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Forums - Nintendo Discussion - "Switch is doing great because it's handheld"

FragileSurface on 02 September 2017
Miyamotoo said:

From time to time I saw this point from some people, saying that Switch is doing great because it's handheld and every Nintendo handheld had great sales, so its same for Switch.

 

But those people missing few facts what made Switch difrent compared to other Nintendo handhelds:

-Switch is a hybrid, its handheld and home console in same time. Definitely it's not best fit like handheld because it's bigger and dont have very good battery life either.

-Switch has price point of Nintendo home console, not Nintendo handheld. Just look at launch prices of last few Nintendo home consoles, GC had launch price of $200, Wii of $200 and Wii U of $300 (it had version of $350 also). 3DS had launch price of $250 but it didnt sell very well, and start selling great only after price cut to $170 that received only 6 months after launch, while Switch is selling great with $300 and actualy Nintendo still cant keep up with demand.

-Switch games have price point of home console games, not of handheld (Switch AAA games are $60 same like they were for Wii and Wii U, 3DS/DS AAA games are $40).

 

So with those facts on mind Switch position on market is more like home console than its like handheld, despite fact that it can be used like real handheld also.

So no, Switch is not selling great because it just another Nintendo handheld and they always sell well, Switch is selling because great concept, great system seller games and good marketing.

Sorry, but most if not all of your points are pretty ridiculous.  Being the largest, most expensive, hardware intensive (poor battery life) handheld with the most expensive games for a handheld does NOT disqualify it from being a handheld.  Almost all of the marketing for it that I've seen for it is showing off its portability.  That is its main function and draw.  You should have just said that the Switch is selling well because it has Zelda.  



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Miyamotoo on 02 September 2017
FragileSurface said:
Miyamotoo said:

From time to time I saw this point from some people, saying that Switch is doing great because it's handheld and every Nintendo handheld had great sales, so its same for Switch.

 

But those people missing few facts what made Switch difrent compared to other Nintendo handhelds:

-Switch is a hybrid, its handheld and home console in same time. Definitely it's not best fit like handheld because it's bigger and dont have very good battery life either.

-Switch has price point of Nintendo home console, not Nintendo handheld. Just look at launch prices of last few Nintendo home consoles, GC had launch price of $200, Wii of $200 and Wii U of $300 (it had version of $350 also). 3DS had launch price of $250 but it didnt sell very well, and start selling great only after price cut to $170 that received only 6 months after launch, while Switch is selling great with $300 and actualy Nintendo still cant keep up with demand.

-Switch games have price point of home console games, not of handheld (Switch AAA games are $60 same like they were for Wii and Wii U, 3DS/DS AAA games are $40).

 

So with those facts on mind Switch position on market is more like home console than its like handheld, despite fact that it can be used like real handheld also.

So no, Switch is not selling great because it just another Nintendo handheld and they always sell well, Switch is selling because great concept, great system seller games and good marketing.

Sorry, but most if not all of your points are pretty ridiculous.  Being the largest, most expensive, hardware intensive (poor battery life) handheld with the most expensive games for a handheld does NOT disqualify it from being a handheld.  Almost all of the marketing for it that I've seen for it is showing off its portability.  That is its main function and draw.  You should have just said that the Switch is selling well because it has Zelda.  

Actually your post is ridiculous, Switch is a hybrid of home console and handheld, it's not just a handheld, same like its not only home console. Main function of Switch is that can be used like real home console or like real handheld. And offcourse that Switch is not selling good just for Zelda.



bonzobanana on 02 September 2017

The wii u failed and Nintendo's response was to withdraw from the home console market and not compete directly with ps4 and xbox one. Instead they made a new powerful portable system based on good mobile technology that could also be used as a low performance home console to fill the void.

If the Switch was instead some sort of Nintendo gaming box like a Shield box perhaps at a $200 price point I'm unsure if it would have succeeded, they could have ramped up the clock rate too. That would have been a product I preferred but don't know if that would have had wider acceptance.

Of course they still can produce a home console only version if they so wish. I'm sure Nintendo has plans for many new models.

I think the portability and price point are linked for sure. The same price point without portability would have been instant failure.

Over time the Switch will move to being a far better portable. Improved fabrication will have huge benefits for future models plus the fall in prices of micro SD cards will enable easier storage. It just seems like a product that gets better with time as a portable. In contrast its home console performance is already very low and more of a bonus. On a modern PC you can emulate Zelda BOTW at 4k, 60fps well beyond what the Switch is capable of. It's quite possible a emulator will come out to run Switch software fairly soon. When I've watched Switch docked performance in store it looks very dated with aliasing in contrast despite portable mode having lower resolution graphics the portable screen looks fantastic and sharp.

It's clearly a portable anyway, based on mobile technology, using small cartridges with a lowish performance level.




Random_Matt on 02 September 2017

Love people's own definition of hybrid, it's not a hybrid.



Miyamotoo on 02 September 2017
bonzobanana said:
The wii u failed and Nintendo's response was to withdraw from the home console market and not compete directly with ps4 and xbox one. Instead they made a new powerful portable system based on good mobile technology that could also be used as a low performance home console to fill the void.

If the Switch was instead some sort of Nintendo gaming box like a Shield box perhaps at a $200 price point I'm unsure if it would have succeeded, they could have ramped up the clock rate too. That would have been a product I preferred but don't know if that would have had wider acceptance.

Of course they still can produce a home console only version if they so wish. I'm sure Nintendo has plans for many new models.

