Well, that was rather underwhelming…
The unveiling of the Nintendo Switch wasn’t the unmitigated disaster that was the Xbox One announcement a few years ago, but probably didn’t do enough to convince the sceptics out there that Nintendo’s latest console is going to be a must-have when it releases globally on March 3.
Let’s go over the reasons.
Lack of launch games
Switch will launch with only four games, only one of which falls into the category of what might be called a system seller, if it lives up to the hype: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. The only problem is that Breath of the Wild is not a Switch exclusive, as it will also be launching on the previous-generation Wii U, and for less money. The list of games in the so-called launch window in the following weeks and months does not inspire much confidence either in terms of being able to convince gamers to part with their cash.
Price
Nintendo's president Tatsumi Kimishima introduces the Switch, its new game console, at its presentation ceremony in Tokyo, Japan.
Which brings us to the second big problem Switch faces: its price. The launch price of $299.99 (which directly converts to Dh1,101, but no UAE retail price has been announced) is higher than pre-announcement predictions, and doesn’t compare favourably with the price of current Playstation 4 and Xbox One hardware bundles out there. It’s probably going a step too far to call the Switch overpriced, but there’s no doubt a more attractive price would have made the decision to buy one a much easier one for many gamers.
Raison d’etre
For many years now Nintendo has seemed keen on presenting answers to questions nobody asked. It’s been a hit-and-miss affair. Nobody knew they wanted motion controls, but the original Wii was a hit, taking console gaming into the mainstream in a way it arguably had never been. The Wii U, with its innovative GamePad, turned out to be a huge miss; nobody seemed interested in the type of unique gameplay experiences made possible by the hardware.
What will the Switch turn out to be? Will it turn out that a hybrid home-mobile console is just the thing no one knew they wanted but actually desperately needs? Or will it be another solution to a problem that only existed in the minds of the top corporate minds at Nintendo?
Wait and see
Only time will tell if the Switch has a place in a world where mobile gaming is already ubiquitous thanks to iOS and Android phones and tablets, and where much more powerful home consoles are already taking care of the needs of those who prefer to play in front of a television screen. But what is obvious right now is that the reveal event did nothing to tilt the scales in favour of predictions of success.
