How much of a success is the Switch? Let’s take a deep look.

Avatar image for lavamelon
Lavamelon

657

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Poll How much of a success is the Switch? Let’s take a deep look. (35 votes)

Switch is a big success 91%
Switch is a small success 3%
Switch is neither a success or failure 3%
Switch is a small failure 0%
Switch is a big failure 3%

We all know that the Switch is a huge success, selling around 123 million units so far. But how much of a success is it, considering the fact that it’s a hybrid console designed to replace your previous-gen home console and handheld at the same time? Let’s dive into the numbers by comparing Switch sales to previous console/handheld generations:

Gen 8: If you combine the sales of Wii U, 3DS and Vita, you will get close to 106 million. Some may wonder why I am including the Vita in this statistic, well that is because Sony has stopped making handhelds, meaning the Switch has the opportunity to win over the Vita fans. Conclusion: The Switch is a success when compared to Gen 8 consoles (123 million vs 106 million)

Gen 7: Unfortunately, the Switch does not look to good when being compared to this generation. If you combine the sales of Wii, DS and Vita, you will get a whopping 337 million. But then again Gen 7 is literally the best selling console generation in history (mobile gaming was small during this period, so less competition for consoles), therefore no need for Nintendo to be shamed. Conclusion: Switch is disappointing when compared to Gen 7 consoles (123 million vs 337 million)

Gen 6: if you combine the sales of GameCube, GameBoy Advance and DreamCast, you will reach nearly 113 million. I am including the Dreamcast in this number because Sega has left the console hardware business so Nintendo could have won over the Sega fanbase. Conclusion: The Switch is a success when compared to Gen 6 consoles (123 million vs 113 million)

Overall conclusion: Switch is a massive success when compared to most console generations, with Gen 7 being the only point in time where Switch sales would have been low in comparison.

So what is your opinion on this?

 • 
Avatar image for hardwenzen
hardwenzen

28288

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 3

User Lists: 0

#1 hardwenzen
Member since 2005 • 28288 Posts

For a system that farms the console and mobile market all at once, it did average at best.

Avatar image for ConanTheStoner
ConanTheStoner

22910

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#2  Edited By ConanTheStoner
Member since 2011 • 22910 Posts

Yep, these things have been stated countless times before. Maybe without fudging other companies numbers into it, but still. The Vita and Dreamcast inclusions are unnecessary in the point you're trying to illustrate and the reasoning doesn't really work.

Regardless, Switch is a huge success no matter how you slice it. Put up big numbers, profitable every step of the way, seeing bonkers software sales for their 1st party games, seeing the most 3rd party software since the SNES.

Doubt Nintendo considers this thing anything but a win.

Avatar image for Archangel3371
Archangel3371

40842

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 4

User Lists: 0

#3 Archangel3371
Member since 2004 • 40842 Posts

Big success. I’m sure there were plenty of people who owned both the Nintendo home consoles and handheld systems in previous generations so you can’t simply say that the Switch needs to sell the total of those two to be considered successful. It streamlined everything for both Nintendo and the consumer. I’m sure Nintendo is quite satisfied with the result. I know I am.

Avatar image for TheEroica
TheEroica

21051

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 0

#4 TheEroica  Moderator
Member since 2009 • 21051 Posts

It's a smashing success.... Doesn't matter how you feel about it personally. It will he remembered as an all time Nintendo great.

Avatar image for Pedro
Pedro

63301

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 72

User Lists: 0

#5 Pedro
Member since 2002 • 63301 Posts

Huge success despite the weaker hardware.

Avatar image for jaydan
jaydan

7364

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#6 jaydan
Member since 2015 • 7364 Posts

Definitely a big success, accompanied with a solid library of games.

Avatar image for last_lap
Last_Lap

363

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 5

#7 Last_Lap
Member since 2023 • 363 Posts

As a console, it's a failure, as a handheld it's a success.

Avatar image for davillain
DaVillain

53168

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 5

#8 DaVillain  Moderator
Member since 2014 • 53168 Posts

@last_lap said:

As a console, it's a failure, as a handheld it's a success.

There one in the same really.

On topic: The Switch is what the failure Wii U should have been. If Iwata was still around, (R.I.P) he be proud how the Switch turned out to be a successful device. Anyway, the Switch is without a doubt a great gaming device that's both a console & a handheld you can play how you see fit. Sad to say but it seems I'm the only system war user who loves using the handheld feature over playing it on my TV and I do play it at work whenever I have down time to do so. Nintendo's best console but SNES is still king IMO.

Avatar image for last_lap
Last_Lap

363

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 5

#9 Last_Lap
Member since 2023 • 363 Posts

@davillain: I disagree, as a console its underpowered tech when its a next (now current) gen machine, when you compare it to other hanheld devices its a big succes. Sales isn't the only measure of success.

For me the 64 is Nintendo's best comsole.

