Can the Nintendo Switch Survive Without Achievements?

Published: January 14, 2017 9:00 AM /

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Jimmy Fallon Miyamoto thumbs down Nintendo Switch Achievements

After the hype of another great Nintendo presentation dies down, I'm left questioning their future. Not because of the system, which has amazing potential, despite its limited battery life. Not even because of the launch titles, which for the most part, appeared on other consoles in 2016. Other systems have succeeded with these minor issues before. What is really troubling is Nintendo’s lack of an achievement system in 2017.

On the surface, this may not seem like a big deal. Most people aren’t hardcore trophy hunters, but we do exist. Look no further than the success of My Name is Mayo. The game has sold close to 50,000 copies in under a year on Steam and at least 9,000 copies on PlayStation in a little over a month.

While we don’t have a review up on TechRaptor yet, let me quickly sum up the “game” for you. You click on a freaking mayo jar 10,000 times and you are awarded a Platinum Trophy. There is nothing else to it. This is not a game, but people are still paying $0.99 for it. The developer, Green Lava Studios, has now made a cool $60,000.

Now look at the 30-40%, which is Valve’s normal take for a game released on Steam. $24,000 may seem like pocket change for such a large corporation, but My Name is Mayo is just a small example of the depths that achievement hunters are willing to go to increase their Gamerscore or Platinum count.

The lack of an achievement system will hurt Nintendo's third party sales the most. Why would I purchase the new FIFA for the Switch when I could be gaining Trophies or Achievements on another platform?

Unfortunately, decreasing third party sales is nothing new for Nintendo. They have been struggling to regain third party support since the late arrival of the 64. While an Achievement system wouldn't fix every problem, why would they continue to put themselves at even the slightest disadvantage ?

Nintendo Switch Presentation Console History

Nintendo is normally one of the biggest innovators in the industry. Look no further than the systems that they highlighted in their own presentation last night . They were even the first to truly kick off a recognizable system-wide user profile with the Mii. Now, before it’s too late, they need to take a hard look at their competitors and see that achievement systems work.

These types of systems sell more games and keep gamers coming back to your console long after it would normally be collecting dust. I loved being able to play Assassin’s Creed 3 on my couch with the Wii U screen. By the time I got to AC 4, I decided to pick up the PlayStation 4 version simply for the trophies.

Give me a unified system where I can gain Trophies, Nintendo Switch Achievements, Gold Coins, or whatever you want to call it on the Switch, your mobile games, and the next handheld, and I will be all over them.

I truly hope Nintendo has a hidden achievement system under that crazy Mario cap, otherwise this may end up being the Wii U all over again.

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| Staff Writer