(Poll) How would you advertise a 'Switch 2'?

[kasparov77]

A Switch with new, more powerful hardware seems like an easy to sell device just from the proposal of it alone.
But many people don't think so! (myself included) hell, maybe even Nintendo themselves - maybe that's why they're taking so long...

Right now on Youtube, there are multiple videos of people arguing that "a 'Switch 2' cannot succeed without a new gimmick" and "a 'Switch 2' will flop if it's the same thing, but more powerful because of <insert handheld gaming pc here>".

Both completely unfounded arguments, obviously. I mean, when is the steam deck ever becoming available in more than a few select countries? will it ever have proper retail availability? Will valve ever fix the anti-cheat and DRM issues? will they ever release a new deck with better battery life? And nearly every other similar device either has a price point that's way off the mark or availability and battery runtime issues way worse than the steam deck's.

Then we get to the "it needs a new gimmick" argument which implies that somehow having:

• two detachable controllers that you can take anywhere and share with a friend for local 2 players gameplay
• a kickstand to play portably without holding the device
• a dock to expand the device's I/O and connect it to a television while improving performance and graphical fidelity

Is not enough? I mean come on, most handheld PCs these same people are boasting about over the switch come with none of those features.


All that said, I still think advertising a new Switch will be hard. But not because of """competitors""". Rather, because of Switch owners themselves.
How is Nintendo going to convince 125+ million Switch users to migrate to a new platform?

"GAMES, THE ANSWER IS GAMES. THREAD'S OVER. END IT"

I hear you scream, in agony after reading lines and more lines of me rambling.

Well, yeah... the answer seems pretty obvious but it implies many things we aren't so sure of:

• are we sure Nintendo by the time the hardware launches will have enough games (not in quantity, but weight) or is the platform going to have a drought of killer apps during it's first 1-2 years?
• will Nintendo be able to convince third parties to bring their games over more than they were with the switch? sure, the hardware of switch 2 will be considerably more powerful but, the og switch was also powerful enough for many xbox 360 and PS4 ports to happen yet they didn't (even though the userbase was also there). how will it be any different just because of more powerful hardware?
• are we sure Nintendo will patch old switch games?
• are we even sure about backwards compatibility?

There's so much to question here that I felt like creating this thread.

 

[Tangerine_Cookie]

"Switch 2. <Insert new gimmick here>. Plays new games, and your old favorites, at 4K resolution." Sizzle reel of the new games, and a bunch of the Switch heavy hitters.

That's it, that's all they need.

The new gimmick helps differentiate the console enough, and they're communicating the new hardware is more powerful in a way wider audiences can get.

(I still think the new gimmick is gonna be pico projector related)

 

[kasparov77]

"Switch 2. <Insert new gimmick here>. Plays new games, and your old favorites, at 4K resolution." Sizzle reel of the new games, and a bunch of the Switch heavy hitters.

That's it, that's all they need.

The new gimmick helps differentiate the console enough, and they're communicating the new hardware is more powerful in a way wider audiences can get.

(I still think the new gimmick is gonna be pico projector related)

A pico projector?

 

[Dardan Sandiego]

Bring back Space World, have Koizumi take the stage and...

 

[meatbag]

are we sure Nintendo by the time the hardware launches will have enough games (not in quantity, but weight) or is the platform going to have a drought of killer apps during it's first 1-2 years?

Backwards compatibility will help in that regard. And anyway, Nintendo has a lot of options for getting people to buy the Switch 2, software-wise. New 3D Mario, new Mario Kart, new Pokemon, they have an embarrassment of riches.

will Nintendo be able to convince third parties to bring their games over more than they were with the switch?

Stronger hardware should help make porting easier, at least compared to porting to Switch. What will actually attract third parties though is the performance of the Switch itself, which has more than proven itself to be a lucrative platform.

are we sure Nintendo will patch old switch games?

I wouldn't count on it.

are we even sure about backwards compatibility?

The account system and NSO point towards BC, and overall Nintendo would be downright stupid to not include it in their next system.

