or long time video game fan what the most coverted

或是資深遊戲迷，什麼是

gadget of the holiday season is

假期中最熱門的配件

and the Nintendo Switch will be high on that list.

任天堂 Switch 大概會在排行前幾名

Probably at the top.

甚至可能在最頂

- Nintendo!

任天堂！

- It's been almost a year since the hybrid

混合式的手持把柄

handheld launched and it's still pretty hard

已經上市一年了，而至今要拿到一台

to get your hands on one.

仍然很困難

And for good reason.

這是情有可原的

The switch is the most innovative console

Switch 是近十年內

in nearly a decade.

最先進的手柄

Basically since the original Wii.

自從最初的 Wii 上市之後

Besides being immensely popular

除了獲得了巨大的名聲

the Switch also saved Nintendo.

Switch 也拯救了任天堂

It's easy to forget how dire the company's

我們很容易忘記

console business was in the wake

自從 Wii U 的失敗之後

of the Wii U's failure.

公司的處境有多危險

Nintendo found success with the 3DS and its sequel,

任天堂在 3DS 及其續作中獲得成功

but the handheld was not enough to keep

但是，他的手柄不足以讓公司

the company's biggest franchises afloat

最熱門的系列繼續運作

and sales of the Wii U painted a bleak picture

而 Wii U 的銷售量在 (玩家的) 客廳中

of the company's future in the living room.

畫出了一個蠻荒的公司前景

Critics were telling Nintendo to exit

評論家們告訴任天堂該退出

the console hardware market,

硬體設備的手柄市場

move everything to mobile, and call it a day.

並轉移到手遊市場以結束這一切

So when the Switch was first unveiled,

因此，當任天堂首次發布時

fans were skeptical.

粉絲們態度存疑

Some thought Nintendo had made another gimmicky device

有些人認為任天堂只是做了些搞噱頭的設備

with funky detachable controllers

有著時髦可拆卸式的手柄

and unorthodox docking system

和不正規的規避系統

and a mobile processor that can never match

還有永遠不會追上 Playstation 跟 Xbox 的

Playstation or Xbox.

行動處理器

Despite these initial concerns,

縱使一開始有著這些顧慮

the Switch proved to be a massive hit.

任天堂證明了自己大獲成功

This month, after only nine months on the market,

這個月，只是上市後的九個月

Nintendo said it sold ten million units,

任天堂宣布，他們已賣了一千萬台

and many times that in software sales.

這是他們軟體銷售額的數倍

It stole the show this year as the fastest selling

今年它佔據了版面，在任天堂的歷史裡

home console in Nintendo's history,

他是最快銷售一空的家用手柄

setting the course for the company's resurgence

他奠定了公司的復興路程

back to the forefront of the gaming market.

以回到遊戲市場的最前線

So how did Nintendo pull this off?

所以，任天堂怎麼做到的？

It's important to think of the Switch as

認為 Switch 是任天堂先前的

the evolution of the company's previous hardware.

硬體的進化是很重要的

It's always made wacky devices using nascent technologies

他們做出古怪的設備時，總是用原始的技術

like 3D and motion control.

像是 3D 技術和運動控制技術

While an eye for innovation hasn't always paid off,

然而，一直矚目於更新並不是一直都有好成果的

anyone remember their Virtual Boy?

有任何人記得 Virtual Boy 嗎？

The company has a history of success in handheld.

任天堂有掌上遊戲機的成功紀錄

Starting with the GameBoy and more recently

從 GameBoy 到最近的

with the Nintendo DS and the 3DS.

任天堂 DS 和 3DS

For the Switch, Nintendo put portability above all else

對於 Switch，任天堂視攜帶性為最高優先

and the company struck gold.

而公司賺了大錢

You can play it on an airplane or in bed,

你可以在飛機上玩或在床上

or even on a subway.

甚至在地鐵上

The device truly is a hybrid solution

這個設備真的是混合式的解決方案

that transforms to enjoy games

他把遊戲的享受轉換成

in a number of different ways.

無數種方式

Whether docked, handheld, or kickstand out using

不論你是靠著、握著、或是用

the detachable Joy-Con.

可拆卸的 Joy-Con 支撐著

There's versatility to choose how you want to play

你可以有多種方式去玩以及

and where.

在各種地方

It takes the concept of console gaming

他取了掌機遊戲的概念

and turns it into an on-the-go social experience

並把它轉換成一個隨時隨地可以玩的社交經驗

that gets you off your couch.

它使人們離開自己的沙發

Yes, you can play at home alone,

的確，你可以一個人在家玩

but there are plenty of options for multi-player

但是，他也有多人遊戲的選項

using both split-screen play or local co-op.

