The Nintendo Switch 2 may have a harder time in the handheld segment: Here’s why

Unlike the original Switch, the successor enters a crowded market with a lot more options

The Nintendo Switch 2 may have a harder time in the handheld segment: Here’s why

After leaks threatened to show the world what the next Nintendo Switch looked like at CES 2025, Nintendo decided to one-up the leakers by dropping the first official look at the Switch 2 themselves. A quick video showcases the similar design on the successor, with some changes including a larger screen, thinner bezels and an improved kickstand.

You can check out all we know so far about the new Nintendo Switch 2 right now in our detailed look, but for those of you wondering if the Switch 2 can slide into the handheld market just as smoothly as its predecessor, we’re here to tell you that that may not be the case. Here are a few reasons as to why.

The Nintendo Switch 2 may not be a revolutionary upgrade

Unlike the leaps and bounds we see in performance upgrades when Sony goes to the next generation of a PlayStation console, the Nintendo Switch 2 doesn’t seem to offer as many upgrades. Yes, we get a bigger display that will likely also be an OLED panel and new magnetic joycon controllers, but that’s pretty much it.

ALSO READ: You can now play Doom 1993 from within a PDF file

What handheld gamers would appreciate more, would be big performance upgrades, which could enable more realistic visuals and aspects like bigger in-game environments. There’s also the expansion of the Switch game library, something Nintendo has no updates on right now.

While we’re not calling the Switch 2 a bad upgrade (yet), it doesn’t seem like very big one though. Of course, not all the details are out yet, and Nintendo might just have a few surprises under its sleeve. If that’s the case, we should be finding out all about the Switch 2 in the next few months.

The handheld market has a lot of options in 2025

When the original Nintendo Switch launched in March 2017, the handheld console market was nowhere close to as big as it has become today, post-COVID. As a result, the Nintendo Switch 2 will face a lot more competition, unlike its predecessor.

Popular options like the Valve Steam Deck, the MSI Claw, the Lenovo Legion Go, and the ASUS ROG Ally, all offer significantly more firepower than the Switch, and powered by Windows, also come with much larger game libraries.

Meanwhile, something like the PlayStation Portal takes a different approach, being an extension to a parent console like the PlayStation 5 Slim, and bringing the full-fledged console experience to a handheld. It remains to be seen if the Switch 2 will have the perks to keep up with these alternatives, which as of right now, feel superior.

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Smartphone gaming also offers very real competition to handhelds

While not all smartphones are competitors to handhelds just yet, Apple’s newer iPhones have taken significant strides in the performance area, allowing them to run AAA titles like Resident Evil Village, Death Stranding and Assassin’s Creed Mirage locally.

ALSO READ: Assassin’s Creed Shadows launch delayed once again

Club that with a third-party accessory like the MCON controller, and you have handheld console, that is also a flagship smartphone and can do things like take stunning photos and live stream videos.

Now, those are aspects that dedicated handhelds like the Nintendo Switch 2 will not be able to keep up with if Apple figures out a way to port more games to its phones.

That said, we only have a real look at the design of the Nintendo Switch 2 right now, and a lot of other aspects remain under wraps. The Switch 2 could prove us wrong, be a fantastic upgrade, and a handheld that revolutionises the segment. We should have the answers to all our burning questions soon.

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