When it comes to the video game industry, there is one company that is well-known for innovations that come from outside the box, Nintendo. From "Super Mario" to "Pokémon" and "The Legend of Zelda," they're well known for their software and hardware, with the most recent addition to their lineup of video game consoles being the Nintendo Switch, released on March 3, 2017.
(Nintendo Switch Neon unit - photo of my own console)
The Nintendo Switch has so far been met with a fair amount of critical praise, especially in regards to its defining 'gimmick' of being simultaneously a home console that you can hook up to your television screens and play normally, or a versatile HD handheld console that you can take anywhere. While it's launch was mainly limited with the stunning release and quality of "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild" and "1-2 Switch," the system is being promised further success with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and many other exciting titles such as "Splatoon 2" and the wacky "ARMS," coming to the system later this year. The demand for the Switch has been pretty crazy - with Nintendo reporting to the Wall Street Journal that they had to ship some units by aeroplane to meet the demanding gamers.
(Unfortunately you need to subscribe to them to read the article in its entirety)
While there are some technical lamentations, from the lack of backwards compatibility and the absence of features that you'd expect from a contemporary gaming device (such as internet browser, no Netflix capability or 'Achievement System' of some kind); the Switch has undoubtedly proven itself a success for Nintendo, having gone beyond their expectations with 2.74 million hardware units sold by the end of their financial year.
But what about the future of their other handheld family; the well-received Nintendo 3DS which is receiving it's tongue-twisting new model, the "New Nintendo 2DS XL?" Does the Nintendo Switch's current success mean that they'll be starting to phase out this part of their hardware family tree, since Nintendo would have two handheld consoles on the market? Or would the dissolving of the handheld team prove beneficial for the Switch's success, as they'll be able to focus on a single piece of hardware?
(New Nintendo 2DS XL - Taken from the official website https://www.nintendo.com/2ds/new-nintendo-2ds/)
Nintendo are adamant in continuing the 3DS for this year, as they've got upcoming titles such as "Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia" and "Ever Oasis" coming to the system. Personally, I think the 3DS and its related models still have at least another year left in them, but I imagine that come 2018, the Switch would be cemented as Nintendo's major focus thanks to the power of integrating the development of both handheld games and console games for one unit. If the Switch continues to power on, then I think the dissolution of handheld and console gaming could be an impressive feat - from being able to take a content-rich experience like "Breath of the Wild" or "Mario Kart 8 Deluxe" wherever you want; or enjoying a brand new "Pokémon" or "Fire Emblem" experience on the big screens in HD... then maybe this dissolving of technological bounds may not prove such a bad idea after all.
-James Byron
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