Gareth at Skewed and Reviewed has posted an opinion piece that asks if Nintendo is already an afterthought in the battle for the next generation. He cites a lack of buzz and sales for the new Nintendo system and states that the 2013 holiday season may bea make or break time for the Wii U with the launch of new systems coming from Sony and Microsoft.
TNS: Based on its most recent ESG data, Nintendo boasts a remarkably low staff turnover rate of just 1.9%, with virtually no reported layoffs.
It’s unreal that people are downvoting this when they consistently have the best scoring games on metacritic.
Well it doesn’t surprise me. As much money as they make and how they value their employees. It’s a great company in that regard.
Replies(1)Well, when your games remain full price many years after release.
And you make profit off of outdated hardware.
I would be shocked if they couldn't afford to retain their staff.
I didn't want to say anything but drivxr is right.
Nintendo always sells at a profit because they purposely use tech that's always 5 or more years behind. And it's also true their games hardly ever get price decreases.
Don't get me wrong, it's great they kept most of their workforce, but making a point to have your tech specs behind everyone else affords that luxury.
I don’t think it’s their purpose to use old tech. It’s their purpose to make value of software and know their value. Nobody makes games like them that’s for sure. I just don’t appreciate their customer unfriendly policy.
It’s not impossible to take their status. Companies need to have a selection of 8-bit and 16-bit. Now imagine a split screen for 8 player game for SNES Mario kart and selling at $9.99. The problem is that it doesn’t make profit. So many companies won’t invest in “old” technology. Everyone guns for triple AAA modern technology software but honestly we can enjoy modernized 16-bit creative ideas that allows 8-player mayhem. It’s a pipe dream, possible but impossible.
If they ended up kicking people out after all of that stated above, it would be truly shameful.
Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Tesla and Meta are all trillion dollar companies yet they are laying people off in large numbers.
I believe the reason Nintendo layoffs off less workers may be a result of their culture. It seems Japanese companies believe in giving their workers long term or life long employment opportunities and will exhaust all options before laying off workers. This is something we don't see much of in the west unfortunately.
might be something to do with the fact all those companies hire more than 20x the employees than Nintendo
What the hell are you talking about? It has nothing to do with how profitable they are. Its completely cultural, MS and Sony make stacks of cash and still lay folks off. Nintendo chose not to lay off staff for the same reason their execs took pay cuts to increase staff pay instead; because they value their staff and view them as colleagues, and respect them as such.
If Sony weren't so US centric I fancy they'd fare better too, they should get shot of US and European leadership and go back to when Japanese execs were running the show if you ask me!
The Nintendo Switch 2 has set a new record by selling over 3 million units within 24 hours, tripling the PlayStation 4’s previous launch day sales.
No doubt, but.... the current price is out of the realm of the average parent / kid to buy like the SW1 was. So this launch achievement is from those of us with more disposable income.
The number of SW2 specific titles pales in comparison to the variety of SW1 games that get a performance boost right out of the box on this. And like the SX and PS5 before it, you can bet the majority are going to be using it as a means to better enjoy their existing titles that can benefit.
This may have been quick out of the gate... so was the WiiU. I quite enjoy it for what it is, but am keeping my expectations in check.
The Switch 2’s price point is great and fine and it’s still cheaper than the current gen of consoles aside from the Series S.
The only place I think they will fall short is their software sales, which also in turn may affect the hardware sales but not significantly. Parents will be fine paying for the system for their kids, but one look at an $80-$90 price tag for a single video game, that is where a lot of people will draw the line. Maybe not so much the people who are in the “willing to pay because I buy deluxe editions anyway” crowd, but for parents specifically, more sacrifices are gonna need to be made in their choices of gifts for their kids.
As a parent of 3 with a very modest income, it was very affordable bc I already had an immense library of games, and the Mario Kart bundle came out to only about €50 more than a standard bundle. Both Zeldas were upgraded w Family Expansion Pass that I already had. Many games were upgraded for free. The only additional game I bought was Fast Fusion for 14.99 which was a great purchase!
People seem to forget that the Switch was $299 at launch which in today's money is roughly $400. That makes the Switch 2 a $50 increase when inflation is taken into account compared to the original.
Yes, people have less spending power on average compared to 2017 (Switch launch year) but this is not the MASSIVE price hike that people are making out Nintendo to be doing.
“No doubt, but.... the current price is out of the realm of the average parent / kid to buy like the SW1 was. So this launch achievement is from those of us with more disposable income.”
It could also be many people rushing to buy to avoid any possible tariff hikes in the future, but I think it’s still a good sign that many people still want physical consoles. Congrats to Nintendo! I’m not getting one at this time though (unless I get it for a Xmas present for one of my kids).
