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Forums - Sales Discussion - Nintendo Switch Outsells Xbox One Worldwide

The_Liquid_Laser said:
PAOerfulone said:

Dude, you're talking about somewhere within the 140-150 million range. 

The Switch is doing amazing, but let's not get carried away here.

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.

Man, this sounds just like the talk that surrounded Wii. It was destined to outsell the PS2 because of how well it was selling. In the end, it didn't outsell the PS1.



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The_Liquid_Laser said:
PAOerfulone said:

Dude, you're talking about somewhere within the 140-150 million range. 

The Switch is doing amazing, but let's not get carried away here.

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.



NOOOOOO!!!!

Nvm, globally in the US ;)



Made a bet with LipeJJ and HylianYoshi that the XB1 will reach 30 million before Wii U reaches 15 million. Loser has to get avatar picked by winner for 6 months (or if I lose, either 6 months avatar control for both Lipe and Hylian, or my patrick avatar comes back forever).

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.



Farsala said:

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.

This part is not exactly accurate in portraying the current ecosystem as the current total for the handheld market would include both 3DS and Vita which total at 91m units sold and counting as that is what the NS is inheriting as the portable market has to go somewhere for their dedicated gaming fill that mobile doesn't offer NS has a full monopoly on that market, the DS era was an anomaly while the only other era with higher performance was the GB era which had a near monopoly this puts the current era at a normalization as it's higher than the GBA era by a good 10m and that era was pre-mobile in a full monopoly granted the GBA was cut short by the DS, the notion that the portable market has been getting weaker is actually misguided as even the 3DS by itself is not far off GBA sales despite having a troubled start and being in the era of mobile.



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The_Liquid_Laser said:
PAOerfulone said:

Dude, you're talking about somewhere within the 140-150 million range. 

The Switch is doing amazing, but let's not get carried away here.

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.

You're being unrealistically optimistic. The Switch 2 has a shot at beating the ps2 if it has even more 3rd party support than the switch and from day one.



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.

Just because he is wrong doesn't mean you have to be too. The switch is very much on track to confortably beat the 3ds and wii unless something catastrofic happens.

Last edited by Nu-13 - on 25 December 2019

barneystinson69 said:
NOOOOOO!!!!

Nvm, globally in the US ;)

Switch is on track to win in the US as well in the long run; VGC has it at 18.05m there to the Xbone's 29.58m, but that's after 6 years of Xbone sales and just 2 years 9 months of Switch sales. Xbone isn't going to sell much more from here on out, while Switch should have a long and prosperous cycle ahead of it.



The_Liquid_Laser said:
Farsala said:

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.

The Wii (and most consoles) ship most of their units within the first 5 years (21 quarters). This is more true today due to worldwide launches in multiple territories.

Wii: 93.5%

DS: 81.2%

3DS: 75.4%

Wii U (lol): 100%,

PS3: 72%

PS4 (assuming 115m sold): 80%

PS2: 55%

The reasons PS2 sold as well as it did after 5 years, is because the Wii launched late, the PS3/360 were too expensive, mass market price, and late launches in territories (Korea, Taiwan, Brazil, India, etc.). I don't think consoles before 2000 are relevant to compare, but even so I wouldn't have the proper data.

So unless you expect 10+ years of support, and an extremely expensive Switch 2/ launching late, a $99 Switch, and a launch in Antarctica to prop up sales, I think it would be a tough ask.

But let's humor you.

Let's assume Switch sells as Nintendo expects this FY. 18m 52.74m (13 quarters)

Now next year is it's peak year. 21m 73.74m (17 quarters)

And a modest drop like the PS4. 16m 89.74m (21 quarters)

Assuming PS2 legs, it would sell 163m, above the PS2. Assuming 3DS legs, it would sell 119m. Assuming DS legs (most likely), it would sell 110m.

Nu-13 said:
Farsala said:

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.

Just because he is wrong doesn't mean you have to be too. The switch is very much on track to confortably beat the 3ds and wii unless something catastrofic happens.

Yes, beating the 3DS has already been stated clearly. But it definitely is not tracking above the Wii or DS, it is tracking just below both of them, and they both had different trajectories. Sure the Switch will probably have better legs than the Wii, but that doesn't mean it won't follow the same general trajectory that consoles typically do.



Farsala said:
The_Liquid_Laser said:

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.

The Wii (and most consoles) ship most of their units within the first 5 years (21 quarters). This is more true today due to worldwide launches in multiple territories.

Wii: 93.5%

DS: 81.2%

3DS: 75.4%

Wii U (lol): 100%,

PS3: 72%

PS4 (assuming 115m sold): 80%

PS2: 55%

The reasons PS2 sold as well as it did after 5 years, is because the Wii launched late, the PS3/360 were too expensive, mass market price, and late launches in territories (Korea, Taiwan, Brazil, India, etc.). I don't think consoles before 2000 are relevant to compare, but even so I wouldn't have the proper data.

So unless you expect 10+ years of support, and an extremely expensive Switch 2/ launching late, a $99 Switch, and a launch in Antarctica to prop up sales, I think it would be a tough ask.

But let's humor you.

Let's assume Switch sells as Nintendo expects this FY. 18m 52.74m (13 quarters)

Now next year is it's peak year. 21m 73.74m (17 quarters)

And a modest drop like the PS4. 16m 89.74m (21 quarters)

Assuming PS2 legs, it would sell 163m, above the PS2. Assuming 3DS legs, it would sell 119m. Assuming DS legs (most likely), it would sell 110m.

Nu-13 said:

Just because he is wrong doesn't mean you have to be too. The switch is very much on track to confortably beat the 3ds and wii unless something catastrofic happens.

Yes, beating the 3DS has already been stated clearly. But it definitely is not tracking above the Wii or DS, it is tracking just below both of them, and they both had different trajectories. Sure the Switch will probably have better legs than the Wii, but that doesn't mean it won't follow the same general trajectory that consoles typically do.

While I mostly agree, you forgot the reason why generations are getting longer and longer: Diminishing returns from graphical improvements. Which means that you need bigger and bigger leaps to see some clear visual differences. As a result generations need to become longer to make a great visual difference with their respective predecessors, especially now where we come closer and closer to photorealism.