A Switch with new, more powerful hardware seems like an easy to sell device just from the proposal of it alone

That's basically it. No one else has managed to muscle into that hybrid console slice of the market. Switch 2 will sell just by being a better Switch. Nintendo's output will still be consolidated. There's no real need for a new gimmick.

 

[PixelKnight]

The Switch’s hybrid ‘gimmick’ is still a system seller that nobody is challenging, Nintendo has the entire lagoon to itself. I realise these water-based market metaphors are a stretch, but Nintendo has successfully sealed off and consolidated their ecosystem away from the competition chasing the home cinema specs while still letting third parties sell tons of games on it. A stronger Switch with new games after 7 years will fly off the shelves as the hybrid concept hasn’t dated, been challenged or had the audience tire of it.

Strong handheld PCs are lovely pieces of gaming kit. But they aren’t a threat to the Switch in any way when the people using them largely already have huge Steam libraries. It’s just a new way to play that library, which is awesome, but it’s not what the Switch has been successfully selling which is being able to play on a portable, TV and tabletop with your family for £280. I get why dedicated gamers ready to drop £500 on another way to play their PC games love the Deck, but it’s two different audiences despite the superficial similarities between what modern portables tend to look like.

 

[correojon]

I didn't see the option for "rooftop party compatibility" in the poll, what a joke of a thread!

 

[Hero of Hyrule]

Everything except Game Pass and gimmicks

 

[Deleted member 2]

Games with quality and variety. It's always about the games. That's why I included "contracts with third parties" in my votes.

I know a small fraction of people actually buy stuff on the Switch like Doom and The Witcher 3, but I am definitely one of them. I have a PS4 and Xbox Series S, but my Switch is my primary device and if I could, I'd prefer the portability and concentration on one platform over having every game in the best form possible.

Something about playing Doom, Trials of Mana, Monster Hunter, and Persona on a Nintendo platform just feels right and echoes back to the SNES days for me (in my mind, when Nintendo had a pretty decent third party support system).

 

[Tangerine_Cookie]

A pico projector?

Built in small projector to use a wall as a screen when in portable mode.

Nintendo has a patent they haven't used yet for perspective correction in projected images, dealing mostly with keeping whatever you're projecting looking good, even in irregular surfaces, corners, etc

Given the entire "console on the go" concept, and local multiplayer on the go being one of the features they've banked on, the idea that you can just bring your switch anywhere and use any wall as a massive screen for some multiplayer Mario Kart, for example, feels like it would be an evolution of it they could bank on. No more crowding around a small screen in tabletop mode.

Mind you, the console just being a "more powerful switch" absolutely works, but there is no way they won't add a more "practical" feature to differentiate the new platform.

EDIT: Also let's not forget that one of the events that has been influencing the development of the Switch since the beginning is that less people in Japan over time own actual TVs, since they can just consume media and play games on phones/tablets/laptops. A console that lets people "have a big screen" even without owning a TV, also fits there.

 

[Deleted member 2]

I didn't see the option for "rooftop party compatibility" in the poll, what a joke of a thread!

Is it really a new Switch if you're not a cute millennial bringing it to a rooftop party with all your well-off millennial friends?

 

[Deleted member 2]

I just want to state, for the record, that I would be extremely happy with a new console that is exactly the same as the current Switch except far more powerful.

 

[TreIII]

If they haven't already courted the likes of Capcom and Square Enix to make sure their content comes to the platform, something would be very wrong. So, third party contract stuff is definitely important to me. Make sure that next-gen Switch can support UE5 and the next revision of RE engine, among others, too, so devs can easily bring stuff over.

I'm encouraged that the leads of SF6 have all but confirmed that they want to bring the game to the "next Switch", but they'll already be at least a year behind everyone else.

 

[PixelKnight]

@kasparov77 we knocked the ‘serious’ tag off this as it’s mostly meant for serious topics (e.g. politics, bigotry, workplace abuse, that kinda thing), rather than just ‘this is a gaming discussion made in good faith!’.

