Nintendo on difference between Switch and past platforms, what the focus is for next-gen
One of the questions that popped up during Nintendo’s financial results briefing Q&A this week is what the difference has been between Switch and the company’s past platforms, and what is being emphasized in its research and development of a next-generation platform. President Shuntaro Furukawa weighed in.
Furukawa brought up how Nintendo now has an integrated a handheld system and a home console system. By implementing that, Switch has been able to receive a steady stream of content.
As for next-gen, Furukawa pointed out the importance of providing fun and surprising entertainment, continuing the integrated hardware-software business, and featuring Nintendo Accounts.
Furukawa’s full words:
The major difference between Nintendo Switch and past platforms is that we have integrated a handheld system and a home console system, which in the past were two separate platforms. That allowed software development resources to be concentrated on Nintendo Switch. We have been able to release a continual stream of new titles, and one result is a longer life cycle compared to past platforms.
Looking to the future, the most important thing for Nintendo is that we provide people with distinctively Nintendo entertainment that is fun and surprising in new ways. At the current time, we believe that our integrated hardware-software dedicated video game platform business is the optimal way to continue to offer our unique entertainment, and that policy will continue to guide our research and development initiatives going forward.
Another difference from past platforms is that we have been working with DeNA to spread the use of Nintendo Account since before the launch of Nintendo Switch. Nintendo Accounts are an important touch point for maintaining long-term connections with our consumers. They can be used when consumers migrate to new hardware. Furthermore, they are also an important way for us to reconnect with people who have been taking a break from video games for a while and then, at some point, become interested in the unique entertainment that Nintendo has to offer. From that perspective, I believe that Nintendo Accounts will continue to be important going forward.
