I cannot believe I left that out.  I have shamed myself!  XD

Well, if this is an excercise in empathy, then I’m all for it.

But are detractors painting in such broad strokes? Are they saying under no circumstances can Switch be someone’s favored console—easily disputable, as you say—or are they simply speaking for themselves?

So far, not really.  The detractors that make such wild claims seem to be avoiding the thread because they themselves know how ridiculous the notion is.  Either that or they have not tried yet.

Out of respect of our fellow community members  I will not name names.  They know who they are and if they feel they have a valid point, they will reveal themselves.  If not, with their silence they admit the fact that Switch is a perfectly viable primary platform for many gamers, and that their claims in the past was only to get a reaction out of people.

You totally and completely miss the point of the thread, which is not "The Switch is the only viable choice for primary console" which you argued, but instead is "Switch is perfectly viable as a primary console" which is true. To explain: this means people will prefer Switch over other gaming devices. And it is easy to see that this happens.

Your argument with the lists is faulty in a big way, as such lists can easily be made for every platform. Also your list is heavily PS4 biased, as you could've easily listed other games not coming to Switch like Halo, Forza and Pokemon Go. But as these are also not hitting PS4 you conviniently left it out. The truth is: each platform is for some people viable as a primary platform. But while Nintendo fans seldomly denounce PS4 or Xbox One as viable primary platforms, fans of other platforms constantly try to denounce the Nintendo platforms as not viable for being primary platform. But the only thing you ever argue is, that is not viable as primary platform for YOU.

Also you should better research your list, Team Sonic Racing is announced for Switch and has a good chance to be the best selling version for the game (as Sonic does very well on Nintendo platforms). Rage 2 and Spyro are rumoured for Switch. Wasteland 2 is already released on Switch, so Wasteland 3 may follow after inXile has finished the game. Double Fine releases step for step one game after another for Switch, so Psychonauts 2 may follow too. Other games like Elder Scrolls and FF7R are so far in the future, that everyone will have new consoles on the market by then, so the discussion is moot at this point anyways.

So back to the main point: your list in no way disproves the viability for Switch as main platform. For me your list is leaving out Civ VI and Octopath Traveler, while I don't care about boring games like DMC 5 and KH III. So clearly Switch is the more viable platform - for me.

EDIT: I want to add a more general comment about these list wars. Not to you personally, but in general. Basically there is no point to such list. Either you wanna argue a platform is the best you had in years. In that case not every game you find on Wikipedia matters, but only the ones you like, either big or small. The other possible reason is to gauge future sales based on the released games. But this is actually hard. Even looking at the sales of the games, their actual value as system sellers might differ.

What lists like these are used to often is: my penis platform is better than yours. This is just stupid to begin with. Better is subjective and when we accept the subjectivity it is back to we are better off listing only the games we are personally excited for.

So in my opinion it is ridiculous in the first place to make such lists.

I play too many games for any console to suit me as a "main" console. If I had to choose just one, it would probably depend on which games I was playing at the time. The past couple weeks it's been PC games (Fallout), before that it was PS4 (Spyro and Red Dead), and next week it will be the Switch (Smash). Xbox is the only console that I don't currently own, although I used to own both an original Xbox and a 360, so it's likely that at some point I will get a One.

Missed this one.

Switch has fantastic support from Bethesda, so I have no idea why you included them.  Also as someone who owns both consoles, sure I buy the games you speak of.  All other games go to Switch such as Ys VIII, Valkeria Chronicles 4, Wolfenstein 2, Dragonball Fighterz, Crash N Sane, Starlink, etc as the portability aspect plays a huge role in my time for gaming.  This makes Switch my main console as it gets the most support from me.

Many people feel the same way I do as well, just look at 2018  HW sales despite having few major titles this year.  Regardless of how you feel personally, there is just as much of a reason overall to use Switch as a primary console as there is for any other.

Also just because you might feel one way, does not mean 90% of gamers do as well.  If you wish to make such bold claims, please provide data to back your numbers.

i use my switch in tangent with my PC. sometimes i want to use a keyboard and sometimes i want to use a controller, and the Joycons have won me over as a comfortable controller

As others have mentioned, most big AAA games do not come to Switch. I think the average gamer wants to play most of those games, and doesn't want to stay a generation behind (because that's what the vast majority of AAA, third-party games on Switch are). And, if I'm correct about the average gamer wanting this, and since we're talking in general, that would make the Switch not viable as an only console. It certainly could be a primary though, as having a PS or XB on the side would allow access to pretty much all of these current AAA games.

But, I take issue with the premise in the OP. There is no way to really boil gaming down to generalities like this. One's tastes are completely subjective, and one's needs are very personal. I like shooters, I don't travel a lot or commute by public transit, and I want access to the big games of the day. So, Switch doesn't make sense as a primary or only console for me. If you prefer other games, sit on a train for 60 minutes per day and spend a half of your life traveling for work, Switch could be the only system that makes sense for you.

We can also look at this without considering Nintendo. I own every major system on the market right now. I think PlayStation has the best first party lineup, and I want to play those games. But, the single most important franchise to me in all of gaming hid Halo. So, if I had to choose an only console, it would be Xbox. On the other hand, my primary console is a PlayStation 4, because that's where the games are. So, as you can see, the topic is very complex, and extremely personal.

Depends on taste, Switch library is still undeveloped for being a serious primary gaming system, the online is also pretty shit.

I did not realize that games like...

DOOM

Wolfenstein

South Park Fractured But Whole

Ys VIII

Valkeria Chronicles 4

Crash N Sane

Dragonball Xenoverse 2

Dragonball FighterZ

Starlink

NBA2k18 and 19

FIFA 18 and 19

Warframe

ARK

Dragon Quest XI

Disgaea 5

etc

...were games from last gen?

Also as I said before, no claims are being made that the PS4  does not have more AAA games to choose from.  However given that many of us have more gaming time on Switch due to portability, it kind of negates that fact, as there are still more than enough current gen titles to keep one entertained already on the Switch.  You seem to be under the misguided assumption that your situation is the same as most people, and that is not true.  In fact much of the demographic I speak of do not even partake in these forums to speak up, because of time constraints.  For them, the Switch is the only way they can get in a decent play session regardless of what the PS4 has to offer.

I mean the fact that I am focusing on Wolfenstein 2 instead of Red Dead 2 kind of speaks volumes in that regard in my personal experience.  It is not all about the amount of 3rd party support, but the versatility that the Switch offers that the other consoles cannot accommodate for.

So on a case by case basis, the PS4 is no more or less viable as a primary than the Switch is.  It is a fact that needs to be accepted.  Now you do seem to get it to an extent, but as I pointed out several times before, I play all of Sony's games and major 3rd party games that bypass Switch, but my Switch get more playtime and support due to the games it does offer and therefore is MY primary console.  Many are in the same boat as me, many are not.  As you said, personal taste and situation plays a huge factor here (which is the entire point of the thread).

I guess the main problem with your reply is that you contradict yourself.  First you make a good point, then generalize most people yourself.  Then in the next paragraph state that every gamer's needs are different.  In any case, library alone does not decide primary console if both libraries are good enough to begin with.  If that were the case, PS4 would win hands down.  However, that is not even close to being the case here.