Nintendo sees its new Switch device as a home console first, according to a new interview.
Speaking to Wired, Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Amie stated, "At its heart, [Switch is] a home console that you can take with you on the go."
The executive was addressing a question about what the Switch's launch means for the 3DS. Fils-Amie responded by saying the introduction of one doesn't mean the other will become obsolete, and that he sees the Switch as a home console first.
"3DS has a long life in front of it," he said. "We've already announced games that will be launching in the first couple quarters of this year. There are a number of big games coming. And in our view, the Nintendo 3DS and the Nintendo Switch are going to live side-by-side. You're going to be meeting different price points, you're going to be meeting different types of consumers, you're going to have the newest, freshest content available on Nintendo Switch, you've got a thousand-game library available on Nintendo 3DS, plus some key new ones coming. They're going to co-exist just fine. We've done this before, managing two different systems.
"I think there's a sense that Nintendo Switch is a portable device. It is portable. But at its heart, it's a home console that you can take with you on the go."
The long-time Nintendo exec also spoke to GameSpot at the recent Switch reveal event in New York. He addressed the clamor for a potential new Metroid game by saying, "So I have nothing to announce--here. But we are aware that there are some key IP that consumers just can't wait for the next true instalment in that franchise's legacy. Suffice it to say, we're aware of it, and talk to me in a year and let's look back and see what's happened."
He went on to say that it's essential to have "a regular cadence of critical launches to drive the install base and keep the consumer base engaged." Nintendo thinks Wii U had a great lineup of games, but with Switch, it hopes to avoid having those "large gaps" between releases.
Nintendo Switch launches March 3. For more, check out our roundup of all the news and videos from the Nintendo Switch Presentation, or our hands-on impressions with the console itself.