Nintendo Switch 2 Specs Update Is Disappointing If True

The Nintendo Switch 2 -- or whatever the Nintendo Switch successor ends up being called -- is one of the worst kept secrets in the industry. Many rumors have suggested the next Nintendo console could release next year. Whether this ends up happening or not, remains to be seen but ahead of this potential date the specs, or roughly the specs, of the console may have been leaked by Bobby Kotick, the boss of Activision. 

This week, Microsoft has been in the court room facing off against the U.S. Federal Trade Commission over its proposed deal to acquire Activision Blizzard for $69 billion. During the legal battle, various files that would otherwise never see the light of day have surfaced online. For example, an email between Kotick and Nintendo president Shunturo Furukawa where the pair discuss Activision supporting the next Nintendo console. In this email exchange, Kotick points towards the new Nintendo console having similar capabilities to the PS4 and Xbox One, which would be an upgrade from the current Switch, but still way off modern console gaming, aka the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. 

"Given closer alignment of Gen 8 platforms and our previous offerings on PS4 and Xbox One, it's reasonable to assume we can make something compelling for NG (next generation) Switch as well," reads the email from the Activision boss. 

What makes this email strange, and what gives Nintendo fans hoping for more power from the next Nintendo console, is during his live testimony for the aforementioned case, Kotick turned around and said he didn't know the specs of the next Nintendo console. This obviously seems to conflict with his previous email, unless when Kotick said that to Furukawa it was just a hypothetical. This is possible, but if true, odd. 

"I actually think we will likely make a Call of Duty game for a new Nintendo console," said Kotick in his testimony. "I can't tell you there are specific plans, but I can tell you it's something we'd consider. We would consider it once we had the specs, but we don't have them at present. We missed out on the opportunity for this past generation of Switch, but we'd have to wait until the specifications. We don't have any present plans to do so."

You can't just lie in court. You technically can, but not legally. In other words, Kotick is surely telling the truth here. What he meant in his email though is unclear. At the very least, Kotick and Activision either believe or are under the impression the Nintendo Switch 2 will be equal to PS4 and Xbox One in terms of power. If they don't believe this, or are not under this impression, it's unclear why Kotick would mention that in the email unless it's simply to create a level of expectations. Whatever the case, if the next Nintendo console is more akin to the PS4 and Xbox One than the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S that will be pretty disappointing.