The Nintendo Switch is set to launch soon in Brazil over three years after the hybrid console’s initial release in other regions.
In 2015, Nintendo stopped selling consoles in Brazil due to high import taxes, making Brazilian operations “unsustainable.” In early 2017, the company launched the successful Nintendo Switch in many markets worldwide, though it was halted from release in numerous regions, including Brazil, whose consumers still had limited access to the eShop.
Nintendo announced the Nintendo Switch’s Brazilian release on Twitter with enthusiasm but did not give a concrete release date. However, Nintendo stated it will be available “soon.”
Greetings to all the Brazilian Nintendo fans out there! We’re excited to announce that #NintendoSwitch will be coming soon to Brazil!
Stay tuned to these channels for more info:
Facebook: https://t.co/dQwMX6PHP3
Instagram: https://t.co/Sp4HJFQA63 pic.twitter.com/0Ri5a8Vj6l— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) August 19, 2020
There are no details on which games will launch alongside the Switch in Brazil, though it’s likely Mario Kart 8 Deluxe will release in Brazil, since it is pictured in the announcement tweet.
While the Switch is getting a delayed Brazil launch, it is unknown if the company will match its Brazilian operational capacity with its operations in other regions. However, Nintendo’s willingness to return at all is a hopeful sign for Nintendo fans in the country.
The Switch had delayed launches in other regions, as well. Although the console released in most major markets in March 2017, it was released later in 2017 in Argentina, Taiwan, and South Korea.
In partnership with Tencent, Nintendo released the Switch in China last year in December, with only three games available to purchase in the country for months. This move served to further increase the Switch’s success, which has topped the PlayStation 4 as the fastest-selling console of this generation.
With Nintendo’s re-entry into Brazilian markets, the console will undoubtedly get another sales boost. The Switch has sold about 60 million units so far, making it a far more successful console than its predecessor, and given Brazil’s Nintendo fandom presence, the company will likely experience even more success.
In 2019, Nintendo fans in Brazil made a fake Nintendo Direct, which garnered as high as about 4,500 viewers, as a sort of plea with Nintendo to bring its operations back to Brazil, At the time, the project’s organizer said Brazilian Nintendo fans felt abandoned by the gaming giant and wished to connect with Nintendo. While it’s unclear if Nintendo took the project into consideration, the project’s designers will likely admire the developer and publisher’s decision to re-enter Brazil.
