Holiday shopping is well under way. Amazon has had their countdown to Black Friday running since the day after Halloween. Walmart stores were stocking their Christmas sections at the beginning of October. Black Friday advertisements are being leaked all across the internet as we speak, and one company that many felt was down and out seems to be showing up on several of the holiday lists, Nintendo.
Nintendo made the call at the beginning of 2016 to announce to the world that a new home console system, known now as the Switch, would be coming out in Spring 2017. This effectively killed any momentum that was left for their current home console, the Wii U. While some question their strategy, Nintendo had a plan, and according to numbers and experts, they look poised to have a significant share of the holiday shopping in 2016.
Pokemon Sun and Pokemon Moon
In case you do not have a smartphone, there was a phenomenon that swept the world this year known as Pokemon GO. A simple free-to-play app that allowed a player to catch Pokemon in the real world. The app is well on it’s way to grossing over $1 billion. Survey Monkey called Pokemon GO the “most popular mobile game in US history.”
While Nintendo is just part-owners of The Pokemon Company, the core Pokemon games are exclusive to Nintendo handhelds. November 18 will see the release of the much anticipated next installment of the Pokemon series, Pokemon Sun and Pokemon Moon. As of this writing, Nintendo has stated that these games are the most pre-ordered games in the history of the company.
Forbes goes on to explain that the excitement for Pokemon Sun and Pokemon Moon is directly related to the popularity of Pokemon GO. This is not the first time Nintendo utilized GO’s popularity. At one point in the summer during GO’s most popular months, the 3DS handheld system was the most popular system in the world despite the fact it was released in 2011.
New Nintendo 3DS For $99.99
Anticipating the momentum of Pokemon Sun and Pokemon Moon, Nintendo has announced for Black Friday two New Nintendo 3DS systems. One is black and one is white, and they feature characters from the Super Mario Bros. series. More importantly, they can be picked up for $99.99. Polygon spoke with a Nintendo representative who confirmed these two systems will be the only ones at that price, and most major retailers will have them in stock.
A Nintendo 2DS is also available. It is currently priced at $79.99, but no specials have been announced for it at this time. Some sites speculate that Black Friday could see a discount for it as well.
NES Classic Edition
Nintendo stunned everyone in the summer with the announcement of the NES Classic Edition. The miniature form of the Nintendo Entertainment System would come with 30 pre-loaded, original Nintendo games. The internet instantly went crazy, and people have been clamoring for it every since.
As we draw closer to holiday shopping, the NES Classic Edition is prominently featured in every major retailer’s toy catalog including Target and Toys R Us. At just $59.99, many are expecting the system to be almost impossible to obtain, especially considering the fact that no retailer in the United States is taking pre-orders including Amazon and GameStop.
Despite the fact that the Nintendo Switch is still the better part of four months away, Nintendo is poised to make a big splash this season. The NES Classic Edition alone should keep their names in front of parents. An affordable New 3DS system and a new Pokemon game to play as the days get too short for GO should keep players satisfied. Will your holiday shopping consist of anything from Nintendo?
[Feature Image by Nintendo of America]
Holiday Shopping: Nintendo Looking For Major Market Share is an article from: The Inquisitr News