Nintendo Says Switch 2 "Exclusives" Will Be Important to Success
New, but familiar.
Despite getting an “official” reveal, we still have more questions than answers about the Nintendo Switch 2 — from what games will be on it, to just what improvement the console has in the first place. But now we have a bit of insight into the company’s approach to the new system, as Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa says “exclusives” will be a vital piece of the Switch 2’s success. That might seem like an obvious statement considering the success of the first Switch, but as the rest of the industry shifts away from exclusives, it’s quite notable.
Furukawa’s comments come from Nintendo’s latest earnings report (an official transcript can be seen on the Nintendo website). While Furukawa’s comment can apply to Nintendo games at large, his answer more specifically means games that are only playable on Switch 2, and not playable on the original Switch as well. At the same time, he confirms that two previously announced games will be coming to the original Switch, and not made exclusive to just the new console.
"We announced Pokémon Legends Z-A and Metroid Prime 4 Beyond as titles for the Nintendo Switch in 2025. Since many people play the Nintendo Switch, we would like to release software for it,” Furukawa says, “On the other hand, dedicated software is very important when launching new hardware. With that in mind, we would like to consider various ways to enable many customers to play our games through the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2."
After being announced all the way back in 2017, Metroid Prime 4 will finally be released in 2025.
It’s a little wordy, but essentially what Furukawa is saying, is that Nintendo wants to have “exclusive” games on the Switch 2 at launch, meaning it’s the only place you can play those games. We already know Switch 2 will be backward compatible with most Switch games, including anything that releases post-launch. We’ve also heard rumors of the company showing off an “enhanced” version of Breath of the Wild behind closed doors.
But Furukawa makes it sound like they want to have a big showing of brand-new games right out of the gate too. That also means new games can really harness the power of the Switch 2, not having to worry about compromising to still get on the original system.
A new Mario Kart was announced during the Switch 2 reveal, and now it begs the question — will Mario Kart only be playable on Switch 2? Based on the first footage, it certainly seems likely. Which games will be on which system needs to be one of the core questions Nintendo answers with the Switch 2’s full reveal.
Furukawa also briefly touched on the price point for Switch 2, pointing to multiple factors that will determine it.
"Not only does Nintendo have to take into account Japan’s increased inflation rate, it also has to consider that the exchange rate environment has changed considerably since the Switch launched in 2017,” Furukawa says, “Nintendo also has to consider the affordability that our customers expect from Nintendo products.”
While we’ve only seen a taste of Switch 2, one of the main improvements are the Joy-Cons — which seem to have some kind of mouse-like functionality.
It’s hard to say exactly what the price will be right now, but multiple analysts are predicting $400. That would make sense in comparison to other consoles on the market, with the PS5 Digital Edition currently coming in at $450 and the Xbox Series S at $300.
But despite those comments, it seems like Nintendo is trying to have its cake and eat it too. Furukawa says as long as there’s “demand” for Nintendo Switch, they’ll keep supporting it. It’s easy to see why looking at the numbers released alongside the earnings Q&A.
The Switch now sits at 150.86 million units sold, which makes it the third-best-selling system of all time — behind Nintendo DS (154 million) and PS2 (160 million). It seems likely Nintendo may continue to support the Switch in a bid to push it to that top spot, securing its place in history. Also, as long as Switch software continues to sell, there’s no reasons not to support it. With Mario Party Jamboree becoming the series’ best-selling game last year, with over 6 million copies, it certainly seems like there’s still demand.
All of these comments seem to point to a Nintendo that’s playing things much more safely and reserved than when it launched the Switch eight years ago. In the end, it’ll be interesting to see how things play out, especially in comparison to the recent struggles of both Sony and Microsoft.
The Nintendo Switch 2 showcase is scheduled for April 2, 2025 at 6AM PT/ 9AM ET.
