"Ex-PlayStation President Expresses Mild Disappointment with Nintendo Switch 2 Reveal"

Shuhei Yoshida, the former president of Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide Studios, recently shared his thoughts on the reveal of the Nintendo Switch 2 in an interview with Easy Allies. His reaction was mixed, expressing a sentiment that Nintendo might be straying from its core identity of creating unique experiences through innovative hardware and game design.

Yoshida remarked, "To me, it was a bit mixed message from Nintendo. In a sense, I think Nintendo is losing their identity, in my opinion. For me, they are always about creating some new experience, like designing hardware and games together to create something that [is an] amazing new experience. But Switch 2, as we all anticipated, is a better Switch, right? It's the larger screen, more powerful processor, higher resolution, 4K, 120 fps, they even have a hardware person starting the stream, like other platforms do, right? And because it's a better Switch, the core premise of the whole Switch 2 is, you know, 'We made things better'. And that's something other companies have been doing all the time."

Special guest Shuhei Yoshida gets real about the Switch 2 pic.twitter.com/CzZYPnTtue

— Easy Allies (@EasyAllies) April 14, 2025

He elaborated that for dedicated Nintendo gamers, the Switch 2 is a welcome upgrade, offering access to titles like Elden Ring, previously unavailable on Nintendo platforms. However, for those who game across multiple platforms, the excitement is somewhat diminished.

Yoshida also critiqued the reveal event, noting that while it attracted millions of viewers, a significant portion of the showcased games were ports from past generations. He highlighted his enthusiasm for "Enter the Gungeon 2," praising its announcement and innovative approach. Additionally, he appreciated "Drag x Drive" for its quintessential Nintendo feel.

Touching on the system's pricing, Yoshida noted the differences between Japan and the rest of the world, expressing some disappointment that the Switch 2 did not deliver the unexpected, innovative elements typically associated with Nintendo. He said, "Anyway, with some of the things Nintendo is doing, with the camera or mouse controls, creating new experiences, that's great. But other than that, I was personally a bit disappointed, because they didn't disappoint everyone. Because everyone wanted that better Switch."

Despite his reservations, Yoshida acknowledged the Switch 2 as a smart business move, crediting the technical improvements to the work of talented designers. He recognized the system's safe approach might be the right strategy, yet expressed a longing for the quirky and playful elements that define Nintendo's reputation.

While Yoshida discussed the Switch 2's pricing extensively, the actual cost in the U.S. remains undisclosed. Nintendo has paused North American pre-orders due to new tariffs announced the same day as the system's reveal. With the global launch scheduled for June 5, Nintendo faces a tight deadline to resolve these issues before the release.