For business history, the generations of the consoles are not that hard to understand. Generation 1 is tough because there isn’t much data and the consoles are so spread out over time. Generation 7 is tough because many people, even today, do not understand the DS and Wii. But Generation 9 could be the toughest.
Can we compare the Switch to the Wii? What about comparing the Switch to the DS? Or perhaps we should compare Switch to DS + Wii.
The Wii was not a handheld. The DS could not plug into your TV. How do we compare the them? Just because it has a Nintendo logo on the console doesn’t mean we can compare them directly.
My brother in law is buying my three nephews three Switches for Christmas. With the Wii, it was only one Wii for the three, but three DS systems. You see how hard it is to do comparisons with Switch and prior Nintendo hardware? How should we look at it?
What I *LOVE* is the NES and SNES Mini systems of Generation 9. These ARE consoles, yet you cannot change the games on them. They are modernized Gen 1 consoles like PONG Collection boxes! I love it! It IS hardware that is a proper video game console. NES Mini IS competing with PlayStation 4.
Since people come here for a Nintendo business analysis, let me put on my hat for you guys.
*puts on hat*
Analyzing the current market is extremely uninteresting to me currently. You’re not going to hear me say much about it.
“Why is that?” you ask.
The macro-economics have changed. The economies are now ‘good’. Bull time. This means EVERYTHING sells, well, more than before. Wii U came out during a bad economy. But the Gamecube was during a GOOD economy. Wii straddled both good and bad economies. Switch came out at the right time to really take advantage of the economy. PlayStation 4 is also greatly benefitting.
Because of our economic good fortune, I expect 2019 to having really shitty games appear. I’m just worried that Nintendo will get a big head and start putting out crap then as well. “You want another great Zelda game like Breath of the Wild? Nonsense. Here is a remake of Marvelous with a Zelda skin!” “Metroid Other M 2!” “Super Peach Odyssey: the Year of Peach!” “Ten Fire Emblem Games.”