Nintendo Switch becomes the fastest selling videogame console in US History

[Arnoxthe1]

It's because of their outstanding selection of exclusives. Something that Microsoft (and to a lesser extent, Sony) didn't see. Also, I'm pretty freaking sure that if Halo 5 was actually worth buying, it would have rocketed their console back to greatness. But they screwed that up. They screwed their exclusives up. And now they're paying for it.

I actually don't blame Microsoft though at all for trying to get rid of exclusives. They simply wanted to get rid of the fact that you had to get one specific console to play one specific game. An admirable goal to be sure, but the sad truth is, exclusives are a necessary evil. Although there are some benefits to gamers and devs by making console-exclusive games. It means less headache for the dev and more of an ability to optimize the game for one specific piece of hardware, which leads to being able to make a particular game better on one system than it would be if it had to be ported across three sometimes radically different consoles. And finally, it's good for the console-makers themselves obviously since it moves units and builds brand loyalty.

 

[Casual Shinji]

Hmmmm no, sorry. In regards to Nintendo, the guy's default setting is gloating, so on that topic I like to refrain from throwing one unless absolutely, positively necessary.

oh you mean like how your default setting is to nitpick at every statement i make and get me to back up every single little detail up with exact quotes as evidence?

I think this is actually the first time I asked for any sort of quotes. But I don't deny that usually when I see you make a statement about Nintendo, I automatically reach for my microscope and tweezers.

 

[Phoenixmgs_v1legacy]

The Wii sold more than both the PS3 and 360, that didn't matter either. The Switch is just going to be another "Nintendo system" that does the same thing every Nintendo system has done since the Gamecube. The most successful the Switch can ever be is taking over Nintendo's own portable market, then does that really change anything? Nope.

---
Let me know when any of THAT changes...

 

[Leg End]

I just hope the build quality has improved. That is one thing Ninty has been dropping the balls on badly imo.

The long-term use of the detachable joycons has me worried the thing will eventually wear down the locking system and make the thing just slide out. Anyone here with a Switch able to comment?

 

[balladbird]

Huh, neat. My bro has nothing but good things to say about it.i haven?t bought a Nintendo console since the wii, but since the switch is getting Shin megami tensei five, I?ll definitely be getting one eventually

 

[Cycloptomese]

A friend of mine has one and he seems very impressed. I'm just not really into any of the games on it, though I do like the idea of being able to take it with me.

 

[CriticalGaming]

The Wii U would have been fine if it had launched with a Zelda title as well.

I don't believe that you can compare the two systems in the same way. If you want to simply go by financial success, then yes the Switch is a clear winner and will probably continue to do well. However the Switch still is suffering from the same thing that the Wii U suffered from, and that is simply a lack of good 3rd party games.

Sure the Switch certainly has more 3rd party support as of now from 3rd party developers, we have yet to see a good killer 3rd party app on the system.

But what about Skyrim and L.A. Noire? You will ask.

Well those games are in fact good. But they are six fucking years old. That isn't gonna cut it. The Switch NEEDS a solid non-Nintendo related game from a non-Nintendo company of AAA quality.

Give them props for including Indie support and a fairly great launch year of 1st party titles. But remember this, the Wii U was a great system. Games like Mario Bros. Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze, Yoshi's Wooly world, Mario Maker, Monster Hunter (1 of the 4 MH releases that occured in the system's lifecycle), and Bayonetta. There was some really great games on that system, but it failed for two reasons. One was poor marketing, and the other was the 3rd party support.

Right now, I contribute the Switch's status to both a better marketing scheme and a solid Zelda launch title.

What happens this year? We will have to see.

 

[Hawki]

It's fairly obvious that you have a strangely large emotional investment in the whole shebang

I'm passionate about Nintendo games. so shoot me.

Bang!

It's because of their outstanding selection of exclusives. Something that Microsoft (and to a lesser extent, Sony) didn't see. Also, I'm pretty freaking sure that if Halo 5 was actually worth buying, it would have rocketed their console back to greatness. But they screwed that up. They screwed their exclusives up. And now they're paying for it.

That's pretty subjective though. I'd say the Xbox One shot itself in the foot with its launch and the whole DRM stuff. Personally speaking, I found Halo 5 to be very much worth buying (and playing). On the other hand, the Switch's selection of exclusives is not only lower than its competitors (at least Sony), but looking at the list, at the very most and being generous, I'd say there's 3 that interest me, 4 if I throw in Breath of the Wild (which isn't technically an exclusive since it's out on the Wii U).

 

[CaitSeith]

"NOOOOO! I'll get you next time, Nintendo! NEXT TIME!"

 

[votemarvel]

My thoughts on the Switch haven't changed. It's a jack of all trades but master of none.

As an in home console it falls behind the base systems from Sony and Microsoft. Why would I choose the Switch to play my games when they'll likely look and play better on the PS4 or Xbox One.

Of course the real strength of the Switch lies in using it when undocked and I confess that is the part that still has my interest, who wouldn't like the ability to play current triple A games on the go?

Yet undocked it has to compete against Nintendo's other portable system the 3DS. With a 3DS I can shove it, and a few games, in my jacket pocket and not have to worry about it. The Switch just doesn't have that same level of portability and I have to worry about the possibility of losing peripherals, a joycon is just a tad more expensive to replace than a stylus.

Of course in the end what matter with any system is what games you can play on it and I have to admit that Nintendo is knocking it out of the park in regard to first party games and by doing that they've made third party publishers keener to get their developers to take that extra step down to get the games running well on the Switch.

