Nintendo Switch uses Friend Codes, and I’m checking to make sure it’s still 2017

After a week and a half with the Nintendo Switch, I finally have the day-one update for the device. And it turns out that a piece of Nintendo’s online legacy has returned to haunt us once again like a cheap horror villain.

The Nintendo Switch uses Friend Codes. Assuming I haven’t fallen through time, it is still 2017, and Nintendo’s new console still uses Friend Codes. My Friend Code is SW-2625-2297-5311 … ah, yes — my lucky numbers. Why is this happening? Why is Nintendo doing this? At this point, the company must just keep giving us these damn numeric strings as some kind of twisted social experiment.