A powerful Nintendo Direct exhibiting recontextualizes the Swap’s total 2024.
Earlier than the morning of June 18, 2024, the unstated vibe I used to be selecting up was that 2024 could be Nintendo stretching their product line up with area of interest mental properties and ports and remakes of older video games.
In that mind set, I assumed that possibly, simply possibly, the lengthy awaited Swap value minimize would possibly lastly seem this fall. Certainly a decrease depth software program schedule would possibly imply Nintendo must lastly decrease the Swap’s base sale value to hit their forecast of 13.5 million {hardware} models bought this fiscal yr. By all rights, the Swap must be on its final legs seven years after its debut.
However now I do know that in 2024 the Swap is getting a NEW Zelda recreation (in 2D and the place you play as Zelda lastly!) in September, a NEW Mario Get together recreation in October, and a NEW Mario (+ Luigi RPG) recreation in November. These are model new video games that purpose to search out and construct new audiences, not preside over an organized retreat.
Plus anybody seeking to purchase a Swap can nonetheless discover one of many strongest Nintendo console again catalogs you would want for, or peruse a unbroken stream of latest third-party treats (like Ace Lawyer Investigations Assortment from Capcom – half of which by no means launched outdoors of Japan – or Dragon Quest III HD-2D from Sq. Enix).
And there is nonetheless the promise of Metroid Prime 4 bringing its status lineage to the Swap in 2025, so Swap patrons now know that the console’s future will prolong past simply this vacation buying season.
Is a value drop nonetheless attainable? Certain, heck, yeah, possibly. However to me its chance has been decimated. I consider Nintendo will attempt to promote the Swap for the following 9 months at full value solely on the proposition that folks will need to play Swap video games that a lot.
However what does that imply if we sail into April 2025 and the Swap continues to be full value? That raises new questions: will Nintendo lastly drop the Swap value when its successor comes out? Or will the “Swap 2” have a fair increased price ticket and provides room for its Nintendo’s hybrid console to sail into yr 8 nonetheless defying the ravages of time and value drops?
Ouch. My pockets is already feeling the ache from the vacation season… and (Metroid Prime 4) Past.