你可以使用螢幕切割或是合作模式

This has always been a part of Nintendo's DNA.

這一直都存在於任天堂的 DNA 裡

Who doesn't love to play a friend in

誰不喜歡有朋友跟你一起在

Super Smash Brothers or Mario Cart?

任天堂明星大亂鬥或馬利歐賽車裡？

And that's where the Switch's success story

而這正是為何 Switch 的成功

becomes so heavily tied to its games.

會與其遊戲緊密相關

Nintendo made sure the first year of the Switch

任天堂確保了 Switch 上市的第一年就

included The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

包括了薩爾達傳說曠野之息

and Super Mario Odyssey.

以及超級瑪利歐奧德賽

Two incredible entries in two

兩個最不可思議的遊戲為

of its most prolific franchises.

最廣為人知的系列登場

It's unheard of for a console to launch

一個新手炳成為年度最佳遊戲

with a Game of the Year contender

競爭者是前所未聞的

and it's even less likely for a console to get two of them

更別說是一個手柄在它上市的第一年

in its first year.

就拿到兩項獎

But Nintendo was smart and it had a new Mario

但是，任天堂很聰明，它讓新的馬利歐

and a new Zelda game in the works for the Wii U

和新的薩爾達傳說在 Wii U 上上線

it moved development to its new console

他們將它的技術移植到新的儀器上

and it shuffled its release schedule to make

並不斷地拖延它的釋出日期

them must-own Switch titles out of the gate.

使它成為每個人必須擁有 Swtich 遊戲，一旦它開始出售後

Those two games have gone on to sell millions

這兩款遊戲已銷售了上百萬

and win multiple awards.

並贏得了無數獎項

They also reestablished Nintendo as the influential

他們也重新將任天堂樹立為我們所認知的

and innovative developer we've always known them to be.

最有影響力且創新的遊戲開發商

You could easily argue that the Switch would never

你可以輕易地聲稱 Switch 永遠不會這樣成功

have taken off without Nintendo's pre-built cache.

如果沒有任天堂已建好的緩存

The company's behind some of the longest-running

任天堂從遊戲界初期就已擁有一些歷久不敗

most-beloved series since the beginning of gaming.

且最具深愛的系列

Characters like, Kirby, Yoshi, Donkey Kong.

角色像是卡比、耀西、大金剛

They've become cultural icons that go way beyond

他們成為了一個文化標誌

the core gaming demographic.

他甚至超越了核心遊戲人口

But when Nintendo's hardware fails,

但是，如果任天堂的硬體設備失敗的話

fans have nowhere to play its games

粉絲們就沒有地方玩他們的遊戲

and the company's reputation suffers

而如果大家不買他的軟體

if people aren't buying its software.

公司的名聲也會因此受損

Its entire business model depends

它的商業模型完全依靠在

on its cultural significance.

它的文化意涵

So fans were desperately looking for a reason

所以粉絲們迫切希望找到一個理由去

to cheer Nintendo on, hoping it wouldn't just fade away

鼓勵任天堂，希望他們不會因此消逝

and peddle nostalgia.

或只兜售他們的懷舊之情

They found that in the Switch.

玩家們在 Switch 找到了這個理由

The Switch is a Frankenstein of all the best ideas

Switch 是任天堂長久以來所有的好點子

Nintendo's ever had.

拼湊出來的科學怪人

The 3DS showed Nintendo how a well-made handheld gaming

3DS 證明了任天堂有個完善的遊戲手柄

machine with great games could thrive in a

以及很棒的遊戲，能夠興榮於

mobile-dominated landscape.

掌機遊戲主宰的市場

Much like the Switch, the Wii shied away from top-tier

與 Switch 相似，Wii 規避了高解析度的

graphics and realism in favor of motion controls,

圖像以及寫實感，去追求運動控制系統、

local multi-player, and Nintendo's well-tested game design.

多人模式，以及任天堂完善的遊戲設計

The Wii U was definitely flawed, but it was an important

Wii U 是有其缺陷的，但它卻是個很重要的

stepping stone because it first introduced the idea

墊腳石，因為它首次帶來了

of merging mobile with a home console.

行動裝置與家用握柄合併的點子

Where the Wii U was a tablet powered by a console

Wii U 是個平板，用插在電視上的

that sat plugged into your T.V.

手柄充電

The Switch was the inverse:

Switch 卻是相反的

A console powered by a tablet.

