Summary
New reports confirm that accessory maker Hori’s Piranha Plant Camera for theNintendo Switch 2has significantly lower resolution than the regular Switch 2 camera. Nintendo plans to launch theSwitch 2on July 13, 2025, more than 8 years after the launch of the original Switch.
With anofficial Switch 2 release dateconfirmed, the next generation of Nintendo hardware is right around the corner. Even while trade wars between the United States and much of the rest of the world threaten to disrupt pricing or availability, millions of Nintendo fans are looking to upgrade to a Switch 2 soon. And thanks to many peripheral manufacturers, fans that do pick up a Switch 2 will have many accessories to choose from in addition to official Nintendo-branded items.
One of those isPiranha Plant Switch 2 Cameraattachment sold by Hori, which looks exactly like the famousSuper Mario Bros.enemy. Unfortunately, the camera’s unique appearance will have to compensate for the fact that, according to itsofficial store page, it can only record and stream at a resolution of 480p (or 640 x 480). It’s a significant downgrade in technical capability compared to even low-end office webcams, as well as the officialSwitch 2 camera attachment, which has a resolution of 1080p (1920 x 1080).
Hori Pirhana Plant Switch 2 Camera Has Just 480p Resolution
While it broadcasts at a low resolution, that might be enough to do the job for its intended purpose. Nintendo is leaning more heavily into theSwitch 2 online features, particularly GameChat, a service that allows players to share their voice and video easily in real time with others on the Switch 2. High-resolution camera feeds aren’t strictly necessary just to have one’s face on screen for video calls, which might help make the sales case for Hori’s Pirhana Plant camera. Hori’s camera is also less expensive than the official Nintendo-branded one, making it more appealing to fans already leery of the price of the Switch 2 hardware and games.
Online reaction to news of the Piranha Plant camera’s shortcomings was largely negative, with fans criticizing Hori for offering a significantly less capable product. Many thought that the camera’s unique appearance wasn’t enough to offset the low resolution, even at its lower price point. Others said that it’d be just enough to make the new camera-basedSuper Mario Party Jamboreegimmickswork, but would be a hard sell for players looking to stream or communicate easily from their Switch 2s.
