The Nintendo Switch 2 will launch on June 5. However, Nintendo did not provide Switch 2 units to reviewers ahead of the release date.

A company spokesperson told VGC this was because "important features and updates" will be unlocked via a system update that will only be available on launch day. That’s despite reviewers being used to games and products getting new features and updates over time and accounting for that in their coverage.

Many publishers now only grant reviewers access to review copies once their games are live, especially in cases of live-service games or when there are major day-one patches. But some publishers simply ask reviewers to bear in mind issues that will be resolved with day-one patches or updates that will be soon be available. (Certain companies also sometimes set review embargoes for a game’s release date if they’re pretty sure their product stinks, but I doubt that’s the case for the Switch 2.)

Nintendo may also have valid technical reasons for not offering reviewers early access to Switch 2 units, as VGC rightfully points out. It could very well be that the company needed as much time as possible to make sure core features like GameChat are working optimally.

Reviews are pretty important in the grand scheme of things. Before you spend $450 on a new product, you probably want to know if the thing you’re buying works as advertised out of the box.

That takes time for reviewers to fully assess. It’s a process that requires days, not hours. Having sufficient time to properly analyze new features, and critical factors like battery life without relying on Nintendo’s claims of how many hours you’ll get on a single charge, is key.

Switch 2 Reviews Will Help You Make Informed Decisions

Reviews don’t inherently exist to tell you what to buy or use your valuable time on. That’s up to you. The whole idea of reviews is to help you make more informed decisions on how to spend your time and money.

But that’s going to be a tough needle for Switch 2 reviews to thread. Many reviewers will feel compelled to rush out coverage as quickly as possible after the Switch 2 launches to ensure they get enough attention from readers and viewers to make their efforts worthwhile. That’s not ideal, for either reviewers or their audiences.

Switch 2 review scores are unlikely to end up mattering much for Nintendo in any case. The Switch 2 is going to do huge numbers right out of the gate. Many, many people are already clamoring to get their hands on one as soon as possible – including me, for both professional and personal reasons. Lots of people aren’t going to wait for reviews to snap up a Switch 2 especially not those who are already lining up for retailers to open on June 5 so they can pick up the console.

It’s likely that you already have a decent idea of whether you want a Switch 2 now, you’re happy to wait until more first-party games and other exclusives are available for the device, or you don’t feel the rush to get the console anytime soon.

Still, having in-depth Switch 2 reviews available from trusted critics at launch would have been helpful for both consumers and media outlets (many of which are battling to keep the lights on and would have greatly benefited from pre-launch review traffic and views). It stinks for fans and reviewers alike that that won’t be an option on launch day.

Follow my blog for coverage of video games and word games (though I can’t promise I’ll have Switch 2 reviews to share). It helps me out a lot! Follow me on Bluesky too! It’s fun there. And make sure to subscribe to my newsletter, Pastimes!

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