CD Projekt Red: “Nintendo’s audience is different to what it used to be”

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CD Projekt Red: “Nintendo’s audience is different to what it used to be”

The Cyberpunk 2077 developer on Switch 2 and why you shouldn’t “underestimate the physical edition”
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"Nintendo's audience is growing and broadening and it's quite a bit different from what it used to be even a few years ago," explains Jan Rosner, VP of business development at Cyberpunk 2077 developer CD Projekt Red.

"I think Nintendo is realizing that, and we have seen a big number of titles announced on the Switch 2 which you would maybe not immediately think of when it comes to [Nintendo]. With that said, we have also had the very cool experience with The Witcher 3 on the original Switch. And we know that there is an appetite for big open world AAA RPGs, which you would normally expect to be released on PC and [other] consoles.

"Switch 2 really fulfils the fantasy of playing such a game on the go. You are not tied to a big PC rig, but can take it on the go without any major compromises."
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"I remember the conversations a few years back [where] we were wondering if there would an audience for this kind of game on Nintendo Switch," Rosner adds.

"The Witcher 3, back then, was one of the first games of this kind to be released on Switch 1. It's sort-of the precedent that there is absolutely an appetite for games like this on the platform, and that Switch is about more than first-party titles."
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Last year I spoke with Firaxis over its decision to release Civilization VII on Nintendo Switch. The developer told me that the previous game, Civilization VI, had done really well on Nintendo, and part of that was because fans of the game on PC decided to buy it again on Switch so they could have an on-the-go version.

Rosner acknowledges that the same was true of The Witcher 3, but the firm did find a new audience on Switch that it believes it wouldn't have been able to reach on other platforms.

He adds: "We are going to see more and more third-party titles on the platform, which we may not necessarily expect on Switch 1. The previous generation has proven to be so successful, and there is so many more players to be reached with that, and I think that the [console's capabilities] will surely allow it."
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"I'm not sure if I would consider Steam Deck a separate platform like Switch 2," Rosner explains. "Switch 2 is entirely a platform of its own, which is not an extension to anything else.

"Steam Deck, as much as I love the device, feels like an extension to the existing PC audience and for the PC enthusiast. Switch 2 has its own audience. It's very big, Switch 1 has sold many, many, many millions of units worldwide, and this allows developers like us to to tap into that audience, and to pretty much reach an entirely new player base."
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The audience ages, of course. Performance also seems to be hitting a logarithmic plateau and this gives Nintendo time to catch up by cutting corners (going with Nvidia, basically) so more and more third party aimed at an adult audience can find sales in the platform. If AMD doesn't figure out Path Tracing soon for the 11th Gen, the Switch 3/4 might close the gap if Nintendo is willing to keep paying Nvidia's price.
 
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Despite what some may want you to think, 3rd parties did/do extremely well on Nintendo Switch, esp JRPGs, Indies, Fighting games and Adventure/Platformers. The portability of playing these kinds of games on-the-go or in bed is something that Xbox, PC and PS just don't offer.
 
We've been getting third party ports to Switch for over 8 years now, they would have stopped in like 2018 if there wasn't a sufficient audience to make them worth doing.
 
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I've always said that the problem with third parties on Nintendo consoles is not the hardware but the audience, it was always said that AAA type of games don't tend to sell well on Nintendo and if they try to appeal Nintendo audience, first party games basically monopolize sales. Switch attracted new people to Nintendo ecosystems, not only core gamers outside Nintendo buble but also JRPG fandoms and even created new niches like "cozy games" fandoms, which is one of the reasons we see so many farming and cozy stuff in the Nintendo Direct. Switch really made the company reborn from the ashes in more than one way.
 
Not sure if's the audience that's different. Yes Nintendo has conditioned people who buy their consoles for the exclusives. But when you have big companies like EA for example who put so little effort into their games and the hardware. I'm still not sure how share holders can cope with EA not supporting the Switch full titlt. So much money left on the table. So many perfect games for the system, Street Series, SSX Series, better versions of FIFA, modern Madden and NHL. The audience just wants good games.
 