Nintendo still has my interest in the Switch but for portable gaming, I'll be sticking with the GPD XD android system for now. When I can play the Shining Force III trilogy on the go, Breath of the Wild loses a bit of its attraction for me.

 

[McElroy]

The Switch looks rather slick, I'll give it that.

I'm just waiting for the eventual emulator... For technical curiosity only, of course.

 

[Casual Shinji]

Of course the real strength of the Switch lies in using it when undocked and I confess that is the part that still has my interest, who wouldn't like the ability to play current triple A games on the go?

Maybe it's because I'm getting old, but I sure as hell don't. It's about as pleasant to me as watching movies on a phone. I played Breath of the Wild undocked for like half an hour, and while it runs fine I can't say I found the experience very immersive. Even a game like Stardew Valley I'd much rather play on a TV screen.

As an in home console it falls behind the base systems from Sony and Microsoft. Why would I choose the Switch to play my games when they'll likely look and play better on the PS4 or Xbox One.

They seem to be getting a lot more dedicated third-party exclussives though, what with the system rising in popularity. And that's been one of their weaker points for a while now.

 

[Yoshi178]

Of course the real strength of the Switch lies in using it when undocked and I confess that is the part that still has my interest, who wouldn't like the ability to play current triple A games on the go?

Maybe it's because I'm getting old, but I sure as hell don't. It's about as pleasant to me as watching movies on a phone. I played Breath of the Wild undocked for like half an hour, and while it runs fine I can't say I found the experience very immersive. Even a game like Stardew Valley I'd much rather play on a TV screen.

I'd much rather play on a TV screen.

so would i, but when i'm on an hour Train or a several hour Plane trip, i don't exactly have that luxury now do i? at least having a portable form of my triple A games eliminates my boredom. normally i don't even play it in handheld mode either. if i do play it on the go usually i set the thing up on a table and play in tabletop mode which is so much comfier than handheld mode.

 

[TZO2K12]

The main reason why it was such a success, is due to the fact that it is VERY 3rd party developer friendly...The one thing sony had that consistently beat Nintendo's consoles was offering more software for the consumers due to a much stronger 3rd party support...

Nintendo now has a stronger foothold in the console market, I hope they keep it up...The only reason I won't buy one is that I detest this trend of relying too much on the Internet for gaming, as the console/MMOs are pretty much worthless if you lose your Internet connection.

 

[votemarvel]

Maybe it's because I'm getting old, but I sure as hell don't. It's about as pleasant to me as watching movies on a phone. I played Breath of the Wild undocked for like half an hour, and while it runs fine I can't say I found the experience very immersive. Even a game like Stardew Valley I'd much rather play on a TV screen.

I quite happily put a movie or TV show on my GPD XD while in bed and that only has a five inch screen. I am only a youthful 41 though, so perhaps my opinion will change in time.

As to games, I think it depends on what title it is for me. I'm quite happily working my way through Shining Force III while on my breaks at work but something like Command & Conquer I just can't get on with on a small screen, I know I'm not getting any more information but it just works better on my TV for me. Of course when I play on my TV I use my actual Saturn rather than using my handheld.

They seem to be getting a lot more dedicated third-party exclusives though, what with the system rising in popularity. And that's been one of their weaker points for a while now.

Exclusives sell systems, I don't think there can be any doubt about that.

 

[Yoshi178]

Good for them. Having said that, Nintendo is and has been in its own gaming industry ecosystem since around the time Microsoft got into the game. They aren't really even directly competing with anyone else but themselves at this point, because they've managed to carve out a health niche market. To break sales records and still be able to find large swaths of gamers who might have only heard about the Switch but never plan on getting one proves this.

Nintendo is smart not to compete directly with Sony and Microsoft though, because they've proven they don't really need to, and are better off not doing so anyways.

 

[Yoshi178]

People shit on Nintendo's third party support all the time.

it's interesting though that 9 out of the top 20 games on Nintendo Switch, are 3rd Party games, and the most played one of those 3rd Party games, is the exact same game example people used when they were shitting on Nintendo 3rd Party support. The most played 3rd party game is none other than the 6 year old Skyrim.

 

[Yoshi178]

Nintendo is smart not to compete directly with Sony and Microsoft though, because they've proven they don't really need to, and are better off not doing so anyways.

At the end of the day, they are all primarily selling a videogame console so yes, Nintendo is competing directly with Sony and Nintendo.

Since the Wii and DS though, Nintendo has simply just competed against Sony and Microsoft by using different strategies to gain sales. first they used focused selling on touch screens with DS, then they focused on selling motion controls With Wii, then they focused on selling glasses free 3D with the 3DS, then they focused on selling off TV Play with With Wii U and now it's come to the point where their main focus is on selling a Hyrbid video game console that can be played both on and off the TV with the Switch.

people can call them "gimmicks" as much as they want, but at the end of the day Nintendo is primarily selling video game systems like Sony and MS are, they'd just rather focus on selling unique ways of playing videogames or "gimmicks" rather than just having a Dick Swinging contest about who can have the most powerful box like Sony & Microsoft do with each other when it comes to consoles.

 

[Casual Shinji]

The most played 3rd party game is none other than the 6 year old Skyrim.

Yeah, but Skyrim is weird like that -- Everybody complains about it being re-released, yet everybody keeps on buying the damn thing over and over. It was the running gag at E3 '17.

 

[Hawki]

Everybody complains about it being re-released, yet everybody keeps on buying the damn thing over and over. It was the running gag at E3 '17.

They do? Are people actually buying Skyrim over and over, or is it just new people?

I mean, maybe there's a market for Skyrim being played portably, but other than that...