How Nintendo Ought to Handle the Switch and 3DS

[RepentantSky]

Okay so, with the Nintendo Switch being revealed the other day, and I just kind of realized a lack of updates on the 3DS, I kind of came up with ideas on what I think would be the best laid plan for Nintendo going forward. I think, before year's end, they need to have two more directs. One dedicated to the Nintendo Switch, and one dedicated to the 3DS, because let's face it, the Wii U is truly dead now. 

The Nintendo Switch Direct needs to focus on 3rd party titles, and confirm all of the ones that will be on the system at launch, to open the direct. They also need to confirm afterwards if any of the games we saw in that trailer we saw like Mario Kart 8, are being ported to the system since the cartridges will eliminate any backwards compatibility, unless of course there's an extension that can be purchased at a later time that will act as a Disc Drive. If they are doing this, it might be a good idea to wait until closer to launch to mention it in order to get any and all hype for the system, focused on games that are coming exclusively to the Switch. Next, the direct needs to end with confirmation about what new Exclusive titles are coming to the system, as well as probably ending with the Mario game we saw, and confirming specs, as well as why they chose those specs. Also, a mention of the supposed Pokemon title in the works for the system either needs to be confirmed or denied, and the direct itself probably needs to run closer to an hour, to get all the details out and to promote hopefully close to 20 games at launch including ports. Of course to, and it goes without saying, but the direct needs to have a release at the end, and possible confirmation of KH3, Dragon Quest XI and the FF7 Remake. Just a lot of square in there for the RPG enthusiasts.  

The 3DS Direct, needs to more than anything, reaffirm people that it's not going away. The Switch will not effect updates for the system and games coming out for it, in any matter whatsoever. During this direct they need to focus on upcoming games like Ever Oasis and the Mario Sports title that's going to have several sports games rolled into one. It might also be a good idea to have several new games lined up like a possible new Mario or Zelda, as well as something from Atlus or another 3rd party developer who has had great success with the 3DS. All of that to confirm continued support of the system. This doesn't need to last as long, maybe 30 to 40 minutes is all. 

After making these two directs, advertisements for the Switch need to happen, and often, and that trailer that we saw really needs to be on regular TV ASAP. As far as new ads, they could release trailers for any games that go as mere mentions in the Switch Direct, or take the Sun and Moon route and post a new trailer for a game once a week or twice a month. Either way will work. I think to that it's important that they show the Switch as often as possible so that people get used to it's look and so it's obvious that it's different than the Wii or Wii U. 

Next, they need to delay the release of the Switch, until around E3. Preferably in line with whatever they are doing. This is so they can spend more time advertising the system. To apologize for the delay, they need to have someone well liked such as Miyamoto apologize for the delay, possibly with another Direct in March, but something similar to the apology made by Square for the most recent, and hopefully last delay of Final Fantasy XV. For that matter, they should probably confirm a port of XV to the system at some point in the future, like a year from it's release Ala Tomb Raider. Doing that might actually be advantageous as well because they could play it off as Square being Square, since they have publish both games. 

At E3, they need to once again confirm the specs and better explain the Technology, and they need to do it at a conference, not a direct. If they want to do both at E3, that's actually fine, provided that they don't regurgitate too much info from the conference, and focus more on the 3DS and any final plans for the Wii U, like they are going to support ports from the Switch to the Wii U like Microsoft and Sony promised and actually did. 

And that's really it. After doing all that, it's business as usual. Advertising games, doing directs, whatever. Honestly, I'd like to see them follow a lime pretty close to what I've mentioned. It really comes down to, can they do that, or can they do it better. Any thoughts anyone would like to add, I'd love to see them. Talking about a new system is always a good idea.

[Berry]

Delaying a Console for the sake of marketing is a dick move.

The event of e3 doesn't have the power it once had, meaning that if they hold out til the middle of the summer is a risky proposition alltogether. Honestly, the method of "don't show,don't tell" that Nintendo is doing is a refresher and slowly transition to steady but not overwhelming marketing. Excessive marketing didn't save the WiiU, so it isn't going to be any different for the Switch.

The 3DS lifespan will still continue because they already did a Direct that includes Yoshi Yarn, Mario Maker, Dragon Quest and a Pikmin title. Also those Sun/Moon 2DS bundle will boost sales, so why waste the huge boost in consumers?

[CosmykTheDolfyn]

Just to add a little...
I don't think Nintendo needs to announce stuff through E3 at all anymore, those Directs are just so effective. Delaying stuff to fit around E3 may be needed more for other companies, but I don't think that rule applies to Nintendo anymore.

