PS4 and Nintendo Switch Need to Find a Balance in Japan

That's according to Nippon Ichi boss Sohei Shinkawa

by Sammy Barker Tue 17th Jan 2017

Nippon Ichi Software is perhaps best known for its PlayStation games, but it announced a couple of Nintendo Switch launch titles last week. Speaking with Famitsu magazine, the company's gaffer Sohei Shinkawa explained the motivation behind the move, explaining that he feels the PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch need to find a balance in Japan.

"PS4 sales are incredibly strong and we will continue making games for the platform," he said. "However, in Japan we can't just ignore the move to portable gaming consoles. Our games are well suited to portable gaming, so when you think about it, it's important for PS4 and Nintendo Switch to balance each other out and do well."

This is a move that we predicted back when the Nintendo Switch was revealed; the games that were previously designed for the PS4 and Vita are going to end up on the PS4 and Switch instead. With Sony essentially ceding the handheld market to its competitor, it can have no complaints about the situation at all.

[source famitsu.com, via neogaf.com]

As the Editor of Push Square, Sammy has over 15 years of experience analysing the world of PlayStation, from PS3 through PS5 and everything in between. He’s an expert on PS Studios and industry matters, as well as sports games and simulators. He also enjoys RPGs when he has the time to dedicate to them, and is a bit of a gacha whale.

1
themcnoisy
Tue 17th Jan 2017

This is huge weight behind the switch, I've held off buying more of their games this gen due to the commitment levels you usually need, but La Pucelle or D5 are both perfect to play on screen then carry it on in the bathroom / bed / sunbed etc.

I'm unsure how many Disgaea fans are out there but the switch is actually a dream come true particularly for that series. I refuse to get into Disgaea these days as I know it will suck me in and I dont have the time, where as with switch you can carry the thing around and carry on levelling!

2
nhSnork
Tue 17th Jan 2017

@themcnoisy portables are generally ideal for RPGs in that sense. A lot of level/ability/stat grinding or component farming loses the risk of tediousness when you can park the party at a save point and casually mash up mooks on a subway train.

3
Boerewors
Tue 17th Jan 2017

I hope the Switch picks up where the Vita left combined with some of Nintendo's finest. Although I don't even rule the possibility of a Vita 2 out anymore at this point, with Sony being crazy like that at times just to spite the competition, I think we should all be supportive of Nintendo's efforts. I said it before and I'll say it again: the Nintendo gamers of today, are the PlayStation gamers of tomorro

4
GamerDad66
Tue 17th Jan 2017

If I had a choice about whether to buy a game on PS4 or...

I'd chose PS4 for better graphics and better game prices. I don't live in Japan.

Nintendo takes forever to drop game prices and potentially has high license fees for carts.

I only buy Nintendo for Nintendo, and I'm not even going to do that, this time around.

5
banacheck
Tue 17th Jan 2017

It depends on the game because not all PS4 game's are going to be able to run on the Switch, and not all console game's will be suited for the Switch. Seeing as the Switch is a handheld console which can also connect to a TV much like the Vita could, after the Wii U i can understand why Nintendo didn't make another console.

6
AdamNovice
Tue 17th Jan 2017

Switch I think will find a pretty big audience in Japan due to the portability, it's the west where I'm sceptical on the long term success on ghe system. Also how strong is that guy in the picture to be able to pick up two PS4's with one hand

7
Ralizah
Tue 17th Jan 2017

Nintendo Switch inheriting the Vita's legacy should do wonders for its Japanese third party support, which is all I actually care about. Perhaps we'll even get Danganronpa games on Switch!

8
EVIL-C
Tue 17th Jan 2017

@banacheck
It's not one or the other, it's both.

9
fishwilson
Tue 17th Jan 2017

This might be healthy for the industry. Sony provides the console, Nintendo the portable and Microsoft merges its Xbox with pc/windows and leaves the console marked. Ah that's music to my ears. What's the point in having two almost identical consoles on the marked anyway?

10
fishwilson
Tue 17th Jan 2017

@Savino I would say similar but not the same. It's first with this generation of consoles we have two consoles with almost the exact same hardware inside. Before that we had consoles that operated on completely different components and architecture, and with different design philosophies.