I think the portability and price point are linked for sure. The same price point without portability would have been instant failure.

Over time the Switch will move to being a far better portable. Improved fabrication will have huge benefits for future models plus the fall in prices of micro SD cards will enable easier storage. It just seems like a product that gets better with time as a portable. In contrast its home console performance is already very low and more of a bonus. On a modern PC you can emulate Zelda BOTW at 4k, 60fps well beyond what the Switch is capable of. It's quite possible a emulator will come out to run Switch software fairly soon. When I've watched Switch docked performance in store it looks very dated with aliasing in contrast despite portable mode having lower resolution graphics the portable screen looks fantastic and sharp.

It's clearly a portable anyway, based on mobile technology, using small cartridges with a lowish performance level.


You can some say that without docked mode with same price point would also be failure, and thats hole point, Switch is hybrid, not handheld.

 

Random_Matt said:
Love people's own definition of hybrid, it's not a hybrid.

Lol, of course it hybrid, it made in way that can be used like real home console and real handheld, hybrid of home console and handheld.



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d21lewis on 02 September 2017

There's a lot of factors.

-Because it's Nintendo? Then why did consoles like the GameCube and WiiU come in dead last in their generations?

-Because it's a handheld? As said before there are a ton of failed handhelds in gaming history. Nintendo destroyed half of them.

-Because it's a powerful handheld that offers a home console experience on the go? Look at the Vita (which Swype just called PlayStation butts before I caught it!)

-As a low priced console? You could get a PS4 or Xbox One for comparable prices.

-It even has a lackluster library (right now), weak online, and virtually no features to offer outside of gaming.

It's the concept. The Switch is what you need it to be. It's all things to all people.



Random_Matt on 02 September 2017
Miyamotoo said:
bonzobanana said:
The wii u failed and Nintendo's response was to withdraw from the home console market and not compete directly with ps4 and xbox one. Instead they made a new powerful portable system based on good mobile technology that could also be used as a low performance home console to fill the void.

If the Switch was instead some sort of Nintendo gaming box like a Shield box perhaps at a $200 price point I'm unsure if it would have succeeded, they could have ramped up the clock rate too. That would have been a product I preferred but don't know if that would have had wider acceptance.

Of course they still can produce a home console only version if they so wish. I'm sure Nintendo has plans for many new models.

I think the portability and price point are linked for sure. The same price point without portability would have been instant failure.

Over time the Switch will move to being a far better portable. Improved fabrication will have huge benefits for future models plus the fall in prices of micro SD cards will enable easier storage. It just seems like a product that gets better with time as a portable. In contrast its home console performance is already very low and more of a bonus. On a modern PC you can emulate Zelda BOTW at 4k, 60fps well beyond what the Switch is capable of. It's quite possible a emulator will come out to run Switch software fairly soon. When I've watched Switch docked performance in store it looks very dated with aliasing in contrast despite portable mode having lower resolution graphics the portable screen looks fantastic and sharp.

It's clearly a portable anyway, based on mobile technology, using small cartridges with a lowish performance level.


You can some say that without docked mode with same price point would also be failure, and thats hole point, Switch is hybrid, not handheld.

 

Random_Matt said:
Love people's own definition of hybrid, it's not a hybrid.

Lol, of course it hybrid, it made in way that can be used like real home console and real handheld, hybrid of home console and handheld.

To be a hybrid the handheld has to become a console in itself. Adding a plastic dock and cable to the television does not make it a hybrid.

Sure it can be used in the same way as any home console, but it's not both primarily in design.



Miyamotoo on 02 September 2017
Random_Matt said:
Miyamotoo said:

You can some say that without docked mode with same price point would also be failure, and thats hole point, Switch is hybrid, not handheld.

 

Lol, of course it hybrid, it made in way that can be used like real home console and real handheld, hybrid of home console and handheld.

To be a hybrid the handheld has to become a console in itself. Adding a plastic dock and cable to the television does not make it a hybrid.

Sure it can be used in the same way as any home console, but it's not both primarily in design.

Do you really think that only dock and cable makes Switch hybrid!? Hole point of Switch is that can be used like real home console and like real handheld, and to integrate home consoel and handheld platform in just one platform, Switch from start is designed like that, that you can easily switch from home to handheld mode, to run at higher res in docked mode,  or to have detachable controllers, that was primary design. Some people will use it like mostly like home console, while some people mostly like handheld, and that was intention to be used like real home console and real handheld, so basically it's hybrid of home console and handheld.



d21lewis on 02 September 2017
Random_Matt said:
Miyamotoo said:

You can some say that without docked mode with same price point would also be failure, and thats hole point, Switch is hybrid, not handheld.

 

Lol, of course it hybrid, it made in way that can be used like real home console and real handheld, hybrid of home console and handheld.

To be a hybrid the handheld has to become a console in itself. Adding a plastic dock and cable to the television does not make it a hybrid.

Sure it can be used in the same way as any home console, but it's not both primarily in design.

What if it adds a dock, cable, improved performance,  peripherals and USB ports? 



Miyamotoo on 02 September 2017
d21lewis said:
Random_Matt said:

To be a hybrid the handheld has to become a console in itself. Adding a plastic dock and cable to the television does not make it a hybrid.

Sure it can be used in the same way as any home console, but it's not both primarily in design.

What if it adds a dock, cable, improved performance,  peripherals and USB ports? 

Don't forget detachable controllers. :)