10 Years Later, Nintendo’s Switch Reveal Is a Fascinating Time Capsule

Image: Nintendo

It’s pretty funny that The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, then a six-year-old game, was used to sell a new Nintendo console launching in 2017. And it was a huge get for Nintendo at the time! Third-party companies had largely avoided porting games to Wii U due to the dual-screen hardware’s quirks and lousy sales. Xbox’s landmark acquisition of Bethesda was still several years away at this point, and Nintendo was the scrappy underdog. A lot can change in a decade.

What’s even funnier is that we still don’t have The Elder Scrolls 6, three Nintendo consoles later. (Since Skyrim launched in 2011, we’ve had Wii U in 2012, Switch in 2017, and Switch 2 in 2025.) But at least we know Bethesda is finally working on it.

4

The next big thing

Screenshot: Nintendo via GameSpot/YouTube

The mid- and late 2010s marked the pinnacle of hype for esports. Companies like Activision Blizzard and Riot Games were establishing leagues and hosting big-ticket tournaments, positioning the space to potential investors as a digital-era NBA or Champions League. While fans eventually gravitated toward individual streamers instead of stadiums for their vicarious gameplay experiences, it makes sense that Nintendo nodded to it at this moment in time. In this early footage, a couple teams played Splatoon on their Switches, then took the action to a large indoor arena. The Splatoon competitive scene remains alive and well a decade later. But I’m thankful the Switch’s fortunes were not tied to esports as much as Nintendo suggested here.

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Franchises matter

Image: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo

Bleeding-edge tech has never been Nintendo’s thing. Instead, the company leans on a stable of beloved and enduring IP that somehow rarely gets old. Those core brands were a major focus in this early footage: Mario, Zelda, and Mario Kart all made appearances. All three of those are still massive system sellers in 2026, just like they were in 2016.

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A traveler’s friend

Screenshot: Nintendo via GameSpot/YouTube

In the leadup to the launch of the Nintendo Switch, there was a lot of speculation about the battery life. It seemed hopelessly naive to expect to play something like Breath of the Wild for more than 45 minutes on a plane. Admittedly, hardware and software updates have improved the Switch’s battery life over time, and in-seat outlets have (thankfully) become more common in planes. But there’s no denying the Switch is fantastic on a plane. The once-wild promise of a TV-worthy gaming experience on the go really is an everyday reality. Looking back on this reveal 10 years later, it’s still kind of hard to believe this thing works — but it does.