Chapter Eleven - Switch On: The Revival

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Switch On: The Revival

ONE SYSTEM. ONE library. Play anywhere.

The launch lineup seals the deal.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild drops day one.
A sprawling, open-world masterpiece that redefines the series and gaming itself.
Critics call it one of the best games ever made.
Players get lost for hundreds of hours.

A few months later?
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe brings pure chaos to the masses.
Then Super Mario Odyssey, praised as globe-trotting, inventive, and joyful.
Smash Bros. Ultimate arrives with every character ever.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons drops in 2020… and sells like toilet paper during the pandemic.

The Switch becomes more than a hit; it’s a lifeline during COVID lockdowns.
People stuck at home escape into Animal Crossing islands and Zelda’s fields.
Friends host Mario Kart nights over video chat.
Families huddle around the TV for Smash battles.

Nintendo goes from near-obituary to printing money again.

They double down.
New models like the Switch Lite and OLED edition keep sales fresh.
They roll out a subscription service, adding retro games to the mix.
And their IP…?
It’s everywhere.

By 2023, the Switch has sold over 130 million units, putting it in the top three best-selling consoles ever.

Nintendo isn’t just “back.”
They’ve reclaimed the throne, on their terms.

But by now, the company is more than consoles and cartridges.
They’re building something bigger.
Something Disney-sized.