During the lead up to Nintendo Switch 2, the Ask The Developer interview with the system's development team responded to a statement about the system being surprisingly tame in terms of innovations. Producer Kouichi Kawamoto explained this.

"So, you increased the processing capability to allow new kinds of gameplay experiences to be created. Looking back at Nintendo's past consoles, I think many people would expect to see something more unconventional, much like how Wii (8) and Nintendo DS have control schemes unique to Nintendo. During the development of Switch 2, was there any discussion about taking a similar approach?

Kawamoto: From Nintendo DS to Wii U, we offered new ways to play by implementing hardware features that weren't typical for game consoles at the time, and asked software developers to take advantage of them. However, with Switch, we made that less of a priority. With Switch, we prioritized implementing something that could be used with any kind of software, such as the ability to play in both TV mode and handheld mode, rather than tasking software developers to create gameplay experiences that incorporate the hardware's unique features. Just like we did with Switch, we've made having unique hardware features less of a priority for this console. Of course, we did consider various ideas. However, we felt that even if an idea works well for some games, there'll be a lot of games where it doesn't. Also, we thought a lot about whether we should change the design of Switch, a console with a screen and Joy-Con controllers on each side that can be played on a TV when docked. After considering various new ideas, we decided it would be best to keep the Switch system's design and not make any “changes for changes' sake.”

Director Takuhiro Dohta elaborates

"Dohta: From a software developer's perspective, we thought of what we'd want in a console if we were creating a game. In the past, Nintendo developed software that took advantage of unique hardware features, such as the Wii Remote and the Nintendo DS system's dual screens. However, since Switch launched, I think there's been a shift in how software developers create games. Rather than leveraging hardware features to create something unique, developers can now choose which software technologies they want to incorporate to make their games stand out. My honest opinion as a software developer is that just because a new hardware feature is added, it doesn't necessarily mean that various problems will be solved or that new kinds of gameplay experiences will be created one after another. So, with Switch 2, we improved its processing speed in the hope that it'll become a dedicated game platform with a strong and solid foundation that allows software developers to create what they want."

And there is a lot of truth to that. With the original Nintendo Switch, Nintendo avoided betting the entire system's identity on a risky new controller concept in favor of combining and expanding on all of its past control innovations into one device that you can play anywhere. Dohta even says that any new control ideas can come with either a small additional feature that can be used or not (such as Switch 2's mouse controls or Microphone) or packaged as a separate accessory (such as Ring Fit Adventure or Nintendo Labo).

The Switch was already capable of doing nearly every type of game out there. AAA console gaming, smaller portable gaming, touch controls, motion controls, local multiplayer, etc. and Switch 2 expands on that by adding more power and things like GameChat and GameShare. And that's kind of the thing, once you have a console that can do any type of game and control style out there, where else do you go after that?

The Wii U exposed the limits of Nintendo's previous approach to hardware innovation as the GamePad famously was so underutilized that even Nintendo's own internal studios didn't have a ton of great ideas for it. Kawamoto even goes as far as to say that a new controller concept doesn't necessarily lead to new gameplay ideas.

So I think Nintendo has kind of reached a plateau in terms of big new controller innovations it could build its hardware on. Thus the focus now is ensuring an environment where developers can make any type of game they want, with as little friction or trouble as possible.

I’m OK with Switch 2 keeping the same design as the original Switch; but still hoped it had more CPU/GPU power, more RAM and more disk space.

I think the best way to put it is as Kawamoto said: “we decided it would be best to keep the Switch system's design and not make any “changes for changes' sake.””

If there’s nothing worth changing, then why force something? That’s how you get a system with a gimmick that feels forced and ends up never fully realized (e.g., 3DS and Wii U). I think Nintendo’s approach with Switch 2 being not a major departure from industry norms nor what the original Switch 1 was, but an evolution which did introduce some new ideas (e.g., mouse control, utilization of magnets instead of mechanical click-locks) as well as some QoL enhancements (e.g., bigger and more comfortable, with more modern tech to cut back on latency issues and gyro problems), really is the best of both worlds.

That said, do I think Nintendo could benefit from adding some wacky new control options to Switch 2? Absolutely! And I’d love to see it. But as a required add-on? Eh… no. I’m good.

I would say they've plateaued with regard to surprising us with new ways to play games, or new ways to play older IP. With Switch 2, it was just more of the same, which some people loved. But we haven't seen such a thing since 1990/91 out of them, so for most modern gamers, people whose first console was Wii, yeah... it can definitely come off as lacking innovation. I personally don't know if it's that or not, since we don't know if they could have come up with something fresh and just chose not to, or if it's legit and the first cracks are appearing. Although with their track record, I'll always side with the former until proven otherwise.

Nintendo still likely had the Wii U's failure fresh in their mind when designing the Switch 2, I wouldn't even be surprised if Kawamoto was taking a not-so-sublte jab at the system with that quote. The Wii U made the huge mistake of sidelining the Wii Remote in favor of pushing the GamePad... Which ended up not having any practical innovations besides Off-TV Play. At least the 3DS was still fundamentally a DS when you take away 3D. 

Nintendo still do quirky things that tie in with their hardware like ring fit, labo and mario kart home circuit. The joycons had the HD rumble that was tech demonstrated in
1, 2 switch but not really expanded upon. So far the only new quirk on switch 2 is mouse mode, however I'm sure some wacky peripheral will make an appearance.

The 3D effect on 3DS wasn't much of a selling point. It didn't add too much to the cost of the hardware, but it wasn't hooking people as Nintendo hoped.
Wii U's GamePad was a big miscalculation. It added greatly to the cost of the console and never reached its potential. Nintendo planned to offer support for up to two GamePads on a console at once and that simply never happened.
3DS and Wii U struck me and many others as adding those features just for the sake of being new. DS and Wii felt very purposeful with their features.
Any gimmicks Nintendo can add to the controller or console recently or in the future is a big gamble. If they add VR, it should probably be an add-on and not forced into the console itself to drive up the cost.
Switch 2 is only a year and some change right now, but there's a possibility in the long run the mouse controls are viewed as an unfulfilling optional gimmick in using the console.

They found what their fans wanted and kept it. Their pro controllers are some of my favorite controllers of all time.

Nintendo has had a major shift in the last decade of different and younger people taking over from the games to art styles and leadership. I think thew newer leadership just reads the market and responds to it better where old blood did whatever the fuck they wanted and just expected third parties to show up excited to try new thing. That approach will not work anymore. Nintendo has to sell the Switch and Switch 2 as much to developers just in a different pitch as they do the consumer. One of the reasons we get DLSS and 120 frame screen. This thing needs to perform.

Can't do GBA and DS anymore of ultra conservative handheld power. Nintendo still tries something interesting with controls but they are trying to blend it in more naturally than making the entire system sink or swim around it. It's an option, additional feature. If Nintendo in 2011 made Wii 2/Wii U around the mouse controls they would have removed standard buttons and made it some funky thing. We just live in a era of a different gaming industry and one that has standardizations and a Nintendo leadership trying to adapt with it while still keeping true to the spirit of Nintendo.

This is an important point too. Nintendo was still thinking in terms of 2008 era gaming logic during the Wii U generation. Dividing between core gamer and casual gamer, thinking they need to build each console around a flashy controller gimmick, trying to be "revolutionary". But the gaming landscape was rapidly changing during that time. Mobile gaming, games like Minecraft, and the rise of PC-centric development were redefining what games need to offer in the modern age that the old methods just weren't gonna cut it.

Nintendo had to adapt too, which is why we got the Switch with its versitile play options and Off-the-shelf mobile parts.