Former Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida recently shared his thoughts on the Nintendo Switch 2 during an interview with Easy Allies—and let’s just say, his reaction wasn’t exactly bursting with enthusiasm.

When asked about the Switch 2 reveal, Yoshida offered a measured and thoughtful response, noting that he felt Nintendo sent a somewhat mixed message with the console’s presentation:

“To me, it was a bit mixed message from Nintendo. 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.”

Yoshida also noted that while the Switch 2 might be a welcome upgrade for those who only play on Nintendo hardware—especially since it opens the door for more technically demanding titles like *Elden Ring*—it may not be as compelling for multi-platform gamers. He added that many of the games shown during the presentation were ports from previous generations, though he did highlight a few standout announcements.

“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.”

He also praised *Drag x Drive* for capturing that classic Nintendo charm, before diving into the topic of regional pricing differences and the console’s overall business strategy. Yoshida wrapped up his thoughts by acknowledging Nintendo’s continued innovation in certain areas:

“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.”

While Yoshida admitted that the Switch 2 is likely the result of smart, capable engineering and a sound business move, his sentiment echoes a broader concern within the gaming community: that Nintendo may be playing it too safe this time around. That said, features like mouse support and unique gameplay integrations suggest that the company’s creative spirit isn’t entirely gone.

Although Yoshida touched on the console’s pricing during the interview, the official U.S. price remains a mystery. Nintendo temporarily paused North American pre-orders following the announcement of new tariffs introduced the very same day as the Switch 2 reveal. With a global launch date set for June 5, the pressure is on for Nintendo to finalize everything before the release window closes.