Nintendo Switch 2 One Year In: What Changed, What Got Better, and What Buyers Are Complaining About
Nintendo Switch 2 launched in June 2025. By May 2026, exactly one year has passed. Time to ask: did the console deliver on its promises?
Switch 2 after one year: right start, right screen, right games — but not fast enough for the western market.
Nintendo Switch 2 launched in June 2025 as the direct successor to the original Switch. A year in, there's enough data for an honest assessment: what worked, what didn't, and what to expect next.
Hardware: What Buyers Got
Switch 2 is powered by a more capable Nvidia chip with DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) support, significantly improving image quality in handheld mode. OLED display became standard from day one. Joy-Con evolved with new magnetic attachments that work more reliably than the old sliding mechanism. GameChat camera brings new multiplayer possibilities that games are actively using.
First-Year Library
The launch was strong. Mario Kart World (launch title) became one of the best entries in the franchise. Animal Crossing: New Horizons — remastered with new content. Pokémon Pokopia (March 2026) — the biggest hit, helping push sales to 19.86 million.
Weakness: noticeable gaps between flagship releases. Several anticipated titles (Metroid Prime 4, the next Legend of Zelda) are still in development.
Buyer Sentiment
Based on feedback from western markets, Nintendo itself acknowledged: "western sales are picking up" — but later than in Japan and Asia. This is a classic Nintendo pattern: strong Japanese start, then western catch-up.
Looking Ahead: Year Two
Starting September 1, the console rises to $499.99 in the US. Nintendo promised "a wealth of new titles": Star Fox (June), Splatoon Raiders (July), and several more announcements incoming. If the 2026–2027 lineup delivers, Switch 2 could approach its predecessor's trajectory.