Why I pre-ordered a Nintendo Switch 2 despite the outdated tech

A reader explains why he’s decided to get a Nintendo Switch 2 and which games and hardware announcements have convinced him to pre-order.

The Nintendo Switch 2 has been on everyone’s mind ever since it was first revealed, via a trailer that was dropped quietly and suddenly. I’d like to discuss what it was that swayed me to secure a pre-order, despite Nintendo using outdated hardware, pricing their first party titles outrageously, and their business practices making us question why we even continue to spend our cash on something we dislike, yet we love at the same time.

I never brought an original model Switch; I instead purchased a Lite model and that was my first welcome to the innovative little console that had been so very revered by the masses. My view, however, was quite negative. I found the gaming choices to be satisfactory, however the system in my eyes felt heavily restricted. There was so very less to see and even less to experience, aside from playing games and ports.

When you are spoiled by devices such as the Steam Deck and Asus ROG Ally X, giving access to streaming apps such as Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+ and proper web browsers, it feels like more of a complete entertainment system. The Switch paled in comparison, as YouTube was the only available app.

Unfortunately, the hardware began to show its age, and it was with ports of titles such as Mortal Kombat 1 and the Batman: Arkham trilogy that the cracks began to show. Cue the reveal of the Nintendo Switch 2. I was definitely curious, but I was pondering many questions. Would the hardware feature improvements? Would the launch line-up live up to the Switch?

Would there be more non-game features? Would there be an option to use Google? Social media apps, such as Instagram and Snapchat? Would it sell itself as a marketable improvement or was it just more of the same? Before the official reveal event at the start of April, I found myself missing the days I was browsing the Nintendo eShop and working my way through Super Mario Odyssey.

The Switch is very restrictive and outdated but there was something special about the device; a certain charm. So the details were revealed. £395 separately and £429 if bundled with the newest Mario Kart title: Mario Kart World. It was dated for June 5 and the curtain was pulled back to unveil more new first party games.

Metroid Prime 4 was a reality at long last. Donkey Kong Bananza was booked to release in July and the reason that I instantly decided to pre-order this system. So that’s the answer to my mystery. The highlight of the Switch 2 Direct was that in 2026 we would be treated to a collaboration that we never thought possible. A partnership between Nintendo and FromSoftware, for The Duskbloods.

It was a reveal that led to the voices in my head convincing me that I would harbour feelings of insidious regret and self-loathing if I ever allowed myself to miss out on this special occasion. The visuals and the tone of the world brought a vibe I’d long hoped to feel, via a sequel or a remake of Bloodborne.

Add to that the opportunity to experiment with franchises such as Xenoblade, Metroid, and Mario Kart, that I’ve never been able to experience, would be folly to pass up. The chief complaint is the game pricing. Nintendo has created a tsunami of controversy via the decision to price their first party titles even more than the pricing of Sony’s first party titles. [Only the physical version of Mario Kart World is (slightly) more than a Sony title, everything else is cheaper – GC]

This is a upsetting decision, of course, but the sheer joy of playing through the titles that Nintendo has given us, and the future instalments that await us, is why I’ve pre-ordered and I await with bated breath the day my console arrives at my doorstep.

By reader Shahzaib Sadiq

The reader’s features do not necessarily represent the views of GameCentral or Metro.

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