Nintendo to focus on original games over sequels – talks Switch 2 console

A surprisingly insightful interview with the head of Nintendo has hinted at plans for brand new games and the successor to the Switch.

Although all video game companies have seen their output decline during the pandemic (even if their profits have moved in the opposite direction) Nintendo has suffered more than most, with their unique way of working not transitioning well to everyone being out of the office.

That makes it almost impossible to guess what games they have coming out in the near and far future but, surprisingly, the focus for them will be on new IP (intellectual properties) rather than sequels.

The unexpected announcement came from Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa in an interview with Nikkei, where he also spoke about the eventual successor to the Nintendo Switch.

‘Games are not a necessity of life. In order for customers to choose games in their finite time, they have to be interesting. Competition is tough, and I am not optimistic’, said Furukawa, as translated by VGC.

‘I myself am looking at and studying various forms of entertainment. In the future, we will focus on creating new game series as well as long-sellers such as Mario and Zelda.’

Whether he means brand new IP or new games but still featuring characters like Mario and Zelda is unclear (for example, does Mario Party count as a new IP or is it still just a Mario game?) but it’s a bold statement for a company that, despite all its achievements, is often criticised for relying on the same handful of major franchises.

Nintendo did seem to make a push for new IP towards the end of the Wii U’s lifespan and the beginning of the Switch, with games like Splatoon and ARMS, but since then has gone back to relying on existing brands.

Recent rumours though have suggested that Nintendo has a number of major new games set to be announced this year, possibly at E3 in June, but there’s never been any clarity on what they might be.

Surprisingly, Furukawa also spoke about the successor to the Switch, repeating the familiar line used be all console manufacturers, that they are always working on new ideas for new hardware.

He did add though that, ‘There are some things we can’t do now due to technology and cost constraints.’

While that could imply some exotic form factor or ability, it could also simply be a reference to battery size and hardware costs needing to fall before whatever the concept is becomes economically viable.

Furukawa has spoken before about the successor to the Switch, implying that the current generation still has another four years in it, but that hardware and software teams are currently working together on the next console.

What he’s never done though is give any hint that Switch Pro rumours are true, which is surprising given how convinced many reliable sources are that it will be released this year.

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