Consider this a response to the previous thread about Nintendo's Switch output not comparing to the Wii/DS. Many responses to that thread say that Games in general require more time, money and resources to make, and all publisher's outputs have been decreased this gen. In cases like Nintendo though, this isn't entirely true. Okay, let me rephrase that, it's true for companies like Nintendo, but not to the extent that one may think.
The problem with the argument of "HD Development" is that it doesn't take into consideration that game budgets and development time vary depending on the scope and graphical fidelity of the project. It's true that big AAA games that push the limits of graphical fidelity, with large expansive worlds and epic stories need at least 3 years and 100 people working on it to make happen these days. That's true for games like Breath of the Wild, which required a much larger team than any prior Zelda before it. But can you really say the same about Celeste? That game was made in a year and a half by one guy and a few friends, and it's one of the most critically acclaimed games of the generation. Or what about Splatoon, a game with a similar development time that ended up becoming one of the Wii U's defining titles?
It's true that Nintendo's long-running franchises require larger budgets and more resources these days because those games have higher expectations on newer, more powerful hardware. But with something like Brain Age, or Ring Fit Adventure, there are no real expectations. So they don't require the same amount of money and development time as a big AAA release does.
As a first party driven platform holder, Nintendo's entire business model revolves around publishing as many games as possible to drive hardware sales. So, when you consider that, the Switch actually has their most prolific output in years. It may seem lower vs. something like the Wii and DS, but it's not just because big games take much more to make now. Nintendo also had to support 2 platforms with separate versions of their own IP. And the indie scene was still in its infancy, so Nintendo was able to help indie-sized studios find a footing by publishing many of their games.
But with the Switch being an all in one machine, there's no longer a need to do 2 Mario Karts, or 2 Animal Crossings, or 2 Smash Bros. games, you can just have one game and move on to something else. Plus, with the indie market now much more mature than the past, Nintendo doesn't have to compete in a crowded market with a lot of their own sub-$5 million budget games on the eShop, and can instead turn most of their attention towards slightly bigger projects, ones that indies can't do just as easily, while not going into conventional AAA territory. So, yeah, Nintendo's output now may seem pathetic vs. 2 generations ago, but when you factor in the current gaming market, it really doesn't matter, because they're still way more prolific than most other big publishers these days.
In under 3 years, Nintendo has put out 30+ freshly made Switch games, plus 6 ports and re-releases. Can you honestly say the same about EA, or Microsoft?
