The Nintendo Switch is still a long way off, but a few details have come out after the recent hack of Pokémon studio Game Freak. One piece of information in particular regarding the encryption of the ROMs is likely to give Nintendo many a restless night.
It is quite likely that the Nintendo Switch 2 will use new and improved hardware. It is possible, among other things, that the successor console will Unreal Engine 5 A real industry innovation like the Nintendo Switch But this time you should not expect it – although Nintendo could once again demonstrate enormous courage, but it is more likely that the Japanese console and game manufacturer will focus on meaningful improvements as well as major changes.
Nintendo Switch 2: Same ROM format?
According to an article by Centro Leaks, Nintendo could leave the format of the ROMs and the developer tools largely unchanged. Although there will be new keys for coding, this would hardly be a suitable measure to keep the emulator providers in check. It is possible that the software of the Nintendo Switch 2 will be just as easy to emulate as the original Switch. That would be surprising, but it could fit in with the strategy Nintendo is currently pursuing.
The Japanese company is taking more action against emulators. Although Nintendo is known for quickly fighting copyright infringements with lawyers, there seems to be a strategy behind the massive action that can be interpreted as a rush. The emulators Ryujinx and Yuzu were recently hit - Nintendo was able to take two large and popular Switch emulators off the market. Against the background of the new rumors about the ROM formats, it could well be the case that the Japanese company wants to do some kind of preparatory work so that emulators don't have it quite so easy when the Nintendo Switch 2 is launched. Nintendo was not completely victorious in the mysterious disappearance of Ryujinx - there was no lawsuit - because a so-called fork of the emulator appeared on Github. Nintendo regularly cites the circumvention of the games' copy protection measures as the main reason for its intervention. This makes it all the more surprising that it has refrained from making any profound adjustments to hinder emulators as much as possible.
Measures as an indication?
The one through the Game Freak hack leak would mean exactly the opposite: with relatively little effort, the emulator providers could then react to the new games and their encryption and open the door to copying again. In fact, there would then be no need for new emulators: adjustments would be enough. For Nintendo, this would certainly be a nightmare.
Perhaps the increased measures against emulators indicate an imminent release of the Nintendo Switch 2. Nintendo could act preventively and initially remove as many providers as possible from the market in order not to dilute the launch of the new console and the revenue from software through the risk of pirated copies. The company probably wants to prevent games from being played on platforms other than the Nintendo Switch 2, especially at launch. This is particularly relevant with regard to the popular exclusive titles, as they really drive up console sales. Nintendo has not officially commented.
| # | Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
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| 1 |
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Nintendo Switch Console Neon Red/Neon Blue* |
279,00 EUR |
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| 2 |
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Nintendo Switch console (OLED model) White* |
299,90 EUR |
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