Currently Online 
Soundwave said:
I think core gamers are attracted to this concept in general. This is high end "real console games" anywhere, anytime ... on the airplane, on your nightstand, etc. etc. That sounds simple but when you experience it really is a "oh this is pretty cool" moment. That's the funny thing about this Nintendo system .... the "gimmick" aspect of the system really appeals actually to core gamers IMO. This is a device you got to have if you really love games because it lets you play even the highest end games, and not just those simpler or watered down 3DS or even Vita experiences, but the big boy games like Zelda on the go. Agreed that Nintendo is going to need to keep AAA games coming out for it. The good thing with good early sales is maybe they can get some help from third parties at long last too. I'm not expecting anywhere near Sony/MS levels of support, but better than 3DS might actually be achievable for example. |
Exactly. For all its oddness, the Switch is actually highly conventional in its cornerstone design principles. The bedrock of the whole thing can really be boiled down to one word that built the console empire: convenience. It plays games off the physical media so you don't have to fiddle with installs, it has a snappy OS that gets you right into the games with no fluff, it wakes up from sleep almost instantly, and it can be taken with you anywhere very easily. in that ideological way, the Switch is the most console-ish console of the big three offerings. And if you pause to think about it, the appeal is not too shocking because the convenience factor was a major, major pillar of consoles' success for generations. So for a lot of gamers, I think the game-centric convenience of the system's overall design and portability speaks to them quite strongly. Obviously they need to keep games coming, but I think the concept resonates very well.
One thing that will be interesting with third parties is to see if the Switch gets a lot of incidental exclusives. Shin Megami Tensei and No More Heroes and Octopath Traveler have already shown up as such so I am curious to see what others will show up as timed or permanent exclusives from third parties that Nintendo doesn't own. Monster Hunter, Layton, Yokai-Watch, Etrian (assuming that franchise even survives), etc etc. A lot of that is mid-teir stuff but it would expand the library and create a distinct appeal to the Switch. Nintendo's handheld allies as well as Vita devs could be very valuable 3rd parties on Switch.
