Since 2017, the Nintendo Switch has sold more than 22 million units worldwide, beating the lifetime sales of GameCube. With major titles such as Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, as well as an ideal landing spot choice for the indie game scene, this console has planned to maintain its momentum. However, what will happen when the console reaches the five to six year mark where most Nintendo consoles begin to die out? What does the Nintendo Switch have up its sleeve to keep the magic going? Let’s find out.
Games, games, and…more games
Throughout 2019, Nintendo plans to release a plethora of titles we’ve already known and come to love, for the Switch. Some of them are:
- Mortal Kombat 11
- The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening
- Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe
- Assassins Creed 3 Remastered
This year will bring a handful of Final Fantasy and Fire Emblem titles as well.
Below are new titles to be released in the next couple months and later this year:
- Super Meat Boy Forever – April
- Animal Crossing – April
- Luigi’s Mansion 3 – TBA
- Pokemon – TBA
- Yoshi’s Crafted World – March
The Nintendo eShop has also become quite the indie platform, carrying a wide variety of games from a multitude of developers. This has allowed the switch to become a “bridge” between console and PC gamers, and allows new developers to expand their titles beyond the beloved computer. The versatility of the Switch as a home console and a handheld has made it attractive to PC and console gamers alike, although there are still aspects we would like to see improved.
This leads us into the newest speculation, provided by the Wall Street Journal, about an upcoming, upgraded, new and improved Nintendo Switch. This year!
Now, we are entering March and haven’t heard too much on this topic, so we don’t know for sure if 2019 will bring us the next Nintendo Console, but we can dream, right? According to the article posted by the Wall Street Journal in October of 2018, Nintendo is planning on improving the display with recent technology found on most LCD smartphones. The screen was a common complaint with the Switch, along with frustrations concerning battery and storage. Nintendo suppliers did comment that a new console would definitely maintain the momentum of the Switch, and ensure competitiveness for the company.
It is now becoming more common for consoles to be updated mid-cycle, as seen with Sony’s PlayStations. Nintendo plans to follow the trend and Shigeru Miyamoto, Nintendo’s creative fellow, expressed that he wants the Switch to have a longer lifespan than that of other consoles. That being said, the 3DS will still remain as it is an affordable and popular option for children, although more titles previously exclusive to the 3DS, such as Pokémon, are making their way onto the Switch. The question is how Nintendo plans on keeping these two consoles from melding together to form one mega, ultra-versatile console. The 3DS has maintained its popularity through games such as Mario Kart, Cooking Mama, Nintendogs, and of course, Pokémon. But as these titles become playable on the Switch, will the same 3DS still reign as the ultimate childhood gaming device for future generations? Or will the Switch move in and claim the throne?
I decided to ask gamers for an opinion about the future of the Nintendo Switch, and most agreed that it still has potential. With titles such as Final Fantasy, Fire Emblem and Mario Bros., as well as third party support and indie game opportunities, the Switch is still thriving. But thriving does not mean flawless. One major complaint is the lack luster online service. The main attractions with Nintendo Switch Online are the cloud saving and access to the NES game library. Currently, only six games are available for online play, and as the Switch progresses into its third year, we hope a wider variety of online games will be supported. With the new Tetris 99, a building block battle royal that released just two weeks ago, online gaming has begun to increase, enticing players to utilize the online platform. To really see the Nintendo Switch Online increase in popularity, Nintendo will need to step up its [online] game.
Will we see a new Switch console in the near future? Maybe.
One thing we can count on Nintendo for is that no matter what the future brings, the classics will always follow closely behind.
What would you like to see in the next Nintendo Console? Comment below!
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