In a recent interview with Easy Allies, former Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida shared his candid thoughts on the reveal of the Nintendo Switch 2, and his reaction was not entirely enthusiastic. Yoshida expressed a sense of mixed feelings about the new console, suggesting that Nintendo might be straying from its unique identity.

"To me, it was a bit of a mixed message from Nintendo," Yoshida remarked. "In a sense, I think Nintendo is losing their identity, in my opinion. For me, they are always about creating some new experience, like designing hardware and games together to create something that [is an] amazing new experience. But Switch 2, as we all anticipated, is a better Switch, right? It's the larger screen, more powerful processor, higher resolution, 4K, 120 fps, they even have a hardware person starting the stream, like other platforms do, right? And because it's a better Switch, the core premise of the whole Switch 2 is, you know, 'We made things better'. And that's something other companies have been doing all the time."

Special guest Shuhei Yoshida gets real about the Switch 2 pic.twitter.com/CzZYPnTtue

— Easy Allies (@EasyAllies) April 14, 2025

Yoshida acknowledged that for those who exclusively game on Nintendo hardware, the Switch 2 is a significant upgrade, enabling them to play titles like Elden Ring that were previously unavailable. However, he noted that for gamers who play on other platforms, the excitement might be somewhat muted.

He further commented on the reveal event, stating, "Publishers must have known that that show, last week, would be one of the most-watched shows this year. Millions and millions of people watched. It's amazing to announce and launch your new game, if you have a chance, but most of the games were ports from past generations. I don't know if this is Nintendo's direction or third parties' choice. But one game I reacted strongly [to] was Enter the Gungeon 2. That looks amazing. They did a great job announcing that there."

Yoshida also praised the game Drag x Drive for its "very Nintendo" feel. He then discussed the system's pricing and the price differences between Japan and the rest of the world, concluding with, "Anyway, with some of the things Nintendo is doing, with the camera or mouse controls, creating new experiences, that's great. But other than that, I was personally a bit disappointed, because they didn't disappoint everyone. Because everyone wanted that better Switch."

Throughout the conversation, Yoshida recognized that the Nintendo Switch 2 was a smart business move, likely crafted by highly skilled and intelligent designers. The general sentiment echoes a common online discussion: the system plays it safe in some respects, which might be the right approach, but it's somewhat disappointing for fans who cherish Nintendo's quirky and innovative side. However, features like mouse controls and other unique functionalities hint at Nintendo's playful and experimental spirit still being alive.

While Yoshida touched on the Switch 2's pricing in his discussion with Easy Allies, the exact cost for the U.S. market remains undisclosed. Nintendo has temporarily halted North American pre-orders due to new tariffs announced on the day of the system's reveal. With the global launch scheduled for June 5, time is running out for Nintendo to clarify these details before the Switch 2 hits the market.