Harry McCracken / Fast Company: Nintendo US and Global Presidents Discuss Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Switch, and Expansion into Theme Parks, Movies, and More
Since June 2019, Nintendo has been counting down the days until the launch of Animal Crossing: New Horizons for its hit Switch console. Now that the game is here, Nintendo global president Shuntaro Furukawa and Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser sat down with Fast Company to discuss this long-awaited title, the company’s foray into theme parks, movies, and more.
What Switch Means for Nintendo
When asked about the success of their flagship console, Furukawa and Bowser had glowing praise for the Switch. “It has been a great success so far,” Furukawa said, noting how it has helped Japan move beyond being seen as an ‘old gaming industry’.
He continued to explain that Nintendo prioritizes creating engaging experiences for users over sales figures. Bowser echoed these sentiments noting that with its hybrid capabilities (being able to be used at home on a television set or on the go) Switch has become a gaming platform unlike any other in the industry.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons’ Success
When discussing Animal Crossing: New Horizons’ success before even launching in March 2020 Furukawa made clear just how special this game was going to be. According to him this title “has achieved an unprecedented level of preorder demand” which shows just how passionate fans are about playing it.
Furthermore, he noted how it was likely due to some of their more innovative features such as their new crafting system and Nook Miles rewards system.
When asked about how this game fits within Nintendo’s broader strategy Bowser noted that they have been looking for ways to expand upon traditional gaming experiences saying “We want people to play games not just on their own but with others too” which is something he believes will help achieve with Animal Crossing’s online tools allowing players from all around world join together in one virtual space.
Expansion Into Other Creative Fields
In addition to video games, Nintendo also has plans to expand into other creative fields such as theme parks movies, etc.
Furukawa noted how they’re already making progress in those areas having announced collaborations with Universal Studios Japan and Illumination Entertainment respectively late last year Despite these impressive moves Furukawa insists that they won’t be neglecting traditional forms of entertainment like video games anytime soon We want people around the world keep playing classic games through platforms like our console while also having fun themed parks movies etc.
To make sure we can achieve both missions we’ll need to create unique ways to enjoy all these types of entertainment together
Conclusion
All signs point towards continued success for Nintendo’s beloved franchise long future ahead them With its unique hybrid capabilities and engagement from around the world thanks to online tools many opportunities open up for them further innovate and reach new customers It looks like they’re off to the great start.
