Nintendo on making Switch appealing among a broader consumer base
During the Q&A portion of Nintendo’s latest financial results briefing, the company was asked about any issues / risk factors now that weren’t considered before launch. This prompted managing executive officer Shinya Takahashi, senior executive officer Ko Shiota, and Shigeru Miyamoto to talk about the need to increase the appeal of Switch to all age groups, regardless of gender.
Miyamoto commented on this as well, and said something interesting. Nintendo wants each individual person to own a Switch as opposed to every family in general.
Below are the full comments from Takahashi, Shiota, and Miyamoto:
Takahashi:
Nintendo Switch with its “anytime, anywhere, with anyone” concept is being used by people around the world in a variety of places, and all those various people are finding creative ways to facilitate their gameplay. In that sense, Nintendo Switch is being used in many unexpected ways, which is extremely pleasant for us. Up until now, there have been many alluring software titles for game enthusiasts. But the question going forward is how to convey the allure of Nintendo Switch to a wider range of age groups, regardless of gender. We introduced Nintendo Labo the other day as one way of addressing that issue. By creating an environment where parents and children can play together, and where children can play under adult supervision, we hope to gain even the interest of people like mothers. Going forward, I really want to convey the allure of Nintendo Switch to people in younger age groups and older age groups.
Shiota:
I also believe a major challenge will be to popularize Nintendo Switch among a broader consumer base. Consumers are utilizing the varied potential of Nintendo Switch and using the product in places and situations we never envisioned. From the standpoint of a Nintendo Switch hardware developer, I would love to continue with efforts to broaden the consumer base by leveraging the special features of Nintendo Switch to introduce new forms of play that integrate hardware and software, like the other day’s announcement of Nintendo Labo. We want to invent ways to squeeze as much play as possible out of Nintendo Switch.
Miyamoto:
In terms of corporate activity, there are a variety of risk factors, but if we can popularize Nintendo Switch among a broader consumer base I think most of the problems will be resolved. The marketing strategy going forward is to instill a desire to purchase Nintendo Switch among a wide consumer base in all the regions of Japan, the US, and Europe. Our ultimate ambition is for a Nintendo Switch to be owned not just by every family, but by every single person. The biggest attraction of Nintendo Switch is that the console can be carried around and used easily for competitive gameplay via local wireless connection. If consumers come to take it for granted that everybody has a Nintendo Switch, then we can create new and very Nintendo genres of play, and Nintendo Switch can have a life apart from smart devices and other video game systems. Expanding the Nintendo Switch world this way is a means of eliminating risk.
