With Sony and Nintendo’s Momentum, Microsoft Has the Most to Prove at E3 2017

The stakes are getting higher, but who's feeling the most heat?

Nintendo

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Nintendo’s latest console is on a roll, recording impressive early sales despite its lack of launch content and frustrating supply issues. The fact that this miraculous turn of fortune and resurgence of the brand has been achieved without attending a single E3 is all the more astonishing. That shouldn’t, however, fool anyone into thinking that this year’s conference will not be pivotal to the console’s continued success. Switch might well be resonating well with early adopters and portable gaming enthusiasts in Japan, but its ability to attract a wider audience moving forward hinges on effectively roadmapping the console’s future.

E3 is the perfect platform for Nintendo to put the hammer down by confirming hard release dates for franchises like Mario, but also some form of significant third party support. Indeed, though Switch seems destined to live first and foremost on its first party content – an initiative that might just work thanks to its portable nature – some semblance of third party support will still be crucial to engage with as big an audience as possible. If those partnerships are still lacking in number, massaging that news by deflecting attention toward the launch of multiple first party and indie content might be its best strategy.

Of course, Nintendo has already confirmed E3 will focus specifically on 2017, making the announcement of franchise such as Metroid unlikely. That is sure to disappoint, especially after another game on the wishlist, a mainline Pokemon RPG, did not get an announcement at the recent and underwhelming Pokemon Direct. All of this further compounds the sentiment that 2017 better be jam-packed full of other interesting things to shout about. Because as popular as its hybrid functionality has proven, convincing traditional gamers to spend money on Switch over other content-rich platforms necessitates assurance over the health of its gaming ecosystem.

Moreover, having endured three months void of proper online functionality and a virtual console, E3 is surely the time for Nintendo to confirm their arrival. Smoothing out the rough edges that still plague the Switch will be crucial in building confidence in Nintendo as a brand and proving to its fan base that the company is committed to providing a quality user experience — something that Nintendo has garnered an unwanted reputation for lacking.

Speaking of which, making good of its promise to support the 3DS until next year will be of particular interest to the console’s significant user base. Switch is clearly displacing 3DS sales, even in Japan where the traditional handheld typically creams the competition, but Nintendo’s commitment to balancing attention between its portable and hybrid console will be watched closely.


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Author
Alex Gibson
Alex was a Senior Editor at Twinfinite and worked on the site between January 2017 and March 2023. He covered the ins and outs of Valorant extensively, and frequently provided expert insight into the esports scene and wider video games industry. He was a self-proclaimed history & meteorological expert, and knew about games too. Playing Games Since: 1991, Favorite Genres: RPG, Action