Nintendo Unveils the Switch 2 Without Gameplay Demonstration

When Nintendo first unveiled the trailer for the Nintendo Switch back in 2016, it was quite the spectacle. The video lasted around three and a half minutes and featured people playing the console in a variety of real-world scenarios. The aim was clearly to illustrate the console’s versatility, showing how it could transition seamlessly from a handheld device to a TV-connected gaming experience. However, the trailer ended up portraying some rather amusing and unlikely situations. Imagine this: two women whip out a Switch during a rooftop party as the sun sets, with a crowd of guests clutching red plastic cups gathering around to watch them play. Or picture someone strolling through a park, taking their dog for a walk while gaming on their Switch.

Nintendo has remained tight-lipped about the Switch 2, leaving us all speculating about the vital details like its price and hardware specs. Yet, while many ponder these crucial aspects, I can’t help but fixate on the more intriguing, albeit slightly ridiculous, questions. For instance, could my Switch 2 fit into an outdoor rooftop party setting? Or, would my dog mind if I pulled out a Switch 2 while taking him for a walk?

These questions may seem frivolous, and in some ways, they are, but they carry a bit of substance too. By depicting the console in use, Nintendo was able to highlight its primary features and the envisioned user interactions. Back then, the idea of someone playing the original Switch in a bustling outdoor environment may have appeared a bit absurd, yet it effectively communicated its portability and the functionality of its Joy-Con controllers when shared. If we could just catch a glimpse of people using the Switch 2, it might clear up some ambiguities, such as whether its Joy-Con will double as a computer mouse, and the actual size of the new console.

So, though those initial scenarios seemed a bit far-fetched at the time, I find myself now nostalgically longing for those quirky rooftop gamers as I anticipate the Switch 2’s grand reveal.