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The beauty of the modular design that Switch will bring to the table means that third-parties, or even Nintendo themselves, can develop genre specific controllers that slide onto the main unit. Nintendo already has a good start with the pro controller.
According to a recent interview (since pulled from public view) between GameXplain and one of the stars in the Nintendo Switch reveal, dickhiskhan, the Pro Controller was one of the "most comfortable" controllers he's ever held. He says that the controller surpasses his previous favorite: The Xbox One controller.
Nintendo's Reggie Fils-Aime even says how gamers will be given "the freedom to play however they like."
Gaming springs into action by removing detachable Joy-Con controllers from either side of Nintendo Switch. One player can use a Joy-Con controller in each hand; two players can each take one; or multiple Joy-Con can be employed by numerous people for a variety of gameplay options. They can easily click back into place or be slipped into a Joy-Con Grip accessory, mirroring a more traditional controller. Or, if preferred, the gamer can select an optional Nintendo Switch Pro Controller to use instead of the Joy-Con controllers. Furthermore, it is possible for numerous people to bring their Nintendo Switch systems together to enjoy local multiplayer face-to-face competition.
“Nintendo Switch allows gamers the freedom to play however they like,” said Reggie Fils-Aime, President and COO, Nintendo of America. “It gives game developers new abilities to bring their creative visions to life by opening up the concept of gaming without boundaries.”
“Nintendo Switch allows gamers the freedom to play however they like,” said Reggie Fils-Aime, President and COO, Nintendo of America. “It gives game developers new abilities to bring their creative visions to life by opening up the concept of gaming without boundaries.”
Imagine the possibilities! Developers and publishers that heavily invest into the Nintendo ecosystem, or even Nintendo themselves, could create franchises around specialized controller hardware. If Nintendo designs the system with this in mind, we could potentially see controllers that mimic fishing reels for fishing games. Perhaps we can see controllers components that form a steering wheel for racing games. Sure, peripherals like this existed in the past but there was never anything that really allowed the specialized controllers to just snap onto the hardware itself to this degree.
Not only that, but it could be that we one day see an "Elite" version of the Switch controllers. Microsoft has already proven that there is a market for high quality and premium priced controllers. Nintendo could one day roll out an Elite version of the controller components without the need to sell full controllers. This could potentially save consumers a bit of cash when compared to similar products.
The possibilities are endless. Even if there aren't any specialized controller designs, Nintendo can, and should, roll out custom color schemes for these Nintendo Switch Joy-Con devices. Imagine color schemes that replicate the colors of the SNES controller, or a purple motif that replicates the Gamecube design. Take it in a different direction and do custom designs for popular franchises such as The Legend of Zelda or Mario. This would not be anything new for Nintendo as they have already done this very thing with custom handheld designs over the years. If Nintendo plays their cards right, they could easily capitalize on this idea that not only benefits them as a company but makes consumers happy that crave innovation, choice, and customization options.
