Can Nintendo ACTUALLY Repeat the Switch's Success? 

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The Nintendo Flip. It's a TV console, It's a handheld console, It's a skateboard! How radical?!

I hope whatever Nintendo's next console is doesn't completely reinvent the wheel. If all they do is a more powerful Switch, that's all I want. The Switch is too fun to leave behind already

They literally only have to do 3 things to guarantee another huge success: 1. Full switch backwards compatibility 2. Powerful enough for 3rd parties to work with for modern games 3. Continue to release great games at a steady pace They have all the momentum in the world going for them, so if they fail they only have their own incompetence to blame

i gotta admit. over 7 or 8 years being on track to outsell the PS2 is pretty incredible. i looked it up and saw that to my surprise, the ps2 was beng sold all the way up until 2013. twelve years. no wonder it did so many numbers. the fact that the switch is already on its way to overtaking it's throne in under 8 years is pretty wild. credit to nintendo.

Literally all they have to do is follow the PS1 -> PS2 model: - Full backwards compatibility with Switch 1 (digital/physical games + Switch Online). - Make it noticeably more powerful (a given) - Improve multiplayer experience (like, come on Nintendo, this is a pretty low bar) - Add non-gaming functionality that dramatically increases its value (i.e., add all the popular streaming services to the Nintendo store). That's it. I'm sure it'll be improved in other ways as well, but if these four items are addressed, Nintendo will have an easy slam dunk. That being said, this *IS* Nintendo we're talking about here, and sometimes things go a tad... sideways. Anyway, thanks Arlo, hope you're doing well!

I love my switch-but I don’t see how Nintendo can reach these heights again. The Switch was the perfect storm. Relatively easy to get near launch… lower cost than its competitors… a pandemic that launched sales again… the first major hybrid console… I don’t see all of this happening again.

They need to do exactly five things. 1. Make it ABSOLUTELY CLEAR, FROM THE GET-GO that it’s a new system. We all remember the confusion surrounding the Wii-U, especially among parents and casuals. I don’t know if slapping “Switch 2” on it is necessary, but they can’t leave it vague. 2. Backwards compatibility, and no nickel and diming people on the transfer of digital copies. If they want to charge a buck or two for each one, fine, but keep the price low and don’t lock any features behind paywalls. This transition needs to be as smooth as possible. 3. Don’t do anything heroically stupid. Keep it a handheld/console hybrid, and if they must add any goofy shit to it like experimental control schemes, make it optional. 4. Quality control! Keep the studios they own in check so that we don’t see as many bugs and slowdown issues, iron out any known hardware problems and do as much shakedown testing as possible BEFORE the drop, and don’t gaslight people when they inevitably find problems with the hardware or software. Own up to them, and fix them. 5. Keep software development sustainable. Remember how ACNL got delayed for a few months to give the people working on it time to live their lives and not cut corners trying to meet the old deadline? Remember how it resulted in a great game that didn’t have a shitload of bugs? Do that, Nintendo. Do that any time it seems like it might be necessary, because it probably will be. It may not always pay off in the short term, but it absolutely will in the long term.

Knowing Nintendo, the next console is equally like to... 1. Be everything we've ever wanted 2. Be good, I guess, it's alright but not great 3. Require you to receive a solid punch to the face in order to play it

Pokemon that looks like a PS3 game?! Damn, you are reaching high today, Arlo.

As long as they don't call the Switch 2 something stupid like the Wii U, they should be fine.

"Or a Pokemon that looks like a... PS3 game?" Gonna need a burn heal for that critical hit.

Honestly, Nintendo engineered itself into a corner with the Switch. They merged a hendheld and a home console successfully, with like half a dozen controller setups. How are they supposed to back out of this without disappointing the customer expectations that have adapted to that? The Switch is basically a borderline solved format, and anything trying to beat it can only be detail improvements. But the general format will prevail. I would be very surprised if the next console will deviate significantly from the Switch.

Arlo's the only monster I'm willing to listen talk about business for almost half an hour

I agree. I think it will be like the transition from DS to 3DS. A decent successor but still not the same success.

