https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/nintendo-switch-is-expanding-the-console-market-research-suggests/

According to a survey of 9,000 Switch owners, It was found that in 2020 as much as 25% of Switch owners have no other console in their household, which is a noticeable leap and jump from 2019, where only 12% of owners didn't own any other console. Which is showing that the Switch is now attracting many non-console gamers than any other console we've seen. We are seeing the console market expand exponentially thanks to the Switch attracting new gamers.

The research suggests that more older people, specifically age 45 and many who grew up with the NES in their youth, are driving up Switch sales and spending and potentially returning to gaming for the first time since the NES. The Switch is also appealing to many more females and parents as well.

Titles such as Ring Fit Adventure and Animal Crossing are largely contributing to this continued expansion in Switch sales, appealing to more non gamers than ever before.

https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/nintendo-will-target-non-gamers-as-switch-enters-the-middle-of-its-life-cycle/

Nintendo is also heavily increasing their advertising budget to appeal to more non-gamers in the 2nd half of the Switch's life to continue the Switch's momentum going forward. Which is likely the reason why we've seen more recent Switch commercials focusing on females,families,and casual games like Animal Crossing and Ring Fit.

So what do you guys think about all of this? Is this surprising and does it change your outlook of the Switch going forward?

IMO, this is definitely good to see for Nintendo and this will really expand the life of the Switch and Nintendo as a whole for years to come. I also think this really goes to show that the Switch might actually have a shot of outselling the DS and PS2 since they're appealing to a large amount of non-gamers which will definitely give the Switch a much higher sales potential since the sky is the limit when a console is able to appeal to casuals. Now since I'm seeing this I feel like I'm almost underestimating how much the Switch could sell, because I never thought the Switch was appealing to as much or more casual gamers than the Wii or DS was, but apparently that's the case as Animal Crossing has lifted the Switch into new heights. I believe the only way the Switch could reach the PS2 and DS is if they appeal to more of the casual market and make the Switch big in weaker regions such as Europe and "Rest of the World" category. However, it seems like Nintendo is doing both successfully as Switch sales are growing exponentially in China and the "Other" regions while appealing to a more casual audience. So I think the DS and PS2 has the possibility of being dethroned.

I think Animal Crossing likely played a large role in this shift by drawing in people who aren't usually committed gamers.

This is what this market needs to survive against the mobile market. If this was trending the opposite direction despite Nintendo's best efforts, then more studios would be shifting toward appeasing the mobile gaming market rather than the console/Pc gaming market.

I applaud Nintendo and the Switch for its runaway success.

I hope it goes past the PS2 since that will means that console gaming is thriving and expanding and i’m all here for it.

COVID-19 coupled with the perfectly timed release of Animal Crossing was a lightning in a bottle moment and it made almost everyone around the globe either interested or at least aware of console gaming because of quarantine.

I wouldn't be surprised if these are former gamers rather than totally new ones. The is something that is forgotten with the Wii was there were two expended market consumers. I know a few people who haven't owned a game system in years but have a Switch. I think it does a great job of bringing in people who have been left behind with higher price tags and longer (and more bloated) games.

I would consider myself a hardcore Nintendo fan who has played their consoles since the SNES. Super Mario, Pokemon and Legend of Zelda are some of my most beloved franchises of all time, with the latter being my absolute favourite, and I doubt that will ever change; they’ll be with me for life. That said, I was mostly apathetic towards the Switch when I got one in 2017, this bring despite SMO and BOTW (it actually took me until 2019 to play BOTW fully, after trying twice before and hating it - now it’s my third favourite Zelda title ever, go figure) and was largely still gaming on PS4 until fairly recently. Having spent more and more time on the system since 2019, it is now my pretty much the only console I play. It is genuinely quite fantastic, and is shaping up to pretty much be for me my favourite console of all time. I just have so much fun darn fun with the console, and everything feels almost ruthlessly efficient, if a little simple, which I think actually adds to its appeal (for me, anyway). It feels like both a greatest hits and new direction console for Nintendo, and I think they’ve nailed the hybrid idea down to a T. I can’t praise the system enough, and whilst I’m not sure it can surpass the PS2, I’m thrilled with its success and feel it is thoroughly deserved.

No, I'm not surprised. It's been obvious for years that Nintendo was going to bring the casuals home.

I hope people finally realise how stupid they were to say stuff like "Nintendo got lucky, motion control is a fad, the cazulas aren't coming back because they've gone to smartphones".

Interesting. Bringing back gamers that left gaming since the days of the NES is a major group. It would be great, if Switch (and the follow-up console) would keep this people engaged with gaming. Another big group is the motion gamers that Wii had brought in, so far I see not really big movements of Nintendo to recapture this group, but maybe that is coming.

The former group brings new gamers. This the way. Likewise Wii and DS.

2021 Switch sales has a chance became bigger than 2020 

This definitely became clear when the pandemic hit. I really hope we get a switch sports type title, thats the one thing I still feel like we're missing.