Latest news with #DougBowser
Metro
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Nintendo is getting rid of another way to save money on Switch games
Just as fans feared, Nintendo has announced plans to discontinue Switch Game Vouchers, although it's not quite as bad as it sounds. The launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 doesn't mean Nintendo has immediately given up on the original Switch console, as evidenced by plans to keep releasing games for it into 2026. That said, there have been signs that it's gradually becoming less of a priority. Obviously, the Switch 2's the only place you can play new exclusives like Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza, as well as retro GameCube games. Ahead of the Switch 2's launch, Nintendo also updated its Switch Game Vouchers to ensure they couldn't be spent on Switch 2 games and now the company plans to get rid of them altogether. As a reminder, Switch Game Vouchers are an exclusive offer for Nintendo Switch Online subscribers and essentially let you purchase any two games from this list at a slight discount of £84. These have been available since May 2019, but Nintendo has announced plans to discontinue the vouchers starting from the end of January 30, 2026. This doesn't mean any you have left will immediately become useless. Vouchers typically don't expire for a year after purchase and that will remain the case even after they're removed from sale. Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning. So, even if you buy a pair of vouchers on January 30, 2026, you'll still have until January 30, 2027 to use them. After January 30th, 2026, #NintendoSwitch Game Vouchers will no longer be sold. Any Game Vouchers bought will remain valid for 12 months after purchase. Switch titles will continue to be added to the Game Voucher catalogue throughout info: — Nintendo UK (@NintendoUK) July 10, 2025 Surprisingly, in its website update announcing all this, Nintendo says that it still intends to add more games to the list of examples you can purchase with game vouchers. Presumably, this will only last for another year and a half, since by the end of January 2027 any remaining vouchers will have expired and thus the scheme will be well and truly dead. This all comes after Nintendo also put an end to its Gold Points reward scheme in March, which served as another means of saving money on new Switch game purchases. More Trending At the time, it was theorised that this was a sign that Nintendo would establish a new rewards scheme for the Switch 2 era, which feels more likely now that the vouchers are on their way out as well. Nintendo hasn't officially acknowledged this though. In fact, much like the Gold Points, it hasn't given any explanation for why it's discontinuing the vouchers. This could all simply be part of Nintendo's strategy to encourage Switch 1 owners into upgrading to the Switch 2, but Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser has previously acknowledged that some people simply can't afford to make the jump. 'That's why we wanted to make the other Switch platforms available, so [people] still have an opportunity to come into our gaming universe, be a part of these characters in these worlds, and see value, if you will, in whatever rung of the platform they come in,' he said. Email gamecentral@ leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader's Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page. MORE: Nintendo Switch 2 charity auction for 'Staplegate' stapler is already at £80,000 MORE: Switch 2 owner banned for playing second-hand Switch 1 games MORE: Where to buy a Nintendo Switch 2 in the UK one month after launch
Mint
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Mint
Donkey Kong returns in new Switch 2 title set for Nintendo Direct reveal
Nintendo has announced a new Direct presentation, scheduled to stream on 18 June, that will spotlight Donkey Kong Bananza, a forthcoming first-party game set to launch exclusively on the Nintendo Switch 2 next month. The presentation will run for approximately 15 minutes and will be broadcast live on Nintendo's official YouTube channel at 6 AM PT / 9 AM ET / 6:30 PM IST. While specific content has not been disclosed, Nintendo has confirmed the event will focus entirely onDonkey Kong Bananza, hinting at a potential gameplay showcase. You may be interested in Donkey Kong Bananza was first introduced during the Nintendo Switch 2 reveal event held on 2 April. The game marks a return to the 3D action-adventure platformer genre for the Donkey Kong series, featuring environmental destruction mechanics, puzzle-solving elements, and treasure hunting. It is slated for release on 17 July, and will not be available on the original Switch. The new title follows the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 earlier this month. Released on 5 June, the hybrid console debuted withMario Kart World as its leading first-party release, accompanied by updated versions of older Nintendo titles and various third-party games. Despite a strong start, with global sales crossing 3.5 million units, the Switch 2 currently has a limited first-party library. Upcoming releases for 2025 include Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, Pokémon Legends: Z-A, and Kirby Air Riders. There is also ongoing speculation about a new Mario title, though no official announcement has been made. Nintendo's president for the American division, Doug Bowser, previously suggested in April that more established IPs will arrive on the new platform in due course. In a surprise reveal last week, Nintendo also lifted the lid on Splatoon Raiders, the first-ever standalone spinoff from its hugely popular Splatoon series. The new title is set to launch exclusively on the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 console, promising an adventurous twist to the familiar ink-based gameplay.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Nintendo scores a hit with Switch 2, but can it keep the streak alive?
