I’ve been looking forward to the Nintendo Switch 2 ever since it was announced, but after Wednesday’s launch event I’m not convinced I’ll ever upgrade to the new console. That’s because I have the distinct feeling that unlike its predecessor, this isn’t a console designed for cozy gamers like me.

Gaming means many different things to different people, and for a long time, I’d resigned myself to the idea that it just wasn’t for me. That wasn’t because I’d never enjoyed playing games, but the simulation, puzzle and strategy games I liked playing as a child and teenager didn’t seem to be a priority to publishers or console makers as the focus shifted toward increasingly demanding AAA games. Once my brother traded in our family PS2 for an Xbox, I considered my gaming days over.

Even though there’s long been a thriving indie game scene that I’ve occasionally dipped my toe into, I’ve never enjoyed sitting in front of a PC to game. Instead, it was the launch of the original Nintendo Switch that brought me back into gaming in a big way. Here was a console that didn’t take itself too seriously, with endless opportunities for casual, cozy gamers like me to indulge in less intense, less power-hungry titles, either with friends on our TVs or on a long-haul flight (when there’s nothing better than losing myself in a game where I pretend to be a bear running a bed-and-breakfast). 

I was one of many who poured hours into Animal Crossing, but there’s a whole world of cozy games available on the Switch, with publishers releasing new titles all the time, and they’re wildly popular. One of the most recent launches, Hello Kitty Island Adventure, which came out in February, sold half a million copies in its first 30 days alone.

The serious side of the Switch 2

When the Switch 2 was announced, I was ready to see my favorite console level up, but based on Wednesday’s announcements, I see very little to get excited about for cozy gamers like myself. In fact, I think Nintendo risks alienating us with this upgrade. 

I was hoping that at least one of the games announced at launch would be something to excite existing Animal Crossing fans, but no such luck. It seems to me that with a focus on more-demanding and serious titles, including The Duskbloods exclusive, the Switch is shaking off its fun and family-friendly identity to better compete with the likes of the Xbox and the PlayStation.

The Switch 2 even looks more serious. The formerly brightly hued Joy-Con controllers are now black, with a nod to their red and blue predecessors only via a ring of color around the joysticks. It reminds me more of a Steam Deck than a Nintendo console.

That said, it is still early days for the Switch 2, and just because cozy gamers aren’t being prioritized at launch doesn’t mean there won’t be future enticements to look forward to. The newly introduced mouse functionality on the Switch 2 could open up more possibilities down the line for strategy and simulation games, many of which can fall within the cozy game genre.

I’ll be keeping my eye out for future releases that are more up my street, in the hope that the Switch 2 is eventually worth the upgrade. In the meantime, you can find me curled up in bed feeding my livestock and romancing every villager in turn in Stardew Valley on my original Switch.