Switch Needs to be Desirable
The Switch wowed a lot of fans back when the first trailer was finally revealed by Nintendo. Showcasing The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild alongside major third party titles such as an unnamed NBA game and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim really piqued a lot of people’s interest. Also, there was the reveal of being able to have a truly mobile experience with the console. It turned out that the core of the Switch is, in fact, a tablet-like device that you can attach controllers to in order to create a handheld, or just use as a portable screen as you play normally with a standard controller.
It was a strong first impression, but thoughts immediately started turning to the same factors that ailed the ill-fated Wii U release. What was going on under the hood? What’s the launch lineup of games looking like? And how much will this thing cost? While Nintendo has managed to always stay relevant thanks to its iconic first-party lineup, the last console release suffered thanks to much more powerful competition. The Xbox One and the PS4 don’t have their own Mario, Zelda, or Donkey Kong, but they each received a vast majority of the major blockbuster releases over the past 3 years, and are far ahead when it comes to technology. The presence of more options surely aided both Sony and Microsoft in trouncing the Wii U, and Nintendo can’t afford to have the same happen to the Switch.
Unlike its predecessor, the Switch is stepping into an arena where its competitors are already in a very good position. Because of that, it needs to be more than just another console in the Big N’s lineup. While the unique games library is a strong point, it is only one point. Power, a solid price point, and a strong, diverse lineup will show that the company is back in a big way. It will definitely make the box much more appealing, providing a competitive edge to a console that fans earnestly want to succeed.
