Topic: Did the Nintendo Switch kill the dedicated home console???

Nintendo essential created the hybrid console concept with the Switch. Since it’s release we’ve seen a large increase in portable consoles (Steam Deck, ROG Ally etc…) over the last few years. Apples latest iPhone 15 is now touting its gaming prowess as a portable, even with Sony now pitching their portable add on in Project Q, it’s obvious they see the need to offer more portability in their games. These companies are competing for our attention amongst cell phones, streaming services and the internet in our households.

With the massive success of the Switch and Nintendo gamers seemingly playing more video games (over 1 billion units of software!) and for longer periods than ever before , will we continue to see fully dedicated home consoles tethered to our TVs or will Sony and MS pivot into the hybrid/portable space for future generations?

Has Nintendo spelled the beginning of the end for the traditional console ?

Let’s chop it up!!

please keep the switch alive if you want no stress with the playable option

Playstation and Xbox say hello.

PC enters the chat

No, not at all, it’s just Nintendo doing there own thing and Sony and Xbox will continue to do there own thing, with Microsoft being a little friendly with Nintendo on the side.

Yeah I wouldnt consider PC a gaming console, as thats not the primary function of a PC.

@EagleBird
@Tasuki

Not saying Sony and Microsoft are going away in any capacity, rather they could opt to pivot and create their own hybrid consoles. PS5 and XSX are selling just fine for this gen but Nintendo is on the verge of releasing a Switch successor which would further cement their strangle hold on the hybrid/portable market. As well as PS5 and XSX are selling they are not doing Switch numbers. Switch 2 could disrupt this gen altogether especially if rumours of it being comparable to what PS5 and XSX are offering. It would pose a challenge for both Sony and MS, especially if Switch 2 is the cheaper option that offers similar performance AND full portability, it would be a major advantage for Nintendo if they create parity in power. You’d be getting most of those 3rd party AAA titles on top of Nintendo’s unstoppable exclusives.

@OwlHighway1Revisited

Hi there PC! PC is still a fairly niche market but you can see how even PC is expanding its network so PC games are now accessible via services such as Gamepass on portable consoles such as Steam Deck. No one is saying PC is going extinct but it’s clear gamers want more accessibility to their libraries without having to be stuck in front of a monitor or tv.

@Tasuki
Exactly, PC’s are multimedia devices that have the ability to play games. The niche gaming market will build them primarily for gaming but the general public is not opting to game on PC.

@Rainz So I don't know about Sony but MS basically wants an eco systems that you can play on any device whether it be phone, Tablet, PC or a console, you see that with their Gamepass. Microsoft is a software company first and foremost keep that in mind.

There will always be a place for a dedicated home console. And even if the Switch 2 is as powerful as a PS5 or XSX which I doubt it will, because Nintendo doesn't care about raw power. That and it will still make it a step behind Sony and MS's next console.

@Snatcher
I think that could change if Nintendo can finally create a system with enough power to stand with and contend with Sony and MS. They would no longer have a major graphical or power upper hand. If players can access the same games on a Nintendo console that’s more affordable and portable it would make it a challenge for them to prove they offer the better value proposition moving forward.

I doubt it. But the switch feels more like a console than Xbox and PlayStation. Those are just lock down pcs at this point.

Honestly, if it wasn’t for the switch, I’d probably just give up gaming for the most part as a hobby.

@ZeldaFan83

You bring up a really good point. What is the definition of a gaming console? It’s hard to really peg but you’re absolutely right, there’s just something about the Switch being simple and strictly for playing games, a lot of excellent games.

I loaded up Red Dead Redemption 2 on my XSX and that mofo said I needed to update the game first with a 36G update! Sometimes these things can take 30 mins to download by then I’ve lost the desire and time. The gaming experience is more complicated on other systems. Switch I turn it on and just play my games. There’s an update here and there but nowhere near the level of other consoles. It doesn’t even have Netflix that’s how dedicated it is to gaming. Nintendo really understands how to create that simple joy in their consoles that goes beyond soulless specs and power.

