Nintendo 2021: another phenomenal year for Switch, but will its success continue?
Nintendo Switch sales show no signs of slowing down any time soon
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Nintendo couldn’t have asked for a better 2021, really. The company saw phenomenal sales of itsNintendo Switchconsole, which helped it fend off new competition fromSony’sPS5andMicrosoft Xbox Series X/S consoles.
TheSwitch has currently sold 92.87 million units, which means it’s now less than 10 million sales from matching theWii’s impressive total of 101.64 million. With the software Nintendo has lined up for next year, along with the introduction of theNintendo Switch OLED, the hybrid console will likely exceed that number by the end of 2022.
According toFamitsu, the Nintendo Switch has now topped 20 million sales in Japan alone, making it only the fifth system to do so. The other four platforms include theNintendo DS, Nintendo Game Boy/Color,Nintendo 3DS, andPS2, all of which went on to become the best-selling consoles of all time.
Superb software drives Switch’s success
Of course, it’s Nintendo’s exclusive games that continue to drive Switch sales, primarily. Nintendo’s evergreen software, likeMario Kart 8 DeluxeandAnimal Crossing: New Horizons, sold extremely well throughout 2021, topping 35 million units each. New titles likeMonster Hunter Rise, WarioWare: Get It Together,Metroid Dread,Mario Party Superstars, and Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl also ensured Nintendo gamers had plenty to sink their time into this year.
Nintendo did a great job of reinvigorating its older titles, too, as 2021 saw the release of the finalSuper Smash Bros. Ultimatecharacter DLC in the form of Kingdom Hearts’Sora. Nintendo’s all-star brawler has sold a staggering 25.71 million units overall, and the game’s crossover-heavy DLC announcements have continued to provide fans with new content to enjoy.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons also received a significant new piece of DLC.Animal Crossing: New Horizons – Happy Home Paradisewas released in October and ensured that the 35 million people who picked up Nintendo’s quirky title had hours of new content to play. Sadly, Nintendo still hasn’t released anyMario Kart 8 Deluxe DLC, despite it being a golden opportunity to do so. We can only hope that Nintendo hasMarioKart 9 waiting in the pit stop for a release in the next couple of years.
A new subscription tier and Switch hardware
Happy Home Paradise’s launch coincided with Nintendo’s new premium online subscription tier,Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack, and the DLC was included for free to sweeten the deal. Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack addedN64and Sega Genesis / Mega Drive games to Nintendo’s online offering. However, it got off to a rocky start due to its high price tag andemulation issuesthat ranged from input lag to distorted audio.
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The most significant release in October for Nintendo, though, was the Nintendo SwitchOLED, a significantly refined and improved version of its existing hardware. The console’s biggest selling point is its gorgeous, 7-inchOLEDdisplay, capable of perfect blacks and far more vibrant colors than the older LCD panel. It also includes an improved kickstand, enhanced speakers, and more internal storage.
The Nintendo Switch OLED model is now the fourth iteration of the Switch so far. The original Switch hardware was upgraded in 2019 to a version with significantly better battery life, and theNintendo Switch Lite, a portable-only version, was released in May 2018. It means consumers now have a wider choice when it comes to purchasing Switch hardware, though aNintendo Switch Pro-like device that’s capable of4Kstill hasn’t manifested itself yet.
Stiff competition arrives in 2022
But can Nintendo continue its hot streak in 2022? Well, it’s fair to say that the Nintendo Switch hasn’t faced any direct competition in the handheld space during its time on sale, mobile gaming aside. The PS5 and Xbox Series X may be considerably more powerful and offer games that simply aren’t possible on Switch, but neither benefits from the hybrid nature of Nintendo’s console, which has seen increased popularity during the pandemic.
However, in February 2022, Valve’sSteam Deckis set to release and offer Nintendo its stiffest competition yet. The portable PC is far more powerful than Nintendo’s hardware and is bolstered by theSteamstore, which offers games for considerably lower prices than theNintendo Switch eShop. It will also let PC gamers dive into their existing library of games, which could be why many decided to pick one up.
That doesn’t necessarily mean the Steam Deck will easily eclipse the Switch, though. Nintendo has historically overcome more powerful portables thanks to its excellent first-party software. ThePlayStation PortableandPS Vitawere vastly superior to Nintendo’s hardware but couldn’t replicate the success Nintendo had with the Nintendo DS and Nintendo 3DS. Nintendo’s domination eventually led to Sony pulling out of the handheld market completely.
Unfortunately for Valve, a similar situation could occur. Nintendo still has the release ofTears of the Kingdomto come, which is likely to be another phenomenal sales success for the Kyoto-based company. Nintendo’s software lineup will also be bolstered by major exclusives such asSplatoon 3,Pokémon Legends Arceus,Advance Wars 1 + 2 Re-Boot Camp,Kirby and the Forgotten Land, andBayonetta 3, which means 2022 could be an even better year for Switch games than 2021 was.
It’s unlikely that Nintendo will be phased by the Steam Deck, then, even though Valve’s portable will instantly appeal to consumers who have been hoping Nintendo would deliver a more powerful piece of hardware. Ultimately, it’s games that sell consoles, and 2022 is shaping up to be one of the strongest years for software releases since the Switch’s fantastic launch lineup in 2017.
Adam was formerly TRG’s Hardware Editor. A law graduate with an exceptional track record in content creation and online engagement, Adam has penned scintillating copy for various technology sites and also established his very own award-nominated video games website. He’s previously worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor and once played Halo 5: Guardians for over 51 hours for charity. He is now an editor at The Shortcut.
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