It has become quite a lively console battle. Nintendo Switch 2 has topped Amazon’s “New Releases” chart, dethroning titles like Donkey Kong Bonanza. What I’ve seen in stores and online gives the impression that Best Buy and Target are continuing to ship steadily, so things are going really strong. Like me, probably everyone else feels Switch 2 is everywhere, and everyone wants one.
The PlayStation 5 is still moving units, adding about 2.5 million units sold last quarter, but sales are not shattering records. The Xbox Series family of consoles still appears to be in trouble, with sales dropping year on year. The original Nintendo Switch, now a legacy system with sold over 153 million units, only moved around a million recently. Clearly, if some consoles aren’t Switch 2 or PS5, they aren’t getting a lot of traction.
According to the insiders, Nintendo is boosting its Switch 2 production for a very big holiday lineup that includes Pokémon Legends: Arceus, Metroid Prime 4, and Kirby Air Ride. Snake rumors are also circulating of a special Mario 40th anniversary event. Sale-boosting combinations, like Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bonanza, go a long way to ensuring strong sales during the summer months. Clearly, Nintendo is interested in having as many consoles in homes as possible before its huge releases hit.
At present, the console issue is mainly a war between Nintendo and Sony. Portable PCs are making very little impact, while the Xbox continues to lose ground. Switch 2 is now topping online sales charts, while PS5 relies exclusively on first-rate third-party support.
Nintendo’s momentum appears quite strong. Should Switch 2 production in the holiday season match up to the hype about forthcoming games, it could well replicate the great launch wave of the original Switch. Instead, the real question is whether PlayStation will manage to hold ground within the realm of high-end gaming, while Nintendo aims for hybrid portability and creates exclusive titles.
Hardware isn’t the only thing going on. Square Enix recently revealed more about Octopath Traveler 0, set to launch on December 4 on Switch 2, Switch 1, PlayStation, Xbox, and PC. According to official HD-2D, the game features 30 playable characters, more than three times that of the previous titles. The new turn-based battle system now allows 8 characters to be deployed to fill front and back row slots, hence creating space for more tactical depth.
Returning characters from previous games all fit into a massive, multi-branching storyline whose characterization is very much dependent on player choices. I’ve played previous Octopath games, and sometimes it felt limiting to manage only four characters. With more than thirty heroes, the strategy options seem exciting but slightly overwhelming.
In the earlier Octopath games, characters were not in the active party and thus did not gain experience. This meant fan favorites were sitting all alone in the tavern. One would like to think Octopath Traveler 0 could remedy that and allow for experience gain by all characters, which would inspire players to try various strategies. The front and back row combat system could make fights faster and more strategic, which is crucial when managing so many characters.
This game will have fights, but most of all, players can build towns and customize characters, which gives more depth between chapters in the main story. The purists might be concerned about how much they wish to modify the core formula, but it has given space for more to explore the world.
Square Enix already managed it in Bravely Default, so mixing the old and the newer characters should be a walk in the park. The fun part lies in making sure the larger cast has enough space within the game to shine.
HD-2D art style has always been praised by fans for merging pixel and modern effects. First with Octopath Traveler 0, and then it takes this even further with expanded party mechanics and new gameplay systems. Should the concept work out, it could well be showing the way forward in terms of the progression of future Square Enix titles using the HD-2D format. It might turn out, however, that fans of the original style will be disappointed.
Right now, Nintendo is literally in prime form. Switch 2 sells out, holiday lineup looks really solid, while Octopath Traveler 0 keeps the spotlight on the console. Sony has an important market of its own, but strong software will have to come into play to compete, seeing as it has no new hardware scheduled for release this year.
It’s probably not even about specs or exclusives anymore. The real battle is over whose fanbase will be most loyal at the next console generation. What Nintendo is not doing is catching up–Nintendo is flooding the market before the year runs out.
Two consoles in one holiday season and a big-hitting RPG ready to push the limits. Switch 2 and Octopath Traveler 0 might define who comes out on top. You may also be interested in: Game Pass Might Be Hitting Xbox Series X|S Sales
