At long last, Nintendo has shown off the Switch 2, and I’m convinced it signals the death of handheld consoles.
To clarify, I don’t think the Switch 2 will perform badly or that it itself will be a failed console. However, a second hybrid console from Nintendo likely means that the days of getting a dedicated handheld device like the Game Boy or DS are likely over.
And, if that’s true, I think it would be a real shame. Nintendo’s handheld consoles before the Switch introduced some great games.
They also had some qualities that the Switch doesn’t fully replicate despite the hybrid system being more portable than something like a PS5.
Older handhelds have played a specific role in my gaming diet, and I have felt their absence a bit since the Switch came out.