-
Play spooky games and earn badges in our first community game challenge event! Read all the details here.
Famiboards
Hello gang,
Often when the subject of Switch success comes up, we talk about the strength of brands like Mario or Animal Crossing, and when we talk about third party support we talk about the impossible ports; The Witcher, Mortal Kombat. But I'm here to tell you the real secret of the Switch's success:
They've been appealing to Weebs every step of the way
Let's start with the big launch one - The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild
The big next evolution of the The Legend of Zelda franchise, and one sporting a new look reminiscent of Studio Ghibli films. Total weeb game.
Then throughout 2017 they even snuck weeb influences into other games:
Tanooki Mario. Clear Weeb appeal for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.
ARMs - Spring-man looks like a Tezuka character. Old school weebs.
Splatoon 2 - idols? Tokyo style setting? Weeb game
Fire Emblem Warriors - obvious weeb game
Then came the big one at the end of 2017 - the weebiest game that ever weebed.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2
then what came in 2018? More weeb games:
Octopath Traveler - that name screams weeb
Pokémon Remakes - franchise literally has a long running anime
Smash Bros - Full of JRPG characters - weeb game.
Then in 2019 Nintendo decided enough was enough. No more pretending they weren't a weeb company, time to really up the ante:
Fire Emblem Three Houses - 100% weeb
Astral Chain - super weeb
Daemon x Machina - for mecha weebs
Dragon Quest XIS - so weeb it almost literally has DBZ characters in it
and to top it off Nintendo decided to return to the fitness game - but Wii Fit wasn't going to cut it any more. This new fitness game had to be a bit more weeby
Ring Fit Adventure - A goddamn Fitness JRPG
Following the weeb out in 2019 Nintendo then decided it was time not just to create new weeb games but remind people of the great weeb games of the past
Tokyo Mirage Sessions
Xenoblade Definitive Edition
Famicom Detective Club
and then in the future of the Switch what do we see?
Pokémon Arceus - an even weebier take on Pokémon
Triangle Strategy - goes without saying
Splatoon 3 - more squid weebs
The sequel to The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild -more Weeb Zelda
Bayonetta 3 - Bayo now in Shibuya? How much more weeb can you get
On a serious note one of the most fascinating facets of Nintendo with the Switch has been their focus and support on AA Japanese content, and it has been one of the key parts of the Switch strategy that has been underestimated in my opinion. Nintendo's own output consisting of games like the above not only helped Nintendo their own niche series by having synergy between them but really fostered an environment for similar third parties to succeed on the platform.
I feel like that's been especially important as competitors(and publishers) at large are focusing more and more on bigger budget games, supported for longer, and more heavily monetised.
Often when the subject of Switch success comes up, we talk about the strength of brands like Mario or Animal Crossing, and when we talk about third party support we talk about the impossible ports; The Witcher, Mortal Kombat. But I'm here to tell you the real secret of the Switch's success:
They've been appealing to Weebs every step of the way
Let's start with the big launch one - The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild
The big next evolution of the The Legend of Zelda franchise, and one sporting a new look reminiscent of Studio Ghibli films. Total weeb game.
Then throughout 2017 they even snuck weeb influences into other games:
Tanooki Mario. Clear Weeb appeal for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.
ARMs - Spring-man looks like a Tezuka character. Old school weebs.
Splatoon 2 - idols? Tokyo style setting? Weeb game
Fire Emblem Warriors - obvious weeb game
Then came the big one at the end of 2017 - the weebiest game that ever weebed.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2
then what came in 2018? More weeb games:
Octopath Traveler - that name screams weeb
Pokémon Remakes - franchise literally has a long running anime
Smash Bros - Full of JRPG characters - weeb game.
Then in 2019 Nintendo decided enough was enough. No more pretending they weren't a weeb company, time to really up the ante:
Fire Emblem Three Houses - 100% weeb
Astral Chain - super weeb
Daemon x Machina - for mecha weebs
Dragon Quest XIS - so weeb it almost literally has DBZ characters in it
and to top it off Nintendo decided to return to the fitness game - but Wii Fit wasn't going to cut it any more. This new fitness game had to be a bit more weeby
Ring Fit Adventure - A goddamn Fitness JRPG
Following the weeb out in 2019 Nintendo then decided it was time not just to create new weeb games but remind people of the great weeb games of the past
Tokyo Mirage Sessions
Xenoblade Definitive Edition
Famicom Detective Club
and then in the future of the Switch what do we see?
Pokémon Arceus - an even weebier take on Pokémon
Triangle Strategy - goes without saying
Splatoon 3 - more squid weebs
The sequel to The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild -more Weeb Zelda
Bayonetta 3 - Bayo now in Shibuya? How much more weeb can you get
On a serious note one of the most fascinating facets of Nintendo with the Switch has been their focus and support on AA Japanese content, and it has been one of the key parts of the Switch strategy that has been underestimated in my opinion. Nintendo's own output consisting of games like the above not only helped Nintendo their own niche series by having synergy between them but really fostered an environment for similar third parties to succeed on the platform.
I feel like that's been especially important as competitors(and publishers) at large are focusing more and more on bigger budget games, supported for longer, and more heavily monetised.