Avatar image for davillain
DaVillain

53168

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 5

#10 DaVillain  Moderator
Member since 2014 • 53168 Posts

@last_lap: Fair enough. I won't disagree on its hardware spec. It didn't aged well and it wasn't a problem until later on, AAA games got heavy demands and the Switch was kinda behind the times what it was packing. Of course, it's exclusives make up for owning one. And yes, the N64 was also amazing, it got me into loving FPS games.

Avatar image for last_lap
Last_Lap

363

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 5

#11 Last_Lap
Member since 2023 • 363 Posts

@davillain: Yeah if was just a handhold you can forgive it, but is has a dock and its pretty poor.

Being a Sega man from the start I never played much SNES, at that time, It was only when I got a 64 for the wrestling games (still has the best to this day) I slowly started to buy more Nintendo stuff.

So was it Goldeneye that got you into fps?

Avatar image for pmanden
pmanden

2422

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 0

#12 pmanden
Member since 2016 • 2422 Posts

The Switch is a huge success at anything but hardware power.

Avatar image for ConanTheStoner
ConanTheStoner

22910

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#13  Edited By ConanTheStoner
Member since 2011 • 22910 Posts
@davillain said:

Sad to say but it seems I'm the only system war user who loves using the handheld feature over playing it on my TV

Dav wut. I know plenty of SW users love it for its handheld functionality. "On the go!" was the handwave for most of its crits for years lol.

Even if you forgot most of the users or arguments, handheld master Eroica already posted in this thread.

Avatar image for lavamelon
Lavamelon

657

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#14 Lavamelon
Member since 2016 • 657 Posts

@ConanTheStoner: Eroica is the handheld master? Yes I believe he has both the Steam Deck and Switch, lucky him. I want to become a handheld master too, but Valve hasn’t released the Steam Deck here in Australia yet.

Valve + Nintendo = masters in handheld gaming

Avatar image for ConanTheStoner
ConanTheStoner

22910

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#15  Edited By ConanTheStoner
Member since 2011 • 22910 Posts

@lavamelon:

More just joking around with Dav for overlooking other handheld fans. But yeah, Eroica has definitely been one of the more outspoken fans of handhelds/hybrids over the years.

Steam Deck seems like a cool device, hopefully you can get your hands on one soon.

Personally, not interested. Used to buy just about every handheld that came out. Play a game or two and then they'd end up in a dresser drawer until I give them away years later. Probably got the most use out of my GBA. But even then, preferred just using the GBA addon for the Gamecube.

As for the Switch, 99.9% of the time, just playing it hooked up to a monitor.

Avatar image for mesome713
Mesome713

5529

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 6

User Lists: 5

#16 Mesome713
Member since 2019 • 5529 Posts

Comparing hardware sales is pointless. You have to compare software sales as thats the point of the consoles.

Avatar image for Maroxad
Maroxad

22025

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#17  Edited By Maroxad
Member since 2007 • 22025 Posts
@ConanTheStoner said:

Yep, these things have been stated countless times before. Maybe without fudging other companies numbers into it, but still. The Vita and Dreamcast inclusions are unnecessary in the point you're trying to illustrate and the reasoning doesn't really work.

Regardless, Switch is a huge success no matter how you slice it. Put up big numbers, profitable every step of the way, seeing bonkers software sales for their 1st party games, seeing the most 3rd party software since the SNES.

Doubt Nintendo considers this thing anything but a win.

Yup, the software sales for the system is probably the main reason I consider the switch a huge win.

Zelda, 3D Mario, Fire Emblem, Pokemon (barring Red and Blue), Kirby, Smash, Splatoon, Mario Kart, Mario Party, Metroid, Pikmin are all shattering records. Animal Crossing completely exploded with New Horizons outselling the rest of the series combined.

New IPs have also done well with Ring Fit Adventure having sold over 15 million copies.

Avatar image for kathaariancode
KathaarianCode

1894

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 5

#18 KathaarianCode  Online
Member since 2022 • 1894 Posts

It's a huge success. I like how after the Wii U failure they took risks and absolutely nailed it. I hope their next one is an hybrid too, although I use it 90% of the time as a home console I appreciate the portability aspect.

And yeah, their software sales are mighty impressive too.

Avatar image for lavamelon
Lavamelon

657

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#19  Edited By Lavamelon
Member since 2016 • 657 Posts

@mesome713: I haven’t checked the software sales statistics of Switch in comparison with previous consoles. I will take a look into this soon.

Avatar image for SecretPolice
SecretPolice

42229

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#20 SecretPolice  Online
Member since 2007 • 42229 Posts

Eh, Nintendont got kicked outta the big boy club of Console gaming. Thier only chance left was to merge their home gaming with handheld gaming so the Bait & Switch was born.

When you look at the Wii gen combined with their handheld numbers, this gen was basically nothing but a lateral move. :P