Nintendo Switch has definitely captured a large audience and Nintendo is kind of running a victory lap in this new trailer, which also highlights many of the games available this holiday. The trailer emphasizes the versatility of the console, by showing a family using it in a variety of ways over the holidays and away from home.
I continue to be impressed by Nintendo's Switch marketing. Like the reveal and launch trailers, this one demonstrates the wide family appeal of the platform, but without making the people using it look like bumbling fools like a lot of the Wii commercials. Switch is something the whole family can use, but there's still a stylish, cool element to it. The message is clear: grandma can play Mario Party on Switch, but if you take it on the bus you aren't going to be humiliated.
This is a fine line to walk and while I don't think it's been entirely successful in practice (Switch Online is still an insulting joke and LABO is still an overpriced gimmick) it's definitely lightyears ahead of Wii U, which had confusing marketing at best and was versatile but over-complicated to use.
I'm still happy I have a Switch, although my enthusiasm for the platform has cooled a bit. As a retro gamer I'm pretty disappointed with the lack of a Virtual Console, and Nintendo's generally cludgy, tone-deaf strategy for selling their back catalog. But as a clean-break, eyes forward device with a ton of first party, third party and indie support, Switch is a compelling piece of hardware, and I'm still excited to see where it goes next.
