The Contradiction of Nintendo in 2021

Fans tuned in for the Nintendo Direct last week and experienced mixed results. Many saw a game or two they liked a lot. Others, and probably the majority of viewers, felt very disappointed. No new info on Breath of the Wild 2 or other top titles left fans wondering if Nintendo is entering another year of relatively disappointing releases. The funny thing is that Nintendo itself is seeing historic gains in player base, profits, and interest in their games. It’s the contradiction that defies fandoms and mainstream gaming.

Diehard Nintendo fans might see the upcoming slate of Nintendo Switch games as wildly disappointing. Without a new heavy hitter on the way, it’s unclear whether or not Nintendo has a game plan for the back-nine of the console’s lifespan. Splatoon 3 is great, and a new Zelda is coming at some point, but what else is there to get excited about? Nintendo fans might be panicking and frustrated, but to Nintendo, things are going about as well as they could be.

Shortages of the Switch last year left many itching to find a console by any means necessary. Even games like Ring Fit Adventure saw massive stock depletions because people wanted a Switch during the pandemic. Then there’s the massive hit that was Animal Crossing: New Horizons. The smaller role-players at Nintendo are doing fine. Mix those in with the continued sales of games like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and ports like Pikmin 3 and Nintendo is doing what it needs to do to make money.

Does that mean the lineup is as exciting as it could be? Not by a long shot. The problem is that diehard fans always want the next big thing. For a company like Nintendo, getting by with a strong B-lineup and ports from past consoles, why would they try to invest more than they need to? It’s a contradiction that will leave some a bit sour on Nintendo, but the fact of the matter is that everything that can be going right for the company right now is going right. Whether diehard fans agree, that’s not really a huge concern.