According to TechRadar, the Nintendo Switch 2 launched on June 5, 2025, following a teaser on January 16 and a full spec reveal on April 2. The console enjoyed one of the best launch lineups ever, featuring Mario Kart World and major third-party titles like Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition. Hardware sales are promising, and the system benefits from enhanced backwards compatibility, with games like Breath of the Wild running better via “Switch 2 Edition” upgrades. However, key 2025 ports like Borderlands 4 and Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition have been delayed to 2026, raising immediate concerns about the hardware’s capabilities. The first-party slate for 2026 is currently thin, with only Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave confirmed, leaving a gap for the next major system seller.
A year of two halves
Here’s the thing about the Switch 2’s first year: it was basically a six-month sprint. Nintendo had to keep the original Switch relevant until June, and they did it with a solid run of software like Donkey Kong Country Returns HD and Civilization 7. But let’s be honest, everyone was just waiting for the new hardware. And when it arrived, the strategy was clear: leverage powerful third-party support *immediately*, not years later. Getting day-one versions of Madden and EA Sports FC, not just crappy ports, sent a huge message. It’s a totally different playbook from the original Switch’s slow build, and it mostly worked. The console felt like a mature platform from minute one, which is a huge win.
The backwards compatibility tightrope
One of the smartest moves was making the Switch 2 a welcoming home for newcomers. Upgraded versions of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey are basically the best way to play those classics now. But Nintendo’s approach to these upgrades has been all over the map. Some are free and fantastic, some are paid and feel barely worth it, like the extra content for Super Mario Party Jamboree. It’s a messy, inconsistent policy that creates confusion. Is the upgrade a full remake, a performance patch, or a cynical cash grab? They haven’t figured that out, and it’s going to annoy people if they don’t standardize it.
The 2026 problem
So the launch was hot, but what’s next? This is where the cracks TechRadar mentions start to show. We have a handful of third-party games like Resident Evil: Requiem and Monster Hunter Stories 3 on the horizon for 2026, which is great. But from Nintendo itself? It’s a ghost town. No new 3D Mario, a Metroid Prime 4 that seems to be dividing fans, and no sign of the heavy hitters like Smash Bros. or Animal Crossing. If you’re not into Mario Kart or Pokémon, what’s the compelling reason to buy the console *next year*? That’s a real strategic vulnerability. They’ve front-loaded the third-party support, which is brilliant, but now they need their own studios to deliver.
The power paradox
And this all ties back to the hardware. Nintendo shocked everyone by promising 4K and 120fps support. But those delays for Borderlands 4 and Elden Ring are a massive red flag. They signal that developers might already be hitting a wall trying to scale down modern AAA games. We’re right back to the old Switch question: “But how will it run on *this*?” The context is even tougher now because the handheld PC market is exploding with more powerful devices. Nintendo’s bet has always been on a magical blend of power, price, and portability. If the “power” part starts to visibly struggle too early, the whole equation gets shaky. Basically, the Switch 2 needs to prove it’s more than just a repackaging machine for last-gen games, and 2026 will be the real test.
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