Soundwave said: You could say the same for the PS4 before the PS5 was announced ... it was selling just fine too. I think there's a fundamental misunderstanding by a lot of people on how hardware design and delivery works too. Nintendo doesn't just sit around waiting for sales to decline to a certain point and then pick up the phone and call Nvidia and say "OK now, we need a new system, have it delivered to us in 12 months please". Like that's an impossible way for it to work. Beyond design time issues, beyond the obvious fact that it takes 2 1/2-3 years to have software ready, there's manufacturing issues too, you don't just show up to TSMC on a Sunday and say "well we decided now to have a new system, can you whip us up something" as if you're ordering a pizza at your uncle's corner store or fresh baked cookies from the supermarket. Supply lines are tight, these deals have to be set in place years in advance, not even "well 12 months in advance should be good enough". The decision on when to launch Switch successor likely was made 2-3 years ago already and deals are set in place. It can be changed a little bit but not in the way I think people here imagine. Also I don't think Nintendo wants to be sitting on a platform for years that is progressively selling less and less every year. They don't have two hardware lines anymore, you don't want to be in a decline phase of your business for multiple years if you don't really have to be. |
PS4 is not comparable to Switch for a start as pointed out by Javi Sony has to directly react to MS regardless of position in the market Nintendo right now doesn't need to really react to anyone secondly PS4 operates only in one market while Switch operates in two one of which it has a near monopoly in which Nintendo can leverage.
No shit Nintendo doesn't sit around they were already doing R&D when Switch launched as they were when WiiU launched, they already have concepts and prototypes of their next platforms to react to their own situation like they did with the WiiU and here's the twist they keep coming up with new ones as time goes on until the time comes when they have to make a move and pick out the most suitable option of their R&D results to become their new platform going forward at the time.