Bloomberg has recently chatted with Toan Tran of investment manager, 10 West Advisors to discuss the Nintendo Switch system and its future. Mr. Tran believes that Nintendo should follow Apple’s iPhone model to some degree with the Switch system. Updating the base hardware every few years with new and more powerful hardware while retaining current customers with full Switch system backwards compatibility. This is how he believes it should work.
That kind of perpetual platform model already exists: Apple Inc.’s iPhone. Like the smartphone, new versions of the Switch could be backwards-compatible with all games released so far while becoming more powerful and feature-rich. That would keep customers locked into Nintendo’s entertainment ecosystem — on top of its exclusive first-party titles — while making profits and sales more predictable.
However, this model would break Nintendo’s long-term thinking in that each full hardware transition should offer consumers something new and innovative using new technology at their disposal rather than relying on major CPU and GPU power boosts like Sony and Microsoft. But it would put investors minds at ease that the next system wouldn’t turn out to be a commercial failure like the Wii U.
“With every console generation, the install base resets to zero and their earnings power essentially resets to zero,” said Toan Tran of investment manager 10 West Advisors. He says Nintendo can break free by releasing a new and more powerful iteration of the Switch every few years. “They can continuously have an install base of say 100 million consoles out there, that just moves along over time.”
Honestly, sounds like a plan to me. I’d buy an upgraded switch in a heartbeat, but far less likely to buy if they return to a normal console route, especially something off the wall like the Wii or Wii U. Switch just hits every button for me.
Yea I feel they’ve found the right product with the switch. I would not be happy if they changed it in the next console platform. The switch is everything I’ve ever wanted being a mainly handheld gamer. All I need is more power honestly.
I agree.
Nintendo could make the Switch into a whole SERIES of consoles, because aside from hardware (and/or graphical) improvements, I don’t see how Nintendo could innovate any further than Hybrid Console gaming.
It would make sense that they go the Smartphone/PC route and release multiple types throughout the years and each would range between the current model to High-end models.
They’re already making a fortune with the Switch, so why not make more by giving people the option to buy the best (and/or cheapest) models?
Nintendo literally did this for over a decade. The GameCube 3 wasn’t exactly a success…
This is also literally what Sony and Microsoft are doing atm.
GameCube 3? Are you referring to the Wii U?
yes, the WiiU used the same architecture as the GameCube/Wii. Which is why it could natively play Wii game and even GameCube games if you digitally installed them.
An upgraded Switch every few years would be great for me. I’m kinda sad it hasn’t already been done, but I agree that the idea of the Switch should stick around. It’s easily the most I’ve enjoyed any Nintendo console in recent years. Nintendo still has a lot I want to see improved with the Switch and I hope to see it before they get any ideas about something else.
That’s basically how the GB to GBA worked and even the DS to New 3DS. So it’s probably safe to say the Switch “Pro”, Switch 2 and Switch 2 Pro will all be backwards compatible.
Every phone Manufacturer updates their models every year, actually, i think that a Console plan from Nintendo that could update their plataform every 3-4 years, with backward compatibility, and mantaining support for two generations could be a great idea…
At the end, your collection of games stays with you, and you’ll have to put 350$ every 3-4 years, sometimes skipping a generation.
The difference being that the Switch would be 4.5 years old before the Switch Pro releases while the iPhone releases new models on an annual basis. People saying Nintendo did the same with the Wii when there was a 5 year gap have no idea what they’re talking about.
If I can easily transfer my saved photos/videos/game collection/save files/friend list then this would work. The problem is it isn’t easy.
Oh please NO. Phones release new models way too often and the changes are so minimal it’s practically pointless. That is one thing Nintendo should NOT do.
Ok, so we’ll have a switch with a camera,
And then will get a newer switch with a better camera and then another new switch with an even better camera, and then another with an even, even better camera.
You get the picture.
” you get the picture”….. No pun intended? :D
I think this is a bad idea for Nintendo to do. its going to be a bit strange and disappointing.
Whatever they are doing, it will have the best games as always.
F=MA.
Yes….. They should make a switch pro, and a switch x
I mean… that didn’t work well with the Wii U, did it?
If I could transfer my whole profile, that meaning all saved data and play times and everything that’s on my Switch right now, to the new one, then I would consider it.
If they do this, they could even patch games to run better in future revisions. Imagine bad games like ARK finally running well on another platform without having to develop the game again
Those financial analysts probably haven’t touched a game in their entire lives. Back compatibility is nice to have but it is not the main reason why players opt for a certain system. It is the new games.
The only reason why I would love to have the successor of the Switch to be backward compatible is because I do not want more ports on the Switch Pro/2. By allowing it it to be backward compatible people can play the plethora of ports that came out on Switch which in turn make way for Nintendo to make NEW games.
While I’d love that, it’ll never happen in a million years because it would ruin Nintendo’s main business model of charging people $60 for slightly enhanced versions of games they’ve already bought.
(Looking at you, New Super Mario Bros U ~Deluxe~, Super Mario 3D World ~Deluxe~, Mario Kart 8 ~Deluxe~, Pikmin 3 ~Deluxe~, Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze, Hyrule Warriors ~Definitive Edition~, the list goes on and on…)