The Nintendo Switch Launch will lead to strong console sales for years to come.
It’s been over a week since Nintendo unveiled the Switch around the world, and the reactions keep pouring in. Depending on the website you visit, reactions stretch from “Greatest console ever” to “RIP Nintendo”. Personally, I love what I’ve seen from the Switch so far (and so does our own Will “Shadowz” Kok). But that’s not entirely what this article is about. This post is about business, defending a lot of the controversial decisions that have people at Nintendo’s throats. There’s a lot that goes into launching a console, and I believe that Nintendo is actually taking the right steps to ensure the console’s success. The Nintendo Switch launch may not be perfect, but it will lead to success down the road.
Weak Launch Titles?
From everything I’ve read, the most common complaint people have about the Nintendo Switch launch is its software lineup. On the surface, it’s easy to see why people feel that way. Switch owners will only have six games to choose from when the console hits stores on March 3rd: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, 1-2 Switch, Just Dance 2017, Skylanders Imaginators, Binding of Isaac Afterbirth +, and Super Bomberman R.
Six games is a small number to choose from, but compared to other console launches it’s actually not so bad once you dig deeper. The PS4, for example, did launch with 25 games during its November 2013 debut. But, a closer look at the games available makes that number meaningless. Games like Angry Birds, LEGO Marvel Super Heroes, and Just Dance 2014 fill out a lot of those spots. Meanwhile, games like Call of Duty Ghosts, Assassin’s Creed, FIFA 2014, and Madden 25 were all available on older consoles. The biggest fresh releases were Killzone: Shadowfall and Knack. Both of those games were mediocre at best, and they were Sony’s heavy hitters.
The Nintendo Switch launch, meanwhile, will have one of the biggest game releases in the past decade: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. It is true that BoTW will also be available for the Wii U, but unlike the PS3, not many people own a Wii U. Having Zelda at launch is huge, and it’s the type of game that takes you weeks and months to beat. It’s a killer app, and one that will ultimately be one of the Switch’s top selling games lifetime.
Would it be nice to have another huge game on the Nintendo Switch launch day? Of course. But that’s very rare historically speaking. And just a few weeks later, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe will hit stores. ARMS has a ton of potential to be a huge hit with casual and hardcore audiences both, and that comes even quicker than Mario Kart. The launch window is actually pretty strong, carried largely by Breath of the Wild. When Splatoon 2 comes out in Summer, Fire Emblem Warriors in Fall, and Super Mario Odyssey in November, the Switch will be loaded with must have games… just in time for the Holiday.
Underplayed Factor: The Nintendo Switch launch is in March.
On the surface, this may not seem like a big deal. But it is. Nintendo aims to sell 2 million Switch units in the first month of its release. And they will. Go ahead and try to find a place to pre-order if you need proof. Do I expect the Switch launch to be like the Wii’s? No! And nether does Nintendo!
By releasing the console in March, Nintendo is getting the machine out there to the hardcore fan who needs the Switch on day 1. Those early adopters will then show the machine off to friends and family, especially given the mobile nature of the console. That’s how Nintendo gets people looking into buying one, old-fashioned word of mouth (and eyes, in this case). Come the holidays, everyone will know about the Switch and what it can do. Then, with a new Mario game coming out, the masses buy it up in droves. And I’d bet anything that the system will be packaged with 1-2 Switch at that time. We won’t know if Nintendo’s plan will ultimately work out, but they’re giving themselves a chance this holiday by releasing in March.
Lost in all the noise about a poor launch window is this simple fact: Consoles sell the most during the holiday season. Nintendo isn’t looking to have the Switch blow up this March. They want it to be a must buy this November. The weak launch line-up doesn’t hurt the family with a 6-year-old kid who was in bed long before Nintendo’s 11 PM event on January 12th. They aren’t buying the Switch until the holidays anyway. And the hardcore fans who won’t have a hundred games to play until then will have some huge AAA first-party games in the form of Zelda, Mario Kart and Splatoon.
