Nintendo already very concerned about the console that will replace the Switch

Game News Nintendo already very concerned about the console that will replace the Switch

generation switch

Launched later than PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, i.e. in 2017, the Nintendo Switch continues its merry way with great confidence. Everything smiles on him, his sales are resplendent and his games are sold in pallets thanks to a unique positioning, due both to the atypical exclusivities of Big N and to the very operation of the console.

But it too is slowly approaching the end of its life cycle and obviously, Nintendo must look to the horizon: what is at stake is essential, namely to do everything to not lose your audience and start from scratch.

It is precisely on this point that the president of the company Shuntaro Furukawa spoke during a Q&A session with Japanese investors: the business executive shared his concerns for the next generation of Nintendo consoles and the challenges ahead.

We have already announced games until next spring. Unlike in the past, we continue to have a wide variety of titles slated for release even beyond the console’s five-year anniversary. Indeed, the Nintendo Switch had such a smooth launch that it allowed us to focus all of our development resources on one platform.

However, whether we’ll be able to transition from the Nintendo Switch to the next generation just as easily is a major concern for us. Based on our experiences with the Wii, Nintendo DS, and other hardware, it’s very clear that one of the biggest hurdles is knowing how to easily switch between platforms.

Lessons from the past

And Furukawa knows what he’s talking about: after the triumphant success of the Wii, the Wii U and its terrible flop came to demolish their rise and deconstruct a huge loyal following. Going up the slope with the Switch bet was certainly a risky bet.

To help mitigate this risk, we focus on building long-term relationships with our customers. As we continue to release new software on the Nintendo Switch, we will also provide services that also use Nintendo Accounts and other non-game IPs. We want this to create a lasting impact with our customers.

There are currently almost 100 million annual users and going forward it is important to think about how we can maintain and grow this number. This will also be essential when we consider our plan for the next platform.

Furukawa notably mentioned that backward compatibility was envisaged in order to maintain its public : we imagine that we will know everything in due time.

Buy the Nintendo Switch OLED at 319€ on Fnac