The Nintendo Switch is undeniably a successful console. At nearly 90 million units sold as of June 2021, the Nintendo Switch has outsold many of Nintendo's most famous consoles, from the GameCube to the N64. It's no surprise that the Switch is such a hit, though. Nintendo has done well to stock it with games of all genres, making it a good console for just about any gaming audience. It's also a very accessible and flexible console in general. The Switch's portability is a trait that even Microsoft and Sony's next-gen consoles can't emulate. It's a special ability that is exclusive to the Nintendo Switch for now.
However, the Switch isn't Nintendo's best-selling console yet. The Wii, which managed to accrue about 101 million units sold over its lifetime, remains Nintendo's champion console. It sold well for similar reasons: the Wii was accessible to players of all audiences and ages, and it had a long list of games in various genres, offering something to every audience. Nintendo seems determined to sell more Switch units than it managed with the Wii, but it might have to change perspective on the Switch a little to do so. There are still a few things Nintendo could and should address if it wants to beat the Wii.
Expanding the Nintendo Switch's Library
The Switch library is pretty good so far, drawing in plenty of remarkable indie titles as well as notable Nintendo originals. Super Smash Bros Ultimate shines on Nintendo Switch, making the most of its multiplayer flexibility. Similarly, the Switch features some really sharp single-player games, like Super Mario Odyssey and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. However, the list of Nintendo games on Switch isn't actually very long. There are quite a few Nintendo franchises that don't have totally new games on the Switch. If Nintendo wants to draw in Switch buyers, then it needs to make many more original games in the later stages of the Switch's life.
Thankfully, it looks like Nintendo has realized that. For instance, it aims to deliver on Breath of the Wild 2 in 2022. Similarly, Nintendo is adding Metroid Dread to the Metroid franchise rather than simply leaning on the long-awaited Metroid Prime 4. Even so, Nintendo can keep going. Mario Kart 9 on Nintendo Switch would be a blockbuster; it's frankly surprising that Nintendo hasn't given that series a new entry on Switch yet. Other franchises like Pikmin and F-Zero are also simply begging for brand new games on Switch. WarioWare: Get It Together! and Pokemon Legends: Arceus should inspire some hope in Nintendo fans that it'll make new games for other franchises.
Addressing Nintendo Switch Online
Another side of the Switch that Nintendo should examine is Nintendo Switch Online. Like many consoles before it, the Nintendo Switch contains a subscription service that Switch users can sign up for to use online multiplayer in Switch games. However, not everyone is fond of Nintendo Switch Online. Many fans feel that NSO's connection is unreliable and not worth the price. If Nintendo wants to increase the appeal of the Switch, it should look into NSO and see what it can do to improve the service's stability, or at least find other ways to improve its reputation.
Connectivity isn't all that matters about NSO, though. Subscribers also get access to a special collection of games from the NES and SNES, allowing Switch users to revisit a wide range of classic titles. There are still many other games that Nintendo can offer, though. Nintendo fans have asked the company to put Earthbound on Nintendo Switch Online for ages, alongside other beloved games like Chrono Trigger and Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. These games and many others requested by fans are hard to play outside of emulators nowadays. If Nintendo made Earthbound and other demanded games available on Nintendo Switch Online, it could see a few additional Switch sales from nostalgic fans.
The Elusive Switch Pro
One more thing that would certainly boost Switch sales is the arrival of a true Switch Pro. For a long time, fans thought Nintendo was on the verge of announcing a more powerful version of the Nintendo Switch that potentially would offer more processing power and sharper graphics. Nintendo did reveal a new Switch model recently, but the Switch OLED is far from the Switch Pro. While it delivers on some of the rumored enhancements, including an OLED screen wider than the base Switch, it doesn't have the 4K graphical capabilities that Switch fans were hoping for.
It seems, then, that one of the best things Nintendo could do for the Switch brand is produce a true Switch Pro. Many fans were pleased with the announcement of the Switch Lite, a cheaper version of the Switch that couldn't be docked but still ran Nintendo games perfectly well as a handheld console. It stands to reason, then, that Nintendo fans would also be happy with an option that goes in the opposite direction. A more powerful, console-only Switch that can run intense games which the normal Switch can't handle would open a lot of doors and draw in a lot of fans. The hype around the rumored Switch Pro proves that there's plenty of buyers that could help total Switch sales outdo the Wii.
The Switch is Nintendo's Golden Goose
There's still so much that Nintendo can do with the Switch. Whether it's through expanding the Switch's library or creating a different version of the console, Nintendo has plenty of options when it comes to extending the Switch's longevity. The Switch OLED suggests that Nintendo isn't releasing a brand new console anytime soon, so Nintendo had better keep looking for ways to enhance the console's appeal if it wants to set a new record. The Switch outdoing the extremely popular Wii would certainly make a statement—and it'd also be appropriate. Just like how the Wii was an innovative console with its motion control focus, the Switch broke the mold with its modular design. The Nintendo Switch is a worthy successor to Nintendo's previous best-seller, so Nintendo had better do everything it can to make sure the Switch generation succeeds.
The Nintendo Switch is available now.