Nintendo says Switch 2 could’ve been called ‘Super Nintendo Switch’, but one detail changed its mind
“There were a lot of ideas for the name, and we really struggled to find the right one”
Nintendo Switch 2’s development leads have revealed they considered calling the console ‘Super Nintendo Switch’, but changed their minds due to one key detail.
In a newly published Q&A, Switch 2 producer Kouichi Kawamoto and Switch 2 director Takuhiro Dohta were asked how they settled on the ‘Switch 2’ name.
“There were a lot of ideas for the name, and we really struggled to find the right one,” Kawamoto said. “We even considered ideas like ‘Super Nintendo Switch.’”
The producer went on to reveal that the ‘Super Switch’ name was vetoed due to how it could be compared to Super Nintendo and its relationship to the original NES.
“Super NES, which came out after the NES, couldn’t play NES games. Since Switch 2 can play Switch games, it didn’t feel right to use the same naming convention as Super NES,” he explained.
“Switch 2 is a new system with improved performance, but we’d like players who get their hands on it not to focus on the specs, but rather to think of it as the latest system developed by Nintendo. So, in the hope that it becomes the new standard for Nintendo Switch, we named it Nintendo Switch 2.”
Directo Dohta agreed, and said the idea behind the Switch 2 name was to make it as clear as possible to consumers that this was the newest system available.
“From the beginning of development, we wanted Switch 2 to be a system that can be enjoyed by a wide variety of players. This hasn’t changed from Switch to Switch 2,” he said.
“I also wanted to create an experience that as many players as possible could enjoy, rather than an experience made specially for those who prefer high-performance hardware. So, we wanted a name that would communicate simply to potential customers that, if you’re considering buying a Switch, Nintendo Switch 2 is the newest system.”
He added: “We really struggled because there were so many different ideas, but in the end, after lots of back and forth, we all agreed that it should be Nintendo Switch 2 after all.”
Nintendo has confirmed Nintendo Switch 2 will cost $450 / £395 and launch worldwide on Thursday, June 5. It has also announced when the console will be available to pre-order.
Wednesday’s Nintendo Switch 2 Direct also announced several new games, including a new Donkey Kong game. The Direct also confirmed what the mysterious C button will do.
