Nintendo will likely avoid the Wii U naming fiasco with the Nintendo Switch 2, suggest analysts

• Analysts have commented on the branding of the Nintendo Switch 2
• They suggest that it is a good name for the console
• This is because it is unlikely confuse consumers

If you were worried that the average consumer wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between the Nintendo Switch and the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2, then you can breathe a sigh of relief.

“Thank god Nintendo did not try to be creative with the name - which I think makes a lot of sense,” said Dr Serkan Toto of market research firm Kantan Games while speaking to IGN. Other analysts shared a similar sentiment, including George Jijiashvili of Omdia Research. “While calling it ‘Switch 2’ isn’t creative,” they said, “it’s very clear and effective.”

Although it seems like the obvious choice, Nintendo has traditionally shied away from numeric naming conventions as demonstrated by the likes of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Game Boy Advance, or Nintendo 3DS. Still, following the underwhelming performance of the Wii U, which many have attributed to its confusing name, Nintendo appears to be taking a leaf from rival Sony’s book.

“It's a strategy that has served PlayStation very well for quarter of the century,” continued Jijiashvili. “Calling it something like 'Super Nintendo Switch' would have provided nice fan service, but doing so would have risked causing confusion among consumers, similar to what happened with Wii U.”

"Now that Nintendo has all its console eggs in the Switch basket, it simply cannot risk confusing fans," added Rhys Elliott of Midia Research. "After all, Nintendo’s cross-entertainment efforts across film, theme parks, toys, and even alarm clocks all lead back to its core console brand."

The Nintendo Switch 2 was officially unveiled in a brief first-look trailer posted on January 16. It showed off the console’s design, which looks awfully similar to the original Nintendo Switch, and hinted at some of its potential features. Footage of what appears to be a new Mario Kart game was also shown, giving us what could be our first look at a launch title.

You can see how we reacted to the reveal below.

Nintendo Switch 2 reveal reactions - does it have a mouse mode?! - YouTube

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