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Nintendo Switch 2 won't have an achievement/trophy system

Individual games may include them, but Nintendo still isn't doing a console-wide achievement system with the Switch 2.

April 7, 2025 8:08 AM

Image via Nintendo

There are a lot of players who love achievements, enjoying the systems of challenges and rewards on PlayStation via Trophies, and Steam and Xbox via Achievements. However, Nintendo has never had such a system and it looks like it won’t have one for Nintendo Switch 2 either. While games will continue to support their own achievement systems, there won’t be a system-wide achievement feature for Nintendo Switch 2.

This came via Polygon, who was at the Nintendo Switch 2 preview event in New York City last week. It was Nintendo Vice President of Player and Product Experience Bill Trinen who was asked if Nintendo Switch 2 would finally adopt an achievement system similar to other major gaming platforms. Trinen responded with a simple and clear “Nope.”

The Achievement menu in Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition showing all achievements completed. — Games like Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition have put their Achievement systems in game due to the fact that Switch doesn't have a console-wide system.
Source: Nintendo

Games will still be able to have their own in-game achievement systems, but it looks like a console-wide trophy system is still not coming to Nintendo’s new console. It’s worth noting that Nintendo hasn’t really has such a system, even though it’s been around at least since the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 era elsewhere. Even Steam got on board with the trend. At one point, it was rumored that Nintendo might have been working on something similar, but that was also around the time of the original Switch’s launch in 2017.

And so it goes that if Nintendo players want to chase trophies and achievements, they’ll have to depend on game makers adding those systems to their games for now. Stay tuned for more Nintendo Switch 2 coverage as it drops right here at Shacknews.

TJ Denzer

Senior News Editor

TJ Denzer is a player and writer with a passion for games that has dominated a lifetime. He found his way to the Shacknews roster in late 2019 and has worked his way to Senior News Editor since. Between news coverage, he also aides notably in livestream projects like the indie game-focused Indie-licious, the Shacknews Stimulus Games, and the Shacknews Dump. You can reach him at tj.denzer@shacknews.com and also find him on BlueSky @JohnnyChugs.

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April 7, 2025 8:08 AM

TJ Denzer posted a new article, Nintendo Switch 2 won't have an achievement/trophy system
- David Craddock
  
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  April 7, 2025 11:39 AM
  
  This bums me out. It's far from a dealbreaker, but I like creative achievements that force me to try playing games in a different way to complete them. Like finishing Half-Life 2: Episode 1 using a single bullet. I hope developers take the time to put lots of achievements in their Switch 2 games.
- AxeMan808
  
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  April 7, 2025 3:15 PM
  
  Oh. Games will still have them, just not the system. That's fine. My PC doesn't have Achievements.
  - AxeMan808
    
     reply
    April 7, 2025 3:16 PM
    
    I took back my wtf and wow.
- Steve.T
  
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  April 7, 2025 3:21 PM
  
  I'm ok with this. There were Switch 1 games that had built in goals/achievements already. Maybe b/c I grew up with Nintendo not having them, it doesn't bother me.
  - David Craddock
    
     reply
    April 7, 2025 3:56 PM
    
    I grew up with them too, but I wish they’d embrace system-level achievements. I’m curious why they haven’t.
- SerfaSam
  
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  April 7, 2025 4:03 PM
  
  This seems like a miss. While not necessary to enjoy games, Achievements are such a nice little metric to track and remember what you've played, long after you've moved on from a game.