Activision Reportedly Believes Switch 2 Might Be Similar In Power To PS4/Xbox One, But Nothing Is Certain Yet

According to newly obtained emails from The Verge, Activision executives met with Nintendo executives in December 2022 to discuss the next Nintendo console.

Activision's Chris Schnakenberg said in an email that the new Nintendo platform--referred to as "NG Switch"--could be similar in technical proficiency to the PS4 and Xbox One. Schnakenberg said, "It would be helpful to secure early access to development hardware prototypes and prove that out nice and early."

Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick is reported to have met with Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa on December 15, 2022.

Additionally, The Verge reported that Kotick testified in the Microsoft vs. FTC case that Activision would consider bringing Call of Duty to Switch once it was made aware of the technical specifications of the next Nintendo console. Kotick also remarked that Activision "missed out on the opportunity" to bring earlier Call of Duty games to Switch.

But looking ahead, Kotick said he would "like to think" that the company would bring future Call of Duty games to a Nintendo platform, but he couldn't confirm one way or the other until Activision was able to learn more about the platform.

Microsoft and Nintendo agreed to a 10-year deal to bring Call of Duty to Nintendo if the Activision Blizzard deal closes. That has yet to happen, and the new deadline for the merger is October 18, so it might not be much longer until this matter comes to a head.

Eurogamer and VGC reported earlier in September that Nintendo brought a Switch 2 demo to Gamescom in August and showed developers tech demos, including a beefed up version of Breath of the Wild. Nintendo is also reported to have shown the Unreal Engine 5 tech demo The Matrix Awakens from Epic Games, featuring Nvidia DLSS upscaling and ray-tracing support.

The rumored Switch 2, or whatever the next console might be called, is reportedly set for release in 2024.

The Nintendo Switch is now in its seventh year, and the system continues to put up big-time sales numbers (though sales are declining in recent times). That being said, people always want to know what's next. Nintendo marketing executive Doug Bowser (real name) told the AP that he has "nothing to announce" about the next Nintendo hardware, but overall the company feels "very bullish" about the current model.

"We're entering uncharted territory with the platform. It's exciting to see that demand is still there," Bowser said.