In 2022 there were over 72 million kids in America alone. Since the launch of the Switch, children went from age 5 to 12, age 3 to 10, from birth to age 7... I wonder how many new Switch sales are going to kids who became old enough for their first game console? Just feel like it's an interesting thing to think about. The long lifespan of the Switch made it accessible to three of my nieces/nephews, when at launch, they were too young (or not even born!).

A graphical jump is by far the easiest way to show consumers a console is genuinely new and plays new games anyhow

the reason for the switch 2 delay really could be as simple as Nintendo wanting Switch to the best selling console of all time

Calling it the Super Switch would not only be really catchy (alliteration) and immediately obvious (self-explanatory), but it would also be a cute nod to the SNES. Edit: Okay, I get it. You guys don’t like the name. I just think Switch 2 is dumb, but I can’t really come up with a better one. I’m sure Nintendo has given it plenty of thought and it will have a good name.

1. Don't bork up the branding. "Switch 2" or "Super Switch", just something clear and obviously new hardware. 2. Give the top 10+ games (and Xenoblade!) an update to run nicer on the new hardware. 3. Make sure third parties have dev kits in advance. Make it easy on the big sellers. This system should be a slam dunk.

I can't wait for the switch 2. I grew up poor, and honestly I've never had the opportunity as I grew up to get a console at launch between college and starting a family. This will be the first console I'll have ever bought on launch day. I really hope its just a more powerful Switch.

Games. That’s the key. We need a new Zelda, 3D Mario, DK, Etc. This is why the Switch hit the ground running. I didn’t buy a Wii U because all it seemingly had was ports for the longest time.

My expectation is that we'll see a 3DS situation. The original DS was a phenomenon and the 3DS had a struggle to fill it's shoes, especially with it's rough launch. But it still did eventually become a hit with some fantastic titles even if it wasn't quite as good as the original DS. I feel the Switch successor is going to be similar, I doubt it'll have the same launch issues that the 3DS had either, so it won't even has to fight as hard to get there, but I also don't think it'll sell the same numbers as the Switch.

Nintendo is the only one of the big 3 capable of repeating their success again. Mostly because they have first party titles that are only playable on Nintendo consoles and capture a big chunk of the audience. XBOX and PS first party titles are mostly just games for older players and it doesn’t help Sony that they killed most of their fun IPs to only release games like SpiderMan and live service crap.

When you realized 1. Mario kart 8 deluxe sold more copy compared to Ps5 console itself. 2. Ringfit adventure outsold any of ps5 exclusive games 3. The lowest sales number in top 10 best selling switch games is 16 Million and the higehst is 57 Million.m DAMNED

Reminder that the video game crash of '83 was mostly a North American phenomenon. Just like the layoff crisis we're seeing now, mostly confined to North America. Japanese studios like Nintendo and Capcom aren't laying off employees but are instead giving raises.

12:36 "They eased up on the weird" meanwhile showing the weirdest mario game on the switch

A nice addition would be some of the social features that systems like the 3ds had. I loved streetpass and a nice communal hub creates a fun social space. My favorite thing was getting home everyday after classes and using other people's miis in the plaza games.

Yeah, not saying the Switches are expensive, but it would be nice to see a price drop. Also, be nice to see Player Selects return? I think Nintendo could drop the price on some of their first party stuff.

Switch pro with backwards compatibility will be a money printer

Butternut Squash? Yes Please!

It's the click. That sound... Genius. I don't know why, but that Switch click is so satisfying....

As I started watching this video, my mind went back to the one you posted when the Switch came out wondering about the new generation and memorializing the Wii U era. Boy if we could throw this video in a capsule and launch it back to the past, how wild would it have been to have known what a sweeping success the Switch would be?!

23:59 BRUTAL

I feel the switch was Nintendo's second wind after the Wiiu. If they learned their lesson from being a market leader in the Wii era, they can't add more gimmicks to an already gimmicky console. The best they can do is introduce more power and quality features like chats and lobbies. A hybrid console is enough gimmick.

I like to think when the switch blew up its like the party scene in wolf of wall street but with japanese men.

