With all the big games that have released this season, it’s relatively easy to forget about Nintendo, even with their highly anticipated Pokemon Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee! being among the biggest launches of the season. The company’s next major Switch exclusive will be Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, which probably has more hype going for it, but Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime feels the release timing is “challenging”.
Speaking to Kotaku, Fils-Aime said the company would meet its internal goals for the end of the fiscal year. However, if possible, he wouldn’t have been opposed to seeing Super Smash Bros. Ultimate launch earlier this year. “Would I have loved to have seen, as an example, Smash Bros. launch earlier in the year?” he said. “Certainly. An early December launch is challenging. It’s challenging from a business perspective. It’s challenging from a retailer perspective.”
That being said, the Switch’s growth, and major additions to the platform like Fortnite and Diablo 3: Eternal Collection can’t be denied. Said Fils-Aime: “But having said that, as I look at the pace of growth we’ve had, our ability to bring Fortnite to the system, our ability to have Diablo 3 on the system, Wolfenstein, you look at the third-party support which has been quite strong, when you look at the independent community support which has been quite strong, I believe when you and I reconnect in January and we look at our performance through the first 22 months of its life cycle, I believe we’re going to be exceptionally proud of the result here in the U.S. of what Nintendo Switch has been able to do.”
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate releases on December 7th for Nintendo Switch. It features the largest collection of stages and fighters in the series’ history. There’s even new Spirits mode, numerous new Assist Trophies, and a new campaign mode called World of Light to get into.