A recent survey conducted by The Nielsen Games 360 Report has revealed that more people in the U.S are interested in getting their hands on a Nintendo Switch than a PS4 Pro or the upcoming Project Scorpio. Nintendo’s message is crystal clear – it’s back and apparently, is in dire need of games from small third-party developers.
A report published by Nikkei suggests Nintendo is pushing game developers to get their upcoming games published as soon as they can. According to one software executive, Nintendo asked them to introduce major titles “as early as possible.”
Nintendo: in need of a better lineup
Taking that into account, it seems the hardware-maker is bent on expanding the Nintendo Switch’s lineup despite the remarkable sales it’s enjoying so far.
The worldwide success of “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” is largely responsible for the console’s sales, which shipped almost 3 million units in its first month.
There were trepidations of the Nintendo Switch’s lack of games at first, but doubts dwindled soon as critics realized that “Breath of the Wild” is a game that can represent the Switch on its own. With that fact established, one would think Nintendo had no room left for concerns.
Nintendo has major releases of its own lined up through the winter, including "Splatoon 2" and "Super Mario Odyssey." It echoes the strategy that contributed to the success of the original Wii console, which was released in 2006 and eventually sold over 100 million units.
If you ask analysts, however, game developers overseas who have had a history with the Nintendo platforms may be more willing to develop titles for the new handheld console.
What’s Nintendo up to?
One of the major reasons behind the failure of the Wii U was the lack of third-party developer support. It seems Nintendo has learned from its previous mistake and is making sure this slip-up won’t come back to haunt its precious handheld device.
Meanwhile, third-party developers have confirmed that they will be supporting the new console and will be releasing games for the Nintendo Switch. Nintendo itself said: “We will maintain favorable conditions surrounding Nintendo Switch by providing a continuous stream of appealing third-party titles across varying genres,” in its latest FY 2016 earnings report.
There are also reports about a Mario/Rabbids crossover happening. With E3 being so close, there’s a good chance that this game will be revealed next month.
With Nintendo’s first-party games, along with the strategic release of third-party titles, it hopes to bolster the Switch’s lineup and build momentum. The rapid release of third-party software is certainly an interesting subject regardless of how the Switch sells during its opening months.
