The turning point in Nintendo’s turbulent past decade

Nintendo’s fortunes have changed drastically in the past decade, from the highs of 2010 when the Wii was in control of the games consoles market, to the lows of 2012 when the highly anticipated Wii U flopped. However, Nintendo has managed to end the decade in a strong position, thanks to its beloved Nintendo Switch, which has revitalized what was a struggling player in the market.

At the start of the last decade, in 2010, Nintendo was sitting in a comfortable position in the games consoles market following the success of its Wii console, of which it had sold a total of 67.45 million units by December 2009. However, Nintendo’s fortunes began to change following the release of the Wii U. Despite high expectations, the console became perhaps the biggest flop in the 130 year old company’s history, marking a turning point for the brand.

Following Nintendo’s unsuccessful attempt to compete with Microsoft and Xbox, the outlook for the company looked uncertain, as a result it was vital that its next major release was more than well received. The Switch launched on March 3, 2017, with the promise of being an in one hybrid console which would make it stand out amongst other consoles available. By the end of 2019 the Switch had sold 46.1 million units globally and crossed the 50 million mark in January 2020, making it a resounding success.

One threat on the horizon is the release of new consoles by Nintendo’s competitors in late 2020. The PlayStation 5 is expected to be released in most major markets “in time for Holiday 2020”, which is likely to be sometime between October and December. In order for the Nintendo Switch to maintain momentum in the competitive market, Nintendo should focus on enhancing the product and continue to release high demand games.