Nintendo has seen one hell of a turnaround this year. After spending the last five years or so in the doldrums with lackluster sales numbers for the Wii U, it’s seen a dramatic upswing with the Nintendo Switch, which has already sold more than eight million systems in just over six months.
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There are games that can be credited to that success, like the amazing Super Mario Odyssey and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, along with third party releases like Doom and Skyrim, and plenty of great indie titles. And that’s not counting the other games that aren’t mentioned here.
But there’s some pressure on Nintendo to improve upon things in 2018. We already know about a few games coming, like Kirby, Yoshi, and possibly Metroid Prime 4 and Pokemon, depending on their development cycles. (And we can hold out hope for a new Smash.) But where else can Nintendo make improvements to make 2018 its biggest year for the Switch to date?
We’ve got a few suggestions on what can be done. Check them out below!
System Storage
One of the biggest issues that the Nintendo Switch is going to run into eventually (if it hasn’t already) is system storage. A few third-party releases won’t even run on the Switch unless you’ve got an external memory card with an ample amount of space.
For 2018, Nintendo needs to find a solution that will allow games to run with more ease on the system. An external storage plan may be the best way to go, though some players may be bothered with carrying around a hard drive with their system. (Unless they have a fanny pack or something.)
Then there’s the next logical choice – bigger microSD cards. These are the storage format that Nintendo opted to go with, and they make sense, but there’s only so much storage they have. Nintendo could consider doing some research alongside SanDisk or another SD card manufacturer to offer a bigger storage solution. We’re talking around 1TB.
Now, games may take a bit longer to load with a bigger storage set-up – we’re aware of that technical setback. But it would make it easier to store your game library, instead of having to delete and re-download everything.
Rolling Out Its Online Network
Nintendo has done a good job with its online functionality with the Switch, even though there are still a few hoops to jump through when it comes to inviting friends to certain games, like FIFA 18. With the Nintendo Online network set to roll out next year, Nintendo needs to make sure it has everything set to go.
So what can it do? Simple – beta rollout. Nintendo needs to gradually introduce its Online network so that it knows just what its services are capable of, justifying that $20 annual membership cost. It’s got the pricing right; now it just needs to make sure that its services are up to snuff.
Also, it needs to simplify its voice chat features. Splatoon 2 demonstrates an over-complicated system in which you have to have an elaborate set-up just to talk with fellow players. Nintendo should consider talking with third-party peripheral makers (Turtle Beach, LucidSound, etc.) to create a much better system where it’s a matter of plugging and playing. It’s easier said than done, but players like it that way – and the current chat set-up is anything but.
More Third-Party Support
Nintendo’s third-party support may not quite be where it needs to be, but it’s getting significantly better. That’s mainly due to Bethesda, supporting the console with stellar ports of Skyrim and Doom, and promising that Wolfenstein II will kick major ass next year.
But more is needed. Now that third-parties can see the value of the Nintendo Switch from sales, Nintendo needs to work closer with them to assure that their games are well-supported by the hardware. We know that Rockstar Games and Electronic Arts are on board, and Activision will eventually get there again. Now it’s time for the publisher to partner up and really bring the big hits the system needs in 2018. And maybe even some surprises, like Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle was.
Netflix and Other Streaming Services
This top streaming channel eventually makes its way to gaming hardware, in one form or another. Even PS Vita and the Wii U have it. So why doesn’t the Nintendo Switch?
Some have said that it’s a matter of getting the app set up properly, but it can be done, as we’ve seen from the Hulu app that debuted earlier this month. Perhaps Nintendo’s just waiting for the right time to introduce it – like right before the holidays.
2018 will more than likely be the year we see more services for the Switch, including Netflix, Amazon and YouTube. It’s just a matter of how quickly the publisher can get them in place – and that they make proper use of the Switch hardware.
More Love For The Classics
Finally, Nintendo has a major classic game library that could find a home on the Switch. We haven’t seen the introduction of a Virtual Console service yet, but we have heard about classics-on-demand that will be introduced with the Nintendo Online Network. Not to mention the fact that the Arcade Archives series has given us a handful of Neo-Geo classics and Mario Bros.
But 2018 has to be the year that Nintendo goes all in with its classics. Introduce the GameCube line-up that it’s been hinting at for quite some time (like F-Zero X, pictured above). Mix up its on-demand channel with not just NES games, but also SNES and possibly Nintendo 64. And offer up more Arcade Archives favorites – we’ve already heard about Vs. Super Mario Bros. coming our way.
If Nintendo can embrace its love for the classics as it has in its specialized hardware – the NES Classic and SNES Classic Editions, namely – then it could bring in more players for its Switch audience. And more is definitely the way to go these days.
