The Real Reason Nintendo Still Refuses to Add Achievements to Switch 2

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Summary

  • Nintendo’s big-picture game design philosophy may be the reason why the Switch 2 doesn’t have system-wide achievements.
  • When asked about the lack of 3DS achievements back in 2011, a senior Nintendo official said the company’s designers don’t tell users how to play their games in exchange for “some kind of mythical reward.”
  • Given that the Switch 2 will lack a unified achievement system, that reasoning may still hold true 14 years later.

According to some interpretations, Nintendo’s traditional approach of putting player autonomy above predefined objectives might explain why the Switch 2 likely won’t include system-wide achievements. This hypothesis stems from a past interview with a high-ranking Nintendo executive, which was rediscovered and discussed long before the Switch 2 was ever conceived.

Since the end of the 2010s, accomplishments have been a common aspect on gaming platforms. However, Nintendo has remained opposed to this practice, despite some passionate supporters advocating for a change in their stance. Even after revealing their next console in early April 2025, it was evident that the Switch 2 would continue the tradition of a Nintendo device generation without built-in achievements.

In a recent interview with Polygon, Bill Trinen, Vice President of Player and Product Experience at Nintendo, unequivocally stated that the upcoming Switch 2 will not feature a unified achievement system. Although he didn’t elaborate on the reasons behind this decision, an old interview from 2011 might provide some insights. Back then, when asked about the absence of system-wide achievements on the upcoming 3DS, Trinen was more open with his response. He mentioned that Nintendo wasn’t against achievements but felt that a unified trophy system didn’t align with its philosophy at the time. Fans who are now questioning the lack of such a feature in the Switch 2 might find these statements from the past intriguing.

Nintendo Games Encourage Exploration Over Meta Gameplay

As a gamer, I love how Nintendo’s developers from the EAD division approach game design differently. They don’t dictate the way you should play their games for some elusive prize, instead they encourage exploration and curiosity by embedding surprises within the game. So, it’s up to me, as the player, to get creative or simply be curious to uncover these hidden gems. As Shinyokohama stated, “Nintendo’s designers don’t tell you how to play their game in order to achieve some kind of mythical reward.

Nintendo’s designers intentionally refrain from providing explicit instructions on how to win their game, as if there was a legendary prize at stake.

It appears that, as in 2011, Nintendo’s philosophy about their console generations not having a unified achievement system remains mostly intact after 14 years. However, this doesn’t mean they are ignoring fan requests for additional gameplay rewards like virtual trophies. This is suggested by the fact that the versions of games such as “Zelda: BOTW” and “TOTK” on the Switch 2 will feature achievements. The twist is that these trophies will be monitored through the Nintendo Switch App instead of within the game itself.

In the current scenario, some exclusive games on Nintendo Switch have used enclosed award systems much like Pikmin 4 has recently done. With this trend in mind, there’s a strong possibility that Nintendo might eventually adopt a comprehensive trophy system similar to those found on PlayStation, Xbox, Steam, and various mobile platforms in the future. However, it seems likely that such a change would occur during or after the next generation of Switch consoles.

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2025-05-01 00:31