Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa explains how Super Smash Bros. Ultimate helps Nintendo Switch engagement and Nintendo Switch Online membership

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During Nintendo’s latest financial results briefing, company president Shuntaro Furukawa talked about the success of Nintendo Switch Online:

Question: The number of accounts with Nintendo Switch Online memberships has reached 9.8 million, but are there people coming and going? For example, are people joining to play Super Smash Bros. Ultimate or Splatoon 2 and then canceling their memberships, or joining just to play TETRIS® 99? Or, have most of them continued to be members once they have joined? I would like more details about the growth in account numbers.

Furukawa: We recognize that the number of accounts that have subscribed to Nintendo Switch Online is increasing steadily corresponding to the pace that the hardware install base is growing. Naturally, not everyone remains a member, and there are cases where users joined during the holiday season and then canceled after three months. There are also new members who joined after TETRIS® 99 was released in February as an exclusive game for Nintendo Switch Online members, and others who have remained members because of TETRIS® 99. To expand Nintendo Switch Online even further, we need to continue offering elements like this, that highlight the distinct value of Nintendo Switch Online.

Question: My question is about Nintendo Switch usage. I can see how releasing new titles like TETRIS® 99 will increase use of the hardware, but Iʼd like to know if you’ve had any success implementing measures to raise engagement rates with software that has already been released.

Furukawa: TETRIS® 99 has helped maintain Nintendo Switch engagement, as well as increase the number of new members joining Nintendo Switch Online. And when we add new titles to Nintendo Entertainment System ‒ Nintendo Switch Online, one of the services available to Nintendo Switch Online members, we see consumers returning to play on Nintendo Switch. As for individual titles, we released the first add-on content just the other day for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, to give one example. The release of add-on content and updates like this is proven to raise engagement rates again that may have temporarily dropped.

Source: Nintendo.co.jp