A recent revelation has fueled the fire, with the gaming grapevine humming with tales of a new Nintendo Switch. As reported by The Verge, Activision was privy to Nintendo’s secrets earlier than most, thanks to some intriguing internal emails unearthed during the FTC v. Microsoft case.
Meeting of the gaming giants
In December 2022, top brass from Activision, including their CEO Bobby Kotick, sat down with Nintendo’s top executives to discuss the much-anticipated next-gen Switch. At the helm of Activision’s platform strategy, Chris Schnakenberg even drafted an “NG Switch Draft.pdf” summary about this ‘Switch next-generation.
What the documents reveal
Though much of the document remains under wraps due to redactions, snippets indicate that the performance capabilities of this upcoming Switch could rival those of the PS4 and Xbox One. To quote the document:
“Given the closer alignment to Gen8 platforms in terms of performance and our previous offerings on PS4 / Xbox One, it is reasonable to assume we could make something compelling for the NG Switch as well. It would be helpful to secure early access to development hardware prototypes and prove that out nice and early.”
Call of Duty: A missed opportunity?
Further discussions shed light on the Switch platform’s notable absence of the Call of Duty franchise. During the FTC v. Microsoft hearing, Kotick expressed regret over this oversight. Speculations abound about a potential Call of Duty release for a Nintendo console, but nothing’s set in stone. When quizzed, Kotick mentioned that Activision would mull over it once they had detailed specs in hand but admitted to no current plans for such an endeavour.
The future is bright for Nintendo
Evidence suggests that Nintendo has been gearing up for this next-gen launch for some time. Reports hint at a 2024 release date for the new Switch, which might feature an LCD screen instead of OLED and continue the legacy of supporting physical game cartridges.
Moreover, insider reports from Eurogamer claim that select developers got an exclusive preview of the Nintendo Switch 2 during Gamescom, complete with tech demos. Among the highlights was an enhanced version of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, optimised for the advanced tech housed within the Nintendo Switch 2.
Adding weight to these claims, VGC reports indicate that Nintendo showcased Epic Games‘ The Matrix Awakens Unreal Engine 5 tech demo, hinting at the robust capabilities of the next-gen Switch. With such promising reports, the gaming community is in for an exhilarating ride in the coming years.
