Nintendo Considered Calling the Switch 2 the Super Nintendo Switch — Here's Why It Didn't

Nintendo has officially locked successful a motorboat day for the Nintendo Switch 2, its successor to the highly fashionable Nintendo Switch. That name, though, could person been a small spot different, if not for a portion of Nintendo's past.

In a caller Q+A published contiguous alongside the Switch 2 Direct, Nintendo conducted an interrogation with 3 of the developers down the making of the Switch 2 hardware. From the Entertainment Planning & Development Department determination was shaper Kouichi Kawamoto and elder manager Takuhiro Dohta, arsenic good arsenic Technology Development part GM Tetsuya Sasaki.

When asked however the squad landed connected the sanction Nintendo Switch 2, the developers said determination were a "lot of ideas" for the sanction of the console, and they struggled to find the close one.

"We adjacent considered ideas similar Super Nintendo Switch," Kawamoto said. "However, Super NES, which came retired aft the NES, couldn’t play NES games. Since Switch 2 tin play Switch games, it didn't consciousness close to usage the aforesaid naming normal arsenic Super NES. Switch 2 is simply a caller strategy with improved performance, but we'd similar players who get their hands connected it not to absorption connected the specs, but alternatively to deliberation of it arsenic the latest strategy developed by Nintendo.

"So, successful the anticipation that it becomes the caller modular for Nintendo Switch, we named it Nintendo Switch 2."

Dohta continued, talking astir the team's goals for the system.

"From the opening of development, we wanted Switch 2 to beryllium a strategy that tin beryllium enjoyed by a wide assortment of players," Dohta said.

"This hasn’t changed from Switch to Switch 2. I besides wanted to make an acquisition that arsenic galore players arsenic imaginable could enjoy, alternatively than an acquisition made specially for those who similar high-performance hardware. So, we wanted a sanction that would pass simply to imaginable customers that, if you're considering buying a Switch, Nintendo Switch 2 is the newest system."

Sasaki said the sanction was elemental and casual to understand, since "development began with the thought that Switch 2 would beryllium a due successor to Switch." So aft a batch of conflict and deliberation, the squad arrived connected Nintendo Switch 2.

While the sanction is not needfully surprising, it's absorbing to spot however Nintendo looked backmost connected its ain past and what the "Super" prefix coiled up representing, versus a "2." The Nintendo Switch 2 does transportation guardant a large woody of the Nintendo Switch, from its games and services to a akin signifier factor. Switch 2 does look similar the suitable name, adjacent if Super Switch is simply a amusive spot of alliteration.

There was a batch of Nintendo Switch 2 quality today, from the motorboat day and eventual terms uncover of the caller console to a big of games arriving astatine oregon aft its debut. For each the quality and headlines, beryllium definite to cheque retired our recap of everything announced astatine the Switch 2 Direct here.

Eric is simply a freelance writer for IGN.