When Nintendo announced the Switch last
year many people were skeptical. At first glance it seemed like a
continuation of the Wii-U. A sequel to a very mediocre product. Now
six months after the Switch launched we all can see how wrong this
assumption was. The console is sold out nearly constantly.
It offers a small but excellent library
of games and what's more important has cultivated the image of a
product that people want to own. And while supply constraints and a
conservative sales approach by Nintendo won't allow for the console
to achieve Wii levels of success, it can be already said that the
Nintendo Switch is a successful console. Still the only way I could
describe the Switch was as a flawed masterpiece. They did nearly
everything right this time. So today let us take a look at the flawed
greatness of the Nintendo Switch.
Play your games everytime, everywhere:
The best thing about the Switch, apart
from Zelda, is, of course, the fullfilled promise of a home console
to-go. When the rumors about the concept first surfaced I found it
hard to believe, but when I saw the first trailer I was sold. Now the
only thing Nintendo had to do was to keep that promise they've shown
us. It would've been desastrous if there was one game that you
couldn't play on the go because it needed the Switch to be docked.
Luckily everything played out just perfectly. Being able to grab your
Switch and seamlessly switch (har har) from TV- into Portable-Mode is
a huge deal. Even if it's only because you have to go to the toilet.
The concept of no longer being bound to a specific place to enjoy
your console games is just huge. And Nintendo marketed i perfectly.
Every spot for the Switch has been great so far. They perfectly show
the freedom you have when owning the product.
This is why the lack of any other
features except games is that much more baffling. Just let us take a
look at one of the Switch commercials. Let's use the the latest
Switch commercial.
As you can see it does a great job of
selling the appeal of the console to the customer. It truly shows
that the console allows you to play games however you want. And
wherever you want. Still that's all there is to it. Games. And even
though the Switch has some of the greatest games currently on the
market in it's library, is it really enough? Now don't worry this
wont become a rant about the lack of games on the systme. Because I
think there is no lack. The Switch has a pretty healthy library
already with lots of different titles for all genres. Of course many
of these are Indie games, but that's not the point. The Point is that
the Switch is clearly positioned as hip and cool. Not unlike an
I-Phone for example. Because of that it targets mostly young adults
(aparft from Nintendo fans like us of course). Now you have to ask
yourself are games really enough for those people to keep them
satisfied in the long run? Maybe you already guesse what I'm talking
about. Yes it's the lack of other software on the system. Not games,
but things like a Youtube app, a web browser or Netflix. Things that
even the Wii-U got. And here we are nearly seven months after the
launch of the console and none of those things are even announced.
And don't get me started on the virtual console.
This just feels like wasted potential
to me. Just imagine being able enjoy Netflix on the go. Or maybe
bring it to a friends place, who doesn't own the service. There are
so many possibilities to position the Switch as a great entertainment
product.
Of course I know that Nintendo always
says their consoles are just that. Video game consoles. And I agree.
They shouldn't change that. But that doesn't mean they shouldn't at
least try to adapt a little. Adding Netflix, Amazon Prime and other
similar apps would further increase the appeal of the system.
Play your games everytime, everywhere... if you can get a system:
Stock issues... that's a whole world of
pain right there for any Nintendo fan. And don't worry I will talk
about this in the future in more detail, but right now let us focus
on the Switch. Where I live it's relatively easy to get one, but I've
heard and read enough reports already where people drive hundreds of
kilometers in search of a Switch. Or take Japan for example, where
you can participate in a lottery for the chance of being allowed to
buy a console. That's insane, there is no other way of putting it.
Now the current situation can't be helped. After the failure of the
Wii-U Nintendo was very cautios to not overship their product. After
all there were just as many people predicting the console to fail as
there were believers.
In the end the Switch proved to be a
huge success. Too huge for Nintendo. Even seven months after launch we
regularly hear about shipping problems. Now this isn't a failure of
the console itself, but of the company behind it. Still it damages
the Switch. If you can't get the product of your choice for several
months chances are high that you'll turn towards one of the
competitors. After the fifth or sixth fruitless visit to your local
electronics shop those PS4 may start to look rather tempting. Why
wait for a console when you can have another with a bigger library
for a cheaper price? In Japan this proves to be true as some reports
suggest that several potential buyers have already lost interest in
the Switch because of the stock issues.
Hopefully Nintendo is already ramping
up the production for the holiday season. Because there is nothing
more disheartening than not getting what you want on christmas. If
the stock issues persist through November and Decemer this could
really hurt the Switch as many potential customers may instead choose
the competition and don't come back because one console is enough.
Overall these complaints are very
minor, but they shouldn't be ignored. Because a small tripwire can
lead to the fall of even the biggest juggernaut.
So what are your thoughts on the Switch so far? What things do you think Nintendo should primarly work on to improve? Or are you completely satisfied by the console. Anyways let me know your opinion in the comments.
and as always
thanks for reading
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