President Nintendo: Can't you afford Switch2 children? You can buy nearby consumption
Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa responded to concerns that the Switch 2 is priced higher than previous consoles at a recent investor meeting. Some investors mentioned that compared to classic models like FC red and white machines in the past, the higher prices of new consoles may reduce the chances of children's exposure.
President Furukawa said that they believe the pricing of the Switch 2 is commensurate with the gaming experience it provides, and most importantly, it provides an entertainment experience that can prove its value to consumers. For this reason, they have incorporated a variety of features into the new console.
Fukukawa admits that the price of Switch 2 is indeed higher than the company's past gaming system. To solve this problem, he explained that Nintendo is creating multiple opportunities for young children to reach Nintendo characters and game worlds outside of the gaming system, one of the ultimate goal is to hope that they will eventually become game console players in the future.
The company is paying close attention to the extent to which the host price may become a barrier. In recent years, Nintendo has indeed actively expanded its business outside of games, such as opening multiple theme parks, launching the Super Mario Bros. Movie (and its upcoming sequels and the Legend of Zelda movie), and even opening the Nintendo Museum in Japan. IPs like Mario Kart and Donkey Kong who play important roles in movies and theme parks naturally become the main force in the starting period of Switch 2.
Of course, for children and users with limited budgets, the first generation of Switch hosts are still an important option. Furukawa stressed that they are still developing new games for the Switch and that there is already a huge library of games available, so consumers have the opportunity to experience these Switch games for the first time on the Switch 2.
He pointed out that considering the life cycle of the Switch, a child who was in first grade at the time of its release is now in middle school. The longer the platform is active, the more opportunities consumers will have to access their software. Nintendo will continue to meticulously develop every Switch 2 game and strive to get as many people as possible to play them.
President Furukawa's response clearly elaborated on Nintendo's strategy: provide core high-end experiences through consoles and broaden the user base through a wide entertainment ecosystem (theme parks, movies, old console support), especially to attract young players in the future.
The strong initial sales of new consoles proves its market acceptance, but the problem of third-party games being cold and children's contact costs are still challenges that Nintendo needs to continue to face on the road of balancing high-end positioning and user inclusiveness.