It evolved into my primary console just because of its ease of use. When it was first coming out I moved houses and didn't really have enough space for a tv in my room and the only other tv was in the living room( where roommates would be usually watching a movie or something). I had a mac for most PC related things but mac gaming back then was hahahahhahah. So I just used it as my main and only gaming device. I have enough space now for a better PC or console for the tv but eh I liked Nintendo games and Indies enough that I really never feel like I'm missing out on anything.

It depends, there are some millions of hardcore gamers that own several consoles and/or a gaming PC. And for them the Switch is usually just for Nintendo first party games.

But there are millions of Switch users whose only console is a Switch. For example, Hogwarts Legacy has probably sold a few million copies on Switch, and that is a pretty bad running late port of the game, meaning there are a lot of people that is prepared to buy downgraded AAA ports on Switch because that is the only console they own to play those games.

This games you listed represent around 2-3 games a year. Last year I believe it Comprised of exactly one Zelda Spin-off.

Here's a list of every game that got at least one GOTY award last year and was not playable on the Switch :

Astro Bot, FF7 Rebirth, Black Myth Wukong, Metaphor: refantazio, indiana Jones, Silent Hill 2, Helldivers 2, Stellar Blade, Stalker 2, like a dragon: Infinite wealth, Dragon age: the Veilguard, Shadow of the Erdtree, Space Marine 2, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, EA Sports college football, Granblue Fantasy: relink, Palworld, Harold Halibut, Persona 3 reload,  quiet place: the road ahead, Dragons Dogma 2, Dragon ball sparking Zero. 

It's the most successful console of its gen ( the last one ), the current one, and by the end of the year in history, with the biggest ( 14.000+ games, even more than iOS / Android ) and best ( based on metacritic scores and common sense ) game library in console history ever, with only PC surpassing it. Its software sales are also the biggest ones ever, at 1,38 billion > without including the sales of 10.000+ digital only games in the total < unlike other companies do. So tell me again, in what totally crazy scenario would Switch not be the primary console? The other two are secondary systems, pretty much non ugradable PCs with worse graphics and a small fraction of the PC games library, with no exclusives at all, and are there to just play the comparatively few games that are worth it that can't run on Switch, if you don't have money for a good PC. But that will also be a thing of the past starting in a few months with Switch 2, which will get everything Switch 1 couldn't run ported to it and run everything in general easily, since its final practical output is above Xbox Series S. And Switch 2 will continue to be the primary console for another 8 years spanning also the whole next generation of the other two and probably even surpassing 200m in sales in the end.

There is no way to define a system broadly as "primary" or "secondary". It's entirely an individual decision.

Considering Switch will likely end up with the second most hardware sales of any system ever, it would be absurd to broadly define it as a secondary system. But no doubt there are tens of millions of people for whom it is not their main system, while there are also tens of millions of people for whom it is their main system, while there are tens of millions of people for whom it is their only system (thus making it their main system as well), and there are tens of millions of people for whom it is their co-primary system.


Personally it's my only system. If I had all three systems I'd probably end up with no more than a handful of games on Xbox, and far less on PS5 than I have on Switch. PS5 is getting loads of games lately but for the first 2-3 years it barely had anything at all of interest. If I had every system I'm guessing in 2024 and 2025 I would have bought more PS5 games than Switch games simply because the Switch is gearing down to end of life while PS5 is in it's software producing prime, but as I have loads of Switch games I still haven't even got around to playing I can't even say I'd be playing PS5 more than Switch during that timeframe. And with Switch 2 on the way (assuming I own every system and so get it at launch), PS5 would very quickly be pushed back to secondary once that launches.

I've only owned all three systems one gen - GC, Xbox, PS2 - and PS2 was by far my least played system that gen. GC was my primary system but towards the end of the gen Xbox became my primary system. These days Xbox would not even be in the running, PS5 would very much be secondary, with Switch far and away the primary. But because I feel zero need to pay tons and tons of money to get a secondary system, Switch is my only system, just like Switch 2 will be my only system, though I'll probably wait a while to get it because my Switch backlog could easily last me into next decade.

Some months the Switch is my primary console, some months it's the PS5.

Switch is not just my primary system, it's my only system this generation. Normally I have 2 or 3 different platforms, but only Switches in my household from 2017 onward.

Depends. Can you live with only Nintendo games and inferior ports (sounds harsh, but it's not meant to be; its just the truth)? If so, primary. Otherwise, yeah, it's going to have to be your second console (or first, depending on how you view it).

I prefer the term "complementary system"

To get a full selection of games you need multiple systems. Get the best games on each platform for optimal gaming nirvana!

Your main system is whatever the fuck you want it to be. I still consider my Dreamcast my main system.