Ozzie666 said:
Not sure if's the audience that's different. Yes Nintendo has conditioned people who buy their consoles for the exclusives. But when you have big companies like EA for example who put so little effort into their games and the hardware. I'm still not sure how share holders can cope with EA not supporting the Switch full titlt. So much money left on the table. So many perfect games for the system, Street Series, SSX Series, better versions of FIFA, modern Madden and NHL. The audience just wants good games.
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madden 2026 switch 2 anonced same date first time in generemations annnnnnnd witcher 3 sell millions on switch most third parties coming
 
Kataploom said:
I've always said that the problem with third parties on Nintendo consoles is not the hardware but the audience, it was always said that AAA type of games don't tend to sell well on Nintendo and if they try to appeal Nintendo audience, first party games basically monopolize sales. Switch attracted new people to Nintendo ecosystems, not only core gamers outside Nintendo buble but also JRPG fandoms and even created new niches like "cozy games" fandoms, which is one of the reasons we see so many farming and cozy stuff in the Nintendo Direct. Switch really made the company reborn from the ashes in more than one way.
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I mean Yakuza director always claimed Nintendo's audience isn't the one who would be interested in Yakuza, at the end they were surprised how well Kiwami is selling on the Switch
 
Baemono said:
I mean Yakuza director always claimed Nintendo's audience isn't the one who would be interested in Yakuza, at the end they were surprised how well Kiwami is selling on the Switch
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Because Switch felt like the cool thing back in the day due to the right marketing, they stopped the stupid Wii era commercials and started aiming at young adults instead, as they should have done for the Wii U, then every tetrimino fell in the right spot... Of course they had to have a great product first, but if Switch had old Nintendo advertising style, you can bet it would be DOA
 
Ninty fans like

Friday Movie GIF
 
They're still the same old sad virgins and where the only girl they've ever kissed is MUM

In all seriousness, I see no difference in their user group. I remember reading this sort of stuff with N64 and how NCL was looking to drop the kiddy image. I have to say mind, that Nintendo fans are the most loyal around
 
Developers say this every Nintendo system launch. The hardcore (older) players buy shit day one. 3-4 years from now it's going to be all kids and man children playing Pokemon and Mario Party and games like Cyberpunk will be in the Walmart bargain bin.
 
For me, its about the online performance. I would have zero issues buying big 3rd party titles on the switch, if their online solution wasn't a hamster, on a really, really, shitty wheel.

Fix that, ill take the hit on graphics, zero issue. Then me and the boys can jump from COD, to Mario Kart, Party, golf, smash, e.t.c, without batting an eye.

I'll still keep my PS5 for exclusives, as we are currently enjoying the hell out of HD2. (Former XBOX convert)

It is on Nintendo to have parity, in terms of an online solution. Real parties, real invites, real headsets, and a robust network. Not one that will tank the moment 4 player online smash happens.
 
FINALLY! Someone else is saying what I feel like I've been saying for a long time. There's been this stupid idea that Nintendo is still the "kid console", or that third partys don't sell on nintendo consoles, when nothing is further from the truth. The Switch's success, and third party support spits in the face of that nonsense.
 
3rd party support suddenly is back on Nintendo consoles, because of one reason: baseline power of current gen ports.

It's important because studios can do their ports in house vs outsourcing them to specialist porting studios ("insert the cliché impossible ports moniker here").

Doesn't have to do anything with "audience being different", that's all pr talk. If there's a large audience, then the likelihood of that large audience's average spending consumer goes up too.
 
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I don't think third parties understand Nintendo's audience.

We have a Switch in our household because my wife wanted one, but we both play it regularly. I own a few games that she has no interest in and it's no big deal.

Third parties get hung up on the fact that the console in some cases may have been bought initially with the girlfriend or the kid in mind and forget that it doesn't prevent everyone else in the house from playing it. Plenty of people playing the Switch are the same target audience that everyone else is aiming for.

I guess they're finally catching on since much of the launch window third party games are hitting the core gamer demographic.
 
Nintendo always had powerful shooters (duck hunt, zombies ate my neighbors, goldeneye, resident evil, conduit etc.) the top audience for Nintendo is adults like any other console. There's a couple kid games.
 
Definitely, I could smell the middle aged weirdos doing the switch 2 pre-orders when I picked my ps5 copy of clair obscur at gamestop
 
Power Pro said:
FINALLY! Someone else is saying what I feel like I've been saying for a long time. There's been this stupid idea that Nintendo is still the "kid console", or that third partys don't sell on nintendo consoles, when nothing is further from the truth. The Switch's success, and third party support spits in the face of that nonsense.
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Some people still saying Nintendo is for Kids since 2000 😂… Looks like those kids doesn't grow up.
 
Baemono said:
I mean Yakuza director always claimed Nintendo's audience isn't the one who would be interested in Yakuza, at the end they were surprised how well Kiwami is selling on the Switch
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To be fair, Nagoshi said that after he released Yakuza 1&2 on WiiU and they sold fuck all copies. He wasn't wrong when he said it.
 
consoul said:
To be fair, Nagoshi said that after he released Yakuza 1&2 on WiiU and they sold fuck all copies. He wasn't wrong when he said it.
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RGG Studio director said that in 2022 regarding the Switch though, at this point one could see the difference between the Wii U and the Switch sales and audience-wise
 
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