Nintendo Switch Outsells Xbox One Worldwide

[The_Liquid_Laser]

Farsala said:

The_Liquid_Laser said:

Well, I made this thread about 2 years ago and I still stand by it.
http://gamrconnect.vgchartz.com/thread.php?id=234359&page=1

I still think all of the handheld market plus most of the home market will buy a Switch.  I definitely don't think this year is the peak year, not by a longshot. 

One thing I will say though, people have this image of the PS2 being unbeatable.  Historically speaking, some home system becomes "the best selling yet" about half of the generations.  Half the time the record gets broken and half the time it doesn't.  I think this time around Switch is going to break the record.  This sort of thing happens a lot more than people think.

That means you think Nintendo will support the Switch for 10+ years, if not 15. Or you are going to include Switch 2/pro/XL with Switch sales. Switch is tracking below both the Wii and the NDS and just a bit above the 3DS, so if it follows the home console route then it will sell less than the Wii, if it follows the handheld route then it will sell less then the NDS, but more than the 3DS. However, handheld sales have notably been getting weaker over the years.

Outright outselling the NDS would require a 10+ year lifespan since it is behind it currently.

Of the 154m, DS sold 33m JP, and 60m Americas and 61m Others. Which the Switch is pretty far behind in Japan and America.

If you look carefully Switch is actually selling a lot better than the 3DS.  That is because 3DS basically peaked around its second year.  It got an early price cut and then gradually declined.  In spite of all that, Nintendo supported the 3DS for 8 years (2011-2018).

In contrast, Switch sales are still accelerating.  This is not the peak year for the Switch.  Considering it is both outselling the 3DS in raw units, and it is far outstripping it in profits, Nintendo is going to want to support it for a long time, 10+ years. 

On top of all this we have barely seen the Switch's total library of games, maybe a quarter of its total library at best.  Nintendo handhelds always have lots of third party exclusives, but we really haven't seen any yet other than the ones Nintendo specifically lobbied for like Octopath Traveler.  2020 is actually the first year that we have an indication that handheld devs are ready to release their third party exclusives like Bravely Default 2 and Rune Factory 5.  All of these devs are taking longer to make their games, because it is a huge leap to go from the 3DS to Switch.  Also Western devs are prepared to port over a ton of games as soon as the price of carts drops.  So far 16 GB is the highest most devs will go with a couple of exceptions.  When prices drop any game that can fit on 32 GB (most games) will be ready to come to Switch.  Basically there are a ton of third party games still in the pipeline that will help drive Switch sales.

Given that Switch sales are still accelerating and it is highly profitable Nintendo is going to support it for a long time.  The third party library is still a tiny fraction of what it will be.  And Switch is going to pulling from both home and handheld gamers.  Put all of that together and Switch is going to be the best selling system yet, outselling even the PS2.  It's sales curve will be like the NES which peaked later than an average system and still had a huge tail end.