The Nintendo Switch is an undeniable success story. In its first year, the console sold faster than any other video game console in history. While the Switch has succeeded in many ways, there were a few areas where Nintendo dropped the ball. To celebrate the system’s anniversary, we take a look at the problems the console faced after launch, and what we’re hoping Nintendo learns from them to make the Switch’s second year even better. Check it out in the video above.
The biggest issue for the Switch, post-launch, was undoubtedly connection problems with the left-Joy Con. Many players reported that the controller would desync itself when used wirelessly. Nintendo acted quickly to repair the controllers, but many users were left frustrated as they couldn’t use the console the way it was intended. Other issues, like the lack of voice chat capabilities and the bizarre workaround of using your phone and a third-party dongle, persist to this day.
Two other substantial features fans have been asking for are the addition of cloud saves and a Virtual Console. At this point, all saved games are stored exclusively on the Nintendo Switch console, meaning if your Switch is damaged or goes missing, you lose all your saves too. Cloud-based saves would solve that problem, but there’s still no indication the feature is coming any time soon.
The Virtual Console, on the other hand, is definitely coming…eventually. When the Wii U launched, it started receiving classic NES games less than three months later. One year after the Switch launched, we still don’t have a way to play Nintendo games from previous consoles. Nintendo says those games will be available when it launches its online service, but right now, that is scheduled for September 2018. For more on the Nintendo Switch one year after its launch, check out this video on the five Wii U games that deserve a second chance, and read how the Switch is resetting play times on players after one year of gameplay.
