Nintendo had a terrific 2017 with the release of the Switch and the exclusive games released throughout the year. From The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild to Super Mario Odyssey, the company had little room for missteps.
Now the expectations for the console have gone even higher.
New Target
Nintendo bounced back from the low point that was the release of the Wii U. While the console failed to catch on, Nintendo learned its lesson but took some of the good aspects of the console and came out stronger for it.
The Wii U sold 13 million units during its lifetime, a loss that's hard for the company. The Wii sold 101 million units. As of mid-December, the Nintendo Switch sold 10 million units. Nintendo president Tatsumi Kimishima set the bar high for the company.
By the end of April, Nintendo expects sales to be around the 17 million units, and by April 2019, it wants to hit the 37 million mark. To maintain that level of sales, Nintendo would have to keep pace of selling 1.6 million consoles each month.
If sales of the Switch continue at the pace that Nintendo would like, by the end of the year in 2019, sales could reach 50 million units.
Good news for Nintendo is that its main competitors Sony and Microsoft just launched new products and aren't expected to release another console any time soon. Nintendo would have to keep up its pace of exclusive games, but that shouldn't be a problem with the small amount of its catalogue currently released on the Switch.
What To Expect In 2018
Nintendo has a vast library of games, and everything that it released in 2017 doesn't begin to scratch the surface of old IPs.
Just like the re-release of Mario Kart 8, Nintendo will be re-releasing acclaimed games that were originally found on the Wii U. This year, Nintendo will be releasing Bayonetta 2 for the Switch. The first game in the series was released on all consoles. It became a Nintendo exclusive for its sequel and had the misfortune of being released on the Wii U.
Copies of Bayonetta 2 will come with a free copy of the original Bayonetta. Games such as Super Mario Maker, Super Smash Bros., Pikmin 3, and others could be re-released for the console.
Nintendo also has the Pokémon RPG announced for Switch back during E3. If it's only a fraction as popular as Pokémon GO, gamers will be flocking to buy the game or console to get a new experience.
This is not even counting the upcoming Metroid game and third-party games that will come out throughout the year on the Switch.
