Retailers: Third party Switch support impresses, but what about the price?

An interesting design and seemingly extensive third party support has got retail excited about the Nintendo Switch, but big questions remain after the platform holder’s initial reveal.

It’s very Nintendo to bring something new and different to the market,” ShopTo’s head of commercial Alison Fraser told MCV. The early third party list supporting the console is impressive. Let’s see what gaming brands are announced over the coming months.”

HMV games buyer Nathan Allen added: I was pleasantly surprised by the Switch reveal and I’m optimistic about it’s sales potential. I think it’s a significant step up from the Wii U and, with the third party support they’re boasting, will hopefully appeal to a very broad spectrum of consumers.”

Of course, from a retail perspective one question dominates in the mind of most retailers – how much is Nintendo going to charge for the machine?

Continued Allen: I look forward to seeing more details around the specs and, crucially, price! With the more powerful and established PS4 and Xbox One consoles now hovering around 249, the Switch needs to be competitive.”

Unfortunately, the uncertainties don’t end there, either.

The storage space is high up on the list of questions,” Fraser explained. The future is most certainly going the digital way for Nintendo as well.

The storage will dictate the requirements for cartridges which are unclear at the moment.”

Gameseek’s Stephen Staley added: Would running a game like Breath Of The Wild drain the battery quickly? The controllers look a bit small when they’re detached from the Switch, so will they cause discomfort?

Also, if Switch isn’t going to support 3DS or Wii U games, will this harm sales?”

With Nintendo saying a March 2017 launch still on the cards, however, answers to all of these questions can be expected in the near future.