Reggie Fils-Aime: "Without Wii U, we would not have Nintendo Switch"

Nintendo of America President and COO Reggie Fils-Aime sat down for a thirty minute chat at GeekWire Summit to talk about the company's business. Moderator Todd Bishop, co-founder of GeekWire, asked a number of interesting questions, One interesting moment was when the discussion shifted to Wii U and its influence on Nintendo Switch.

Reggie Fils-Aime told the crowd at GeekWire Summit that "Without Wii U, we would not have the Nintendo Switch, in terms of what we learned and, importantly, what we heard from our consumers. They told us, 'I want to play with this gamepad on the Wii U, but as soon as I get more than 30 feet away, it disconnects.' The core concept of taking it any time, that was compelling."

It is very true that the Wii U felt like a stepping stone that has lead us to Nintendo Switch. When Shacknews visited Nintendo of America HQ in Redmond, Washington during PAX West, I noticed a Wii U set up in the lobby. It was playing Breath of the Wild, and was a subtle reminder of just how underappreciated the console was by most gamers.