Nintendo is apparently launching a new Nintendo Switch OLED bundle for these holidays. But don’t get too excited.
As reported by Video Games Chronicle, billbil-kun revealed that there will be a new Nintendo Switch OLED – Mario Kart 8 Deluxe pack. The box and packaging might be new, but it will really only have a standard Switch OLED model, with the neon red and neon blue Joy-Cons packaged inside.
Nintendo will also forego a Mario Kart 8 Deluxe cartridge, in favor of a download code. But this bundle will also have a three month Nintendo Switch Online subscription, so it would deliver on the value side of things.
billbil-kun claims it will come to Europe on November 20 at €349, with one French retailer putting it at €310.49. No US prices have been confirmed so far.
This all seems like Nintendo preparing to wind down Switch sales, as they bundle in the most common Nintendo Switch that they have available with a pair of download codes. To be clear, they will certainly continue to sell Switch consoles and games long after the launch of the console that comes after it.
But what this bundle is is making preparations for the transition, and that means making retail packages that will allow Nintendo to let go as many of these consoles as possible.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe was the obvious choice for this bundle, as the best-selling game on the platform. But, Animal Crossing: New Horizons is not that far behind, and Nintendo has a broad library of other bestsellers that would credibly sell the console as well.
So don’t be surprised if other bundles come up in the future, with games like Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Super Smash Bros Ultimate, Super Mario Odyssey, Super Mario Bros Wonder, and others.
Now Nintendo could really win a lot of fans over if they made bundles with game series, for example, a console with codes for The Legend of Zelda games on Switch, or with collections of the Metroid or Pikmin games.
Another package Nintendo hasn’t tried yet but could be a winner would be bundling consoles with games and their respective amiibo. For example, they could pair a console with a digital copy of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and Tom Nook or Isabelle amiibo, and three months of Switch Online. The selling point here is Switch Online gives gamers access to Happy Home Paradise, and they could use the amiibo to invite Tom or Isabelle over to sell them houses.
There’s a lot of possibilities here that Nintendo hasn’t explored yet, but it all depends on how well they can keep Switch sales going. A lot of analysts predict Nintendo will continue to see a dip in Switch console sales, but as consumers, that isn’t our concern. Nintendo will have to give us better deals because of this, and that’s what we should be looking forward to.
