interaction.Things have changed for me since 2017, as they probably have for you. Consoles feel like companions, especially perhaps the portable ones like the Switch and the Game Boy, which we literally carry with us wherever we go. My kids are older now, enjoying all the Switch games that I enjoyed when they were very small – and it does seem as if the Switch 2 will neatly mark another new stage, for me and for them.I recently gathered together all the Switch consoles, games, controllers and accessories in my house and my office for an audit, from the battered day-one unit that serves as the family console to the untouched OLED Zelda special edition my partner got me and the variably functioning spare JoyCons accumulated over time. It’s not quite time for them to join the other old consoles under my bed, each in a clear plastic box with all of its cables, ready to be dusted off when the time comes; the Switch 2 will take its place in my rucksack and in my office, but I won’t be upgrading the family console for some time yet. I don’t really wantA little sentimentality is forgivable at the end of an era. In a couple of weeks all the talk will be about the new console, how it’s selling, whether it’s worth the money, what the best Mario Kart World strategies are, and how it compares to its record-breaking predecessor. For now, I’m not thinking much about what the Nintendo Switch meant for the gaming industry; instead I’m thinking about what it meant to me.What to playBe who you wanna be … there are many lives to choose from in the latest RPG, Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time. Illustration: Level5/Have you ever heard of Fantasy Life? It was a bit of a cult hit on the Nintendo 3DS in 2014, a cosy-feeling role-playing game that let you switch between 12 different professions, so you would be blacksmithing one minute, fighting monsters another and cooking things up the next. The sequel – Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time – is out today after years of delays.You can now be an artist or a farmer as well as a magician, carpenter, fisherman, alchemist or whatever else you fancy, and also it adds time travel into the mix. It’s an intriguing amalgamation of the Animal Crossing/Harvest Moon style of Japanese life simulator, and the Dragon Quest/Ni no Kuni flavour of unthreatening role-playing game, and I’m looking forward to exploring it. An especial shout-out to the members of one of my group chats who have been eagerly awaiting this for more than a decade.Available on: Switch/2, PS4/5, Xbox, PC Estimated playtime: skip past newsletter promotionSign up to Pushing ButtonsFree weekly newsletterKeza MacDonald's weekly look at the world of gamingPrivacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.after newsletter promotionWhat to readBroom broom … the home delivery system in Crescent County. Illustration: Electric Saint A couple of interesting games hitting Kickstarter this week: Crescent County, a colourful witch-delivery game with broom-racing and plenty of small-town drama; and a ghost story set in Paisley just outside Glasgow, named after its Chinese takeaway Crystal Garden. If you have a few minutes, have a go at this satirical simulation text game You Are Generative AI, which casts you as an increasingly self-aware AI large language model answering random questions that people cannot be bothered to research or think through themselves. I got three different endings and one of them made me genuinely quite sad. Developers at Bungie, makers of Destiny and the forthcoming shooter Marathon, have been dealing with an alleged plagiarism scandal after unattributed designs from an artist called Antireal were found in promotional screenshots and art from Marathon. Bungie is blaming the mistake on a former employee. VG247 has a rundown. After half a decade, PlayStation 5 sales are neck and neck with PlayStation 4’s results at this point in its life cycle, at 78m – despite the fact that its price has actually increased, due to the wild times in which we live. Video Game Chronicle gets into the numbers. What to clickQuestion BlockWhat’s in a name? … playing a video game using Nintendo’s Wii U controller. Photograph: Jae C Hong/API’ve had several good suggestions for the name of reader Travis’s book-club style video game club: Select/Start (thanks Alex), Long Play (from Eva), and Doki Doki Videogame Club (niche reference there, Chris). Especial props to Kenny, however, who went hog wild and came up with several, including these three beauts: Go Forth and Multiplay, Concurrent Players and Let’s Console Each Other.Lucas also had a great suggestion for last week’s questioner: “Your bookclubber should look at itch.io for crazy little free games to play and discuss with their friends! The indie folks sharing their games there would probably love the attention/feedback of a games book club.” (You Are Generative AI, which I mentioned earlier, is