The Nintendo Switch: Post-Direct Prospects

A subtle discourse that is conversed online these days for the videogame industry is Nintendo, specifically how the company’s face is reaching its sixth year with its highly successful Nintendo Switch console. A mixture of news, rumours and hints on various social media signs that Nintendo could very well be planning on changing the face of the company with their current console, much more sooner than later.

The made statement comes with respect to the current state of the Nintendo Switch and its support of new content and new software titles, which themselves are in ample supply. One might consider this to be a good reason to consider the Switch’s life as safe for much more time, but people online argue that the nature of these newer releases seems like final additions to a surpassed console.

It is a true marvel in the gaming industry for Nintendo’s half-decade-old videogame console Nintendo Switch to still thrive alongside the company. There is no shortage of news of new videogame and software releases of all kinds, including first-party exclusive titles that prove themselves as one of the most valuable franchises in the industry, a fact that Nintendo has swayed to its highly-profitable advantage. The Legend Of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom comes as the next big venture for the Zelda franchise, apparently being (literally) the biggest Zelda game the devs have ever worked on and which the fans have longed for, the game taking a space of more than 18GB as mentioned on the official website. The reason for this longing is that this newest upcoming release comes as the highly anticipated sequel to The Legend Of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, the game that started the streak of success for Nintendo after their shakey run with the Wii U. They’ve also announced a new Amiibo for the title releasing on the same day as the game as well. How would anyone assume the Switch being succeeded when its potentially biggest videogame is about to release?

The newest Nintendo Direct that covered the latest trailer for Tears of the Kingdom also had many other significant announcements.

The online service, Nintendo Switch Online, had a substantial addition of Game Boy and Game Boy Advance games added to the lineup of other special software content, such as DLC for various games, other older software content such as Nintendo 64 titles, alongside user cloud saves, multiplayer functionality and more. This comes as a big quality-of-life update to the Switch software lineup, as fans have been asking for this addition ever since the console was released. This online service already offers a large array of content for Switch users to enjoy, this being another tempting addition.

Other big names such as Kirby and Pikmin are also getting upcoming video games. Kirby has a remaster coming for an older Wii title with much more new content added alongside other modern updates. Pikmin is getting its newest title Pikmin 4 in the future.

Bayonetta also received a special new upcoming title that retracts from the main Hack’n’Slash theme the franchise is known for. Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon works more in turn for a serene art style and an emotional story to take a new direction for the franchise.

And more importantly, coming as an instantaneous release taking the fanbase by storm, Metroid Prime Remastered got announced to be already available via the Nintendo eShop, with a physical release also on the way later this month Feb 22nd 2023. It is considered to be one of the best games made, and the remastered version of the game has, as of the time of this article, received widespread positive reception and acclaim.

There are also many other worthwhile software titles coming such as Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life as the newest Story Of Seasons title, Etrian Odyssey Origins Collection as a remaster of the Nintendo 3DS series titles, Advance Wars 1+2, Minecraft Legends, Master Detective Archives: Rain Code, and many more.

The Nintendo Switch looks to have plenty of content coming ahead for itself. So if the topic is discussed Nintendo releasing a new console, and it has plenty of points to reject that claim.

There also is the aspect that Nintendo has had a history of ups and downs, being caretakers of some of the biggest videogame consoles ever made like the Game Boy or the Nintendo DS, but also confiding their hopes on less profitable ones like The Wii U or the GameCube. It is not to say these consoles did not offer the unique innovative aspect that the company is known for which their audience has been drawn towards, it’s simply the case that these consoles just did not sell well as people did not find them appealing enough. This puts the point out that Nintendo would be sceptical to test their business with a brand new beginning once more, with a brand new console. The Switch was their venture that paid off and still is. It might not be the case with a newer console if that does hold the future of Nintendo.

Discussions on the Switch and its titles’ subreddit branches and on Twitter between fans still find it very conversive to talk about the future of the console. The original news came from Digital Foundry’s John Linneman who based his claim on his own knowledge of how Nintendo works, and people on the internet are still adopting the same point of view themselves. It is a fair assumption to look at the latest Nintendo Direct news announcements to be of a different nature as well with the quality-of-life updates such as old console title additions, DLC and more.

Regardless of everything, it is a very interesting topic to discuss what is in store for Nintendo fans and what they can look to in the future for their favoured videogame company.

Albeit just a little, the Switch sales number are starting to dwindle. That gives a leading business enough reason to look to change the path and take on a new one that seems high in prospects, and the audience enough reason to think of an eminent change sooner or later. Still, either way, the Switch proves strong as the current console for everything Nintendo and would not be looking at discontinuation anytime soon even if a newer successor arrives.