While the Switch 1 sold over 150 million units and counting, the wait for the Nintendo Switch 2 lasted an eternity. It felt like the console wouldn’t be announced at one point. However, the Switch 2 finally came into our world, but reportedly only after many delays.
The Nintendo Switch 2 was officially revealed in April 2025. It then took a further two months for the console to debut. As a Switch 2 owner, I can confidently say it was worth the wait. Mario Kart World is exceptional, and Donkey Kong Bananza is otherworldly—let alone the fact that I can play Pokémon Scarlet and Violet with peak performance!
But it could’ve all happened a lot sooner had Nintendo not had the eye for inch-perfect detail.
Switch 2 Delayed Because Nintendo Wanted Perfection
According to a Bloomberg report: “Nintendo repeatedly pushed back plans for the Switch 2’s launch after its designers asked for more time to perfect the games that would accompany the new hardware, according to people familiar with the matter. While the later-than-expected release tested the patience of fans and frustrated third-party game publishers, the company decided that aiming for perfection was more important.”
Nintendo isn’t the kind of company that likes to release a game somewhat finished and then drop multiple updates after launch to fix the game. So when this attitude translates to the company’s brand-spanking new piece of hardware, you can understand now why the Switch 2 took so long.
This is why games like Metroid Prime 4: Beyond take so long to develop. A new Super Mario 3D is probably in the works, and because the franchise is so historic and such an important piece of gaming history, Nintendo will do everything in its power to ensure it’s as good as any before it.
Do you respect and appreciate Nintendo’s stringent attitude toward game development? Should more developers and publishers push for quality instead of crunching and rushing to meet deadlines? Let us know your thoughts through the Insider Gaming forum.
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Andy is Insider Gaming's Senior Evergreen Editor and has been in the games journalism sphere in one way or another for over 7 years. His video game taste is as…
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