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The Nintendo Switch may have proved a massive success right out the gate, but it wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the lessons learned through the relative failure of the Wii U, Nintendo of America boss Reggie Fils-Aime has said.
Speaking at the GeekWire Summit yesterday, the fan-favourite executive said that while Wii U wasn't a 'beta test' for its successor, it did lay the groundwork for what Nintendo would later go on to achieve with its hybrid console.
'Without our experiences on the Wii U, we would not have the Nintendo Switch in terms of what we learned and importantly what we heard from our consumers,' he said.
'They were telling us, "I want to play with this tablet, this gamepad for the Wii U, but as soon as I get more than 30 feet away it disconnects." So the core concept, something that you could take with you anywhere anytime, was really compelling.'
The Wii U launched in 2012 on the back of the hugely successful Wii, which sold 101 million units worldwide. Wii U didn't have the same success however, reaching only 13.56 million, while Switch has moved nearly 20 million in 18 months.
'We reinvent ourselves every five, ten years,' Reggie said of leading Ninty through the gloomy Wii U years. 'We have to, in this fast-moving entertainment business.'
Nintendo is reportedly set to launch a new version of the Switch by as early as summer 2019.
