That Nintendo Direct was a delight to watch wasn’t it? Third party games are very much front and centre within the Nintendo eco-system once again. It’s likely to continue to be the case as Nintendo goes all out. Kingdom Hearts being announced there was a first, but I don’t think this will be something that doesn’t happen again within the third-party-sphere.
I talked about how Nintendo now has the hardware to really bring anything it likes to Nintendo fans and I think this sort of announcement really showcases that intent. In an industry that is playing things safe and sticking to titles that sell. I think Nintendo is one of the rare ones where if they tried something new you have the platform where it’s going to sell. At the same time, their iconic IP sells, and we’re seeing a trend around the industry where the key IP’s are going to be ever used.
Sony and XBOX are facing some uncertain times in the industry for their own reasons. However, that hasn’t stopped Nintendo making waves with the games it has coming – some of my favourite franchises like Fire Emblem and Xenoblade to name a few. Nintendo is a really safe bet right now if you’re a gamer and enjoy their platform, and especially if you enjoy the handheld experience as much of the Japanese audience do. This is something that was always going to be the case though.
Sony is going big on handheld and even with the push back of their hardware plans. Their handheld remains a big focus just because of how healthy Nintendo is right now – and they see that. However, one could say they’re healthier because of how their software is made. It’s not going to the level of production as a Sony title and many assets are often reused. It’s a nice spot to be in when the industry is currently having a bit of a bad time because of some of the decisions that have been made. Nintendo are holding firm and it’s really working out for them right now.
Nintendo is also the place if you’ve been away from the platform for a while. I only see their growth continuing as they dip further into their back-catalogue of games.
Craig Clark
From gaming industry headlines to all things Manchester United and entertainment, Craig covers the stories everyone's talking about — alongside his own published works.