The Switch 2 was almost called the 'Super Nintendo Switch'

Following its big Switch 2 presentation, Nintendo revealed in an interview with the team behind the console that one of the (arguably better) names the company was considering before it landed on Switch 2 was "Super Nintendo Switch."

"There were a lot of ideas for the name, and we really struggled to find the right one," Kouichi Kawamato, the producer on the Switch 2, says. "We even considered ideas like 'Super Nintendo Switch.'" The issue with the name was that even though drawing a parallel to the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) was fun, it was also potentially confusing. The SNES was the successor to the NES, but it couldn't play NES games. "Since Switch 2 can play Switch games, it didn't feel right to use the same naming convention as Super NES."

Adding a number to the end of the original console's name (the general strategy Nintendo's competitor Sony has taken with the PlayStation) just made things a lot simpler and easier to understand. Nintendo's caution isn't totally unfounded. The Wii U was more powerful than the Wii and featured a unique controller in the Wii U GamePad. Because it's name was so similar to Nintendo's older console, it was backwards compatible with the Wii and it supported pre-existing accessories like Wii Remotes, though, it was viewed as an add-on rather than a new device worth upgrading to.

There were other problems that helped do the Wii U in, like a steep decline in support from third-party game developers and a failure on Nintendo's part to explain what made the console distinct, but the name certainly didn't help. The Switch 2 is much better set up for success than the Wii U, but "sticking to what works" seems like the defining idea of the new console, so the name is following suit.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/the-switch-2-was-almost-called-the-super-nintendo-switch-184243089.html?src=rss https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/the-switch-2-was-almost-called-the-super-nintendo-switch-184243089.html?src=rss
Établi 4mo | 2 avr. 2025, 20:50:37


Connectez-vous pour ajouter un commentaire

Autres messages de ce groupe

The best Nintendo Switch 2 games for 2025

The Nintendo Switch 2 didn’t come out of the gate with a host of exclusive, must-play games. But we’re a few months into the console’s lifecycle now and there are a variety of Switch 2-only games t

11 août 2025, 08:50:04 | Engadget
AOL's dial-up internet still exists, but not for much longer

It may have been decades since you last heard the ">crunc

10 août 2025, 21:20:08 | Engadget
Rod Fergusson leaves Blizzard after five years leading Diablo

Rod Fergusson, the general manager of the Diablo franchise for the last five years, is leaving Blizzard. Fergusson announced the move on social media, but didn't say where he's going next. Before

10 août 2025, 18:50:18 | Engadget
An updated Siri that interacts with apps reportedly won't be here until next spring

A Siri that does way more than just setting a timer or writing down a reminder may still be nearly a year away. According to

10 août 2025, 18:50:17 | Engadget
Ubisoft may have prematurely revealed FX's TV adaptation of Far Cry

A post on Ubisoft's news page reportedly announced that FX is working on a TV show adaptation of the

10 août 2025, 16:40:04 | Engadget
The Space Invaders movie is apparently still happening

It's been a few years since we last heard anything about

9 août 2025, 22:10:12 | Engadget
DJI repurposed its drones' obstacle detection tech for robot vacuums

DJI's obstacle avoidance system could be just as useful on land as it is in the air. DJI, known for its dominance in the

9 août 2025, 19:40:14 | Engadget