The Next Switch

It’s not a matter of if Nintendo will release a redesign of the Switch, it’s literally just a matter of when. #

With Nintendo’s home consoles, they haven’t really developed a habit of doing redesigns. They tend to release one version of the console and then keep it around until the end of its generation. Besides the SNES and the Wii Mini I suppose. But with their handhelds it’s another story. From the original Game Boy all the way until the 3DS, they’ve done at least one redesign for each system.

So I really think it’s just a matter of time until we see a Switch redesign. Especially considering that it’s been such a huge success! People absolutely love their Switches so I could see a large percentage of current Switch owners being excited to purchase a new, better version.

I wanted to get a head start on this thought experiment before I lose track of time and Nintendo actually releases the damn thing. And I think the easiest way to guess what direction they could go is to just take a look at what they’ve done in the past:

• The original Game Boy’s first redesign was the Game Boy Pocket. Which was basically the same but smaller in every way.¹

• The next major handheld redesign was with the Game Boy Advance with the GBA SP. Same screen size. But now backlit, and with a new clamshell design.

• Nintendo DS’s redesigned version, the DS Lite was improved in every way. Much brighter display. Slim, sleek, and shiny. I had the white version. The DS Lite featured the same size of display but with much more vibrant colours and backlight.

• The Nintendo 3DS was joined by the 3DS XL only a year after the 3DS’s launch. It was basically the same but had a much larger display.²

  I won’t go into what came after that, because there’s so many that the 3DS’s redesigns probably deserve their own blog post, to be honest.

My Prediction #

When looking at the history of Nintendo’s system redesigns, the majority of them shared many of the original versions tech specs (screen size, resolution, etc) but just have a sleeker look. So it’s probable that Nintendo would do the same with the New Switch.³

First, I could see them using the same size and resolution LCD display but shrinking those bezels which are currently about a centimeter wide. Though the display is already very nice, I do believe it has room for improvement. The colours could be more saturated and the backlight could be a bit brighter.

To me, the Switch reminds me a lot of the original DS. It has a modular, blocky, techy look to it. The Switch is all black and grey plastic that feels very matte in texture.

I’d like New Switch’s design to have a sleeker, simpler, less techy look to it as well. I do think that it’ll still have removable Joy-Cons for multiplayer and tabletop mode gaming. Maybe with a shiny/glossy look to it. And I’d like to see the Joy-Cons and the screen part of the system match perfectly.

I also predict that an essential part of the redesign will be an improved kickstand. I think that it’ll be aligned centre with the system rather than to one side like version one’s, and it’ll be able to hit a few more angles as well. I hope that Nintendo realizes how silly the regular Switch’s kickstand is, as it can only hit one angle; an angle that is almost always not low enough.⁴

Conclusion #

Nintendo has something really really special with the Switch. I’m so glad that they’ve realized that they don’t need to resort to all these like gimmicky waggle controls in order to appear fresh and push the art of game design forward. They can do what they do best: create remarkable, engrossing and fun products that help have fun and escape to a new world.

The Switch is a great product, and I love that it’s success means that we’ll have many more Nintendo games to play for decades to come.

Really, we’re so lucky to be able to be here, alive now, to experience the kind of stuff that’s happening in games and entertainment. Let’s not take it for granted.