Nintendo Responds to "Weak Launch Lineup" Switch Criticism

[Steven Bogos]

Nintendo Responds to "Weak Launch Lineup" Switch Criticism

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Nintendo president Tatsumi Kimishima says that it is more important to gradually provide new titles throughout the year.

You may have noticed that the Nintendo Switch has a in an earnings call [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/video-games/17383-All-the-Confirmed-Games-for-the-Nintendo-Switch] that it is more important to space out its software releases.

"Some of those who have seen this lineup have expressed the opinion that the launch lineup is weak," said Kimishima. "Our thinking in arranging the 2017 software lineup is that it is important to continue to provide new titles regularly without long gaps. This encourages consumers to continue actively playing the system, maintains buzz, and spurs continued sales momentum for Nintendo Switch."

Way back in 2012, the late Satoru Iwata offered similar sentiments: "Nintendo tends to release too many titles at the launch of a hardware system and as a result suffers a drop in new games for quite some time after launch, and for the Wii U launch, we are being very careful not to let it happen."

Indeed, Nintendo already has plans to pepper the year with big name titles: Mario Kart 8 is due out in April, ARMS in spring, Splatoon 2 in summer and Super Mario Odyssey in September.

Source: GameSpot [http://www.gamespot.com/articles/nintendo-responds-to-criticism-that-switch-launch-/1100-6447491/].

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[twcblaze]

Because telling people that they're wrong to be worried for perfectly valid reasons has always yielded positive results in the past.

 

[Bad Player]

Because telling people that they're wrong to be worried for perfectly valid reasons has always yielded positive results in the past.

They've acknowledged the concern and explained what they're trying to do to rectify it. What else do you want them to do?

 

[twcblaze]

Because telling people that they're wrong to be worried for perfectly valid reasons has always yielded positive results in the past.

They've acknowledged the concern and explained what they're trying to do to rectify it. What else do you want them to do?

I want them to realize that just because THEY consider something to be "more important" than something else doesn't mean everyone else feels that way, and also that they can't just outright ignore launch day lineup as some tertiary event because some systems have "recovered from a bad launch"

Sure, some systems have recovered after stumbling out of the gate, but that's not the norm, and it's not something you should ASPIRE to! The way they talk about it, they make it sound like if they had a decent launch they couldn't POSSIBLY release games for the rest of the year, and that's patently false.

I guess what I really want is for the switch to not fail because Nintendo doesn't understand the games market anywhere but Japan.

 

[sneakypenguin]

Its not just the launch its that after Mario releases in the summer then what? You buy BotW on release maybe mario kart re-release if you didn't play it for the wii u. Then you have nothing to look forward to except Mario GTA edition or splatoon. I haven't heard anything on Fzero Metroid, or Starfox. You can have a weak launch if I know big things are coming. I don't see big things coming though. You can also have a weak launch if your competitors are in a similar spot but when PS4 xbone and PC are out, better home consoles and have a massive library and in the case of PS4 and Xbone are cheaper then well nintendo wheres the incentive ?

 

[Bad Player]

Because telling people that they're wrong to be worried for perfectly valid reasons has always yielded positive results in the past.

They've acknowledged the concern and explained what they're trying to do to rectify it. What else do you want them to do?

No, they explained that they are doing this intentionally.

And...? Even if you disagree with their strategy, the point is that it's a conscious choice they've made after weighing their options, rather than wandering around in the dark while brushing aside criticisms without giving any reasons.

Because telling people that they're wrong to be worried for perfectly valid reasons has always yielded positive results in the past.

They've acknowledged the concern and explained what they're trying to do to rectify it. What else do you want them to do?

I want them to realize that just because THEY consider something to be "more important" than something else doesn't mean everyone else feels that way, and also that they can't just outright ignore launch day lineup as some tertiary event because some systems have "recovered from a bad launch"

Okay, so it sounds like your problem is with their substantive plan, and not with the way they've been handling worries/criticism.

 

[CaptainMarvelous]

Because telling people that they're wrong to be worried for perfectly valid reasons has always yielded positive results in the past.

They've acknowledged the concern and explained what they're trying to do to rectify it. What else do you want them to do?

I want them to realize that just because THEY consider something to be "more important" than something else doesn't mean everyone else feels that way

But the inverse holds true? I don't see your point, they're saying "We've done stuffed launches with big dips after so we spaced out our launches to aim for a more even spread" it sounds reasonable.

Personally, I'm cool with that. I cant afford 8 games AND the console but this way I can still get any special edition things or whatever through the year.

I mean... to be nice, maybe take your own advice that something you consider important isnt for everyone?

OT: Ideally they'd have loads of launch games and loads through the year but I get its a Catch 22. Developers wont bite unless the Switch does well, it wont without games, rinse repeat.

 

[Randomosity]

I'm hoping we get a Nintendo Direct before long detailing some new games soon, perhaps with the launch of the Switch. I don't particularly think the strategy is a bad one, a steady stream of new releases vs a jam packed launch followed by a dry spell is a call that is hard to make.

The simple truth is that games take a long time to make, and a company can only make so many games at a time. The more games released on day one means the less games they can bring out throughout the next year. Now, I will say that personally I consider their current list to be a bit lacking. I'm hoping they have more projects ready to announce, but at the end of the day I can't condemn the strategy of spreading out software launches. It is an understandable strategy, but the question rests more on execution.

 

[Covarr]

From a sales perspective, this makes perfect sense. There's always gonna be the diehard fans, the ones who will buy it at launch no matter what. They don't need a strong launch lineup to appeal to that crowd. But as long as they can maintain a steady, consistent stream of quality games flowing out after that, they can make sure the Switch continues to get attention. It keeps it in the spotlight, in a way. Long-term, this might be the smartest move.

That said, they really ought to at least give us a strong VC lineup. That costs them very little, and will give it more value for its first several months, after the early buyers have dried out but before they have a huge library.

P.S. Thanks

 

[Guffe]

Its not just the launch its that after Mario releases in the summer then what??

I'm going to jump a bit further than you, what happens in 2018?

For 2017 I think the games I am interested in are Zelda, Xenoblade, Skyrim, ShinMegamiTensei and FireEmblem, then maybe Mario and MarioKart, maybe Splat00n2. Then there will be the odd find from the Eshop. For me that fills up 2017 just nicely, but after that?

What happened with my WiiU was active first 3 years and now it's been gathering dust, sadly, with only about 1 or 2 titles I want to get per year this past few years. I don't want that to happen to the Switch, which is why I am wondering if this is an early purchase for me or not.

 

[twcblaze]

Okay, so it sounds like your problem is with their substantive plan, and not with the way they've been handling worries/criticism.

That does a pretty good job of summing it up. I'm worried that Nintendo hasn't exactly built the amount of good will with consumers and developers over the last decade or so to survive a sub par launch, and as a person who grew up with a NES, SNES, gameboy and the like, I'm a little sad to see the gradual obsolescence of a company I really loved once.