With Switch 2, Nintendo Can’t Repeat The Mistakes It Made With The 3DS

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As the anticipated unveiling of the Nintendo Switch 2 approaches, Nintendo is standing at a crucial crossroads. Each console launch represents a significant milestone for a company, but this holds particularly true for Nintendo. The original Switch has been an impressive comeback from the disappointing Wii U, and has gone on to become one of the most successful video game consoles in recent years over the past eight years.

In essence, Nintendo is under significant pressure to keep up the pace with its upcoming console, given its recent successes. However, instead of drawing direct comparisons to the transition from Wii to Wii U, it may be more appropriate to liken its current position to that prior to the launch of the 3DS – a system that followed a highly successful and impactful predecessor.

Exactly fourteen years ago, Nintendo held a media gathering in New York to discuss its launch strategy for the 3DS. Though they had already showcased the handheld at E3 2010 a few months prior, some crucial details such as the release date, price, and initial game lineup were withheld until this event in January. Looking back, this unveiling provided a glimpse into some challenges that the platform would face, which Nintendo will likely aim to avoid when they eventually launch the Switch 2.

Meager Launch Lineup

Initially, potential problems might surface upon examining the lineup of games to be released alongside the system at its launch. Despite Nintendo unveiling a number of highly anticipated titles for the 3DS during E3, such as the remake of Ocarina of Time, new installments in Animal Crossing and Mario Kart series, and a long-awaited reboot of Kid Icarus, none were scheduled to debut on the system’s launch day. In fact, most wouldn’t become available until several months after the system had been released.

Instead, Nintendo introduced the 3DS into the market alongside a few humorous but somewhat limited pre-installed apps such as Face Raiders, and three relatively minor games: Nintendogs + Cats, Pilotwings Resort, and the submarine sim Steel Diver. With no high-profile first-party game launching alongside the system, it was left to third-party developers to provide more content. Unfortunately, their contributions were not particularly compelling either, with a re-release of the longstanding Street Fighter IV receiving the most notice.

Initially, the handheld device failed to capture the interest of people right away. Although the 3DS hardware was innovative, it launched without a standout game that compelled players to upgrade, causing many to postpone their purchase until later–a scenario Nintendo will strive to prevent when they eventually release the Switch 2.

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Price

As a passionate Nintendo enthusiast, I can’t help but feel that one of their missteps was the pricing of the 3DS system. By 2011, the last version of the Nintendo DS line, the DSi XL, was selling for around $170. Given Nintendo’s historical approach to pricing its handheld devices, I, along with many other industry experts, anticipated that the 3DS would be priced somewhere near $200. However, I, like many others, were taken aback when it was revealed that the 3DS would retail for a hefty $250 – a $80 increase over the DSi XL’s price.

It was challenging for customers to reconcile the high cost of the 3DS without actually trying it out, as the unique selling point – its glasses-free stereoscopic 3D effects – were hard to fully grasp through description alone. This meant that potential buyers needed to hold the device and witness the 3D effect firsthand. However, even this hands-on experience may not have been as captivating as Nintendo anticipated, with the novelty of the feature eventually being downplayed in later versions of the platform. Additionally, the initial games released for the system, while visually superior to the DS, did not offer an impressive enough visual display to convince consumers about the system’s price justification.

Missing Features

At the concluding point of the press conference, it became apparent that the 3DS’s characteristics, particularly its deficiencies, were the main concern. Despite the planned launch in March, the Nintendo eShop, its online marketplace, would not debut until June 2011 – a delay of three months. Furthermore, while Nintendo had previously emphasized the 3DS’s potential to play 3D movies at E3, they failed to provide any updates on this feature during the January press event. This lack of information gave the impression that the company was hastily releasing the handheld device before it was fully prepared.

Combining these errors, the 3DS started off on a bumpy journey upon its release in March, with sales causing such concern that Nintendo reduced the system’s price by $80 USD just seven months later. This is quite remarkable as the Nintendo Switch, even after almost eight years, hasn’t experienced a similar price drop yet. To show appreciation to those who bought the 3DS at its original cost, Nintendo offered a unique perk through an “Ambassador Program,” providing 20 free NES and Game Boy Advance Virtual Console games as a gesture of goodwill.

After making significant changes, the 3DS sales significantly improved. By the time Nintendo ceased support for the platform in 2019, the entire 3DS series had sold approximately 76 million units – an impressive figure, but still less than half of the 154 million units sold by the original DS line. Whether the system could have achieved greater success throughout its lifetime with a more seamless debut is uncertain, but it’s evident that overcoming initial setbacks can be challenging, and very few platforms fully recover from a rocky beginning.

Nintendo, with its rich history of both triumphant and less successful hardware releases, is certainly mindful of potential challenges in launching a new system. The president of the company, Shuntaro Furukawa, has emphasized numerous times the importance of making it easy for Switch owners to transition to the next console. He points out that Nintendo Account will play a key role in this strategy. Similar to the 3DS, the upcoming Switch successor is expected to be compatible with its predecessor. Nintendo has already confirmed that the new system will run original Switch games, ensuring it starts off with a rich collection of titles (with major ones like Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and Pokemon Legends: Z-A still scheduled for release later this year).

Contrary to the analogous predicament it currently faces, Nintendo is in a more advantageous position now compared to when the 3DS was initially launched. This improvement is evident in the company’s public statements suggesting that the Switch 2 will build upon its predecessor rather than starting anew as has been Nintendo’s typical approach with new platforms. In contrast to previous generations, every system Nintendo has released thus far has had a unique online service and digital marketplace. This meant that for each new platform, Nintendo effectively started from ground zero. The Wii serves as a striking example: Despite accumulating an extensive library of classic Virtual Console games over its lifespan, when the Wii U was introduced, Nintendo had to restart the process of releasing these games again–albeit at its usual leisurely pace–on the Wii U’s digital storefront.

Moving forward, it won’t be different as Nintendo Switch Online will also be accessible on Switch 2, as confirmed by Furukawa. Over the last seven years, this subscription service has grown an extensive library of classic games across its standard and Expansion Pack offerings. Consequently, users of Switch 2 can expect immediate access to a trove of timeless titles upon purchase, and a compelling incentive to maintain their subscription to the service.

It remains to be seen if the Switch 2 will achieve success upon release, but it seems that Nintendo is learning from past errors and making efforts to prevent a repeat of issues that plagued their previous gaming systems.

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2025-01-15 23:39