Nintendo Switch Sells Out Worldwide

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Category: Technology/Innovations

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Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. sell out / sɛl aʊt / (phrasal) – to sell the entire supply of something
    Example:

    The concert organizer sold out tickets in just fifteen minutes.


  2. underwhelming / ˌʌn dərˈʰwɛlm ɪŋ / (adj) – unable to catch someone’s interest
    Example:

    The new product is getting low sales because of its underwhelming design.


  3. precursor / prɪˈkɜr sər / (n) – something that came before a certain thing
    Example:

    The new laptop model has better features than its precursor.


  4. constraint / kənˈstreɪnt / (n) – a restriction
    Example:

    The Internet service in the office has several constraints.


  5. edge / ɛdʒ / (n) – an advantage
    Example:

    We have an edge over other companies because of our wider customer base.


Article

Read the text below.

Video game company Nintendo has sold out its new product, Nintendo Switch, immediately upon release.


Nintendo’s newest gaming console is named Switch because of its dual nature: it functions as a portable console or a device linked to a television, much like a traditional console. According to Japanese game magazine Famitsu, Nintendo sold around 330,637 units of the Switch in Japan within the first three days of its launch. Similarly, Nintendo of America revealed that the Switch sold out faster than any other Nintendo system in the US.


Despite earning praises, the Switch also had to deal with doubts from the public due to the underwhelming performance of the Wii U, its immediate precursor. Although the Wii U was released back in 2012, only 13.56 million units were sold as of March 2017. Among the reasons for Wii U’s underperformance are the lack of support from third-party developers, weak hardware compared to its rivals, and some constraints on its online features.


Nintendo has struggled to develop a product that could rival Sony’s PlayStation 4 and Microsoft’s Xbox One because both consoles have been in the market since 2013. Currently, the company hopes that the Switch could succeed against its competitors in areas where the Wii U failed to deliver.


To give the Switch an edge, Nintendo allows multiplayer gaming by connecting several Switch systems together. Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime stated that the Switch gives gamers the liberty to customize their gaming experience. In addition, the new device allows game developers to bring more of their ideas to life.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

• Do you think Nintendo can sustain the sales of the Switch? Why or why not?
• Do you think using multiplayer gaming to boost the sales of the Switch is a good move? Why or why not?

Discussion B

• If you were a developer, what features would you include in a video game?
• What are possible effects on a company if one of their products flops?