The world of video games, even for major players, has sometimes been very difficult in recent months or years. Nintendo is no exception to this trend, with fairly negative news.
Nintendo of America, the American subsidiary of the video game giant, is at the heart of major transformations in its product testing department, located in Washington state. This restructuring comes in a context of broader changes in the video game industry. Marked by layoffs and organizational changes within several companies. According to internal sources, this reorganization at Nintendo would be linked to the postponement of the release of its new console, the Nintendo Switch 2.
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Big changes for Nintendo
According to a report from Kotaku Based on its own sources, the restructuring announced by Nintendo of America involves significant changes for the many contract workers employed by the company to test its games and hardware. According to the information gathered, some of these contract workers will be offered full-time positions. A transition welcomed by many who aspired to greater stability and recognition within the company. However, this transformation is also accompanied by layoffs, even affecting testers with more than ten years of experience at Nintendo. The company assured that all contract workers affected by these layoffs would receive severance pay and would benefit from support in their transition.
These adjustments are intended to strengthen the overall integration of Nintendo's game development efforts. But also to align testing procedures with those of other regions. They reflect a desire for harmonization of processes within the company on a global scale. Despite these changes, precise details regarding the number of positions affected remain unclear. Although internal sources mention the figure of more than a hundred contract workers affected by the restructuring. In any case, the Nintendo Switch 2 would be mentioned as being at the origin of this restructuring.
The Nintendo Switch 2 in question
Alongside these internal upheavals, the industry has observed a slowdown in testing activities at Nintendo of America. With a notable absence of new major games in the testing phase. This calm comes as expectations were building around the upcoming launch of the Nintendo Switch 2. Previously anticipated for the second half of 2024. Delays in the console's development have raised questions about the company's ability to maintain the quality and effectiveness of its tests, especially after the praise received for the technical performance of recent titles like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
The announcement of the postponement of the Nintendo Switch 2 to 2025 was relayed by several media, including Gameblog last February. Suggesting that Nintendo wants to give itself more time to prepare for the console's launch. With a solid catalog of in-house games. Just like what contributed to the phenomenal success of the original Switch with titles like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey. This strategy would aim to repeat the commercial success encountered with these launches. Thus consolidating Nintendo's position in the gaming console sector. This period of transition at Nintendo of America highlights the challenges the company faces in an ever-changing gaming landscape.
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