The Switch is currently out in less than two weeks and it's not exactly in the greatest
of shape, or at least not from a general consumer standpoint.
In fact, it's likely that only the most hardcore of gamers, those looking to buy the
new Zelda, and Nintendo fans will be picking it up early on with few exceptions.
Most will either wait for new software and features to drop, or the system finds itself
being bundled with a game or receives a price drop, most of which don't seem likely to
occur till the holiday season or early next year when the software is substantial enough
to support the console, which begs the question of why the system is launching as it is right
now when it seems like the system wasn't quite ready and I think the answer is a bit
more obvious than some would assume.
A March 3rd launch isn't just a move to avoid competition with the release of both
the PS4 Pro and Scorpio, but it falls right in the middle of the earliest moments of Spring
Break, and I think the reason behind that choice is a similar occurrence in Japan two
months later with Golden Week, a similar weeklong holiday where sales take a small, but noticeable,
rise that Japanese developers sometimes target with new releases, and that might seem odd
given the Switch's release, but considering Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is set to release the
exact day before Golden Week starts, it's not out of the question, and parallels the
system's Spring Break launch, it seems Nintendo is hoping to attract younger players hoping
to fill out their week with new titles.
But core Nintendo fans are nowhere near enough to support a platform, and it appears the
West is relying primarily on Zelda, which they've been marketing heavily since E3
2016, in favor of supporting the system domestically in Japan where handhelds are more popular
as it has a notably more content rich launch whereas that content is spread out across
the year in the West.
That difference in availability could be chalked up to QA and localization, especially for
Dragon Quest Heroes, it's likely that since Zelda isn't nearly as popular in Japan as
it is in the West, it's less competition for 3rd party publishers.
Whereas in the West a majority of those titles are coming out shortly after Breath of the
Wild's release, especially near summer where game droughts typically occur, making the
western holidays where increased travels occur vital to the Switch's local success.
But what's going to cause hurdles for eager buyers is the cost for expanded memory and
the lack of a bundled game which can make a day 1 purchase easily border $400 USD if
not greater, especially when Microsoft and Sony can offer their main platforms for the
same price without either con.
The core Switch benefits being cartridges mean no mandatory installs so you're getting
more mileage even with less memory, and while most might not agree, the contents of the
box allowing for a single controller that splits into two makes multiplayer games easier
to enjoy locally, even if it means spending $300 on the base system instead of just buying
a 2nd $60 controller, but perhaps all those increased early costs aren't as important
as many would suggest.
That might sound odd, but the competition's marketing for their 8th gen systems has proven
you don't need outstanding quality content or insanely affordable pricing on new platforms
if you can sell them on the system itself, which has been and will continue to be the
main focus of Nintendo's marketing for the first year of the Switch's lifespan, which
isn't unlike that of the PS4 and Xbox One's first year where games, usually last-gen ports
or easy to look over exclusives, weren't the primary focus of promotional material.
The key difference being that Nintendo is aiming to offer a solid first-party library
in their first year alone, opening with their strongest system seller, Breath of the Wild,
unlike their competition where those big-name exclusives didn't start arriving till 2
years later.
So, to many it seems odd to spread that content out over a year instead of busting through
the gate guns blazing and that might be because Nintendo's primary focus isn't the games
themselves, but instilling good faith in consumers looking to adopt while keeping with a steady
flow of content.
And so far Nintendo has done a good job of targeting more mature gamers while conveying
what their new platform is to both East and Western consumers in ways that more easily
appeal to each market thanks to its hybrid form, and while it's thankfully paid off
with the system garnering interest similar to that of the PS4, their lack of transparency
and tendency to announce the wrong, often vague, details before the right ones have
been a major point of criticism that usually raises more questions than they answer, often
leaving consumers to lose faith and imagine a worst case scenario.
Now, Zelda's release alongside the Switch with Mario Odyssey's later in the year might
seem odd to many, but it immediately paints the system as being for the more hardcore
gamer, and it also harkens back to the original Wii's release where, even with a bundled
party game, the new Zelda, Twilight Princess, was a major focus for new buyers and a key
system seller that helped paved the way for the system's success, only this time DLC
is now an option and through it, they're aiming to show those that skipped the Wii
U that not only will they be supporting their software longterm, but that they'll be able
to deliver quality content that is well worth the cost.
Anything to ensure users stick with the system for longer durations of time.
And that might be why Nintendo's early major titles all have an emphasis on online play,
with the best example being Splatoon 2, that will be their key title for demonstrating
their supposedly improved online, which will be key in selling players on their upcoming
paid online services, that finds itself surprisingly cheap.
It's not the most groundbreaking idea and the bonuses aren't amazing, but it's far
more affordable than the similar programs Microsoft and Sony are offering.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe finds itself somewhere in the middle of those ideals, bundling the
fantastic DLC into the base game alongside improved online, and how well it goes over
with consumers may speak well for other supposed Wii U ports that seem guaranteed to happen.
Now ports aren't the most enticing deals, but they're perfect for lowering the barrier
for entry, but unless there's a gimmick tied to them there's no real reason to double
dip, but the portable features of the Switch might be enough to entice most players as
it can essentially change how certain games are experienced.
And what makes that idea so ingenious is it creates public and portable gathering spots
for players that can essentially serve as a more direct second form of word of mouth.
It's amazing hardware that Nintendo will likely aim to improve in the future and thanks
to the joycons built in motion controls and split controller design comfortable play can
be taken to its most extreme.
While that comfort might not be the greatest path to success, when compiled with its portability
the system's appeal dramatically increases, especially among younger gamers who are often
subject to family trips on the holidays, having no choice but to leave their home consoles
behind, but that's not the case with the Switch, so it's not exactly absurd to suggest
during any major holiday to see a noticeable increase in sales opposed to competition,
even if there is less visual polish, but for most the amount of content being offered is
the major concern, and while that won't be an issue for Nintendo fans and hardware
enthusiasts, depending on the player, a wide variety of titles may be immediately excluded
based on their preferences.
It all depends on who you are and what you want out of the system.
The launch day and window titles are no doubt bare for many and while there are plenty of
indie and third party games coming as early as late March, with titles like Puyo Puyo
Tetris, Shovel Knight, and the like, those early moments are just a small step forward
in their year 1 plan of not only putting faith in consumers, but showing publishers that
the system is not only viable, but also a priority development platform.
While indie support is bound to increase, for better or worse, thanks to incredibly
cheap dev-kits, as the price drops, sales occur, and bundles become more readily available,
it's no doubt going to become a more highly sought after product for general consumers,
especially if they can manage it by the end of the year for Black Friday and Christmas.
If they can manage to attach that value to the console in its first year, anything is
possible, especially success.
Hey, thanks for watching, everyone.
I've been meaning to give my opinions on the Switch outside the poodcasts for a while
and I'm definitely excited for the system, but know quite a few who aren't, so I'd
love to hear your opinion of the system so far and what you think of its first year,
especially since there seems to be a steady stream of new titles being announced for the
system, especially from indie devs.
If you're new here, I'd encourage checking out the two videos displayed and subscribing
if you enjoy the content.
Thanks once again and I'll see you next time, much love.
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