Nintendo Switch: Is it living up to the hype?
When Nintendo revealed it would be launching its next-generation gaming console late last year, it was met with mixed reactions from the community. Analysts weren’t too sure whether it could end up being underwhelming, even though the company’s fans and even the wider hard-to-please gaming community were excited by the announcement.
The Switch is the first hybrid home and handheld console of its kind to be launched for the gaming community. After the rather unsuccessful launch of the Wii U in 2012, Nintendo has taken a back seat to its rivals Microsoft and Sony. But the company is great at reinvention and it’s hoping the Switch will mix things up once again.
So that was last October; fast-forward to March and the console is now on the market and readily available. Has it lived up to the hype and have sales shown that Nintendo has been forgiven for the disaster that was the Wii U?
How popular has the Switch been?
While it’s not necessarily an indication of what’s to come for the Switch in the future, the initial signs have been good. Figures compiled by SuperData have revealed that 1.5 million consoles were sold worldwide in the first week after its launch – including 85,000 in the UK – with the majority bought in the US.
Given that the console has outperformed the Wii U at launch, it seems that Nintendo must have managed to get the price right on this occasion. That said, recent research from VoucherBox revealed that Nintendo has a tendency to drop the price of consoles if there’s an unsuccessful launch, so some gamers may well be biding their time before making the switch to Switch.
Nintendo Switch is better than the Wii U (based on launch sales at least)https://t.co/FTAVktEB3a pic.twitter.com/TUBCnVledZ
— Wired UK (@WiredUK) 14 March 2017
Can Nintendo cope with demand this time?
The NES Classic was launched just in time for Christmas 2016 and let’s just say Nintendo really wasn’t prepared for the demand. This time, however, the company is more ready. According to Nintendo USA CEO Reggie Fils-Aime, around two million units of the Switch console are being prepared to cover the first few weeks following the system's launch, and despite most places appearing to have sold out already, Nintendo says it will be addressing availability issues. It was expecting to produce eight million units this year, but it has now said it’ll double production to 16 million to cope with the great demand.
Why are gamers switching to this Nintendo console?
The fact it provides hybrid, on-the-go gaming seems to be the main appeal and selling point for the Switch. In addition, it’s actually more sociable than you’d expect as the controller comprises two "Joy-Cons", which can be used together or broken up and separated to use as individual joypads. The versatility really helps to sell the Switch, as the games run directly on the console itself rather than being streamed from a box, which is why it works on both levels.
Only time will tell whether Nintendo really has nailed it this time, but the early signs are definitely all positive. No company is ever going to complain when the biggest problem they appear to currently be facing is whether they can catch up with the demand for their newest launch!
