Nintendo stock—to be bullish or to be bearish, that is the question. With last night’s Nintendo Switch press conference, the stock value has dropped yet again. The share price closed yesterday, down 5.75 per cent.
But Nintendo showed their true colours last night—the Switch delivered a cohesive home and mobile hybrid experience that players asked for and expected. The Twitter feed blew up with excitement from vocal Nintendo fans, but it seems to be a discrepancy between core Nintendo fans and onlookers waiting for something new. For those already excited for the Switch, the presentation was just one more heap onto the hypetrain. But last night’s announcements didn’t really add more to the pot of tricks, but rather expanded on what was already covered. So you can imagine how some people were let down. They perceived the launch line-up to be lackluster, with only a trio of heavy hitters to be released throughout the year—Zelda, Splatoon 2, and Mario Odyssey in spring, summer, and fall, respectively, meaning people will have to wait for their favourite titles. It left many fans questioning if there would be dry spell. Of the 16 games that are currently confirmed for release, Disgaea 5, Steep, Just Dance 2017, I am Setsuna, Puyo Puyo Tetris, Rayman Legends, and Skylanders Imaginators all have been previously released elsewhere in the last couple of years.
The price point is also worth looking at. Expectations from price leaks seemed to gauge the release at around $250. Not a far cry from the current $300 USD ($399.99 Canadian), but people like Dave Thier from Forbes took it as a disappointment nonetheless. Investors might also be extra bearish after the Wii U.
Looking at it historically, the movement of a stock price doesn’t normally act as predictor for the long term success of a console. Perhaps the Switch will not be a fad and have a longer tail and lifespan. If you’re a long-term investor, you know NTDOY has appreciated 195.25 per cent since its initial public offering in late 1996.
