Three Things We Learned from NoA’s Doug Bowser

In a recent interview, Nintendo of America’s Doug Bowser spoke with a gaming journalist about some of the biggest questions on Nintendo fan’s minds right now. I think a lot of us have questions about the future of the Switch, including whether a Switch Pro or Super Switch is coming. Plus, what’s the deal with these deadlines to when games can be sold? Here are three things we learned in the interview from Doug Bowser himself.

The March 31 Deadlines for Special Games is a “Celebration”

A lot of us don’t understand why titles like Super Mario 3D All-Stars or the new Fire Emblem port are only available for a limited time. As we learned in the Polygon interview, Nintendo sees this as a special time to really hone in on a monumental game or series. “The decision was really made around that celebration feature and aspect,” Bowser says. He does say that the decision is final “for the time being” so there’s a chance we might get an extension of the game’s shelflife in the future.

Switch Sales are Absolutely Bonkers Right Now

In the interview, Bowser confirmed what we already know: the Nintendo Switch is selling like crazy. Thanks to the limited availability of the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, the Switch made major headway in its lead for 2020 sales in October. In that month, the Switch “sold 735,000 units, up 136% year over year,” and November is expected to be just as strong. Thanks to a low price point model with the Switch Lite, it’s fairly easy to get into the Nintendo ecosystem right now.

Nintendo Isn’t Worried About a Low Number of New Games

Bowser notes in the interview that he’s aware some major titles for the console released years ago and no new titles pack quite the same punch. The exception, of course, is Animal Crossing: New Horizons. “One thing we feel is unique about Nintendo is the strength of our evergreen catalog,” Bowser says. Not great news for people who already own those games, but there are quite a few great things coming up in 2021. As far as a Switch Pro? Bowser wouldn’t comment, but we all know it’s likely coming.