Nintendo Switch is perfectly viable as a primary or even only gaming device...

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Mr Puggsly said:

Shiken said:

I have already seen a good number of people in other threads showing the contrary, and a few of them within this very thread as well.  I mean the fact that some 3rd party games that come out on Switch seem to outsell X1 versions is evidence that portability matters to many.

Fact is, even the majority of an online forum does not come close to accounting for the general public.  To think otherwise is lying to yourself.

All 3 are valid primary consoles based on the needs of a gamer, and as it stands, I see no evidence of the contrary.  Only arbitrary arguments made by people who wish it to be unviable, or thise who refuse to look outside of their own personal needs.

Some certainly sell better on Switch but its not an equal library, the X1 audience has more major titles to choose from. For example the average X1 may not enjoy the same type of games as the average Switch users and more importantly the Switch isn't getting the same major releases. For example, Crash and Dark Souls did better on Switch but how did RDR2, CoD, BFV, AC:Odyssey and Soul Calibur VI do on Switch?

You're correct about saying forum doesn't reflect the general public. But I do know the PS4/X1/PC will move many of the same games we don't see on Switch. So I could argue Switch is less reflective of the general public.

I'm not arguing Switch couldn't be viable as an only console. But I highly doubt people who just use a Switch are avid gamers or just enjoy few IPs. I bet people were content with the Wii as their single platform for a period, but I suspect many of them eventually upgraded to 360 and PS3. Which would explain why games like Call of Duty declined on Wii while growing on other platforms.

I couldn't agree more.

The average gamer just can't find games on Nintendo since the last years of Wii at least. So many genres, so many basic 3rd party games that Nintendo lacks, plus the prices and the technology. You can get a full entertainment machine from PS4/Xb1 and dozens of great games in a reasonable price, while many average gamers out there would only get Zelda on Switch. For most gamers out there, 2d platforms, indies, FE, Animal Crossing, Pokemon, octopath, don't mean anything.

I guess that's why many say "Nintendo doesn't have games". It's not as if it really doesn't, but it just lacks too much of the games that the average gamer looking for a console expects from a modern current generation console.

Munn75 said:
I think the devil is in the details. Viability simply means that it can be successful as a console. Any of the current or previous systems released would fit that description in the sense that they can all play games. A better question would be is the Switch an equally optimal single gaming solution compared to the Xbox One, PS4, or a gaming PC. That is to say, is the Switch the best or most favorable single option.

In some cases yes the Switch is most viable but not equally so. I believe that if portability or a preference to Nintendo franchises are your primary preferences in gaming, then the Switch is the most optimal console for you. The Xbox One, PS4 and gaming PCs offer many advantages over the Switch that should factor in to which console is the best single optimal choice.

Xbox and PS4 obviously have specific first party titles that appeal to their fans and also have many more third party titles including almost all of the previously mentioned AAA titles. Many of these third party titles are not available on Switch and those that are available on all three consoles run better on X1 and PS4.

A gaming PC is optimal for those that want to run the available games at the highest resolution, frame rate, effects, etc. and also tends to be optimal for software price and availability of many older games. Of course a gaming PC will run AAA titles better than current consoles. Gaming PCs lack any of the first party titles from PS4 and Switch but have several of the high profile X1 titles.

So viability as a single console solution is heavily dependent on your gaming preferences. If you love Nintendo games, JPRGs, portability, then the Switch is the most logical choice if you can only choose one console.

If you love games like GTA 5, Red Dead Redemption 2, Fallout, Madden, Uncharted, Halo, Spider-man, God of War, Witcher 3, etc. or if you want to play games at higher resolution, frame rate, etc. then Switch is not logically the optimal system for you. It cannot play these games and it will always run third parties in lower resolution and lower frame rate when compared to PS4, X1 and a gaming PC.

I thought that the question of this thread was exactly that: is Switch an equally optimal single gaming solution?

I agree, not equally so. All the third party games and franchises that one can think of you can find on both current generation consoles. Not on Switch, plus all other benefits that current gen consoles offer and switch doesn't.

Current gen consoles (ps4,x1) are like your regular grocery store. They're Walmart of sorts.

Switch is just that vegan, organic shop with a few of the items you can find on Walmart, but with its own quality stuff for its own public. Others can go there to buy posh 95% cacau chocolate once in a while, but when they need to feed, they go to Walmart.