Former Nintendo executive surprised by Switch 2 launch lineup

Even former Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime was surprised by the somewhat sparse launch lineup for the Nintendo Switch 2.

“I wouldn't be completely honest if (I didn't say) that from a business perspective, when I first saw this lineup, I was kind of scratching my head,” Fils-Aime said in an interview. Fils Aimé served as President and Chief Operating Officer of Nintendo of America from 2006 until his retirement in 2019. gaming business. “But I think I definitely underestimated the enhanced performance, the enhanced Nintendo Switch 1 content, which I think is compelling. The stuff that you get for free as part of a Nintendo Switch Online subscription, I think that helps drive some momentum. And certainly Bananza is a key driver for them.”

When the original Switch launched in 2017, it came with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, which was joined by Super Mario Odyssey later that year. The highlight of Switch 2 will be “Mario Kart World” in June 2025, followed a month later by “Donkey Kong Bananza”. While many didn't consider these games to be system sellers, they were all well received by players and critics alike.

Fils-Aime attributed the Switch 2's successful launch to Nintendo's global team, noting that “it was quite a challenge to be able to successfully launch a new system after the historic success of the previous system.” He cited several examples, including Nintendo's less successful Wii U, which followed the Wii.

Earlier this year, Phils-Aimee seems to disagree Nintendo has decided to charge $10 for the Switch 2 Welcome Pack. As a comparison, he compared it to his decision to release Wii Sports in North America as a game included with the Wii console. Fils-Aime predicts 2022 to be led by slew of studio acquisitions by Sony and Microsoft Senior designer leaves and launch their own innovative games. There are a number of high-profile directors and designers leaving big companies, but Fiers Aimé points out in a new interview that they lacked innovation.

“I do hope the industry doesn’t stagnate,” Fiers-Aime said. “Sometimes, there are signs that innovation isn't there. Breakthrough new content seems a little far away. That worries me, and I hope that doesn't stop.”