It is easy for the imagination to flow freely when you think about the possibilities Nintendo Switch 2. Little has been revealed about Nintendo's upcoming Switch successor, except that it is said to be a more powerful version of the previous, wildly successful hybrid console.
Renewed power will undeniably be a boon for the Nintendo Switch 2 as it strives to compete with the likes of PlayStation and Xbox, but that's not the bottom line. The ninth generation of consoles has produced a number of strong projects that benefit from newer hardware, although recent years have also been shrouded in a sense of disappointment, with many feeling that some of the best post-2020 games could run smoothly on a last generation system – and many of them actually do. All of this is to say that Nintendo doesn't necessarily need to match its competitors' hardware capabilities to stay relevant, but some console features are a different story.
Nintendo Switch 2 can benefit from the corresponding achievements
Nintendo's flagship console still lacks an achievement/trophy system
The value of achievements and trophies in modern games is subjective, as many players can take or leave these digital awards, while others take on games with the express goal of obtaining the ever-elusive platinum. There are even obscure games that are profitable for the sole reason that they are easy to platinum. But wherever you fall on the spectrum, it's hard to deny that ticking such boxes, however inconsequential to success in the games themselves, can be remarkably satisfying.
Given how prominent trophies and achievements are after the seventh console generation, it's a little puzzling that Nintendo's own consoles haven't responded with their own internal milestone system. This is especially questionable because cross-platform games that are popular on the Switch, such as Stardew Valleyhave achievements on other platforms, forcing some players to choose between the portability of the Switch and the satisfying completion tools that are achievements and trophies. With more high-fidelity games specifically being downgraded for the Switch, the inability to earn these virtual rewards could serve as an additional strike against the console. In other words, if achievements and trophies are features players care about, then the Switch is missing an important feature, making it a poorer way to enjoy many third-party games.
Adding trophies/achievements could make Switch 2 a more complete platform
Aside from the noticeable lack of power compared to the competition, one of the biggest marks against the Switch is its lack of modern features. Typically, these criticisms are aimed at things like the Switch's online ecosystem, which leaves out common sense tools like voice chat, or the console's quality-of-life shortcomings, such as the ability to run smaller apps like streaming services alongside games. Maybe no performance isn't as big of a deal as the aforementioned issues, but they're part of the same, broader problem.
Nintendo sees its consoles as gaming devices, not gaming and other entertainment hubs like PlayStation or Xbox. There is nothing wrong with that. But when a not insignificant portion of the gaming population prioritizes something like trophies/achievements, which is directly related to the overall gaming experience, one wonders why Nintendo doesn't pull the trigger on its own, potentially branded, equivalent. And unlike something like voice chat or running concurrent programs, the Switch's lower power doesn't preclude something like performance. More power on the Switch 2 could lead to more advanced features, but Nintendo should dot its first I's, joining the Xbox, PlayStation and PC in the silly, unnecessary but gratifying world of digital layers.
Nintendo Switch
The Nintendo Switch is a hybrid console launched in 2017, which can be played in handheld mode or docked to a television. The Switch Lite, a handheld model, followed in 2019, with an OLED update coming in 2021.
