TECH NEWS – The “Big N” could repeat the strategy seen in 2016, but we must not forget that the context of the release of the Nintendo Switch 2 is now completely different…
Nintendo is once again at the center of talk of a possible Nintendo Switch 2 announcement. Because according to the latest official news from Kyoto, the said console will be presented to the public before the end of the current fiscal year (which runs from April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025). And many believe that the expected unveiling will take place this week; which would be consistent with the strategy seen in 2016 with the first information about the Nintendo Switch.
The hybrid console was unveiled on October 20, 2016; a week before the release of November quarterly results. Now that Nintendo’s following financial document is due to be shared on November 5, many believe that the popular Nintendo Switch 2 will arrive this week with a trailer detailing its features. In short, there is some basis to the rumor surrounding Nintendo’s new hardware. However, it is worth noting here that the current situation of the Kyoto-based company is very, very different from what it was in 2016. And this could also affect promotional events for your next console.
The importance of the holiday campaign
If Nintendo lives up to the predictions of the gaming community and causes a tsunami of news by unveiling its console later this week, the move could negatively affect the commercial performance of the current Nintendo Switch. Ultimately, it would be a little harder for the hybrid to increase sales during the most important time of the year: the holiday season. With the (still hypothetical) promise of a new gaming device coming within months, audiences may be inclined to wait for that release rather than putting a new Nintendo Switch under the Christmas tree.
In fact, the Nintendo Switch still has a long way to go in terms of sales.
It is true that the latest figures shared by the Japanese company (for April-June results) show a 46% decrease in console sales compared to the previous year, in fact 2.1 million consoles were sold during this period. If that wasn’t enough, Nintendo Switch exclusives continue to top the global sales charts; as of today, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Pokémon Scarlet/Purple, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, among others, continue to sell well.
But how is this situation different than in 2016? Well, while the Nintendo Switch has shown that it has plenty of fuel to sell a few more millions in the coming months, the Wii U was pretty much dead in 2016. In fact, the Wii U was such a massive failure for the Big N that the company’s former president, Satoru Iwata, took a pay cut before his death in 2015 due to the stumble. Back then, Nintendo needed to announce the long-awaited Nintendo Switch, but now such a reveal could throw the holiday campaign into trouble.
Is the reveal of the Nintendo Switch 2 more important than sales?
As much as we try to rely on logic, numbers, options, and past strategy, Nintendo has shown an uncanny ability to go its own way. In fact, this was evident throughout the entire launch of the Nintendo Switch: despite the graphics slowly becoming obsolete, the console and the games were always treated like sugar. Seeing the enthusiasm of their fans, they can afford to announce the new console before the holiday season.
Therefore, Nintendo could easily discard the above and introduce the successor to the Nintendo Switch this week without any problems. After all, Big N has surprised the industry with its adventures, devices, and philosophy, so you could do the same with the promotion of your new console. Still, we’ll have to wait for an official move from the Kyoto-based company to learn more about their plans for the long-awaited hardware; in the meantime, players will continue to speculate and argue, as they have for years past.
Source: The Independent
