Nintendo Switch Games: Launch Titles Aren’t Everything, Claims NOA President Reggie Fils-Aime

The launch line-up of Nintendo Switch games isn’t what gamers should judge the console on, says Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime. He states that there will be a steady release schedule for the upcoming hybrid console, and what is available on March 3 is only the beginning.

One thing many gamers often forget is that in the end, it’s the games that sell the console, not what’s under the proverbial hood. The Xbox 360 proved it. No matter how powerful Microsoft’s upcoming Project Scorpio is, if there aren’t enough games to justify the upgrade, it could end up being little more than an expensive shelf display as Xbox One owners continue to hold onto their slim or original consoles.

Yes, the PS4 Pro is selling well with the promise of improved performance on the PlayStation 4’s library of titles, likely due to the VR headset. In the end, however, if the new games don’t convince us that the almost-4K support is worth the upgrade, many might end up just saving their money and sticking with the console they already own.

NOA President Reggie Fils-Aime wants 3DS owners to understand that the Switch isn’t meant to replace their handheld folding tablet. There may be shared titles between the two, but the games on Switch can do what 3DS games can’t. They can be played on your HDTV, even if the visuals won’t be as impressive as even the Wii U due to its 720p resolution, an issue likely related to its portable nature.

The launch line-up for the Nintendo Switch includes only five games, and Reggie is very aware that it might not be enough for some gamers. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Super Bomberman R could potentially keep us busy until more games come along, but some want more than just one big title. For some gamers, it might be worth it to hold off until the Switch has more games released.

Fils-Aime told CNET not to worry about the launch lineup for a reason.

“Launch day is not the be-all and the end-all. It really is the steady pacing of content that continually reinforces for the people who bought into the platform why they made a smart choice, as well as what compels people who might be sitting on the sidelines to jump in.”

Super Mario Odyssey is coming by the end of 2017, which might be surprising considering Nintendo’s decades-long habit of launching with a Mario title — even the Wii U had New Super Mario U at launch. According to Fils-Aime, Nintendo found that the Wii U’s launch lineup didn’t do it any favors. The following releases were so sparse, with so few AAA titles, that gamers and third-party developers alike had mostly given up on it within the year.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is slated for a late April release and is little more than a port of the Wii U title with some extra characters. We can also expect the resolution to drop since the title boasted a 1080p display originally. You might not notice the difference in resolution in moments of heavy action, but the difference is almost guaranteed to be sitting in the back of our minds.

Splatoon 2, Skyrim, Minecraft, Ultra Street Fighter II, and FIFA are all heading to the Nintendo Switch by the end of 2017. It’s unknown how the hybrid console is going to work with Skyrim, which is notorious for its massive content size. There are already speculations that AAA open-world sandbox titles won’t be making it to the Nintendo Switch’s game library due to memory and control issues.

We might see more fighting games, however. With the leak of Nintendo Switch accessories from Hori, there is allegedly an arcade stick coming in support of games like Ultra Street Fighter II.

While the launch lineup for the Nintendo Switch appears extremely small, we can expect a regular release of new titles with time.

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