Now that the Nintendo Switch has been out for a month, we’ve been curious what the reception has been to the device in countries across the world. Famitsu conducted a survey of specialist gaming shops in Japan to ask them how the Switch reception has been among their customers, as well as sales of games and other accessories. 82 shops responded to the survey.
Nintendo Switch Satisfaction
- Very Satisfied 12 (14.6%)
- Mostly Satisfied 25 (30.5%)
- Normal 21 (25.6%)
- Slightly Dissatisfied 6 (7.3%)
- Dissatisfied 18 (22%)
Famitsu notes that these shops said customer inquiries about the Nintendo Switch are higher than any hardware released in the past few years, while The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has been the most popular title available since launch. Shop owners also report that not enough hardware and accessories are available for those buying the systems.
Best Upcoming Software
When asked which games are expected to be the best sellers, Splatoon 2 received 50 out of 82 of the shop’s votes. It was described as a killer title that will propel explosive hardware sales, which is not that surprising given how popular the original game was in Japan.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the next title to receive 37 votes and was praised for its approach as a family title. Shop owners also said it is the most frequently pre-ordered title in Japan. Other games that are receiving a lot of enthusiasm in the region include Dragon Quest XI, ARMS, Fire Emblem Musou, Super Mario Odyssey, and Spelunker.
Most Wanted Features
The biggest requested feature in this survey is a steady supply of hardware. None of the retailers in the survey have been able to keep enough hardware in stock, while others are disappointed with the lack of accessories available for the device. One missing accessory named by most retailers is a Joy-Con charging grip.
Other concerns were expressed over the lack of titles for women and families to enjoy, as well as a lack of third-party games. Retailers also want to see games that support tabletop and mobile mode more.
Those seem like some pretty tame demands after the first month of the Nintendo Switch launch and I would say it pretty much aligns with what most US consumers want to see, as well. We’ve all been disappointed at the lack of a charging grip for the Joy-Con controllers and while Japan is probably more enthusiastic about Splatoon 2, it was well received in the US.
What games are you most looking forward to seeing?
[via Japanese Nintendo]
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