It's easy for the imagination to run wild thinking of the possibilities Nintendo Switch 2. Little has been known about the upcoming successor to the Nintendo Switch, other than that it will supposedly be a more powerful version of the previous, hugely successful hybrid console.
The renewed power will undoubtedly be a boon for the Nintendo Switch 2 as it looks to compete with the PlayStation and Xbox, but it's not the be-all and end-all. The ninth generation of consoles has brought a number of strong projects that make excellent use of the new hardware, although the last few years have also been shrouded in a sense of disappointment, with many feeling that some of the best post-2020 games could run smoothly on the last-gen system – and indeed, many of that's how they do it. All of this means that Nintendo doesn't necessarily have to match the hardware capabilities of its competitors to stay relevant, but some of the console's features are a different story.
Nintendo Switch 2 could benefit from the equivalent of achievements
Nintendo's flagship console still lacks an achievement/trophy system
The value of achievements and trophies in today's games is subjective, as many players can take or leave these digital rewards, while others play games with the express purpose of obtaining the ever-elusive platinum. There are even obscure games that are profitable just because they easily go platinum. But anywhere on the spectrum, it's hard to deny that ticking boxes like these can be immensely satisfying, even if they're not essential to success in the games themselves.
Given the prominence of trophies and achievements since the seventh generation of consoles, it's a bit surprising that Nintendo's own consoles haven't responded with their own internal stage system. This is especially questionable since cross-platform games that are popular on the Switch, e.g Stardew Valleyhave achievements on other platforms, forcing some players to choose between the portability of the Switch and the satisfying completionist tools that are achievements and trophies. With higher-quality games being heavily discounted for the Switch, not being able to earn those virtual rewards could be an added blow to the console. In other words, if achievements and trophies are the features players care about, the Switch is missing an important feature that makes it a worse way to enjoy many third-party games.
Adding trophies/achievements could make Switch 2 a more complete platform
Aside from a noticeable lack of power compared to the competition, one of the biggest marks against the Switch is its lack of modern features. These criticisms are usually directed at things like the Switch's online ecosystem, which lacks common sense tools like voice chat, or the console's quality-of-life shortcomings, such as the ability to run minor programs like streaming services alongside games . Maybe the lack of achievement isn't as big a deal as the above issues, but they are part of the same, larger problem.
Nintendo sees its consoles as gaming devices, not as a hub for games and other entertainment like the PlayStation or Xbox. There is nothing wrong with that. But if a small portion of the gaming population prioritizes something like trophies/achievements that are directly tied to the overall gaming experience, it begs the question why Nintendo doesn't pull the trigger on its own, potentially branded, equivalent. And unlike something like voice chat or running apps at the same time, the Switch's lower power doesn't hinder achievements. The Switch 2's more power may lead to more advanced features, but Nintendo needs to tick all the boxes first, join the Xbox, PlayStation and PC in the silly, unnecessary, but enjoyable world of digital laurels.
Nintendo Switch
The Nintendo Switch is a hybrid console released in 2017 that can be played handheld or connected to a TV. The portable-only Switch Lite model arrived in 2019, with an OLED update in 2021.