Predictions Will the successor to the Nintendo Switch come with a pack-in game at launch?

[BlackthornOrion]

With the vibes seemingly trending towards critical "It's Happening" and the expectation of a formal reveal of the Switch successor in the relatively near future, I thought it'd be interesting to take a temperature check on what folks are expecting in terms of software that may be included with the next system

Nintendo has a long but inconsistent record of pairing games with their consoles when they launch. Over the years they've run the gamut, including (but not limited to):

• full blown games, like Super Mario World on the SNES
• more limited-scope tech demo-y fare, like Wii Sports on the Wii
• a literal demo in Metroid Prime Hunters: First Hunt on the DS
• built-in oddities you probably forgot about like Face Raiders on the 3DS

At the same time, they've frequently launched hardware without anything in the way of pack-in titles, as was most recently the case with the Switch

So with all that in mind, what are your expectations, Fami? When you unbox your shiny new Switch 2 on launch day, will there be anything for you to play right then and there, or will you need to pick something up from the store/eshop before you can properly dive into the next generation of Nintendo? I've made the poll options a simple yes/no, so people can feel free to interpret pack-in "game" as broadly or strictly as they think makes sense and elaborate below

 

[YolkFolk]

This will be one of those ridiculously one sided polls that makes you wonder why the question was even posed.

 

[rêverie]

no. the fact that 1-2 switch wasn't a pack-in game and the switch went on to be their best selling console kinda tells me those days are over. plus, i don't think nintendo wants to pack-in any game that could possibly shoehorn what the "point" of the console is. like, wii sports kind of defined the entire existence of wii.

if people want it, they'll buy it; if they don't, they won't miss it and will be glad the MSRP is lower.

 

[ZyberJosix]

I don't think so, at least doesn't seem like they need one. At most I could see some little games like the 3DS ones if the successor has some new gimmicks that could be introduced in those small games. But overall I don't see it happening, would be nice tho!

 

[Yavga]

We'll get a browser app at best, but even that might be too much asked.

 

[ILikeFeet]

Nintendo Land 2 pls

 

[Triistan]

YES!

They have to “justify” the 450/480$€ price tag

Nintendo Land remaster and Wii U reverse confirmed.

 

[Dark Cloud]

Yes please Nintendo Land 2

 

[grobla123]

I really want it to. Especially if its Nintendo land tier, or even wii sports 1. But they sold 1 2 switch of all things, separately so... maybe I can pray for something like face raiders?

 

[carbvan]

YES!

They have to “justify” the 450/480$€ price tag

Nintendo Land remaster and Wii U reverse confirmed.

You joke but that would be legitimately amazing.

 

[Enton]

I voted no because I think Nintendo will force itself to have a sticker price < 450€. Rationally, 450€ with a 60€ game included should be more attractive than 400€, but consumer brains don't work like this.

 

[Justin_Bailey]

I wouldn’t say Wii Sports was demo-y. It was literally the Wii’s killer app.

They’ll do it if the Switch 2 is like the Wii, as in it has some vastly different way of playing games and they need a showcase game for people to see how it works.

 

[ProteusRidley]

they don't need to do that anymore so I doubt it. Wii and Wii U needed it, but even then it didn't help the Wii U at all anyway.

 

[ILikeFeet]

I just wish we had tech demo games again. just small vertical slices of what the system is capable of

 

[RingoGaSuki]

I don’t think it will but it would be amazing if it did.

 

[Mandos]

Maybe? It usually happens these days when they have a weird idea to help sell the console with that doesn’t feel like a good retail release. So never impossible even if less likely

 

[Wockio]

It won't even have a tech demo gimmick game

 

[9-Volt]

No but it would be great if they do some launch day bundles. Successor + Mario 3D. I miss the days when Nintendo had them on console launches.

 

[My Tulpa]

It only will it NOT come with a pack in game, every big Nintendo game released in 2025 will also be playable on the OLED/Lite Switch.

The new hardware isn’t changing the way you play Switch games on a gameplay/interface level. It’s just playing Switch library of games with better graphics/performance. So bundling doesn’t make sense.

 

[locrianmidwest]

if it ain't broke...

 

[GamerJM]

My answer is no but I don't think it's impossible. Maybe something on the level of Face Raiders and the built-in Streetpass games on the 3DS.

 

[Famicrono]

I feel like it won’t but there will be some casual 1st party game at a cheaper price.

 

[kimbo99]

It'll be a demo to showcase new feature

 

[Balfreys]

Oh those poll results were NOT what I was expecting

 

[aus89]

zero chance - if they sold 1-2 Switch and its sequel, you can bet they'll sell whatever the equivalent is on Switch 2. -100000000% chance of a pack in like Astro's Playroom

 

[Mekanos]

Not with those Switch software sales

 

[xghost777]

I hope we get something small at least installed on the system like streetpass games / face raiders, but I’m sadly thinking no otherwise which is a shame. Something like Astro Bot on the PS5 everyone shares would be so cool.

 

[SuperFakerBros]

I don’t see a full on game being a pack in title but I can possibly see some more demo / gimmick games to test out the features of the controllers, sorta like what the 3DS had, being available at launch

 

[Leviraps]

Yes. It should come with F-Zero 99 installed. Please Understand

 

[Dardan Sandiego]

7 days of NSO (without Expansion Pack)

More seriously, I don't expect a pack-in/demo unless there's a new hardware gimmick which doesn't seem to be the case this time around. Unless there's actually cameras in this thing and they want to show them off again.

 

[ShadowFox08]

They didn't with the Switch. They don't need to. They don't even perma price drop their 1st party games outside of Labo.

With the Wii and Wii U, they kinda had something to prove.

 

[cw_sasuke]

Doubt it, most people getting one are buying the big launch game anyway and likely have tons of BC games from the Switch to play there as well. Now add in the NSO content people have access to and f2p games like Fortnite, Genshin etc. that will likely be ready at launch - there really is no need to.