3rd Party Skepticism
This one strikes me as the oddest yet. Despite the Switch reveal, when Nintendo showcased all the major 3rd parties that will be supporting the console, people still claim that they haven’t won developers over. They may end up being right, but I don’t see how anyone could say that at this point, long before the console is released. If the Switch is the success I believe it will be, you’d better believe 3rd parties will get behind it long term. The Switch is getting 2K18 and FIFA. It’s getting Skyrim. It’s getting Sonic Mania and Project Sonic 2017. Due to its mobile nature, it won’t ever get the biggest Bethesda games, but who’s to say Bethesda will never make a huge game crafted for the Switch? If it’s selling huge numbers, the only sensible thing to do is follow the money.
If the Switch falters like Wii U, of course the 3rd parties will leave. But if Xbox’s Project Scorpio fails, don’t you think the same thing would happen? If the Switch is selling, support will be there. The Nintendo Switch launch is still a month off. It’s way too early to say they don’t have developers on board, especially when so many executives have said they’re beyond impressed with it.
The Switch will only have 32 GB of storage
Here’s another overblown complaint. The Switch will come package with only 32 GB, but is that really such a big deal? I won’t pretend to be an expert of technology, but I’d have to imagine that the cost of the Switch would skyrocket if it came with 500 GBs of storage.
For people like myself, who don’t have much interest in downloading AAA titles, the storage may never be an issue. I never had any issues on my 32 GB Wii U, and don’t anticipate the Switch will be any different. It makes far more sense for Nintendo to package the system with a lower amount of storage to ensure the console can sell for $300 than to do otherwise. Those who want to download games can still pick up SD cards and have as much space as they need. People are already unhappy about the $300 price point… imagine tacking on an additional $100 for memory space you’ll never use!
Paying for online services
This one is another head scratcher. Sony and Microsoft both have subscription based online models, so why is it a big deal that Nintendo will too? Now, if they make people pay for the services the Wii U had and nothing more we’d have a real issue. But Nintendo hasn’t fully outlined their online capabilities yet, and it’s silly to crush them for the new subscription plan without details. In this case, Sony is a great model to follow. If Nintendo gave its members a free monthly download it would be impossible not to sign up. Especially considering their insane library of classic games. The wait and see approach is the only approach to Nintendo’s new online strategy.
Some legitimate concerns
Of course, there are concerns that are already completely legitimate out there. For one, the console’s price is a bit high. I’m fine with the $300 release point, but the accessories are extremely expensive. $80 for additional Joy-Cons, $70 for the pro-controller, and $30 for the Joy-Con charge grip is a real turnoff. People don’t care for motion controls anymore, so that $70 pro-controller is particularly expensive. A lot of people who’d rather use that over the Joy-Cons may pass on it at that price point.
Concern about the online capabilities is also fair. We know an app will be required for voice-chat in online games, and that’s an inconvenience for some. Nintendo doesn’t have a good track record with online gaming, so people worried about its infrastructure are totally justified. I just don’t think its fair to whine about the online service fee when everyone else does it already.
There are plenty more complaints and questions that need answers, but these are the most common. In the end, it’s on Nintendo to prove these critics wrong.
All-in-all, I think Nintendo is doing a great job with the Switch thus far. The concept behind the system is brilliant and innovative. There will be a massive library of games come the holidays, and more to be shown at E3 in June. Some people may be bashing the Switch right now, but most of the hate is simply unjustified in my opinion. We’ll see how it all shakes out in the coming months, but I’m betting Nintendo’s got a major hit with the Switch.
For more Nintendo coverage, check out the Nintendo Entertainment Podcast! Our very own Wario Will went hands-on with the Switch and wrote about it here. You can also check out what Switch games NEP host Todd Black is most looking forward to here. We’ll keep you in the loop on all the news leading up to the Nintendo Switch launch, so stick around!
