Nintendo
Most to Prove in 2019
Despite being the heritage brand on the market, the one that many of us grew up with, and the one that has seen its rivals come and go over the years, Nintendo remains in a position where they must constantly reassure us that they’re really back this time.
Many of us love Nintendo, sometimes blindly, but we often fail to see just how much of a pounding they’ve taken in the last couple of decades.
The Nintendo 64 saw the the company’s seemingly impenetrable market share chomped into by the revolution that was the PlayStation, while the GameCube, for all of its merits, fell flat on its face.
The Wii U, tragically, remains the Wii U, leaving the all-accessible Wii as the one true success since the turn of the millennium (excluding the handheld market, wherein they remain undefeated, and it’s not even close).
As such, the Switch still has to fend off its naysayers, warranted or not. To its credit, it has done so with aplomb, becoming this generation’s hot new fad and following up its white hot 2017 with an admirable sophomore season.
Nintendo went out with a bang in 2018, channeling its inner Vanessa Williams and saving their best for last. Pokemon Let’s Go was a bonafide seller, and Smash Bros Ultimate delivered on practically every front it promised, as if we would ever expect anything less from Sakurai and his team.
The company finds itself in an enviable position at the moment, having so many beloved IPs in its holster that it can pull out seemingly at will, and rake in the cash.
After going to its heavy hitters of Mario, Zelda, Pokemon and Smash, there’s still plenty left to go; highlighted by Animal Crossing, Bayonetta and Fire Emblem, with another Pokemon entry also likely to drop by the end of 2019.
For Nintendo, their challenge remains the same as ever, as they try to entice third parties to bring their titles to the portable wunderkind. Though many of the triple A offerings continue to elude them, the vaunted Nindies are just as sweet as ever, with the Switch proving to be a hit with rising developers.
As mentioned in the open, Nintendo have rekindled their cushy relationship with the casual and family markets, and though they may never again compete for market supremacy, it’s clear that they really don’t have to. Mom and dad’s money is just as green as the millennials’, and it doesn’t reek of chai latte, to boot.
