Sophie Smart: Not features per se, however, I do feel that we might need to see a Switch 2.5 or a ‘Pro’ version sooner rather than later. I can imagine an OLED version or a version which is slightly more powerful or holds a longer battery life would be something people would want!
James Montagna: Nintendo covered a ton of ground already, so nothing major jumps out. But the game-maker in me is always eager to dive deeper into those smaller technical details and subtle features that don’t always get headline space. Mostly, I’m just excited to keep exploring everything the Switch 2 has to offer. (Although, with all new social features, I admit I can’t help but secretly hope for a fresh take on Swapnote [Nintendo Letter Box] — I miss the connection that comes with exchanging fun art and messages with friends.)
Do you have plans to support Switch 2? Is a Switch 2 release more important than a ‘Switch 1’ release in 2025?
Andy Pearson: We will absolutely be supporting the Switch 2 with our upcoming titles. Rather than viewing it as “more important” than the original Switch, we see it as a positive evolution. The Switch 2’s launch represents an exciting opportunity to reach new audiences while continuing to support the extensive existing player base.
Sophie Smart: I would say a Switch 2 release would be super important to anyone right now! Mainly because there won’t be that many Switch 2 titles around launch, so it’ll allow your game to stand out and take advantage of the power. A lot of games no longer get a Switch port on release because of the low specs of the Switch, so this will open a lot more doors for games currently in development.
Gavin Price: We do have plans, but when and how they manifest is too early to share. I am in no way smart enough to answer the second part of that question. Switch 1 has a huge following, and I’m sure early Switch 2 purchasers will be ravenous for new, unique experiences too.
Image: Zion Grassl / Nintendo Life
Anon: I do think this will be like the PS4>PS5 upgrade where people on day one will have access to new games and a huge back catalogue, so not the “gold rush” that existed when Switch came out, and there was a fresh new store.
Manfred Linzner: Switch 1 was very important for us. On launch day we had Fast RMX available, and later we released (among other games) The Touryst for it, which was one of our finest games so far according to press and players. So Nintendo Switch was super important to us. And the same is true for Nintendo Switch 2. We will support it on launch day with Fast Fusion and already [have] two more projects [planned] for it.
Adam Tierney: There’s no info we can provide right now, but suffice to say, WayForward loves working with Nintendo to develop new and original games for all its systems, and we’re very excited to develop games for the Switch 2!
Do you have Switch 2 dev kits, and if so, how long have you had them?
Manfred Linzner: As we were developing a launch title, we had dev kits, but we can’t reveal any details.
Sophie Smart: We’re currently in discussions with Nintendo about securing a dev kit.
[it’s] hard to feel excited when we don’t have any insight into timing for [dev kits] either. We can’t plan.
Anon: We’re one of the many devs who don’t have access to dev kits. Even though [we’re] working on a large title now which we feel would be worthy of a dev kit, we have zero info. Even post-reveal, we’ve been given zero info, as have many other devs (even larger and more prestigious than us). So, [it’s] hard to feel excited when we don’t have any insight into timing for them either. We can’t plan.
How much impact does Switch 2’s increased power have on your approach to game development?
James Montagna: It’s huge for us. More powerful hardware doesn’t just mean prettier graphics; it dramatically expands the possibilities for innovative and complex gameplay ideas that previously were just out of reach. Having fewer constraints on performance means we can experiment more boldly, push boundaries, and bring ambitious concepts to life. As a creator, that freedom is incredibly exciting… and it really feels like we’re stepping into fresh territory creatively.
Sophie Smart: At the end of the day, the power upgrades are not hugely rivalling other competitors. However, it will help us to make better versions of our existing games on Switch for Switch 2 and have versions of our less intensive games on Switch 2, which may not have been able to run on Switch.
Image: Nintendo
Manfred Linzner: For Fast RMX on Nintendo Switch, there were only a few technical options for us on how to make a detailed yet high-performance game. On Nintendo Switch 2, we now have broader technical possibilities and much more power. We already learned a lot by creating Fast Fusion for Nintendo Switch 2, but we are looking forward to finding new untapped potential that is only possible with the new hardware.
Andy Pearson: The increased power of the Switch 2 has a substantial impact on our development approach. It enables us to more faithfully preserve creators’ original visions for their games, which is tremendously exciting for our team. The original Switch, while revolutionary in many ways, presented certain technical challenges when we aimed for simultaneous multi-platform releases.
Gavin Price: For our last release, Yooka-Laylee & The Impossible Lair, we set targets for Nintendo Switch early and other platforms followed on from it. We’ll probably take the same approach again moving forward for our multiplatform releases.
Harris Foster: Any gain in power is a win for developers — whether it be the opportunity to throttle up visuals or increase performance under the hood. While we don’t have any specific Switch 2 anecdotes to share at this time, we’re feeling very positive about the spec bump the system is promising.
Tomm Hulett: I wouldn’t say it changes my approach to design at all because I tend to follow interesting ideas or compelling gameplay, but it will certainly be more pleasant asking my lead programmer to implement some of my wilder ideas! Anything that keeps the lead programmer happy is a plus in my book.
Do you plan to support physical releases on Switch 2, and has your approach to this changed since the last console generation?
Andy Pearson: Yes, physical releases remain a core speciality for our company, and we intend to continue supporting this format with as many of our Switch 2 titles as possible. We recognise the importance of physical media to collectors and many Nintendo fans, and this commitment hasn’t changed from the previous console generation.
I do feel that we might need to see a Switch 2.5 or a ‘Pro’ version sooner rather than later
Sophie Smart: The physical landscape for games has tumbled over recent years. In our experience, it doesn’t always lead to profit. However, we still like to do it for some games because it’s really cool to have a physical box with art which you can hold in your hands of the thing you’ve worked on! We’ll likely end up taking the same approach with Switch 2.
Image: Gemma Smith / Nintendo Life
Adam Tierney: WayForward loves developing content that users can enjoy both digitally and physically. It’s our intention to continue that tradition with the Switch 2 and all future consoles.
Gavin Price: We love physical, so I’m sure we will consider it when we have the chance. Our approach hasn’t changed, I think the physical market is still how it has been the past five or so years, with strong appetite amongst a very passionate fanbase plus a broader gaming audience who like to purchase and have something tangible for themselves or to gift others with.
Manfred Linzner: We love physical releases. For instance, Nintendo published our FAST Racing NEO on Wii U disc, and we had a couple of special releases with Super Rare Games for Nintendo Switch. However, as an indie developer with low-priced games, it is not easy to support physical releases, but we will keep trying where it makes sense.
These responses have been edited for brevity and clarity. Thank you to everyone who took the time to talk to us.
Jim came to Nintendo Life in 2022 and, despite his insistence that The Minish Cap is the best Zelda game and his unwavering love for the Star Wars prequels (yes, really), he has continued to write news and features on the site ever since.