The Switch and Nintendo hardware

[The_Liquid_Laser]

zorg1000 said:

The_Liquid_Laser said:

I agree that the hardware concept and marketing are helping the Switch become more successful than the Wii U.  However let's talk about the games.  Mario Kart, Splatoon, and 3D Mario were all present on the Wii U.  These games did not cause people to buy Wii U's.  If you are going to argue for the Switch's success, then you can't use an argument that would also apply to the Wii U.

On the other hand Breath of the Wild actually did cause people to buy Wii U's.  Most people would prefer to just buy a Switch, but because of short supply quite a few bought a Wii U instead just for Zelda.  
http://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/gaming/782811/Zelda-Breath-of-the-Wild-Wii-U-Nintendo-Switch-stock

This Zelda game is actually a killer app.  None of the other games that have been released so far are killer apps for the Switch.  I know this, because they were not killer apps for the Wii U.

Software pacing is very important. Here is when those franchises released on Wii U

 

3D Mario-Nov 2013

Mario Kart-May 2014

Splatoon-May 2015

Zelda-Mar 2017

 

VS Switch

 

Zelda-Mar 2017

Mario Kart-Apr 2017

Splatoon-July 2017

3D Mario-Oct 2017

 

Those games released like a year apart on Wii U while all 4 released within 8 months of each other on Switch.

A steady stream of good software certainly doesn't hurt, but a killer app moves hardware much more than pacing does.  Pacing actually helps more in keeping people on the console they already own.  People used to joke that they would put the Wii in their closet and never get it out.  That's what happens when there is a pacing problem.  Gamers get tired of their console and start looking for a new one.

All of those games listed above are worth a $60 price tag, but they may not be worth a $360 price tag.  That is why a killer app is needed, a game so good that customers will want to lay down the full $360.  Mario Kart, 3D Mario, and Splatoon were all available on one console starting May 2015 (along with several other good games), but that was still not enough to get most people to buy.  Take Zelda out of the equation and the Wii U's library is better May 2015 than the Switch's library is now.  So why is the Switch in so much higher demand?  It must be Zelda.