If you have been living under a rock for the past year then it stands to reason you haven’t heard much about Nintendo’s latest console, the Nintendo Switch. For those that have been unaware, Nintendo’s latest entry into the console marketplace has been a runaway success giving the company some of their best sales of all time. The Nintendo Switch has been more than just an improvement on the Wii U, it has been an evolution in the way Nintendo approaches their consumers. Let’s take a closer look at all the ways that Nintendo has learned from the error of their ways in order to bring one of the greatest gaming successes in recent memory.
The last time that Nintendo was introducing a new mainline console was in 2012 with their launch of the Wii U. That console has so far sold nearly 13 million total units through its five-year lifespan. In comparison, the Nintendo Switch will have notched the 10 million sales mark by this upcoming March in 2018. While the Wii U was far from a failure as a console, and in truth it received positive critical reviews, there is a very specific difference between it and the Nintendo Switch of today. That difference, simply put, is usability.
Doug Bowser of Nintendo of America says of the Switch, “It’s three button clicks, and you’re into the fun, so it’s a really accessible menu.” This is in stark contrast to the Wii U’s hefty loading times and clunky menus. Just using either of the two consoles will be a night and day experience. Gamers and executives at Nintendo also both realize that the Nintendo Switch’s portability has been a huge selling point because it promotes more multiplayer action even on a local level rather than funneling gamers through the online system.
Finally, Nintendo has changed the way they approached the release of titles with their newest console. With the Wii U there were inconsistent releases from their main franchises and third-party additions weren’t consistent in terms of quality. With the Nintendo Switch, the difference has been obvious: “Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” was the console launcher and it was quickly followed up by “Mario Kart 8” and soon we’ll have “Super Mario Odyssey” on our hands. Nintendo is simply giving gamers more of what they want now and they are doing it in as efficient of a way as possible.
