Switch the hit console by Nintendo hits Chinese stores!
Nintendo released the Switch on Tuesday, pricing it at 2099 Yuan or $298. The gaming giant has partnered with Tencent to release the console in China. Partnering with Tencent is definitely the most rational decision, seeing how big the company is in China.
Not an easy path ahead
Even though 105,000 interested buyers have made reservations for the console, Nintendo will have multiple challenges in setting up a sustainable model with the switch. This is due to the fact that Chinese gamers are used to playing free games on their mobile devices. This is one of the main reasons why gaming giants like Sony and Microsoft haven’t had much success in the market with their respective consoles. Furthermore, the fact that the switch only has one game on launch doesn’t help the matters.
Silver Lining
Despite all this, analysts pick the Switch to be the leading console in the Chinese market in 4-5 years. This is due to the fact that it has been launched at a price cheaper than that of the playstation 4 or the xbox one. Furthermore, the option of gaming on-the-go offered by switch should appeal to China’s mobile gamers. Nintendo will also offer multiple iconic gaming titles such as Zelda, Pokemon and Mario. The fact that gamers won’t get these titles anywhere else, phone or console, should increase interest in the switch.
The partnership with Tencent further boosts the Switch’s hopes of survival. This is due to the fact that Tencent is offering multiple incentives to buyers. These incentives include a one year warranty, We-chat pay support and localized titles.
With all that being said, Nintendo still won’t be able to change the status quo so soon. Experts predict that while the switch will most likely see success in the Chinese market, it is unlikely to make gamers switch from their phones to consoles.