"Imagine a Pokemon that looks like a PS3 game" 😭😭😭

I like when Arlo tells video game business bedtime stories.

Okay, this is getting scary. EVERY SINGLE DAY that I wonder “Gee, it’s been a while since Arlo’s uploaded a video,” he uploads one later that day. I was just thinking that this morning.

The ~140 Million units were as of December 2023. Their upcoming fiscal year shareholder meeting (in 2 days) they'll probably share their current Switch numbers. It's probably in the (roughly) 145-150 million units area.

I'm one of those people who don't have a switch and am not willing to buy one this late in the cycle, but will probably buy the follow up. I'm really hoping for backwards compatibility

I personally think that all Nintendo has to do is market it as original and fresh for it not to be a flop

I’ll probably buy it when it comes out. I remember like 4 years ago deciding not to get the switch because I thought that they’d probably announce a new Gen console by next year. I was so so so wrong.

I was so hoping you'd make the gag you were setting up at the end, and I'm so happy you said it

12:35 love the ironic edit. "Eased up on the weird.", but show Mario Wonder.

Haven't watched the video yet (I'll watch it after work!), but coming from a die-hard Nintendo fan, I think that the Switch's success was lighting in a bottle. The combination of its quirks, being the first of its kind, the 2020 pandemic and the release of Animal Crossing at a time where millions of people were stuck at home with nothing to do, I think that the Switch was absolutely perfect for its time and place. Do I think it's *impossible* for Nintendo to achieve greater success with a future console than their success with the Switch? No - but I don't think the immediate successor will have the same level of success. I think Nintendo is in a weirdly familiar bind - when I was a kid, seemingly *everybody* had a Wii - and if they didn't, they had someone in their family or friend circle that did - or they at least played one at some point. I think this was crazy at the time, because being a "gamer" or playing videogames in general still sort of had a stigma, or was not as mainstream as it is now. Looking back on it, it was really special that it had such an intense cultural impact - it's like this unifying experience so many people have had that they can share together, regardless if a person "identifies" as a gamer or not. It was something we all experienced at some point. And now, looking at the Switch, I have met so many people who have a Switch or who have played one, even though they themselves "don't play videogames". Many of my friends who aren't really "gamers" in a sense, have a Switch and I've gotten to experience really special moments with them playing games together, or even just striking up conversations about which game they're currently playing or which ones they've tried. It might be a while before we have this unifying, cultural experience again that reaches beyond the realm of self-identified "gamers". With all that being said, all the "non-gamers" that played the Wii didn't move onto the WiiU, they moved onto whatever the next cool thing was (phone games) or they just stopped playing games in general. I think Nintendo is in a tricky spot again, because I sincerely have a hard time believing the near 140 million people that all bought a Switch are ready to hop into the Switch 2. I myself am ready and excited, but I'm always keeping up with what's happening in the gaming world. Your average person who bought a Switch during the pandemic for something to do? I don't think they're going to be paying attention, but I could be wrong.

18:34 I loved Skyward's motion controls and it hurts every time I'm reminded how many people hate them...

This should be a slam dunk 1. Add enough power to the Switch that it’s capable of making games that look and sound at PC quality if not better(atleast try) 2. Add more apps like streaming, ease of access to the internet, more functions and features to existing apps like adding chat to switch, etc. 3. Sell fun parts that could connect to the Switch like an attachable keyboard and mouse, attachable speaker, etc. 4. More third party games 5. Be able to move downloaded games and data from Switch 1. 6. Backwards compatible for Switch 1 games. 7. Fix that friggin drift!

Dude, I’m sill astounded by the puppetry Arlo has on display. It’s so convincing!

Call it Switch 2, have it be backwards compatible, launch it with Gamecube coming to the online service, better online, roughly Steam Deck Power, another console/handheld hybrid, new 3D Mario at launch, and new Metriod Prime 4 holiday season launch. This is the recipe for a very successful next Nintendo platform.

I just want the Switch 2 to be another console usuable as a handheld. Playing games like Zelda, Skyrim and Doom while chilling on the couch or in bed is just the best, lol.

