TheNintendo Switch 2has been a long time coming. As the successor to Nintendo’s most successful console, there were high hopes for theSwitch 2in spite of Nintendo’s reluctance to discuss it. It didn’t help that it apparently got delayed internally for several years, resulting in an abnormally long Switch generation that produced just enough heavy-hitters to stay afloat. However, the Nintendo Switch 2 has finally arrived, and players all around the world have checked in to see if it was worth the years of hushed rumors and hype.
Launching alongsideMario Kart World, the first round of Nintendo Switch Online GameCube titles, several high-profile ports likeCyberpunk 2077, and upgrades for Switch 1 games likeThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, it’s evident that the Nintendo Switch 2 was worth the wait. Not only is theSwitch 2 the fastest-selling console ever, with 3.5 million sales globally in four days, it’s also dethroned the PlayStation 4’s U.S. launch week record with 1.1 million units as well. With so many accolades, it’s almost strange to recall the anxiety present at the Switch 2’s launch.
Why There Were Worries That The Switch 2 Would Be Another Wii U
Excitement for the second Switch never ran dry, but there were successive waves of worry in its lead-up, some involving unflattering comparisons to Nintendo’s Wii U. Released in 2012, the Wii U had an unusually poor run for a Nintendo console, getting its generationcut short in 2017 to make room for the Switch. Despite following up the Nintendo Wii, which broke the hundred million sales barrier, the Wii U was last reported in December 2019 to have sold 13.56 units, putting it below even the GameCube’s roughly-22 million lifetime global sales.
Issues Shared Between The Wii U And The Switch 2
The Wii U’s flaws can largely be distilled down to two main points. First, the similar name and shape between the Wii andthe Wii U caused customer confusion, something that fans feared would repeat with the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. Second, and perhaps the most devastating, was a lack of strong exclusives. BesidesMario Kart 8, nothing on this platform reached the heights of sales or novelty that Nintendo fans are normally used to, likely due to Nintendo getting used to its first HD-capable hardware. As the Nintendo Switch 2 represents another leap in power and has a weak first-party launch line-up, fears that it was another Wii U case were justified.
How The Nintendo Switch 2 Defied Its Wii U Legacy
Nintendo Learned From The Wii U’s Mistakes
In spite of that, and the Nintendo Switch 2’s price jump to $450 USD, those Wii U fears are currently unfounded. The Nintendo Switch 2 is on track to outsell the Wii U within its first few years, even accounting for a steeper drop off than normal because of its higher price. Even though theNintendo Switch 2 looks and sounds closer to the Switchthan the Wii U did to the Wii, Nintendo ensured Switch 2 marketing established the console’s identity. Furthermore, launching withMario Kart Worldmeans the Switch 2 already has a guaranteed system-seller in place.
Nintendo can’t celebrate just yet, asMario Kart World, and the upcomingDonkey Kong Bananza, won’t be enough to dissuade criticism about the Switch 2 lacking exclusives. The console’s higher price and more frequent use ofthe $70 and $80 USD price tagsalso aren’t doing it any favors, so Nintendo will need to keep its quality high, as well as reintroduce some generosity like the game voucher program or Gold Points, to keep players coming back. Even if everything goes according to plan, theNintendo Switch 2may still be looking at a shorter sales tail than the Switch, but at least it is unlikely to share the Wii U’s fate.
