A key debate within the gaming space right now is where the “Big Three” publishers and console makers “stand” regarding their current status. Xbox is in a state of disarray in many respects, as its console sales are stagnant, Xbox Game Pass is heavily relying on a recently released FPS for “juice,” and many of the exclusives it’s getting are going multiplatform. As for Sony, they’re doing “better,” but they also have a game issue, and they’ve been more focused on the release of the PS5 Pro recently than gaming quality. Then, there’s Nintendo, who has been rocking the industry for seven years since the launch of the Switch, and everyone’s pumped for the eventual announcement of the Switch 2. See the difference there?
While many are surprised that The Big N is doing so well and being so consistent, if you ask those within the company itself, they’re not surprised at all. After all, Nintendo is known for doing certain things a certain way, and even during the worst of periods, like with the Wii U, the company will continue to provide great gaming experiences. In the aftermath of the recent financial briefing, there was also a Q&A that featured Ko Shiota, head of the hardware department at The Big N, and during one interaction, he noted that the reason the company keeps pushing forward in the best way is that it focuses on “good ideas” and innovation versus trying to make games with a massive budget. At one point, he noted:
“Great ideas are not born just by spending development costs, but we would like to continue to focus on the process of creating interesting things by having developers from both hardware and software teams share ideas.”
While that may sound like a “basic concept,” it’s one that Nintendo excels at, while Sony and Microsoft haven’t been doing well on that front. Think about it: Microsoft and Sony have been hit with layoffs, and the “big-budget titles” that they were banking a lot on didn’t pay off more times than not. Both companies even turned to a “Multiplatform Strategy” to try and get more profit.
In contrast, The Big N has been highlighting booming sales across multiple franchises on the Switch while also consistently doing million-sellers, including ones that were announced at the latest briefing, like with Princess Zelda’s game that she finally starred in.
It focuses on great ideas versus spending money needlessly, and that’s why the company is raking in process and not depressing its fanbase.
