The Nintendo Switch will sell less than the Wii U...

[barneystinson69]

RolStoppable said:

barneystinson69 said:

It would be better if the switch was simply a portable console without a dock. They could sell it for $199 easily, and add the dock as an accessory. The XB1 and PS4 are in the same price range, have far more games, are far more known to the public, and have better online services and better specs. Very uphill batttle for the Switch. Thats why I said if Nintendo drops the price early on (and maybe their online thing as well), they'll do far better. You can ever read the OP yourself.

It looks like a big uphill battle because you apply symmetrical thinking to competition that is asymmetrical.

Switch is the only console that plays Nintendo games. (Important because Nintendo is always among the publishers who sell the most games.)
Switch offers different ways to play games.
Switch is a home console that is also portable (read: hybrid).
Switch emphasizes local multiplayer in multiple forms.
Switch offers higher value to collectors because games come on cards AND are complete. (No GBs of patches.)

The catch with asymmetrical competition is that the value evaluation that is made by any given consumer can completely turn upside down to what you think is the only correct way. You highlighted strengths of the PS4 and XB1, but they can't compete with what I have listed. They stand absolutely no chance. This is how the Wii beat the PS3 and 360 despite the gaming industry clearly favoring the HD consoles.

When I say price is an issue for Switch, then it's not in relation to what the PS4 and XB1 cost. The price is an issue because the consumer that is attracted by Nintendo generally does not put a value on specs and sees the console merely as a tool that plays games. Even if the Switch was a 10 teraflop machine, I would still call the launch price too high.

The Wii U also could play Nintendo games. This has a poor launch lineup, and is $300.