它是一個由平板來充電的手柄

So while the Wii U's tablet screen was clunky

所以雖然 Wii U 的螢幕相當笨重

and poorly designed and the device was a huge flop,

且設計不佳，使得這個裝置成為失敗品

it did pave the way for Nintendo to incorporate these ideas,

它卻鋪了條路，讓任天堂去將這些點子整合進 Switch 裡

alongside the benefits of the Wii

包括 Wii 的優點

and the 3DS all into the Switch.

以及 3DS

The Switch is a proper portable console

Switch 是個合適的攜帶型手柄

in all the ways the Wii U failed to be.

它擁有所有 Wii U 所沒有達到的特點

It's still too early to judge the overall impact

然而，要去判斷它對 Switch 的整體影響

of the Switch.

依然還太早

Consumers have been more than happy to excuse its

買家願意原諒幾個較大的缺陷

bigger flaws because the first few games have been

因為這些遊戲已表現得

so amazing.

相當出色

But there's the online service that won't launch

但是，線上服務在明年以前是不會上線的

until next year, there's the perpetual supply problems

因為有不間段的供需問題

that make just getting the thing an obnoxious struggle.

這使得要把事情做好變得困難

Nintendo fans will be less forgiving next year

任天堂的粉絲對明年會比較苛刻

when Zelda and Mario are old news

尤其當賽爾達傳說與馬力歐是舊新聞時

and it has to rely on other developers

任天堂得倚靠別的開發商

to help its platform succeed.

去幫助他們的平台成功

But that's where the secret to the Switch's

但，這正是 Switch

long-term success might be.

長期成功的秘訣

Since launch, we've seen a bunch of interest

自從它上市後，我們看到很多獨立遊戲創作者

from indie game makers and even big name developers.

甚至知名遊戲開發商對它表示感興趣

Some really great games like, Stardew Valley,

一些很不醋的遊戲像是星露穀物語

Axiom Verge, The Elderscrolls: Skyrim,

公理邊緣，上古卷軸：天際

even the new Doom reboot have all made their way

甚至新的毀滅戰士的重起也在 Switch 上

to the Switch.

登陸

There's only gonna be more to come.

之後只會有更多遊戲

As it stands right now,

而它現今的市場

Nintendo is the only player in the portable gaming market.

任天堂是在攜帶式遊戲市場中的唯一玩家

And consumers have shown that they're really willing

而買家也表現出他們真的願意

to buy into its vision.

買帳

Sony already tried with its PSP and Vita handhelds.

Sony 已經試過自己的 PSP 跟 Vita 手柄

And the company says it has no plans to make another one

然而，此公司宣布他們目前沒有計畫立即

any time soon.

製作另一款

Microsoft has also toyed with the idea

微軟也嘗試了這個點子

of portable gaming with handheld Xbox prototypes

他們將可攜式遊戲的概念運用到掌機 Xbox 原型

in the past, but it's never taken the plunge.

但是他們從沒深入投入

Apple and other makers of Set-top boxes running Android,

蘋果與其他數位機盒的公司嘗試了些雛形

they've all tried to bridge the smart phone game

他們都試著將手機遊戲的市場

market with a TV ecosystem,

拓展到電視系統

but mobile games on big screens have never really

然而在大螢幕上的手遊從來沒有真正

taken off.

成功

But without a constant stream of hot new games to play,

但是，要是沒有持續的熱門新遊戲給大家玩

amazing hardware becomes pretty much useless.

即使是傑出的硬體設備也會變得相當無用

So it's up to developers to cement the Switch's future.

所以，這取決於遊戲開發上是否能銜接 Switch 的未來

Sure, Nintendo's planning a bunch of new games

當然，任天堂正在計畫為自己的系列

in its own franchises.

設計一堆新遊戲

Like, a new Kirby, a new Pokemon, a much anticipated

像是，新的卡比，新的寶可夢，還有眾所眾望的

reboot of Metroid Prime,

銀河戰士的重啟

but those take years to make.

但是，這些都需耗費數年去做

In the meantime, the company needs to quench the thirst

此時，公司需要與開發商合作一些優質的遊戲

of players by working with devs to bring premium titles

去回應玩家的需求

that are fun, innovative, but also complex enough

這些遊戲需要有趣、創新，並且豐富到

to keep the Switch in the hands of consumers.

足以使玩家對 Switch 愛不釋手

At least until the next Zelda game comes out.

至少得撐到下一個賽爾達傳說上市以前

Luckily, with all the consumer success

幸運的是，有了任天堂的 Switch

of the Switch,

銷售成功

Nintendo should have plenty of cash to do just that.

任天堂現在有足夠的資金去做遊戲