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The Switch 2 camera offers little game support and low value, making it a hard sell. Here’s why the Switch 2 camera isn’t worth the upgrade.
Nintendo announced the Switch 2 back in June, and there’s plenty to get excited about. A sharper OLED display, better battery life, and upgraded Joy-Cons with improved drift resistance are a few examples. But the added camera support is a bit of a head-scratcher. For the first time, Nintendo’s flagship console supports external cameras and includes built-in software like GameChat to put it to use.
At first glance, it feels like a big step. After all, handheld gaming systems are used for everything from multiplayer to streaming. But once you dig into the details, the Switch 2 camera starts to feel more like a gimmick than a must-have. Whether it’s the shallow integration, limited use cases, or questionable value, there are a few good reasons to hold off.
Top 3 Reasons To Skip the Nintendo Switch 2 Camera
1. The Switch 2 Camera Lacks Game Integration
Let’s start with the obvious: games don’t really have a use case for the camera, at least not yet. As of launch, there are no first-party titles that meaningfully take advantage of the camera, and third-party support is nonexistent. Nintendo has said developers can integrate camera features for things like face tracking or AR interactions, but that doesn’t mean we will see a next-gen game with face tracking and all the bells and whistles anytime soon.
This feels a lot like the early days of the PS5 HD camera or even the old PlayStation Eye. There’s potential, but nothing driving its use. Right now, the camera is mostly limited to calls via GameChat and a few built-in utilities like QR scanning, and that is not enough to justify the price or the battery trade-offs. Until Nintendo or a major publisher builds a game that actually needs the Switch 2 camera, it’s just an accessory looking for a purpose.
2. The Experience Feels Tacked On and Clunky
Even if you do have a reason to use it, the camera’s overall experience doesn’t feel polished. The setup isn’t seamless. It requires a separate USB-C connection, and many users have reported needing to update their system firmware to even recognize it. It’s not built-in, so you’re carrying an extra dongle with no case or protection.
Then there’s GameChat. While it’s technically a new feature, it’s hardly an upgrade over using Discord. There’s latency, the video quality is subpar in anything but ideal lighting, and Nintendo’s well-known history of clunky online systems hasn’t magically improved here.
3. The Switch 2 Camera Is an Expensive Add-On With Questionable Value
Here’s where it really starts to sting: the camera accessory costs $55. That’s a lot for a feature most users will rarely touch. And it’s not bundled with the console, so you’re paying extra on top of what’s already a more expensive hardware generation.
Now, consider the fact that most players already own a smartphone with a far better camera and video call capability. Unless Nintendo rolls out something exclusive and game-changing (think camera-based gameplay mechanics that actually work), the Switch 2 camera is an optional upgrade with almost no ROI.
To put it bluntly, you’re spending $60 for the promise of “maybe useful later,” and even that feels like a stretch.
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