I would be happy with a amore powerful switch that delivers higher resolution in handheld mode. 4k in dock mode would very nice but not essential. Backwards compatibility also important with existing switch. Finally, new SOC for new gen games, Bluetooth for headphones and built in camera for video calls when playing games with friends.

Home from vacation, finally time to catch up on the last two Arlo vids

Although we’ll have to see how well they’ll act on it, it’s worth pointing out that one of the big things Furukawa’s actually said about the next console by this point in investor meetings is that priority number 1 in it’s development has been to make sure that it isn’t the Switch U. Specifically he implied that there was a much longer R&D process than most other Nintendo consoles. From the sound of it the new console will have a new “thing” to it, but they’ve been trying to make absolutely sure that it’s 1, actually useful, and 2, immediately clear why it’s useful.

It is tough to surpass a project that made it a BIG HIT. What I hope Nintendo doesn't do is repeat the same mistakes with the Wii U.

Its awsome to see nintendo do good again. A lot of my friends who kind of stopped playing games with the Wii/ DS bought a switch. I was honestly suprised to see how many of my friends have one.

Building cohesive stories over multiple games in a series would be a nice start. Especially in the case of Zelda. And go all in on key IPs like Metroid and Donkey Kong. Give the high end experience, not just 2D types.

Switch 1 succeeded because it had features everyone wanted (portability, couch co-op) and its amazing 2017 lineup. Switch 2 has got to deliver on features again and this time, it's backwards compatibility. Every other console makes maintaining a digital library relatively cheap and easy, and if Nintendo ignores that or proposes some scummy alternative, they're going to lose some people.

The market is trending harder then ever towards games that Nintendo specializes in, one time purchases that aren't riddled with microtransactions and scams, we're watching in real time those games developing a true backlash from gamers. People are just tired of trickster AAA shenanigans, a thing that Nintendo has built its empire entirely by avoiding. I fully believe they'll continue to build good will and faith amongst gamers by just releasing "Switch again, but more powerful" and doing what they've always done. They don't need to do anything else, imo.

9:02 "Used to really be into artificial scarcity" USED TO BE???

The most likely outcome I think will happen is that they will have a *moderately* successful console that isn't Switch levels of hype but will still be enough to keep Nintendo and the fanbase satiated. The launch titles will be something to keep an eye on as they will show if the console is "worth it" to the average consumer. Breath of the Wild was that title for millions of people, let's hope they can have something similar for their next system.

I would guess it’ll be a DS to 3DS situation. Maybe a bit better. 85 million by the end would be real great.

WDYM 7 YEARS????? DIDNT IT JUST COME OUT LIKE 3 YEARS AGO??? 😭

Cute Handpuppet (very well puppetered) , and great video :)

All they need to do is make a more powerful switch, fix the horrible usb c protocol implementation, add analog triggers and make it fully backwards compatible while working on their online service. Multiple size options would be nice, but I'm not holding my breath for that If they can do all of that, they'll have a guaranteed winner

Imo i think that if a "Switch2U" is released, historical patterns suggest, that it won't be nearly as big

Okay, but where's that reaction and analysis video on the recent Paper Mario TTYD trailer already?! The suspense is killing me!😂

Honestly if switch 2 isnt backwards compatible then i will likely hold off until there is a decent enough line up on it

A more powerful Switch with full backwards compatibility and even greater 3rd party support is all I can ask for, really. I don't need or even want anything else. If Nintendo releases a system like that and it is successful, it could end up being the single greatest system of all time. I genuinely believe that.

With enough marketing, good first year games, and a catchy title then yes

I really hope there is back compatibility for the next Switch! Just seeing Xenoblade Chronicles 3 gameplay footage makes me want to replay the whole trilogy. Ugh so freaking good.

Thanks for all the amazing information! This was an awesome video 👌🏻

Yes! The market loves handhelds and just wants more power. Provide that, and it’ll be a massive success yet again.

an animal crossing game to coincide with the release would do numbers me thinks

The squaring the space line made me laugh so hard 😂 love you ❤

I remember in the time between when the Switch was announced and when it released, some people were saying it would flop. One reason I remember them positing was that the launch title was a Zelda game and not a Mario game.

