Nintendo Switch 2 Could Feature a Welcome Improvement Over the Current System

Nintendo Switch 2 was revealed back in January, in a video showcasing some improvements over the current system. Unfortunately, that video did not offer a lot of information about the system’s features. In the weeks since, some additional hints have been gleaned from patents, offering some indication about the system’s capabilities. According to a U.S. patent published in February (discovered by Wccftech), Nintendo plans on making a big improvement to voice chat for the new system. If the patent is to be believed, the system will have OS voice chat, as well as proximity chat in certain games.

Actual voice chat options would be a very big improvement over the current Switch hardware. To use voice chat right now in games like Splatoon 3, users have to go through the Nintendo Switch mobile app. On top of being unnecessarily cumbersome, the current option is also terribly outdated. Nintendo always looks for ways to make sure that its platforms are safe for users of all-ages, but there’s a way to include voice chat without making Switch users jump through hoops. It’s long past time Nintendo improved on this option, and this is a good sign, if it proves to be accurate.

With that said, as with any patent, it’s advised that readers take all of this with a grain of salt, pending an official announcement. Over the years, companies like Nintendo and PlayStation have published patents for a lot of concepts and features that were considered but eventually abandoned. It’s a very common thing, and it’s easy to see patents and get excited about them, only to find out that the company moved away from that particular idea.

While Nintendo Switch has been a massive success over the last 8 years, there’s a lot of room for improvement. From voice chat, to the issues that have surrounded the notorious “Joy-Con drift.” Better graphics and processing power are always going to be the biggest draws for a new video game system, but hopefully we see lots of quality of life improvements that lead to a better gaming experience. One small improvement fans have been begging to see is the addition of themes, which were a feature on 3DS, but haven’t been included on Switch.

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Chances are, we won’t learn about any of these potential options for a few more weeks. A Nintendo Direct presentation will take place on April 2nd, and will pull back the curtain on the new console. At this time, we don’t know what to expect from the livestream, but chances are, it’ll offer a closer look at new features, as well as new software. The only first-party game announced for the system right now is a new Mario Kart, but some third-parties have also offered hints at games that will appear. The number of announced games should significantly grow in the coming weeks!

Are you excited to learn more about Nintendo Switch 2 next month? Do you want to see improvements made to voice chat? Share your thoughts with me directly on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!