Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa recently sat down with Japanese publication Nikkei to discuss, among other things, Nintendo’s plans for the Switch and console development.
Nikkei noted that both the Wii and DS peaked about four years into their respective lifecycles, and asked how the Switch compares now that it’s been out for the same amount of time. Furukawa replied that one of Nintendo’s “focal points is ensuring [the Switch] has a long lifecycle,” and that it’s important that consumers continue enjoying the console, regardless of whether they bought their Switch at launch or alongside recent game releases. He also noted that Nintendo wants to create new gameplay experiences for all Switch owners.
When asked if Nintendo “could take steps to extend the hardware’s lifecycle,” Furukawa said yes:
“I always say that the Switch is around the middle [stage] of its lifecycle. We’re able to offer a wide variety of different games because the Switch is both a home and portable console, but there’s much more that can still be done in the coming years.”
Whether this means that an upgraded version of the Switch (a “Switch Pro” or something similar) could be in the works is unclear. The release of the Switch Lite certainly seems to fall in line with Nintendo’s desire to extend the lifespan of the console and play on its hybrid handheld/home console quality, but doesn’t guarantee that the company is ready to go all-in on a graphically and technically superior new model of Switch.
Interestingly, Furukawa stated that Nintendo doesn’t develop consoles “with a target time period in mind” — which seems to suggest they don’t consider their consoles to have a limited lifecycle of a certain number of years — but that they’re always doing technical and market research. He claims the company’s hardware and software teams, which are located in the same building and constantly collaborating, never stop developing, implying that the creation of new consoles is fluid and happens organically. “In the end, the thing that makes an idea a reality is whether we can offer a new experience or not,” said Furukawa.
What do you want to see from the future of the Switch? An upgraded model? Particular features that the console doesn’t currently have? Let us know below.
Source: Nintendo Everything
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