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Global Marketing

Nintendo Switch: The switch to a portable gaming console

Nintendo is a multinational company that manufactures, develops home entertainment products such as Nintendo Switch. Fusajiro Yamauchi founded Nintendo in 1889 in Japan. Ever since its launch, the brand has released many products over the years, such as Game Boy, Nintendo DS, Wii, and Nintendo Switch. Nintendo is ranked the third biggest video game company. In this post, we will be looking at how Nintendo Switch became one of their best products globally. 

Nintendo Switch came out on March 3, 2017. It is a video gaming console that can be docked and used at home as a home entertainment console, or it can be a portable console. 

Having a hybrid product like this that small, portable, but flexible if you want to use it at home has contributed to Nintendo Switch’s success. Nintendo Switch became one of the fast-selling consoles. In 2018, they topped the charts by selling the most games than any other publisher, and 6 of the games that made it to the Top 20 were exclusive to Nintendo Switch. But why is Nintendo Switch selling like hotcakes? In the below image, you can see the global sales numbers for Nintendo Switch. North America has the highest sales numbers, and Europe and Japan sales numbers are following closely behind. What does Nintendo owe its global success?

One of the main reasons is Nintendo Switch is a flexible product that can be hooked up to your TV or you can play it on the go. Having the options to use your Nintendo Switch anywhere you want can attract a lot of consumers, especially if they are looking for their console to function as both. You can get more value for your money. They have also developed iconic characters with their games, such as Super Mario, Legend of Zelda, the Pokemon franchise, and more. With developing Super Smash Bros Ultimate, they were able to add many iconic Nintendo characters into one game which can be very sentimental for the fans. Releasing exclusive games to Nintendo Switch can attract a lot of consumers. If consumers wanted to play Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, they had to purchase Nintendo Switch to be able to play. Having exclusive games that can be played on one specific type of product can contribute to the sale numbers of Nintendo Switch. Another thing that Nintendo Switch was able to utilize to their advantage has very fun and relatable release videos. The first look video for Nintendo Switch shows you all the different ways you can enjoy the product in various social settings, making it very relatable to the consumers. 

First Look

They also released another launch video at the 2017 Super Bowl. It is clear from these videos that they show people having fun at various ages, various settings, and conditions. Their target audience can be at any age and any gender. They did not market the product to a narrow consumer segment.

2017 Super Bowl Commercial

In the portable gaming space, they do not have much competition. Their product is definitely unique and can be used by anyone and anywhere. With their global marketing strategy, they were able to sell a lot of units. Nintendo is planning on releasing Nintendo Switch 2 later this year, 2021. Will they be able to keep up their global success with their Nintendo Switch 2? Only time will tell!