Nintendo’s Flawed Launch of the Switch 2

On March 17, 2017, Nintendo entered a new era. The video game manufacturer released the Switch, its massively successful home/ portable hybrid console.

The Switch lived up to its name and was a reversal of fortune for Nintendo. Wii U significantly underperformed, so the company wanted to ensure its successor sold well — and it was an immediate success. Nintendo nurtured the console with a vast library of games. It’s sold over 150 million units (and counting); as of March 2025, the Switch became Nintendo’s longest-running current-generation console.

This has given Nintendo more than eight years to develop the Switch’s follow-up, and there should have been massive hype. There seemed to be excitement going into the Nintendo Direct, and the event was full of surprises — and not the good kind. While there was excitement, there was also frustration. And to make matters worse, people seemed confused.

So far, the rollout has been a bit of a disaster, and it may become a case study of what not to do when unveiling a new product.

Problem 1: The price

The first thing people want to know when a new piece of technology comes out: How much will it cost? The base model was revealed to be $449, a sharp increase from the original Switch. Most customers will spend more when they buy the console by electing to upgrade to the $499 bundle with Mario Kart World.