on Itch, along with just hundreds of other shortform games worthy of discussion.)And we’ve just about got room for another (timely) question, this time from reader Ali:“I’ve always admired Nintendo for coming up with different names for each console, as opposed to Sony going for the sequential naming convention and Microsoft jumping from 360 to One to Series (?). My opinion has somewhat changed now that the successor to the Nintendo Switch is called Switch 2. Do you have any thoughts on console names?”It’s true that Nintendo usually goes for completely new names for each console, except arguably the series of Game Boys, the NES and Super NES, Wii and Wii U, and now Switch and Switch 2. And yes, this is the first time they’ve gone for a number. I’d say this is down to how badly the company did with the Wii U, whose confusing name surely contributed to how badly it flopped. But I think it reflects the more conservative and cautious mood of the games industry as a whole in 2025, as it comes to the end of decades’ worth of unsustainably rapid growth. Or maybe it’s because Nintendo’s president Shuntaro Furukawa used to be an accountant.If you’ve got a question for Question Block – or anything else to say about the newsletter – email us on pushingbuttons@theguardian.com

Nintendo has revealed that the GameChat features on the upcoming Switch 2 will have quite a few impressive accessibility-oriented features. As caught by BlueSky user OatmealDome, Nintendo revealed some new features for GameChat through updates on its Nintendo Today smartphone app. Among the features that will accompany the suite of voice and video communication options in the Switch 2 is the fact that it will also include support for text-to-speech. This means that Switch 2 users, while connected to a voice chat session through GameChat, can manually type in words and sentences, that will then be read out by the console directly into voice chat. This feature would be incredibly helpful for a number of people, including those that might suffer from social anxiety or general shyness, as well as players that might not be able to speak due to other problems. The more privacy oriented players out there will also likely find this useful, since they won’t need to use the Switch 2’s microphone. It is worth noting that, while Nintendo hasn’t confirmed it, physical keyboards will also likely be supported for the sake of communication. The original Switch, for instance, also supported regular USB keyboards. As for players that might find it a bit difficult to make out what others on GameChat are saying, the Switch 2 will also allow for live transcription of voice chats. Through this, live transcriptions of other players’ voices through GameChat will show up on a vertical side panel designed to look like what you would see from a livestream on YouTube or Twitch. GameChat as a feature was first introduced during Nintendo’s Switch 2-centric Direct from back in April. During the showcase, Nintendo confirmed that the new C button the JoyCon 2 controller could be used to open up the GameChat UI, through which players can join into group voice chats with up to three other players. The feature also allows players to livestream their gameplay for others to watch. The Switch 2 is also getting a camera accessory through which players can partake in video chats with one another. Nintendo has also referred to GameChat as one of the defining features of the Switch 2. “When we were developing GameChat, we had in mind that it would be a defining feature of Switch 2,” said Nintendo’s Sumikazu Ono. “During development, we had the opportunity for Nintendo executives to experience GameChat. Seeing them try out the feature for the first time and be able to video chat and share game screens smoothly gave us a certain confidence that this works.” The company has also stated that GameChat was designed to feel like it is a “part of the overall platform experience.” When the Switch 2 launches, GameChat will be available for free to all players for a limited time. From March 31, 2026 onwards, however, players that want to use GameChat will have to subscribe to Nintendo Switch Online. The Nintendo Switch 2 is slated for launch on June 5. Along with being able to run Switch games, the new console will also launch with a host of games made for it, including Mario Kart World and Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition. [Switch 2]GameChat supports text-to-speech. If enabled, you can type in text and the system will read it for you.While not explicitly confirmed, USB keyboards should be supported too (the Switch 1 already supports them for text input). — OatmealDome (@oatmealdome.bsky.social) 2025-05-16T15:49:03.5157015Z [Switch 2]GameChat supports live subtitles. The system can transcribe what everyone is saying and display it in a "chat box" on screen. — OatmealDome (@oatmealdome.bsky.social) 2025-05-17T16:00:03.0380394Z