First party games in the gaming world, are games that are funded and published by the platform holder. That being software being made by the same people who make the hardware. While third parties help round out your system's library, first party games drive it. Yet, whenever a recent newcomer enters the industry, they seem to ignore the importance of first party.

I've talked about Stadia before, but still, the fact the Google couldn't get a batch of first party games ready for the platform's launch showed just how poorly planned Stadia's first year was. They waited until the damn thing was launched to start opening in-house studios and signing a developers. Which means we're going to have to wait potentially 2 years before we get anything resembling a first party lineup from them.

Compare this to both Sony and Microsoft. Sony didn't have a history in games when they launched the PlayStation. But they were able to contract a few independent developers to make PlayStation exclusives published by Sony. Within a few years, Sony built their own studios, and acquired a few others. Today, PlayStation is home to some of the best first party content on any platform, that regularly sell consoles en mass. Xbox wouldn't have gotten by without Halo, who's developer Bungie, was bought by Microsoft for the sole purpose of publishing it as an Xbox Exclusive. Halo as a first party game, single handedly justified the Xbox as a platform. Even fucking Oculus gets this with their platform. Hell, I can just say Nintendo and be done with it.

Point is, first party matters. Having third parties isn't enough, if you aren't making games yourself.

I thought this was a question about how important first party games are to a console for you, which would be interesting because it might change from console to console depending on a person's taste. I don't think it's generally argued that first party games aren't important to a console. Maybe to what degree is argued, but even that seems rarer now that the Switch is on the market and selling like hotcakes.

Companies don't invest money into multiple development teams because some internet forum users think first party is important. They do it because their research indicates it is. So companies like Microsoft spending so much money on new acquisitions is already a sign first parties are important, whether that's for console sales or an eventual streaming service.

1st party games are what helps define and choose one console over the other seeing as most 3rd party games are now multiplatform and exclusive 3rd party games are more of a rarity.

Sidenote:  The worst thing about a 3rd party exclusive is the annoying people that keep whining and demanding that the game goes on other consoles lol

Of course it’s very important. Halo brought me to the brand and keeps me to this day. Is it the end all be all reason for everybody? I have my doubts. Millions just get a console to play the staples (Fortnight, Minecraft, Rocket League, FIFA, COD, GTA. Many just get the console their friends have. But to any gamer who actually is invested in unique brand experiences and wants the platform that speaks to them the most (every Nintendo fan comes to mind), then of course. No question.

The first party games are what set the tone for the entire marketing of a console. There's only so many adverts you can do zooming in on a plastic box...

You picked Stadia as a comparison - you should look at that as "the technology prototype". It's at the same stage as Internet video was 15 years ago. Google aren't interested in the short term, they are thinking years into the future...

"How important are first party games to a console?"

Alpha & Omega!

Single player games, means services dont really matter much at all for me.
You can keep the hardware, and games, and swap systems if you feel you get much better offerings on the otherside.
That said, I lean heavly towards Playstation and nintendo..... and thats mainly because of the games, but at this point its like "I like things here" type of deal.

Xbox would need to have like all the rpgs, and jrpgs, ontop of better first party support, than playstation, for me to even consider a swap.
Like I said, I care very little for multiplayer. I just dont see xbox ever changeing its ways. So its not gonna happend.

Stadia? nah, Im not gonna stream games.
Why would you want or need to stream a single player game? even if arguably its probably what it would do best on (ei. rpgs).

Only reason I'd buy a ps5 so very important

First parties are what makes a console for me, not the latest annual EActubi rehashes I can buy on any platform.

TBF, third party exclusives aren't dead. They just evolved with the times. So now you mostly have timed exclusives and console exclusives which are ported to other platforms after at least a year. 

They are important. As Sony's first party has become more robust year after year, there has been less and less of a chance of me jumping ship. For me, they have the must have games. They aren't everything though, Microsoft has shown that you can do all right with very limited first party because multiplats are what most people are interested in. Then again, imagine Nintendo without their own games. Portability would be their only draw practically.