The Pokémon looking like a ps3 game joke had me laughing so hard 😂

12:37 “They’ve eased up on the weird” as he’s showing Super Mario Wonder footage, which is probably the weirdest Mario Game to date.

That was just a very good Video. I love your "business talks" :D

I am sooo hoping that metroid prime 4 will get a similar treatment to what breath of the wild got. Have it be a launch title, marketing the hell out of it and in this case significantly buffing up the graphical fidelity to make it clear that the new switch is a lot more powerful

I honestly think there's nothing wrong with the Switch's current business model. Being able to play console games on the go without needing to stream them from the cloud is a genuine selling point, _not_ a gimmick. Why fix what isn't broken? All they need to do is make the Switch 2 (or Super Switch) have specs that are at the very least comparable to the PS4/Xbox One, have backwards compatibility with current Switch games, and to fill the "new gimmick" quota maybe also have proper VR support using the Joy Cons and goggles you can put the device inside.

tbh I don't think it's gonna be that same lightning in a bottle the switch is. For as much as we complain about switch being underpowered, many people are still plenty satisfied with it, especially with it having a large variety of games on it as is. That said, I think as long as they play their cards right and smoothly phase into the next console, they should be fine.

All they need to do is keep having a steady release schedule for good exclusives like they’ve done with the Switch and they’ll at least replicate its strong start. From there it’s up to them to carry forward that momentum.

The roast on pokemon at the end there. Good stuff.

Lmao “Pokémon that looks like a PS3 game” 😂

Count me down as one of those fickle customers. The Switch changed the game, but the Steam Deck upped the ante. By a lot. I haven’t touched my Switch since getting it. It may not be as simple as making a more powerful Switch.

This is a good video because not enough people talk about the novelty of the switch concept back when it released and the pandemic/acnh. I feel like the Switch 2 will comfortably sell 80mil but they'll need more than just power. They really need to convince that casual crowd why they should upgrade and that is gonna be very hard. I think tho that something nintendo has going for it compared to before is that gaming has become more destigmatized since 2017. Which means there's probably just a bigger install base to tap into compared to before. It'll be shaky tho. But I remember like back in 2020 or something nintendo patented controllers and said they wanted to innovate the controller and the way we play

Hoping for that Switch 2. This breakdown has me super stoked about the future!

It's going to be tough

I really am curious if they're gonna try to continue making their consoles unique or if they're gonna just make a stronger version of the Switch. The Switch was definitely an idea approved by the late Iwata but this Nintendo is a new company.

Have you ever thought of doing an arlo reccommends newsletter? That'd be a fun thing to see pop up in my inbox from time to time

15:11 “much of our tastes are determined by what we engage with as children, and the Switch has created many lifelong Nintendo fans, I have no doubt” this 👈

With handhelds like the steam deck and rog ally out I doubt it… you can play switch games for free and older Nintendo titles with more power and wouldn’t be surprise if you will be emulate switch 2 games on the steam deck and rog ally eventually

I hope that the switch’s successor turns out similarly if not better than the 3ds was as a successor to the DS. probably won’t be as strong if a pop culture phenomenon and doesn’t reach the same sales numbers but ultimately refreshes and modernizes the product

I think the dig at the pokemon company right at the end was my favorite part

I only have a Switch Lite, so I have a good excuse to upgrade to a new system when It comes out, BUT I’ve also only had it for a year and I’ve got sooo many games left to play on the Switch, so if the library isn’t backwards compatible I won’t be in any hurry to move on.

Will be the first time Nintendo can build on a big success, wouldnt it. Every time they are successful they seem to get on a high horse. And without knowing anything of the next system, it seems like the signs are there..

Arlo I don't know how you wrote this whole video and neglected to even mention the Steam Deck.

A more sturdy build, better graphics, better battery could all go a very long way to make the next Switch a decent hit. But I personally think that the pricing is going to be key. If it really "only" is a "Switch Pro"/better Switch but it has a high price point, it might turn of a lot of people. Also depending on the launch titles and other factors that we cant determine of course. But yeah I think pricing is going to be more important than with the switch

That Pokémon shade was great. Thank you, Arlo.