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trent44 on 15 May 2017
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potato_hamster said:
Soundwave said:

The reason they did in the past is not neccessarily because they wanted to "force" people to have to buy different hardware. I'm sure Nintendo wold have loved to have 100 million players be able to play Mario 64 for example ... it would have maybe doubled or tripled the sales of the game. 

It just wasn't possible then. You could not have the architecture/hardware neccessary for the higher end Nintendo experiences where their majority audience (portables) was. I'm sure they would have liked to have had Mario Galaxy on DS too. 

Unified platform in the long run will actually make Nintendo more money than the old model. 

So because it is technically possible now, we're supposed to expect Nintendo is just going to stop with a business model that works for them for decades. I fully agree that such as decision wouldn't be very consumer friendly, but people need to remember that Nintendo isn't actually very friendly to their consumers and never have been. They are driven by profit above all else. If they think they stand to make more by making a handheld that doesn't accept Switch cartridges, then they're probably going to do that.

Sure, I could see them releasing a SKU of the Switch that is pocketable.

But a new handheld with games that can't run on the Switch, 3DS, or 2DS launching before 2022? That would sell less than a PSP GO.

It would have to compete against the Switch with too many disadvantages. If it is not supporting TV out/not having splitscreen/having lesser graphics than the switch/launching at a price higher than the switch will be by the time it does launch/etc.

They have kind of cornered themselves by having a product like the switch that covers so many advantages and uses. As price drops on the Switch, they will only be able to launch a new handheld that exceeds all of those advantages.

i.e. a Switch mini SKU that plays all switch cartriges, or a next gen Switch that does all the same things and more.

AND it would still be competing with the 3DS as well low end price and large library. There is not enough room between these two Nintendo devices for a third in the current market.

Basically within months of launch, the market would choke the system you are suggesting to a exceedingly swift death. And Nintendo would be out the R&D money.

Nintendo will not do it.