The Switch and Nintendo hardware

[The_Liquid_Laser]

zorg1000 said:

The_Liquid_Laser said:

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.

Both are extremely important, most people wont buy a console for a single game, for most people a console needs a steady flow of games that interest them.

You are oversimplying things, there is alot more than just Zelda that is causing Switch to be more desirable than Wii U.

1. The overall hardware concept. The ability to seamlessly switch between console and handheld mode and play anywhere is very appealing. The same cannot be said for the Wii U gamepad which had like a 15ft range and really added little to the experience.

2. Marketing/branding/advertising. Switch is marketed to multiple demographics and advertised all over the place and the branding makes it clear its a brand new device. Wii  U was marketed almost exclusively to kids/families and advertised almost exclusively on childrens television networks and continuing with the Wii brand (which was in heavy decline at this point) either turned people away or made them think it was an expensive add-on.

3. Software output. You're right that individual system sellers are important but a system also needs a steady flow of quality titles ranging from small, medium and big. Switch has had a medium-large sized exclusive basically every month along with a handful of smaller indie titles on a weekly basis. Wii U would generally go a few months between notable releases.

4. Price. You might be thinking they both cost $299, how is that an advantage for Switch? Well if a console has appealing hardware, a strong software lineup and well executed marketing/advertising than $299 is a great price, however if all those things are poor than $299 is expensive.

I agree with all of your points except we have a subtly different view on your #3.  It is the amount of quality titles that matter more than the pacing.  For example if a person bought a Wii U three years after release then pacing wouldn't matter at all, because there would be a 3 year backlog of games to choose from.  The main reason why a person wouldn't buy a Wii U at after 3 or more years is if they didn't really like the collection of games to begin with.  (Most people clearly did not like the collection of Wii U games.)  

Right now the Switch is on track to outsell the Wii U's entire lifetime in just 1 fiscal year.  What is the difference?  Most of the major games on the Switch are similar to Wii U games.  The only game that would make a difference is Zelda. 

I agree with all of your points though and I would say that #1 is the factor that will have the biggest long term effect.  Switch is going to sell to both the handheld and home markets.  But I don't think that is why Switch is selling so fast right out of the gate.  Zelda is accelerating sales.  Next year the Zelda effect will be gone, and Switch sales will slow down somewhat until Pokemon comes out.