Your posts pretty much resume in a false dichotomy that not being the best is a matter of concern, a problem. Just chill, Pokemon is a big thing in the west. It is just that Japan is way more crazy for pokemon than anywhere else

The Switch 2 launched with Mario Kart World as an exclusive, with a $20-$30 discount through bundles. This is as big a title as it gets. Possibly a bigger seller than any non-indie individual Playstation game ever including GTA (on one platform).

Playstation never gets shortages of great games when 3rd party is accounted for, but almost every 3rd party game is shared with other platforms, so the system selling effect is greatly diminished as a result. It also just entered its 6th year, sales will naturally decline. Meanwhile Mario Kart World, Donkey Kong Bananza, and Pokemon ZA can only be played on Nintendo's platforms (and two of them are Switch 2 exclusives). Playstation and Nintendo will continue to have their unique strengths and weakness, I wouldn't worry too much about either of them.

The real challenges Switch 2 faces are:

1. Expensive cartridges and low digital adoption.

2. Expensive hardware.

I expect the profit margins to fall sharply, possibly for the entire generation, but it's just too early to say. Playstation is better positioned than Nintendo to deal with the looming prices crisis, because even if they hypothetically sell zero hardware, they'd still have a massive active playerbase across PS4 and PS5. The Switch 1 will not be able to retain its players/spenders to the same extent as PS4 or PS5. So a lot more rides on Switch 2 selling huge numbers that make up for the Switch 1 decline.

Software is not the issue. More must have titles will eventually come out. The Switch 2 doesn't need a particularly amazing 3rd party support to exceed a 100 million units.

Because that is the historical sales pattern. (VGChartz numbers)

Last year the PS5 sold 1.8m units during Black Friday week and 930k the week before Christmas.

In 2023 the PS5 sold 1.47m on Black Friday and 700k the week before Christmas. 

The Switch also often peaked during Black Friday week, but its December sales were always relatively stronger compared to PS sales, for examples 800k BF week vs 600k Christmas week last year and 1.26m vs 950k the year before. 2017 and 2018 the Switch even peaked during Christmas week. Earlier Nintendo consoles often peaked in December.

TLDR: Sony consoles always have very good Black Friday sales and then often only sell 50% of that the week before Christmas, while Nintendo consoles have lower Black Friday sales but a lower drop right before Christmas. At least that's how it's been in... forever, really. I've been following console sales since 2004. 

I always read your comments, which are very interesting, but there's one thing I don't understand: why are you comparing the sales of the Switch and PS4 to those of the Switch 2 and PS5? It's not 2017 anymore; the situation is different. A lot has changed, especially in Europe, with price inflation. The Switch was incredibly successful thanks to its aggressive pricing. In France, it was priced at €279, while a PS4 cost €399. The Switch also benefited from the Wii U's failure, but this time, with the Switch 2, the Switch has been incredibly successful, so many people are hesitant to upgrade, partly because its price is significantly higher than the original Switch. In 2017, Zelda and Mario were released the same year as the Switch, and both games were incredible, which isn't the case with the Switch 2. I'm sorry to say it, but aside from Mario Kart, the other Switch 2 games aren't great. Furthermore, the Switch is still selling well, which is hurting the Switch 2 a lot. I think Nintendo made two mistakes: continuing to support the Switch and releasing the Switch 2 at too high a price. Many people focus on the incredible launch figures of the Switch 2, but I'm sure that if the Switch and PS5 stock levels had been the same as the Switch 2's, they would have achieved the same record sales. As for the Switch 2, we'll have to wait a few years to see if it will be a true success.

The Switch 2 is still likely going to be selling faster than the PS5 and Switch 1 did at the same point in their product cycle, that and hitting their sales forecasts is all Nintendo cares about.

Next year I think you will likely see a new Mario 3D game, most probably a Mario Galaxy 3. They are focusing on the movie first because it comes out first, but this would be the same pattern as the Mario movie a few years ago ... new movie released in spring time, then a new Mario platformer (Mario Wonder) for fall of the same year. And they only showed Mario Wonder *after* the movie had released, they treat movies like they are big game releases and let them have their own spotlight for a certain time period. 

The Switch 2 is by far the fastest selling Nintendo console of all time. In fact, it is the fastest selling console in history. That's why people are not worried. Consoles always start relatively slow in sales and then usually peak in year 3 or 4. That's because at release consoles don't have a great library of games, yet. It's normal. It happens to every single console. It will happen to the PS6, as well. And your argument about the Switch 2 having a hard time because its predecessor was so successful will also be true for the PS6.

As for the price: We had countless threads in 2017 saying the Switch was too expensive and was doomed to fail. I'm sure you can dig up some from these forums. People also said the Switch didn't have any games because BotW was Multiplatform. 

Edit: I'm also pretty sure the Switch 1's price in Europe was 329€ or something.

PS5 doing crazy good. Not surprised.

PS5 doing some great November numbers all over. Also something to keep in mind for those who keep referencing 2017 as PS4 lost that December, things are very different this time around as PS5 deals continue till the 18th. (Sony may even extend it another week given the week after is the biggest sales week of the year)

The big "X" factor this year as well is there is no competition from MS this time around. In 2017 Xbox one had its biggest December ever and launched the Xbox One X at that time as well. Sony will be picking up the slack from Xbox this year and maybe even converting a few from that camp as well (Since the PC ram market is so out of control it's all advantage Sony for the time being). So winning December for PS5 is not out of the question so far.

I don't know if Switch 2 European sales will improve during December, but in the US, Switch 2 actually has deals in the US during December which it didn't have during November, you basically get Mario Kart World for free on Amazon and Walmart now. Hard to think that doesn't make Switch 2 sales improve in the US during December.

Sony situation is unique and, in my opinion, is not what it seems at first. So yes its true that PS5 got a massive boost from the sale, but as some have already mentioned, it seems really odd that they would be so effective where Microsoft wasn't. But keep in mind the greatest weakness of the Xbox is that something like 65-70% of their sales come from the US. That is a HUGE handicap and would come back to bite them if something were to 'happen' that increased the cost of shipping to the US.

Sony is the opposite, their sales are usually inverted in total meaning that Sony only sales about 30% of PS5 made to the US.

So in reality its wasn't that Sony ate the costs, it just that Sony was able to spread out the cost to the entire world and that is why non-US countries got a small price hike as well. And it allowed them to do a massive holiday sale for everyone.