SWITCH A HIT
Production of console is to be doubled
HOPES FOR NINTENDO’S little games console weren’t high in all quarters during its protracted development. It missed key deadlines and was subject to much rumor and speculation, and did we really need a hybrid console and handheld anyway? However, sales have been decidedly brisk—1.5 million were shifted during the first week. Nintendo had planned to ship eight million in the first year, but has revised this to 16 million. That puts it in line to outsell the Wii U in under a year.
Nintendo is not the force it once was in consoles, and has been left struggling against the Xbox and PlayStation in recent years. The Wii U didn’t shift in the numbers it needed, and developers’ attention started to wander. The initial game releases for the Switch were criticized as being rather simplistic and tired, apart from the lovely Legendsof Zel da:Breathof th eWild. However, momentum is gathering, and it has attracted some decent titles, including Mario Kart 8, Elder Scrolls V, and S plato on 2. Better yet, there are strong indications of a Pokemon game in the pipeline.
There have been a few problems, including Joy-Con controllers failing to connect. Its success also signals the end for the Wii U, as developers switch (sorry) to the new hardware. The new Zelda will be the last game the Wii U gets. The company had a lot riding on this, and there must be some very relieved people back at HQ—it certainly did the share price good. It seems that we did want a hybrid console and handheld after all.