Polygon.com / 25.04.25

Nintendo doesn't want achievements, except when it does

Its hardly a surprise, but it was worth confirming: the Nintendo Switch 2 wont have achievements. When Polygon asked Nintendos vice president of player and product experience Bill Trinen if Nintendo was about to change its ways and introduce the ubiquitous progress trackers, he returned a simple, one-syllable answer: Nope. At this late stage 20 years after Microsoft debuted its Gamerscore achievement system on Xbox 360 it seems safe to infer that Nintendo is not just typically late to the party implementing this feature. Its a conscientious objector. Nintendo has never stated its reasons for eschewing achievements, but it seems to be opposed to them on a fundamental, maybe even philosophical level. Why? Its true that Nintendo has always liked to do things differently, and prides itself on the originality of its designs. But the company is not above copying others systems when it suits its needs, or when it simply becomes unavoidable. Nintendo has held online multiplayer at arms length ...
Read more