In the week of CES 2024, we've been spoiled with announcements for new technology across pretty much every field. From transparent TVs to AI assistants there's been a lot announced in Vegas. Something that has been of particular interest to me is the burgeoning handheld gaming market. 2023 saw a slow trickle of Steam Deck-style devices like the Asus ROG Ally and we've now seen more handhelds announced from other top manufacturers. But the most famous of all has stayed quiet.
Nintendo has always done things a bit differently but its reluctance to give the world a successor to the Nintendo Switch is maddening. All of these new Steam Deck rivals have powerful underlying hardware and some distinguishing features, but they all have the same pool of games to choose from, Steam and/or Xbox Game Pass.
Obviously, as a Nintendo system, the Switch has titles that we wouldn't find anywhere else. Nintendo's signature IPs are the biggest reasons to get a Switch, but we need the likes of Mario, Zelda and Pokemon to move on from 7-year-old hardware and step into the 2020s.
By other big issue is battery life. The likes of the MSI Claw (above) can boast some of the best battery life of new PC handhelds, but it's still only two hours. That's not a lifespan to ever risk going too far from a charger, kind of ruining the point of a handheld. The Nintendo Switch in comparison has a battery of 4.5 to 9 hours, which is enough to feel genuinely free. Plus, you can dock it and use it as a home console.
While it may very rarely go on sale, the Switch is also cheaper than even the PS5 and Xbox Series X and considerably less than the likes of the Lenovo Legion Go (which starts at £699/$699). Gamers watching their wallets, and parents, are counting on Nintendo to offer something more affordable.
The final reason we need another Nintendo system is multiplayer. Of course, you can play online multiplayer on PC handhelds, but local and split-screen is almost unheard of on PC. Consoles are the best way to play face-to-face and even in handheld mode, the unique Joy-Cons lend themselves to multiplayer on the Switch. You'll never beat the feeling of firing a blue shell at someone in the same room and then passing them on the last corner of Mario Kart.