 

[Dizzle]

I'd put a big billboard up in Times Square. Pay people to dress up like Joycons and dance around. Take photos with people. Maybe the Joycons are sexy? Idk, I'm just ideating here. We can hone it later.

 

[k samedi]

Give me a better Switch and also a Wii U type streaming functionality that can stream a seperate view to mobile phones. I would love to play Poker games on a big TV screen that way.

 

[neil]

Nintendo has preferred to lead with a game or feature that is only possible on the new system. On Wii it was Wii Sports, Wii U Nintendo Land, Switch the hybrid play of the system. If they just have a more powerful Switch 2 this won't be possible.

 

[Cubs017]

Just like the first one. Playstation doesn't need a new gimmick. Show off a hybrid console playing a bunch of the latest games and you're good to go. People want that. It's already "different" than Xbox and PlayStation by being a hybrid.

 

[robertman2]

Like this

Spoiler

just advertise it as a new, better switch with new mario kart

 

[neil]

Like this

Spoiler

just advertise it as a new, better switch with new mario kart

An amazing new Mario Kart, preferably with 8-player local for people with big 4K TVs, would actually be a perfect launch title

 

[Brofield]

Games, games and games are what appeals to the mass market.

You see new shiny Mario in 4K, you see previous shiny Zelda in 4K, you have Activision bringing CoD to Switch (regardless of acquisition) and R* bringing GTA to Switch and From bringing Elden Ring and Microsoft bringing Halo MCC and-

All the other features, are for people who were already at some degree thinking of getting it. Discord integration would be great! ...if you already have a social circle of friends who do play games already, which means you're already somewhat informed of gaming news. I don't particularly care for achievements, but I think anyone who might see them advertised will not care too much (unless they want to crack jokes about welcoming Nintendo to 2005). Game subscription service is only after you advertise the games you'll have in the first place. Gimmicks are cool...but in that very first Switch reveal, the first thing we saw was BOTW playable on this new device. Games need to be first and foremost.

I'm sincerely hoping that they don't fire they're current marketing team because they're on a roll with Switch and could probably nail whatever concept of Switch 2 is going to be, but again I can only re-iterate games, games and more games are how to effectively market the device; not just to consumers but also to developers showing them "everyone else has their game be a runaway success story here, why isn't yours?"

 

[aus89]

EXT. ROOFTOP PARTY - CITY - NIGHT
The party is winding down on the rooftop. KAREN tries to interest the hangers-on in one last game of The 1-2-Switch Game to no avail.

She sits down dejected.

Suddenly, her phone pings and her eyes widen as she stares into the glowing screen.

SMASH CUT TO:
INT. BUILDING FRONT DOOR - NIGHT

Karen excitedly receives a package from a courier in a mysterious RED CARDBOARD BOX.

COURIER
Here you go. Sign here.
​

Karen signs for the package and runs upstairs.

BACK TO THE ROOFTOP

She opens the box. It's a NINTENDO SWITCH, but something is different. The JOYCONS are SHINING METALLIC GOLD.

CLOSE ON Karen's face as she stares into the glow of the screen and hears the familiar SWITCH CLICK.

A few of the party-goers get ready to leave, but they notice Karen - so excited. so full of life. engrossed by her Switch.
Even they can tell... something is different.

A couple of the partygoers snigger.

FELICIA
OMG. That Karen...

JOHN
(in awe)
Felicia. Wait.
​

They approach closer, curious, sensing a new discovery.

Familiar, yet new SOUNDS fill the air around them as they near Karen, her smile wide...

MARIO (O.S.)
Wahoo! Yipee!
​

Felicia, John, and a now assembled group crowd around, looking over Karen's shoulder. Their eyes all lit up with wonder as we ZOOM INTO...

MONTAGE - MARIO runs and jumps around an OPEN WORLD in 4K, SOARS through the skies with a WING CAP - a NEW 3D MARIO GAME!

LINK fights GANONDORF in 4K! The upgraded visuals in The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom game are something to behold.

