javi741 said: Tbh even without a price cut for the Switch 1 I still think it'll have stronger post-successor legs than the DS. I'm predicting the Switch 2 to launch at 400$, so even if the OG Switch doesn't get a price cut you could still buy an OG Switch for 100$ less, for a good portion of people that may be the better option as a cheap way to get into the Switch ecosystem. Plus the Switch Lite will be half of the Switch 2's price, while the Switch Lite isn't anywhere near as popular as a regular Switch it could still have solid sales over the next few years as a very cheap alternative. |
That's going to be the main issue I think.
Nintendo will want the consumer who today is buying a Switch at $299.99-$349.99 to buy the Switch 2 immediately in 2024 for a number of obvious reasons (faster userbase for Switch 2, that consumer can then be sold Switch 1 AND Switch 2 software, Nintendo doesn't have to convince them to upgrade again in 2-3 years that consumer is locked in).
I don't really care either way so long as Switch 2 comes out soon, but it would make a lot of sense for them in that situation to squeeze Switch Regular and Switch OLED production down to a limited quantity and force people with $300+ in their wallet/credit card to have to channel that money into a Switch 2 instead.
Really it's better for the consumer too, a parent trying to cheap out for example and getting a Switch at $299.99 when they could spend just a little more at $399.99 (possibly) and get the newest system which is going to have new software support for another 7-8+ years is really just forcing the consumer to do the right thing for themselves/kid they are buying for too.
You look at the PS5/PS4 today ... would Sony rather have only 35 million PS5s sold versus 41 million PS4s but more PS4s sold because they discounted the system and kept supply high on it? Obviously it's much better for them to have the 41 million PS5 owners even if a chunk of those consumers were really OK with just buying the PS4 but sorta got pushed into getting the PS5. There's no benefit to cannibalizing your next-gen console sales, you're better off forcing people to have to buy the new system. Unless there is are extenuating circumstances, like for example Nintendo didn't have any assurance in 2016/17 that the Switch was going to be a hit (not smart to completely phase out the 3DS in that case) or there is a massive cost gap in generational hardware (3DS was sometimes as low as $99.99-$149.99 versus Switch at $299.99) and a library difference (3DS/DS library is incompatible with the Switch).
Last edited by Soundwave - on 16 August 2023