I posted this thought in another thread but I think this a good discussion.

Summer is known for being the worst season for video game sales since publishers tend to save all the top selling software for fall and winter leaving summer with games with little selling power. This then affects video game consoles sales as well which are also at the lowest in summer.

With the Switch's unsual release in Spring of March 3rd, Nintendo's new gaming console will face one of video game's worst selling season before the first holiday season. This means Nintendo has to maintain Switch's momentum to capitalize in fall and winter sales. If Switch sales burn out too quickly in the summer, they have to face the PS4 and Xbox One, which although older, have established libraries and expectedly big games for their fall and winter season.

This is why the summer of 2017 will be the one of Switch's first or even most important test of its early life. But let's start getting into some details.

I think its fair to say that if by the end of summer 2017, if Switch fails to have 4 million LTD sales, this console will have trouble outselling even the GameCube (~21 million LTD). That's around 4 million sales in 7 months which shouldn't be too hard to accomplish. However, if Switch does fail this and Nintendo doesn't announce a price cut by the end of September, this console will not only have a really tough time against its competitor the first year but it entire life.

What do you guys think? How important is summer 2017 for Nintendo Switch?

maybe, the key is really the big N titles are coming as what they have promised. and 3rd party publishers would push for good ports.

It's probably why its Splatoon 2 releasing this Summer and not Splatoon Deluxe Edition.

actually, a lot of people want that, sadly.

Splatoon 2 should help it in Japan.

A lot of those people come off like consolewar fanboys that just want bragging rights.  Kind of like how some Nintendo and Sony fanboys acted when Sega went 3rd party started and putting their games on their consoles.  I'm not even a Sega fan and I still think it was a tragedy that they had to go 3rd party because they haven't been the same software-wise ever since.

I hate to say it but they already failed their first real test and that was the event yesterday. They showed 2 games that people really want (Mario Zelda) and some boxing dodging game? Yes there were other things and Splatoon 2 was interesting. But they could have shown one game and would have recaptured all hype. Metroid. They should have a reveal trailer along the lines of FF7:R. Didn't have to be much. But a simple trailer like that would have lit up the internet.

Instead we got some ice cubes and dudes staring lovingly into each others eyes instead of at a screen. Outside of Zelda and Mario, it wasn't good.

Why is that sad? Would be worse if they didnt want to play Nintendo games.

They'll just need a strong E3, and I don't think that's impossible.

Really, the console will sell plenty well initially as most consoles like this do, but it will be the middle of the year that determines whether or not it has lasting power. If they generate enough interest from E3 they can still make this work, as I imagine a few of those unannounced games will be announced there.

well sad cause I have been reading the same threads with the same opinions on different forums since I was 12. sad for them I guess.