KAREN/FELICIA/JOHN/GROUP
OOO! AHHH! YES!! C'MON!!
​

Karen does something amazing with an UPDATED JOYCON and shows off NEW FEATURES.
The group HIGH-FIVE as Mario takes down BOWSER in 4K.

SNAP TO RED. The Nintendo Switch logo animates and the logo spins in 3D.

VOICEOVER
Nintendo Switch Version 2.
Gaming your way. Now play in 4K and connect more vividly than ever.
​

EPILOGUE:

Everyone hugs Karen goodbye, smiling and laughing about their wonderful time together.

FELICIA
(sheepish)
Same time next week?
​

Karen smiles.

KAREN
(with a chuckle)
Bye, Felicia.
​

The two hug.

FIN.​

 

[TheMindOfThomas]

EXT. ROOFTOP PARTY - CITY - NIGHT
The party is winding down on the rooftop. KAREN tries to interest the hangers-on in one last game of 1-2-Switch to no avail.

She sits down dejected.

Suddenly, her phone pings and her eyes widen as she stares into the glowing screen.

SMASH CUT TO:
INT. BUILDING FRONT DOOR - NIGHT

Karen excitedly receives a package from a courier in a mysterious RED CARDBOARD BOX.

COURIER
Here you go. Sign here.
​

Karen excitedly signs for the package and runs upstairs.

BACK TO THE ROOFTOP

She opens the box. It's a NINTENDO SWITCH, but something is different. The JOYCONS are SHINING METALLIC GOLD.

CLOSE ON Karen's face as she stares into the glow of the screen and hears the familiar SWITCH CLICK.

A few of the party-goers get ready to leave, but they notice Karen - so excited. so full of life. engrossed by her Switch.
Even they can tell... something is different.

A couple of the partygoers snigger.

FELICIA
OMG. That Karen...

JOHN
(in awe)
Felicia. Wait.
​

They approach closer, curious, sensing a new discovery.

Familiar, yet new SOUNDS fill the air around them as they near Karen, her smile wide...

MARIO (O.S.)
Wahoo! Yipee!
​

Felicia, John, and a now assembled group crowd around, looking over Karen's shoulder. Their eyes all lit up with wonder as we ZOOM INTO...

MONTAGE - MARIO runs and jumps around an OPEN WORLD in 4K, SOARS through the skies with a WING CAP - a NEW 3D MARIO GAME!

LINK fights GANONDORF in 4K! The upgraded visuals in Tears Of The Kingdom are something to behold.

KAREN/FELICIA/JOHN/GROUP
OOO! AHHH! YES!! C'MON!!
​

Karen does something amazing with an UPDATED JOYCON and shows off NEW FEATURES.
The group HIGH-FIVE as Mario takes down BOWSER in 4K.

SNAP TO RED. The Nintendo Switch logo animates and the logo spins in 3D.

VOICEOVER
Nintendo Switch Version 2.
Gaming your way. Now play in 4K and connect more vividly than ever.
​

EPILOGUE:

Everyone hugs Karen goodbye, smiling and laughing about their wonderful time together.

FELICIA
(sheepish)
Same time next week?
​

Karen smiles.

KAREN
(with a chuckle)
Bye, Felicia.
​

The two hug.

FIN.​

I laughed at this harder than anything in possibly the last year or so

 

[Dcubed]

Bring back Space World, have Koizumi take the stage and...

If Nintendo put Peggle 2 on Switch 2, I'm buying that shiz day 1!

 

[Deleted member 1108]

 

[Joe]

I would make a commercial starring obnoxious kids under the age of 10 and one of them says "HOT BUTTERED POPCORN THAT'S A DEAL!"

 

[ViewtifulCereza]

#Twice the fun.

 

[rickyson33]

new games and backwards compatibility with old games with some performance patches for at least a few of their bigger titles

I hope they don't feel the need to have a new gimmick just for the sake of it, the Switch already has a gimmick that still seems pretty popular

 

[Deleted member 1108]

#Twice the fun.

Compelling...Talk that Talk, because I'm having The Feels.

