Other Parties Are Content to Wait and See Which First-Party Titles Will Champion Switch and Its Mobile Aspect
A few days ago, it was confirmed that the Nintendo Switch has succeeded as Nintendo’s fastest-selling console ever. 2.4 million units in one week speak volumes on behalf of the company. Yet one publisher felt compelled to push the point home. Christian Stevenson, COO at Sixfoot Publishing, had a lot to say about the system’s potential.
In an interview with Polygon, Stevenson spoke at length about the Nintendo Switch’s portability and how that can champion the console’s longevity.
“The fact that it is trying to be a portable and a home console all in one package — first of all, it’s an easy sell from a value for money family purchase standpoint. You know, I just think that if you looked at it only as a portable system, it’s probably the best portable that has ever been. And if you look at it as a home system, it’s capable, is probably the best way I’d put it. In that regard, I think the adoption is going to be broader than the Wii U was.”
Nintendo Switch’s portability and HD Rumble provide plenty of pull. Yet the system is competing with its own peer, the Nintendo 3DS. Yes, people can play anywhere, but as Co-founder of Die Gut Fabrik Douglas points out, the console needs titles that fully utilize its features and functions:
“…I guess the question is, will their first- and second-party games really push the local multiplayer, travel with it wherever [idea]? And I guess that’s why I’m surprised they didn’t lead with a weird co-op Pokemon or a Smash Bros. or something. Because that seems like it would have really sold this idea of play with people wherever.”
However, Stevenson mentioned Nintendo Switch’s better prospects for third-party support. Its design provides a steadier stream of games than its predecessors.
“Our reasons for [porting Rime] were we wanted to reach a broad audience, and it’s the type of game that feels like it belongs on a Nintendo platform. I don’t know that you could say that for every game out there. Everyone’s gotta have their own reasons for porting. From a technical perspective, the amount of work is not trivial. There are definitely easier platforms to get to. Without getting into details, a lot of it has to do with RAM limitations relative to the PS4 and Xbox One, as an example. So it’s a trickier — even notwithstanding processing differentials between those platforms. As far as why more people are doing it, here’s an obvious one: better support for certain engines. Obviously Unreal never existed on Wii U or 3DS, and it exists — or will more properly exist eventually — on Switch. … That’s a huge thing. I think there are certain tools that exist on Switch, for performance and optimization, that never existed on Nintendo platforms before. It’s a huge step forward on those fronts. So maybe that’s what’s giving developers a little more confidence to say, “You know what? We can figure this out. We’re not sort of feeling our way through the dark.”
We still don’t have a release date for
Let us know your thoughts on Nintendo Switch and its place as a portable console champion. Do you agree with any of the publishers’ statements? Comment down below.