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Former Nintendo president Satoru Iwata passed away before the launch of the Nintendo Switch in 2017, yet he left behind a visionary legacy that is beginning to materialize — a vision that will be instrumental for the upcoming Switch 2. As veteran game designer and Nintendo fellow Shigeru Miyamoto shared with Time in 2017, “Mr. Iwata was the head of development, so he put a lot of thought and time into Switch.” His ideas emphasized the importance of the Nintendo Switch as a portable device that encourages networking and communication among players.
The original Switch was marketed with the concept of uniting players through gaming experiences, highlighted by local multiplayer games such as 1-2-Switch and Snipperclips. However, it is evident that Nintendo has set its sights on broader multiplayer ambitions, as evidenced by its recent game releases. Despite the company's well-known creativity and innovation, it has often lagged behind in adopting new technologies and gaming concepts.
Nintendo made a conscious choice to step away from the technological console arms race with the launch of the Wii in 2006, opting for a unique approach that demonstrated it does not need cutting-edge graphics to succeed. Instead, Nintendo adheres to the “Lateral Thinking with Withered Technology” philosophy, which involves creating innovative ideas using mature and reliable technology, a concept articulated by Gunpei Yokoi, the creator of the Game Boy.
Historically, Nintendo has been slower than its competitors in integrating online multiplayer features, often resorting to cumbersome solutions such as Friend Codes and the Nintendo Switch Online smartphone app. For instance, coordinating meet-ups in Animal Crossing: New Horizons was a challenging experience for players. However, during the Switch era, Nintendo has made strides to keep up with multiplayer trends, experimenting with larger player counts in its games.
Games like Tetris 99, F-Zero 99, and Super Mario Bros. 35 have embraced the competitive multiplayer format, drawing inspiration from popular last-player-standing titles like PUBG and Fortnite. These games successfully modernized classic 8- and 16-bit franchises while accommodating large player bases. Additionally, the party game Super Mario Party Jamboree introduced a 20-player mode called Koopathlon, while Everybody 1-2-Switch! allowed up to 100 players to join in via smartphone support.
Even flagship titles like Super Mario Bros. Wonder have begun supporting online lobbies for up to 12 players, incorporating smart multiplayer concepts reminiscent of the Dark Souls franchise. The upcoming Mario Kart game for Switch 2 is expected to double the number of simultaneous online competitors from 12 to 24, further showcasing Nintendo's commitment to expanding its multiplayer capabilities.
Some of these massively multiplayer games have emerged towards the end of the Switch’s lifecycle, indicating that Nintendo is actively pursuing its ambitions in this area. Last year, the company launched the Nintendo Switch Online: Playtest Program, a beta initiative designed to explore the possibilities of mass multiplayer functionality and gameplay on its servers.
While the implementation of Nintendo's MMO-like ideas remains to be seen, there are numerous strong franchise candidates that could benefit from increased player counts. Bringing together larger audiences to experience the joy of play through beloved Nintendo IPs like Super Mario Bros. and Animal Crossing — along with new experiences — could very well be the realization of Satoru Iwata’s vision for the future of gaming.
