By using this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use. Close
burninmylight on 27 February 2024
Edit Thread
TeachMeHisty said:
Shatts said:

I mean isn't that just the GameCube? So how about this scenario? What if it was just the Wii U and no 3DS? All the resources spent on the 3DS go to the Wii U. Do you think the Wii U would have sold as much as the 3DS? Or would it have sold the same? I feel like one of the reasons why the Switch is such a success is because there's only 1 platform from Nintendo. Perhaps the Wii U would have done better without the 3DS. Although I believe it would be worse for Nintendo overall without the 3DS.

Wouldnt say so.

The GameCube:

  • released at a time where the PS2s integrated DVD player was a major USP
  • once again screwed developers by using low capacity mini dvds
  • is the successor of a (comparatively) "flopped" system
  • released after the PS2

The WiiU

  • released when a DVD/BlueRay player wasnt a USP anymore
  • supported standard discs
  • is the successor of a successful system
  • released before the PS4

My conclusion:

The hypothetical "playstation WiiUs" life cycle would have probably played out similar to the XB360s

There would still be (still is) the perception that "Nintendo fans only buy Nintendo games" and Nintendo would still be trying (often not hard enough) to push that boulder up a hill. That was true in the GCN days and only became stronger in the Wii and Wii U days. The GamePad was a big turnoff for devs and gamers, but even if the primary controller was a standard Pro Controller, how does Nintendo get Madden/CoD/2K/Ass Creed/whatever big AAA gamers to uninvest from their current platforms where all of their friends and trophies are and game on the Wii U, with its inferior network and storage capacity?

That's what TeachMeHisty means by this hypothetical version of the Wii U being GCN all over again. We'd look back on it more fondly for its game library, but it would still miss out on a lot of big third party games or get half-ass ports, leading to a self-fulfilling prophecy.

The Switch is changing that perception because it's the Nintendo console that clearly gives an answer to why people would choose the Switch version over, or in addition to, another console version.