Nintendo Switch 2 Almost Had a Very Different Name

The Nintendo Switch 2 almost had a completely different name that called back to one of Nintendo’s classic consoles. Many had already guessed that the next Nintendo system would be called the Switch 2 long before that name was officially confirmed, based on rumors that it would be very similar to the current Nintendo Switch in both design and functionality. These rumors were eventually verified when the Nintendo Switch 2 was revealed back in January, as the new system is still a hybrid between a traditional console and a handheld tablet.

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By Katelyn Mitchell Jewett

Shortly after the April 2 Nintendo Switch 2 Direct, three of the new console’s top developers sat down for an interview on the official Nintendo website. One of the subjects discussed was how the team came up with the name “Nintendo Switch 2,” and the members said they had workshopped a “lot of ideas” before deciding on the final name. Producer Kouichi Kawamoto said that one of these suggestions was the “Super Nintendo Switch,” a call-back to the classic Super Nintendo Entertainment System of the early '90s.

Nintendo Switch 2 Was Almost Named Super Nintendo Switch

However, the team eventually decided that this name wouldn’t be appropriate, since the Super NES couldn’t play original NES games like the Switch 2 can with Switch games. Nintendo Entertainment Planning & Development Department senior director Takuhiro Dohta added to this by saying that Nintendo’s goal with the Switch 2 is to make a system that can be enjoyed by a wide range of players, just like the original Switch. The Nintendo Switch 2 reflected that, and Nintendo Technology Development division GM Tetsuya Sasaki notes that the name is simple and easy to understand as a successor to the original Switch.

The long wait for the Nintendo Switch 2 will finally end on June 5, though initial pre-orders will begin on April 9. Some of the launch titles for the new console include Mario Kart World (which will be available as part of a special Switch 2 bundle), Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour, and new versions of existing third-party titles like Cyberpunk 2077, Street Fighter 6, and Hogwarts Legacy.