Nintendo may be looking to rename and revamp the Switch console’s eShop portal, according to online whispers this week.
The rumour comes through unconventional means, to say the least; within a lawsuit filed against a man allegedly selling cracked versions of the NES Classic and Switch able to run pirated games.
Curiously, as spotted by a member of the ResetEra forum, the filing mentions the Nintendo Switch Online shop rather than the sShop (via Ubergizmo). Could it be possible that this is a hint of an imminent rebranding of the platform, from its rather bland and lazy eShop monicker to something more identifiable?
It’s unlikely that Nintendo’s lawyers, who are as on top of intellectual property stuff as anyone in tech, let alone gaming, would use the incorrect terminology here. Given the general dissatisfaction with the user-friendliness of the store, it may be time for Nintendo to start the new year with a switch, so to speak.
Related: Best Nintendo Switch games
In the last few months, the company added new search filters while promising to improve the discoverability of content while browsing the store.
Senior manager for publisher and developer relations Damon Baker recently told developers: “We’ve heard the feedback from yourselves, from fans, loud and clear, about the limitations of the Nintendo eShop. I can assure you steps are being taken over the course of the year to improve the functionality in terms of discoverability and visibility, to highlight all of that great content.”
Those improvements, when they come, are likely to headline Nintendo’s activity when it comes to the switch. Earlier this week, Nintendo of America boss Reggie Fils-Aimé poured cold water on the suggestion second-gen Switch hardware would arrive any time soon.
He said: “My focus is making sure the current grey and neon Switch continue to have momentum in the market place. You saw systems, whether it’s our own or competitive home console systems, utilize that tactic a bit later in the life cycle. So right now, the current execution of Nintendo Switch with the Joy-Con and all of the capabilities, that’s our focus right now…We’re feeling confident in our momentum and it’s not just a stellar launch of Pokémon, it’s not just what appears to be a stellar launch for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.”
Are you happy with the state of the Nintendo eShop? Let us know @TrustedReviews on Twitter.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
