Nintendo was one of the last companies trying to innovate with each console they released. Whilst Xbox & PlayStation simply went the “more power = better” route.
But it feels like Nintendo has caved in, and is just following suite. Are there any gimmicks left to sell consoles? Or is it just gonna be like smart phones, we just upgrade because that’s what we do.
I’m gonna miss the era of Nintendo giving us never before seen technology on the mainstream
Gameboy (Handheld) N64 (Analog Stick) DS (Touch Screen) Wii (Motion Control) Switch (Hybrid Console)
I never really thought about their succession of consoles, but to me, seeing them listed like that feels surprisingly additive.
Like, the N64 had analog sticks, and the Gameboy was portable… And people liked both of those, so they released the GameCube, which had analog sticks and a handle, so you could take it to your friend’s house. They followed up with the DS’ touchscreen and the Wii’s motion controls, and when people liked those too, they bundled all of that into the Switch: it has analog sticks, a touchscreen, and motion controls; it’s a handheld and a very portable plug-in console.
But, as they’ve done that, they’ve always pushed the limits of what they could do. As it stands, there’s not much that can be added to the Switch, so they’re releasing an improved version - like they did with the Gameboys Color, Advance, and SP. Essentially, the limiting factor isn’t Nintendo’s ability to innovate, but rather the technology available to them.
Give it a few years for other aspects of technology to advance, and I’m sure they’ll start pushing the envelope again. They’ll probably wait until they can pack an entire console into a VR headset without a bulky battery pack, then release it with something wacky like a charging dock with a built-in projector, or something crazy like that.