If I were to recommend a video game console for someone who’s just starting their gaming journey, I would recommend theNintendo Switch, hands down. It has an incredibly varied library of titles for gamers of all ages and skill levels, and its family-friendly vibe does a lot to help welcome new players into the hobby.
The Switch is an incredible console, and it’s the platform (aside from mobile) that seems to have the largest demographic of “casual gamers” on account of its approachability.
Having said that,this week’s Nintendo Directdidn’t just showcase what’s coming later this year for Switch owners, it also showcased Nintendo’s commitment to its casual audience.
Identifying Nintendo’s Casual Market
With theNintendo Switch 2looming on the horizon for later this year, it would stand to reason that Nintendo would start shifting its marketing focus to its next generation of hardware while ending its promotion for the original Switch.
That push is still happening, Nintendo definitely wants people to buy the Switch 2, but last week’s Nintendo Direct didn’t have anything to do with it. Instead, it focused on games that will be launching for the console millions already own and play. The presentation feels like it was made to reassure current Switch owners that Nintendo still plans on supporting the console.
The Direct appealed more to Nintendo’s casual audience, the people who aren’t necessarily going to be running out and dropping a few hundred bucks once the Switch 2 hits store shelves. That’s not to say the presentation wasn’t able to be enjoyed by Nintendo’s hardcore audience, there were certainly games that lifelong fans have been itching to hear more about, likeMetroid Prime 4: Beyondand Dragon Quest 1 & 2 HD-2D Remake, but with another Nintendo Direct scheduled for this week that’s going to be covering titles for the Switch 2, the first Direct was made with the current install base in mind.
Nintendo’s Switch 2 ‘Problem’
The Switch has sold over 150 million units, a truly staggering number, and Nintendo knows that every single person who bought a Switch isn’t going to immediately purchase the Switch 2 at launch. So, it seems like the company has decided to continue marketing to those people, to the more casual fans in its audience.
I truly appreciate the way Nintendo is handling the transition between its console generations. It feels as if the company has paid a lot of attention to the confusion that surrounded the end of the Xbox One/PS4 era as Microsoft and Sony launched their new consoles in a bid to avoid the same fate.
While I imagine there will be a handful of cross-gen titles (my money is on Metroid Prime 4 being one of the major Switch 2 launch day releases), it’s just nice to see a company still care about the people who’ve already made an investment in it.
Eventually, Nintendo will stop aiming its Directs at people who don’t own the Switch 2, but in the meantime, casual fans don’t need to worry about having enough cash to buy the newest thing from Nintendo since it’s clear that there are still plenty of great games coming to the platform.