Congratulations Nintendo on finding the happy medium between their weak console and their invincible handheld plus learning from Sony and clearly defining the new console from the old unlike their Wii and Wii U just add a higher number simple yet effective 👍👍
Nope. I didn’t research, I don’t own any Nintendo consoles and I had read on here something about $90 games on switch 2, so I guess it’s good now, people can calm down. Have a nice day :)
I bought the Switch 2 I won’t be buying games at MK prices. I don’t ever pay over £45 for my games. Even my Nintendo switch exclusives I never paid more than £33 for.
I think the typo you put was meant to be $80.
Anyway, the answer to those questions seem to be yes.
Don't get your news from clickbait TikTokers/YouTubers, only go to the source (Nintendo) or reliable new outlets like IGN.
No game is $90 on the Switch 2, and they will never go there. Most games will be under $80, too.
Its crazy that it's both the highest selling console on day 1 and people can walk into a store and buy it with no pre order
Yup while I was waiting in line from Best Buy for Switch 2, like I did for Switch 1 back in 2017, every waiting 12am was going to get a Switch 2! I was in the no preorder line too!
My friend manage to get 4 Switch 2s at his GameStop store, that was lowkey not busy at all. Got them all for himself and his family. Super easy to get a Switch 2 over PS5.
The struggle to get a ps5 was real had mates wait over 2 years for stock i got lucky and got it day 1 but still
I know and I also struggled getting a preorder for the PS5, when Walmart, Best Buy among other retailers open their preorders a day early before most of us realize it. I got my PS5 launch day thanks to YouTube Live Streamer Jake Randell. He helps people get preorders and launch consoles.
It’s funny how I got disagrees for speaking the truth for what I experienced getting the Switch 2. Nintendo had more copies of Switch 2 than Sony for the PS5.
Don’t be butthurt about this very fact. People on here disagreeing with crazy reasons lol
Yeah, I remember reading an article over two years ago with Nintendo stating that they were going to do all that they could to make sure their next console didn't have the PS5/XBox reseller swiping /no stock fiasco happen to them.
Looks like they made sure production met demand. Refreshing to see that the reseller thing didn't trend and I hope a lot of people who bought multiple units for the sole reason to resell then at $1000 are now stuck with them.
I remembered I tried 7 pre-order events during the PS5 launch. I gave up and ended up buying 1 from a scalper. But now, I already secured 1 pre-order Switch 2 unit in my country very easy and without problems.
Unlike the Switch 2 , the Playstation 4 was not sold on the same day in most regions.
Company skipped last year's event.
Not surprising at all.
I mean, they´ll be releasing a new console in a few weeks.
As a Wii U owner, I've pondered the same question, but in the end, it all really comes down to Nintendo delivering "the Goods"..
Games like Metroid, Zelda, a new mario galaxy, mario kart, etc.. etc, will eventually validate my purchase... I'm not worried about the Wii U not getting a next-gen call of duty port... personally, If I get those types of games, I'll get them on the PS4 or the next xbox... where there's trophy/achiement support and a larger online community..
Nintendo have nothing to worry about. Get N or get OUT! :)
Thank you. I can honestly say I have been unimpressed so far. Not only that, but Nintendo has offered very poor supoort to media. Once it was launched, they have been very stingy on news and review materials to many in the press. We were lucky as we have been given good access to the system and games, but honestly I think I have turned the console on more in the past 2 months to show my wife movie trailers on the big screen downstairs more than I have to play a game. I played ZombieU for a few minutes again last week to show the console to a guest. They were not impressed with how a person has to stand constantly to play that game nor with the control system. Mario looked a bit better to him but he noted how it did not look that much better than the last one he played.
I really hope that what is coming is good, and that by the time we get to E3 we will have tons of great looking games to write about and cover.
We were there at E3 in the Nokia theater when they announced it in 2011 and I thought it had promise. When we saw it in 2012 I was not that impressed as what I saw were games that were only slightly better graphic wise from the Wii in terms of Nintendo exclusives and third party games that did not look that much better than what we get on the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3.
During Comic Con they had a special area for press to play the systems that was not open to the public and this allowed us to reallly get an idea for it. I asked my wife if she thinks it is worth getting, and she said yes, for the reason that it looks like a fun system for social gaming and entertaining at parties like the way Wii Sports was played. She liked the new Mario Bros alot but I see that she is more interested in SimCity and Dance Central 3 than she is in anything for the Wii U. I am doing reviews so my story is a bit different, but Bioshock Infinite, and Starcraft: Heart of the Swarm have far more draw for me currently than anything they have out. I want to see something more than a casual or childs game with better graphics. They have the hardware, lets see a solid game with good online play that we will want to get. They do not have a signature game for the unit as of yet. Nintendo fans will play Mario, Smash Bros and such, but they need a big time hook.
I think Nintendo fans mostly care about Nintendo's own IPs only.