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The title’s “self-awareness” claim is an opinion from an August 29, 2013 essay, not a measured or current verdict on Nintendo and Apple. Its central point was that Nintendo risked mistaking its consoles for its business: the author argued that the deeper business was Nintendo’s characters and the gaming experiences built around them. The essay also warned that simply moving Nintendo games to iPhone and iPad would not automatically solve the company’s challenges.
What the essay meant by self-awareness
The essay used “self-awareness” to describe a company’s ability to distinguish its underlying business from the products it sells. In its analogy, Apple understood the Mac as one product within a broader business. The author argued that Nintendo should similarly avoid defining itself only by its consoles.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Nintendo Switch 2 System | $499.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Nintendo Switch with Neon Blue and Neon Red Joy-Con - Handheld Gaming Console | $336.79 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Nintendo Switch with Neon Blue and Red Joy-Con (Renewed) | $198.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Nintendo Switch Lite - Turquoise | $229.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
Nintendo Switch – Neon Red and Neon Blue Joy-Con (Renewed) | $200.00 | Buy on Amazon |
That was the essay’s interpretation of the two companies, not the result of a comparative measure of corporate judgment. Its Apple comparison and its predictions belong to the 2013 debate and should not be read as a description of Apple’s present-day strategy.
Why the author said Nintendo’s business was bigger than its consoles
The author identified Nintendo’s characters and the gaming experiences built around them as the durable value beneath any particular console. In this view, hardware was a way to deliver those experiences, rather than the whole business in itself.
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#1 Best Overall
- The next evolution of Nintendo Switch
- One system, three play modes: TV, Tabletop, and Handheld
- Larger, vivid, 7.9” LCD touch screen with support for HDR and up to 120 fps
- Dock that supports 4K when connected to a compatible TV*
- GameChat** lets you voice chat, share your game screen, and connect via video chat as you play
The essay considered whether Nintendo should make games for iPhone and iPad, but argued that “move to iOS” was too simple an answer. It quoted Federico Viticci of MacStories: “Saying that Nintendo should shut everything down, go home, and start making games for iOS is an easy but flawed solution that just isn’t supported by the facts.” That quotation represents Viticci’s view as reproduced in the 2013 essay, not a current assessment.
The essay also floated a different possibility: Nintendo might leave the console business while continuing to make hardware, such as dedicated controllers bundled with its character properties. This was a proposal by the author, not evidence of a Nintendo plan. Its broader prediction that dedicated consoles and handhelds had no future was also a product of the 2013 context, not a reliable statement about the market today.
Rank #2
- 6.2” LCD screen
- Three play modes: TV, tabletop, and handheld
- Local co-op, online, and local wireless multiplayer
- Detachable Joy-Con controllers
- Nintendo Switch is the home of Mario & friends
How Nintendo describes its business now
Nintendo’s current official description complicates the essay’s hardware-versus-business distinction. The company describes itself as an entertainment business whose core is original entertainment delivered predominantly through integrated hardware-software dedicated video game platforms. It identifies Nintendo Switch 2 as its current globally marketed dedicated platform.
At the same time, Nintendo says it is extending its entertainment beyond games through films and video, mobile apps, character merchandise, and real-world experiences. It also describes Nintendo Accounts as a way to sustain relationships with consumers across generations. The company says: “All of these business activities are guided by two principles: "grow the Nintendo IP fanbase" and "foster long-term relationships with consumers."” Nintendo’s president message presents this as the company’s own current positioning.
Rank #3
- This pre-owned product is not Apple certified, but has been professionally inspected, tested and cleaned by Amazon-qualified suppliers.
- 6.2” LCD screen.
- Three play modes: TV, tabletop, and handheld
- Local co-op, online, and local wireless multiplayer
- Detachable Joy-Con controllers
That positioning contains both sides of the 2013 argument: Nintendo continues to put integrated hardware and software at the center, while also building connections around its intellectual property beyond a single console. It does not prove that the essay’s diagnosis was right or wrong.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the comparison can—and cannot—tell you
- Underlying business versus product: The 2013 essay argued that Nintendo’s business was its characters and the experiences they enabled, not any one console. This is the author’s framing, rather than an established fact about the company’s priorities today.
- Integrated platform versus outside distribution: Nintendo’s present official description emphasizes dedicated hardware and software working together. The essay’s iOS question was whether Nintendo should distribute games on another company’s platform; it did not establish that such a move would be sufficient.
- Intellectual property beyond devices: Nintendo now describes films, apps, merchandise, real-world experiences, and accounts as ways to extend its entertainment and maintain consumer relationships. That broadens the picture beyond consoles without making hardware irrelevant.
The evidence supports explaining the title as a historical argument about how to define a company’s business. It does not support a current ranking of Nintendo’s and Apple’s business acumen or a claim that one company understands itself better.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- One player can use a Joy-Con in each hand
- Two players can each take one
- Multiple Joy-Con can be employed by numerous people for a variety of gameplay options (additional Joy-Con sold separately)
- Slip a set of Joy-Con into a Joy-Con grip accessory, mirroring a more traditional controller. Or, select an optional Nintendo Switch Pro Controller.
Rank #4
- Compact, lightweight handheld system
- Available in a range of fun colors
- Online and local wireless multiplayer
- Nintendo Switch is the home of Mario & friends
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
