Nintendo is dominating 2021. Yes, it’s early, and yes, it may not be a fair comparison to Sony and Microsoft. The Nintendo Switch is almost four years old, and Sony and Microsoft just launched brand new consoles with a supply that cannot meet demand. That being said, this is nothing new. It’s a trend that has been building for several years. The games that have been announced for 2021 and that have come out in 2021 thus far have been in development for some time. The Nintendo Switch is stifling its competition. The only question is, will this last? It’s an unknown at this point, but Nintendo, as it stands right now, has a focused strategy laid out for this year, while the other companies don’t. Nintendo has been dominating the Japanese market in hardware sales and software sales every week. The Switch is a worldwide phenomenon and according to the President of Nintendo, Shuntaro Furukawa, it is approaching the middle of its life cycle. If anything, the Switch’s success shows that console power doesn’t matter. If Nintendo continues on this path, the Switch will become their most successful console, which is quite an accomplishment after the flop of the Wii U.
So far, Nintendo has released two AAA first-party titles this year: Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury and Bravely Default II. Mario 3D World, since release, is consistently not only the best-selling Switch game, but the best-selling game worldwide. Bravely Default II came out two days ago, but if eShop sales are any indication, it will sell very well. It comes from an established franchise and as an old-school JRPG, has a very dedicated fanbase. 2021 is largely uncertain for the Xbox Series X and the PlayStation 5, as of right now. Halo Infinite was delayed and we have no idea when that will come out, and Horizon Forbidden West for the PlayStation 5 has been very quiet, despite a planned 2021 release. Microsoft is doing a lot with studio acquisitions though and is building up a strong foundation. Sony appears to be lost with the PlayStation 5. There are some games coming out, but the heavy hitters and first-party, original titles, are severely lacking. If Sony wants to have a successful 2021, they need at least a few AAA exclusives (not timed exclusives) that will move console units. Right now, they don’t have any, and after the embarrassment that was the PlayStation’s “State of Play” event, they’re incredibly unfocused. The 50-minute Nintendo Direct, on the other hand, was laser-focused and showed titles that are coming in the first half of 2021 and even some 2022 titles. Yesterday, we got the “Pokemon Presents”, which showed one pair of late 2021 titles and one 2022 title. These games will sell Nintendo Switches. That’s the difference between Nintendo and its competitors right now.
Nintendo’s Direct was so successful because it showed a very solid slate of 2021 exclusives that are coming in the first half of this year. Monster Hunter Rise is the most anticipated game in Japan and has a March release date. Skyward Sword HD, which was a total surprise, is coming in July. Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are late 2021 titles and will release any time between October and December. There are also additional games that could come in 2021, such as Breath of the Wild 2. Nintendo has been very mum on what is coming in the second half of the year, and that’s okay. There are sure to be announcements during E3 (which is rumored to be a digital-only event this year); that will set up Nintendo’s second half of 2021. It’s The Legend of Zelda’s 35th anniversary, and if Mario’s 35th anniversary is any indication, Zelda is bound to get a similar treatment. Nintendo is still celebrating Mario’s 35th, so, it makes sense that they didn’t announce anything else Zelda-related. Skyward Sword HD has rocketed to the top of Amazon’s best-selling games, and again, if that’s indicative of how the title will perform, Nintendo is prime for a fantastic first half of the year.
Mario, Bravely Default, Monster Hunter, Zelda, Pokemon; that is the power of the Nintendo Switch right now in 2021, that we know of. That’s some serious firepower. The Japanese market cannot be discounted, and many of these titles are the most highly anticipated games of 2021 or have already released and have incredible sales numbers. Nintendo also announced Pyra and Mythra for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, which has renewed interest in Xenoblade Chronicles 2. There is a deep dive into the characters on March 4, and indications that she will be released in March of this year. Older Nintendo games such as Splatoon 2, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Ring Fit Adventure, Pokemon Sword and Shield, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe are some of the best-selling games of the year so far. That matches Nintendo’s strategy of getting Switch owners interested in older titles, per President Shuntaro Furukawa. Animal Crossing: New Horizons is still selling like hotcakes and shows no indications of slowing down.
Nintendo is enjoying a fantastic 2021 so far, dominating their competition. There are many, many factors that play into this, and it isn’t that simple, but from an objective vantage point, they’re poised to surpass Microsoft and Sony in both hardware sales and software sales. Some may claim that it’s not a fair comparison because Sony and Microsoft just released new consoles; that’s a fallacious argument. Because they launched new consoles this past holiday season, they should be doing very well, but the sales and announcements aren’t there. They’re not expanding into new territory, while Nintendo is. With Pokemon’s 25th Anniversary and Zelda’s 35th anniversary, there are many announcements still to come, especially when it comes to Zelda. Nintendo is finally capitalizing on Breath of the Wild’s success and releasing HD remasters of classic Zelda games for their hit console, and new fans in the series who never got a chance to play games such as Skyward Sword will get to experience it for the first time. It’s a win-win situation for gamers and for Nintendo from a business standpoint. The same goes for Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. This year may be the year of Nintendo, and we’ve only seen a glimpse into their plans for the year.