[RepentantSky]

Delaying a Console for the sake of marketing is a dick move.

The event of e3 doesn't have the power it once had, meaning that if they hold out til the middle of the summer is a risky proposition alltogether. Honestly, the method of "don't show,don't tell" that Nintendo is doing is a refresher and slowly transition to steady but not overwhelming marketing. Excessive marketing didn't save the WiiU, so it isn't going to be any different for the Switch.

The 3DS lifespan will still continue because they already did a Direct that includes Yoshi Yarn, Mario Maker, Dragon Quest and a Pikmin title. Also those Sun/Moon 2DS bundle will boost sales, so why waste the huge boost in consumers?

You think the Wii U's advertising is excessive and that advertising a system less is a good idea? That sounds like crazy talk to be honest. History will show that the lack of advertising is what made the Wii U fail, not the other way around. Also, advertising a system less when there are so many systems out there is how it gets lost in the market and loses in sales. The casual audience need to brought up to the current system in a way that's not confusing. The Switch has 5 months to advertise, that's not enough. It will fail unless they really push it from here on out. Delaying it so people know about it is smart, even if the core audience like us, the hardcore gamer already knows. 

The 3DS direct is there also for the casual and hardcore audience. We know of 2 ports, one side game and one or two RPG's coming for the system next year, that's really not a lot to go off of, in fact that seems like the kind of year you have when you want to end a system. The casual audience will have no idea what most of the games are but if they shift attention to themselves with the direct for the Switch, then people are more likely to pay attention to the 3DS direct so they can be sure that their favorite handheld isn't getting left behind. 

Regardless of what place E3 has, it's still the biggest event of the year for solid gaming, which is why most of the best parts of every system tend to be revealed there.  Specs, game line-ups and in this case launch titles, usually show up at E3, where most people are going to pay attention.

[Berry]

Delaying a Console for the sake of marketing is a dick move.

The event of e3 doesn't have the power it once had, meaning that if they hold out til the middle of the summer is a risky proposition alltogether. Honestly, the method of "don't show,don't tell" that Nintendo is doing is a refresher and slowly transition to steady but not overwhelming marketing. Excessive marketing didn't save the WiiU, so it isn't going to be any different for the Switch.

The 3DS lifespan will still continue because they already did a Direct that includes Yoshi Yarn, Mario Maker, Dragon Quest and a Pikmin title. Also those Sun/Moon 2DS bundle will boost sales, so why waste the huge boost in consumers?

You think the Wii U's advertising is excessive and that advertising a system less is a good idea? That sounds like crazy talk to be honest. History will show that the lack of advertising is what made the Wii U fail, not the other way around. Also, advertising a system less when there are so many systems out there is how it gets lost in the market and loses in sales. The casual audience need to brought up to the current system in a way that's not confusing. The Switch has 5 months to advertise, that's not enough. It will fail unless they really push it from here on out. Delaying it so people know about it is smart, even if the core audience like us, the hardcore gamer already knows. 

The 3DS direct is there also for the casual and hardcore audience. We know of 2 ports, one side game and one or two RPG's coming for the system next year, that's really not a lot to go off of, in fact that seems like the kind of year you have when you want to end a system. The casual audience will have no idea what most of the games are but if they shift attention to themselves with the direct for the Switch, then people are more likely to pay attention to the 3DS direct so they can be sure that their favorite handheld isn't getting left behind. 

Regardless of what place E3 has, it's still the biggest event of the year for solid gaming, which is why most of the best parts of every system tend to be revealed there.  Specs, game line-ups and in this case launch titles, usually show up at E3, where most people are going to pay attention.

There was very heavy marketing for the WiiU at the beginning of it's announcement toward the end of the Smash Bros 4 Hype. Why else were they so keen on pushing Amiibo and Gamecube controller feature, because they knew they lost the core casual audience. The problem with WiiU marketing is that it was convoluted and didn't knew what it wanted to be, ethier a hardcore system, casual system or a home DS console. The key to marketing(IMO) is to get straight to the point on what your product is and not what it could be.

Don't get me wrong, I strongly agree with your Nintendo Switch Direct idea but when it comes to marketing, we are on different side of the coin.I don't believe that heavy marketing will improve sells because it can easily turns to oversaturation of the brand. Something that can negatively impact and crush the momentum that the Nintendo Switch already has.

[Psychospacecow]

Honestly, the worst part of the Wii U's marketing campaign was the naming department. I explained just last week to someone that it was in fact a different system than the Wii.