Nintendo’s Switch - How the Reveal Targets a New Audience

During the unveiling of Nintendo Switch, fans and the industry were introduced to the latest attempt at innovating how gamers consume interactive entertainment. Nintendo’s answer is a portable console hybrid - an attempt to satisfy a more traditional console based experience while introducing the flexibility of a handheld.

One aspect of the reveal stood out - a noticeable lack of young people. The Switch’s reveal trailer features an adult cast, a direct contrast to the Wii and Wii U reveals, both of which showed much broader/younger age ranges.

So who is Nintendo targeting with their latest console, and will the approach pay off?

Based on the reveal, Nintendo Switch has taken aim at a gaming segment that had largely moved on by the time the Wii U launched. This critical group of makes up a major portion of the Wii U’s missing and struggling sales. Gamers who grew up with Nintendo, seemingly abandoned the platform during the Wii U generation, thanks to Nintendo’s own heavy-handed plays towards younger more casual audiences, a striking lack of third party support, and stiff competition from all other gaming sectors. The sentiment from the older gaming fans became, “I didn’t leave Nintendo, Nintendo left me,” indicating the company had got away from what mattered to gamers.

With the Switch, Nintendo hopes to rectify these feelings by reaching out directly to adult gamers that have left seeking greener pastures. Polygon reports, targeting adults who grew up playing Nintendo consoles “seems to be a core part of Nintendo’s early marketing of the Switch. There aren’t any people under 18 featured in the first look at the console, in stark contrast to how the Wii and Wii U were promoted.” The Switch’s reveal trailer features late-night gaming sessions, millennials using the Switch in airports, hip rooftop parties complete with Red Solo cups and more.

In addition to showing the product being used by a new target audience, Nintendo Switch’s reveal included well framed shots of core gaming experiences - ones that will likely resonate strongly with young adults gamers. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim was not-so-subtly teased and adult males gathered to play NBA 2K17 (it's worth noting neither of these titles have been confirmed for the Switch). Even the family-friendly Nintendo exclusive Splatoon was shown being played by adults drawing up gameplans before entering a packed arena eSports tournament. As James Batchelor of Gamesindustry.biz notes, these are all “further indications that Nintendo is keen to realign itself with the rest of the industry.”

This doesn’t mean that Nintendo is ditching family-friendly entertainment. It wouldn’t make sense to leave behind such a large group that has shown huge promise in recent history. However, the Switch’s initial reveal shows Nintendo is ready to win back the now-adults who grew up with their consoles. They’re focusing early marketing on more traditional console gamers, and critical millennials. Now, Nintendo's ability to consistently convey a clear use case to this audience is crucial for winning them back.