In the wake of the Switch’s initial success, Nintendo is looking at more ways it can continue to build on the hybrid console’s unique offerings. Speaking at an annual Shareholder Q&A, Shigeru Miyamoto shared his thoughts on what makes the Switch appealing, and what Nintendo’s next steps should be.
“A lot of people say that what they want out of a new video game system is high performance," said Miyamoto. "But when we look at the sales of Nintendo Switch, it is clear that a large number of consumers worldwide are really looking for more variety in the ways they can play."
And while Miyamoto is sure to note that the “capabilities of the Nintendo Switch are considerable in their own right,” the famed Mario-maker says that Nintendo’s in-house development teams are looking forward to finding new ways to make use of the Switch’s unique offerings.
“I myself really enjoy creating titles like Wii Fit or Nintendogs that are different than our existing franchises, and that's the sort of culture that permeates our entire development staff. “
To that same effect, software division general manager Shinya Takahashi noted that, with key titles like Super Mario Odyssey and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild out of the way, the company’s next focus is working on projects that can follow in 1-2 Switch’s footsteps to provide a “new way to play”.
One such avenue could be through embracing the portable aspect of the Switch. Nintendo has typically insisted that the Switch is first and foremost a home console and, despite its portability, isn’t a direct competitor or replacement for its line of 3DS and 2DS handheld systems.
While it is still striving to maintain a balance between its two hardware offerings, Takahashi noted that the Switch’s portability and its unique multiplayer setup are both something Nintendo hopes to explore more in future titles.
“The main characteristic of Nintendo Switch is that you can take it out and get together with others to play anytime, anywhere and with anyone," said Takahashi. "For example, you can pass one of the Joy-Con controllers to the person next to you and start playing with them immediately. We want to use this characteristic of Nintendo Switch in a variety of software [titles]."