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MisterManGuy on 29 April 2017
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Soundwave said:
MisterManGuy said:

I think you're looking at this the wrong way. You're thinking how is the Switch going to replace Smart Phones for casuals, when that's the wrong question. The real question should be, how can the Switch suppliment smart phones for casuals. Believe it or not, it is possible for casual gamers to play on both their phones and the Switch. They're not forever smartphone slaves like so many seem to think. 

1-2 Switch may not be carrying Switch sales, but it's playing a helping hand in driving interest in the system. Even if it isn't a system seller, simply having it exist automatically broadens the Switch's appeal for consumers. Even the Switch's flagship, Breath of the Wild is very casual friendly, since it's the type of game that can give you an acessible, yet satisfying experience even if you only have half an hour to spare, and it's a great game to ease casual gamers into more complex titles. 

And this is the key thing, If Nintendo can continue to convice people of the uniqueness of the Switch, and show how it's different from conventional mobile games, and how it can compliment smartphone gaming, then casuals will buy it. Sure, not all the games will be free, but like I said, people will buy expensive stuff as long as you make them want it. So far, Nintendo seems to be doing a pretty good job at that. 

Yeah well, you know you can go try and beg for the girl who's turned you down the last four times for a date and won't answer your texts. Or you can hang out with the totally cool girl who's waiting for you to call her. 

Casuals had their chance the last 7 years to come to bat for Nintendo and they have bailed on Nintendo and left them in dirt again and again and again. They did not show up for Wii Music, they did not show up for Nintendogs + Cats (and that forced Nintendo to take their first loss in company history), they did not show up for Nintendo Land. Or Wii Fit Plus. Or Wii Party U. Or Wii Sports Club. Or NSMBU. Or Mario Run even ($10 is too much I guess). Seeing a pattern here? From the start of this decade (2010) these people have bailed on Nintendo. They're not really showing up for Switch either. They liked the free Pokemon Go, whoopity doo, Nintendo is not a company that makes free games, as they've said themselves. 

Ever since they got their taste of free games on phones they've sent a clear message the last 7 or 8 years. At what point do you take the hint and move on?

Gamers need to stop being jealous of smartphones. Smartphones are a monumental change in human civilization (really), much like the PC and the internet before it. It is what it is, a dinky little game system was never going to compete with that. Hey great, good for Apple and Google, they bet the farm on that idea and won big. The traditional game manufacturers need to take care of their own. 

Nintendo can try out different genres sure, but they should *not* forget who is driving this industry and what is driving Switch success. If they marketed this primarily to casuals and made 1,2 Switch the lead game and had a bunch of commercials with women at parties, the system would have sales in the shitter right now. 

It's because they marketed to older men, made a system that doesn't look like a toy, and delivered a killer app that appeals to said audience that they're having success. So why go and now try to change that. If they get away from this they are going to get themselves into trouble. 

Casuals didn't show up to those games because the Wii U was a badly marketed, unattractive mess. And in the case of Mario Run, even fans of the game admit that it isn't worth the $10 asking price (if it was $4 or $5, it would've done much better). And it's funny how you say Nintendo doesn't make free games, yet they released several free games for the 3DS, and just released a free Fire Emblem game on mobile devices, which brought in way more revenue than Mario Run. Yeah, Nintendo doesn't do free games all right.

Once again, you're taking the wrong perspective with this. Nintendo knows the Switch won't replace people's smartphones. But they do know that it can be a great companion piece to one. The Switch is still marketed to casual gamers. I mean, look at the recent promotional material, and the extended cut for the Super Bowl ad. It wasn't just hip dudes playing Zelda, it was also people playing 1-2 Switch, families playing Mario Kart, and a grandpa playing ARMS with his grandson. It's pretty clear Nintendo wants as broad of an audience as possible with the Switch. 

You're right that they should also serve hardcore fans as well, but they shouldn't rely exclusively on them. Nintendo can make the Switch appealing to casual gamers, and they've done a good job at doing so.