Host intro: Nintendo is launching a new product today, called Nintendo Switch. The Company is hoping it will bring attention back after the lackluster performance of the 2012 Wii U (WEE you). Gamers across the world are pretty excited about this, but will the console bring joy to investors too? Sushmita (sush-MEE-tah) Pathak (PAH-thuck) has more.
New Yorkers walking in front of the Flatiron building this morning were taken by surprise when they saw Mario, the beloved character from Nintendo’s iconic SuperMario game. It’s the launch of the Nintendo Switch and Mario’s here to lure gamers to try out the new console.
Tijori Perez is 14. He and his younger sister are so excited that they missed school today to try out the new Switch.
Ambi: Taylor and Tijori playing
The Nintendo Switch is a first of its kind part-handheld and part-console gaming device. It means you can play it in your living room like a traditional console or play on-the-go like a gameboy.
Tijori says he’s been excited about this since October. But back then, not everyone felt so good about the Switch. Nintendo’s stock dropped by nearly 7 percent after the announcement of the new console – and investors weren’t especially enthusiastic. Chris Morris is a financial journalist and has been covering the gaming industry for more than 20 years.
Morris 1 The Switch is as much a handheld system as it is a console system which means for your television and living room. And the handheld market has suffered for the last several years because of mobile games.
Morris says, the Switch is Nintendo’s attempt to get back into the gaming game.
Morris 2 Nintendo had an enormous success with the Wii
Morris is talking about the Wii console that came out in 2006, which was a huge hit. But the Wii U that came out in 2012 wasn’t. And that caused problems with the stock, and with investors.
Morris 4 And so, with Switch, Nintendo is hoping to regain its position in the gaming world.
So, will the Switch succeed? Morris says the current batch of Switch consoles will sell out quickly because there’s always a group of hardcore gamers who buy new consoles when they come out.
Sarkar 1 For gamers this is like Christmas.
Samit Sarkar is a senior reporter at Polygon, a gaming news website. But Sarkar says, the Switch got mixed reviews earlier this week.
Sarkar 2 This is a critical time for Nintendo as a company because the Wii U did so poorly and recently they’ve made efforts to diversify their business. They have recently started making mobile games.
Games like SuperMario for the iphone and android. Back at the launch event, Tijori is pretty happy with the Switch.
Tijori 1 I think this is going to be the most successful console and I think this is the best console.
He’s headed to the Nintendo play store downtown. Whatever the reviews say, he’s going to buy the Switch for sure. Sushmita Pathak, Columbia Radio News.