 

[Djehuty]

No new gimmick, switch but more powerful, name is switch 2. Make sure to get across in the marketing that all switch games are playable. While in downtime for new entires continue selling old switch games on switch 2, squeeze 20 million more Mario kart 8’s out in to the wild, get another 7mil form animal crossing, give totk like 5 years to sell and so on. Make it clear to the consumer that Nintendo isn’t resetting like they have previously done, this is just a continuation with a graphical upgrade nothing strange or new or weird.

 

[aus89]

I laughed at this harder than anything in possibly the last year or so

In Part 2, she will meet sad bus man and bond over playing Switch on the bus, sharing glances. Unbeknownst to bus man, Karen slips him her number - later that night, he gets into a fight with his wife and leaves, running to a payphone in the rain in tears. He finds Karen's number in his pocket and thinking back on the fun they shared, calls her...

 

[kasparov77]

Just came back to this thread to take a look at the results and I'm impressed at how little fami seems to care about more social features on a future console

From my point of view, even if say, discord were to face heavy competition from a different platform with most of it's users migrating somewhere else in like 2~3 years from now, I still believe Nintendo working together with a major communication platform would be massive for new hardware, considering that even if people stopped using said platform, the new console's system would have a foundation built for future background communication apps to work with.
Same idea applies to twitch and youtube streaming.

I know a lot of people just use their phones or PCs for communicating with friends while playing in handheld or docked mode, but being able to properly hear both the game and your friends, specially in games that have no voice communication whatsoever is a dealbreaker imo.

I guess it mostly comes down to the platform's background: most people on switch aren't into competitive games because the hardware simply doesn't allow for proper competitive gameplay - while you're gaming at 30FPS on overwatch, fortnite and apex, PC and other console gamers are playing at 120+ with mouse and keyboard even. So most people just stick to casual modes and playing with friends.

I personally never play fortnite on PC or my phone despite both being considerably more capable than my switch at it. But the reason I play it on switch is straight out of convenience of gaming on a couch with a controller. But, the inconvenience of having to use my phone for properly communicating with my friends is something I despise.

I also think discord support is important because I believe it could be a nice scapegoat for nintendo to justify not having their own social media platform again like miiverse and having to worry about all the moderation and overall maintenance issues that come with it.

 

[RochHoch]

It has a new Mario Kart. Buy it.

That’s it, that’s the marketing.

 

[Tailzo]

New games, patched games and gamepass like service.

 

[Linkstrikesback]

Just came back to this thread to take a look at the results and I'm impressed at how little fami seems to care about more social features on a future console

Self selection bias. By nature of how we're communicating, you're talking to the minority of people who would seek out a text forum which hasn't really been a major thing for like a decade and a half, at minimum. We're not exactly chasing the cutting edge of social features!

 

[Tailzo]

Self selection bias. By nature of how we're communicating, you're talking to the minority of people who would seek out a text forum which hasn't really been a major thing for like a decade and a half, at minimum. We're not exactly chasing the cutting edge of social features!

That is true

 

[VegiHam]

Just make adverts for hype new games that end in "only on Switch 2"

Pokémon Strange and Charm... Only on Switch 2
Animal Crossing New Frontiers... Only on Switch 2

And so on

 

[Fercho]

"Switch 2 - It´s the same, but 2K (Docked only)"

 

[Instro]

 

[Mekanos]

I am deathly afraid of Nintendo adding some stupid gimmick where after a year or two the novelty wears off and devs have to work around it.

Just give me something beefier with great games, all I need.

 

[ProteusRidley]

2 rooftop parties instead of 1

 

[menx64]

A video showing all switch favorite games, and then boom a switch 2 video showing how shinning switch games look on the new console! Then boom new games!!!
... and then Boom an AR google cardboard gimmick!!
$399 available April 1st 2024.

Nintendo switch2!

 

[Machrider]

Bring back Paul Rudd, call it Super Switch, and do the "Now You're Playing With Power ... SUPER POWER" slogan.



And yes for people who might ask, that is a real SNES launch era commercial, and yes that really is Ant-Man's Paul Rudd.

 

[Síriocaz]

"¿Por qué no los siete?"