Nintendo starts moving to a Wii-like “non-gamer” strategy for the Switch

[Soundwave]

TheMisterManGuy said:

Soundwave said:

Strategy doesn't work when things like 1,2 Switch and Labo are not really moving big numbers of hardware.

Selling on par with Nintendo Land or Wii Party U on Wii U doesn't get the job done, so long as games like 1,2 Switch and Labo are selling only a tiny fraction of what their 2005-2009 (pre-smart app years) hits did the strategy doesn't work.

Nintendo's "expanded audience" software has typically done modest numbers as launch. But they proved to be consistent sellers, getting their crazy numbers from the legs that they have. Brain Age for example, debuted at around 44k in Japan, yet that game is considered a big hit. 

Brain Training also sold 19+ million copies. Something neither 1,2 Switch or Labo will ever come close to combined. 

Labo is going to be outsold by a Kirby game. 

Nintendo hasn't had a big break through success in an "expanded audience" with a new concept for a decade now. Wii Fit released 10 years ago basically ... since then they've been wandering the wilderness trying to find the next break out hit with little success. 

All the mega-successful "expanded audience" type games post 2010 have come from the smartphone market ... Angry Birds, Candy Crush, Words With Friends, Clash of Clans, Pokemon Go, etc. etc. etc., Nintendo's not been able to produce anything close to as successful as those types of pop culture phenoms on their dedicated hardware platforms for ages now. 

So I mean they can try all they want, but it's pretty clear audiences are not responding to things like Wii Music or Nintendo Land or Nintendogs + Cats, or 1,2 Switch, or probably Labo in the way prior to the smartphone boom.

Last edited by Soundwave - on 15 May 2018