Less than a week in, Nintendo's hot new Switch 2 handheld video game console is already breaking sales records—including ones set by its iconic predecessor. Starbucks just developed an ingenious way to add 15 grams of protein to almost any drink RIP to the almost future of computing: Apple just turned the iPad into a Mac 5 ways to rewire your brain for happiness Nintendo announced Wednesday that the Switch 2 has sold more than 3.5 million units around the globe, crowning it the fastest-selling Nintendo console of all time. Considering the massive success of the first Nintendo Switch and the longtime success of the Nintendo DS—the second-best-selling console of all time, just behind the PlayStation 2—that's an impressive distinction. 'Fans around the world are showing their enthusiasm for Nintendo Switch 2 as an upgraded way to play at home and on the go,' Nintendo chief operating officer Doug Bowser said. 'We are thankful for their response and happy to see the fun they are already having with Nintendo Switch 2, as they explore new features and games that bring friends and family together in new ways,' he added. For comparison, Nintendo moved 2.74 million units of the original Nintendo Switch the first time around, in 2017. Those were already impressive numbers at the time, with a month of Nintendo Switch sales passing 20% of the Wii U's sales across the odd hybrid console's entire lifespan. The first Nintendo Switch has sold more than 152 million units as of March of this year, putting it on track to eclipse the record of the Nintendo DS, which sits at 154 million units. The Switch 2 launched on June 5, following a preorder period that saw the consoles sell out online in a flash. Prior to the midnight release, gamers around the globe lined up outside Nintendo flagship stores and chain retailers, fittingly killing time playing games on their soon-to-be last-generation handhelds during the original Switch's waning hours. Nintendo's Switch 2 doesn't reinvent the wheel—but with the wheel still rolling so well, why would they? The Switch 2, which retails for $450, boasts a larger 1080-pixel screen, a beefier processor that can run more complex games, enhanced social features, and an improved software shop. (Switch fans know that the eShop update alone could justify an upgrade.) The new console launches with Mario Kart World, an open-world version of the cartoonish racing game that's defined Nintendo consoles since the Super Nintendo. While the Switch 2 might be a little tough to track down for a while, inventory woes won't hold a candle to Sony's rocky next-gen console launch in late 2020. Gamers hoping to snag a PlayStation 5 upon its debut often came up empty-handed as the global chip shortage and sky-high pandemic demand squeezed the console's supply. Sony only declared its supply chain woes officially over three years later. Nintendo is facing intense demand with the Switch 2, but these days Trump's tariffs were the company's main launch concern. The Japanese company pushed back preorder plans in April as it navigated challenges the trade war might pose to its global sales. This post originally appeared at to get the Fast Company newsletter:
CNN
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Nintendo Switch 2 sales set a record in four days
Nintendo announced Wednesday that it sold more than 3.5 million Switch 2 consoles, marking a new record for the company. The Japanese company said that it's the 'highest global sales level' for any Nintendo device within the first four days of release and perhaps puts Nintendo in good shape to meet its goal of selling 15 million Switch 2 devices by the end of next March. 'We are thankful for their response and happy to see the fun they are already having with Nintendo Switch 2 as they explore new features and games that bring friends and family together in new ways,' said Doug Bowser, Nintendo of America president and chief operating officer in a press release. Excitement has swirled over the $450 device because it's Nintendo's first major console launch since the original Switch arrived about eight years ago. The original Switch ended up selling 152 million units since its 2017 release. Nintendo released the Switch 2 on June 5, with hardcore gamers lining up for hours for the gaming console and Best Buy stores extending hours to meet demand. Nintendo has made significant upgrades to the Switch 2 hardware to justify the hefty price increase, including a larger screen, upgraded versions of the Joy-Con controllers and new social features. It also has several new features, including a Game Chat function that lets gamers communicate with other players by tapping a button on the console. CNN's Lisa Eadicicco contributed to this report.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Despite Switch 2's controversial game-key cards, Nintendo president says "physical games are still a key part of our business"
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. With Switch, Nintendo is currently offering the platform friendliest to physical game collectors, but the existence of game-key cards for Switch 2 has the holdouts from the supposedly inevitable digital future feeling nervous. For now, though, it seems Nintendo has no plans to abandon proper retail cartridges. "In the immediate future, physical games are still a key part of our business," Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser tells IGN. "And we value our relationships in particular with our retailers, and want to make sure we have products available for them to sell to their consumers." Technically, game-key cards do give retailers something to sell, but it remains to be seen if that's something players want to buy. Several industry figures have been outspoken about what game-key cards represent, calling them "disheartening" and saying that "we're losing some of what made the business special." "When you look at Game-Key Cards," Bowser continues, "For us, our goal with Nintendo Switch 2 – similar to what we were able to accomplish on Nintendo Switch – is to have the broadest and deepest library of content we possibly can. And that includes our publishing partners. And Game-Key Cards are a way that our publishing partners are able to bring more content onto the platform, deeper and larger, more immersive content on the platform." Game-key cards are certainly proving popular among third-party developers, as the vast majority of Switch 2 launch games not published by Nintendo are being released in this format. One exception is Cyberpunk 2077, and CD Projekt has suggested other publishers should "not underestimate the physical edition." Whether that warning means much in the end remains to be seen. Here are the upcoming Switch 2 games you need to know about.
