Saving the Japanese Console Market
The Nintendo Switch has without exaggeration become one of the most successful devices in video game history, with sales exceeding 156 million units. Following a disappointing period with the Wii U, the Japanese company made a true comeback, and according to experts, this was of critical importance for the entire domestic industry.
In an interview with The Game Business, Dr. Serkan Toto, CEO of analytics agency Kantan Games, noted that without the incredible triumph of the Switch, Japan's console segment could have ceased to exist altogether.
The Switch's Impact on the Industry
According to the analyst, the market situation could have unfolded under an extremely pessimistic scenario:
- Threat of mobile platforms: if the failure of the Wii U had been followed by another flop release, the vast majority of players would have permanently migrated to smartphones or PCs;
- Nintendo's dominance: the company currently holds about 70% of the entire Japanese gaming content market;
- A new era with Switch 2: the consolidated success of the first hybrid system gave a strong momentum to its successor—the Switch 2, which is already demonstrating record rates of audience reception.
Thus, Nintendo not only regained its leading positions, but also preserved console gaming as a significant part of the Japanese entertainment industry.
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