After years of unofficial imports, grey-market sales and fan demand, Nintendo is reportedly preparing to officially enter the Indian gaming market next year.
But the excitement comes with a major catch. According to details discussed on the Day Zero podcast, Nintendo’s India rollout is expected to focus on the original Nintendo Switch — not the recently launched Switch 2 that gamers across the world have been waiting for.
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The expected pricing has also raised eyebrows. Reports suggest Nintendo could launch the base Switch 1 model in India at around Rs 20,000, putting it close to the pricing already seen in the grey market.
India gets Nintendo — but with older hardware
The biggest talking point around Nintendo’s reported India plans is not the launch itself, but the console being chosen for the market.
The original Switch first launched globally in 2017 and is now nearing a decade in the market. While it remains one of Nintendo’s most successful consoles ever, many Indian gamers expected the company to use its official India debut to introduce newer hardware instead.
X/ Nintendo Everything Instead, reports indicate that the India rollout will initially centre around the first-generation Switch console.
The launch is reportedly expected sometime around February or March next year, with Redington likely to handle distribution operations in India.
Why Nintendo’s India strategy is raising questions
Nintendo has long maintained a massive fanbase in India despite never having a major official retail presence in the country.
For many years now, Indian customers have been relying on imported models as well as unauthorised dealers to purchase their preferred Nintendo gaming console.
It will be a relief for them to know that Nintendo plans to officially launch its products.
Nevertheless, industry experts and gamers alike have raised concerns on the decision by Nintendo to launch its old products in the burgeoning gaming market in India.
Moreover, the company still boasts some of the most popular gaming brands in the industry, such as Pokemon and The Legend of Zelda.
After an official launch by Nintendo, there will be after sales services, stable pricing policies, and authorised distributors for Indian customers.
A market Nintendo can no longer ignore
The Indian gaming market has undergone huge changes in recent times as the growth in the sale of consoles, increase in viewership of electronic sports, and expansion in digital payments have made international game companies pay attention to India.
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One of the prominent gaming companies that still hasn’t entered into the country with its retail presence is none other than Nintendo.
Now, Nintendo finally seems ready to enter, although the strategy that they have chosen seems to be creating controversy even before it is launched.
While gamers are happy because of the support that they would receive from Nintendo, for others, launching an almost 10-year-old device in a fast-growing market means late entry.