@Tasuki

Absolutely, Microsoft is trying to create that kind of an ecosystem. I think Sony is looking to test it out with Project Q to an extent. I do think the specs and power arms race is about to hit its wall. It’s diminishing returns at this point, those leaps between gens is getting smaller and smaller so they’ll have to find other ways to entice gamers. I can’t see Sony or MS offering both a home console and full fledged portable companion as it would be a logistics nightmare. We just saw how crippling a lack of access to parts can be to console makers.

I too don’t think the Switch successor will be as powerful as its counterparts but it doesn’t have to be. I do believe Nvidia and Nintendo engineering will yield some form of wizardry tho. The interesting thing is we’ve all seen PlayStation and Xbox 4K gaming. We’ve never seen what Nintendo 4K is, the prospect of Mario 4K, Zelda 4K, Pokémon 4K, Splatoon 4K, Animal Crossing 4K, Smash 4K, Mario Kart 4K , Metroid 4K etc…it means something more than just fidelity. There’s still this newness and unknown excitement about the idea

I think it depends on how gaming evolves. If things like Virtual Reality don't become mainstream and Sony + XBOX continue to be about graphics then a time will come when portable hardware will catch up with the required fidelity, at that point they could have hybrid consoles...maybe the PS7 or PS8 will be a hybrid?

I'd argue that these kinds of definitions don't really matter. At the end of the day there is software we want to interact with and different environments we want to do that in. The different hardware forms are just different hardware solutions which have their own strengths and weaknesses

Phones are devices to fit into your pocket and are primarily designed for text input. You can obviously make pocketable gaming devices (3DS says hi) but when you do you're inevitably compromising on text input. Which makes for a worse phone. Great phone and great portable gaming device are physically incompatible designs. There have been mobile phones with better specs than Nintendo's portable since mobile phones have been a thing. This isn't new

The "home console" on the other hand. Basically all that defines a "home console" is that it is plugged into your TV and you play it with a controller. That's basically it. The advantage it had over portable devices is that you weren't limited by power consumption, thermals, weight or motion. If you're always plugged into the wall an optical drive or mechanical HDD is not an issue. Neither is drawing 350W from the wall. Obviously portable consoles could always, theoretically, output to a TV (Super Gameboy anyone?). But the fact that they had to be portable limited what they could do

But the tides have turned somewhat. The advantage optical media had over NAND in terms of capacity is eroding and even if it wasn't people are moving to digital distribution. SSDs are going to be cheaper per GB than HDDs within a couple of years. Obviously the power limitations of portables remain but post-Switch we're well and truly into the "you have to step frame-by-frame to see the difference" territory

With that said, I don't think that's the death of the pure home-console as a concept. Some people have zero interest in portable consoles and in theory, dollar for dollar, you can get more out of a non-portable when plugged into a TV. You're not paying for the screen or the battery. You're not paying for the more power efficient SoC. And of course there will always be enthusiasts who just want to see bigger numbers on the box. But the way technology has headed means there's less room for it than there used to be

@Cotillion In fairness the context of the thread the chat is about the traditional definition of a home console and the comment isn’t blustering about how PC gaming is not real gaming merely it’s not part of traditional definition of a home console.

In any case, a more interesting question is has Nintendo the major leader in the dedicated portable consoles market just killed off the dedicated portable console market forever? Like does a Switch Lite count plus Nintendo aren’t gonna launch fully dedicated portable and it’s not like anyone else could realistically launch a successful dedicated portable console.

I want a tv-only option that isn't built around a stupid inaccessible battery- just an option. I know the hybrid is popular, but I've had enough of anti-consumer rechargeable tablets.

I also am not fond of paying a premium for the extra hardware of a hybrid console that I don't want. I don't need this two piece Jenga puzzle console - dock & a tablet. Just give me a one-piece console with a cord, please (with a pro controller). It could be a budget option, it makes so much sense to me. They made budget options before with Wii mini, the 2ds, and Switch Lite. Just give us a simple tv-only option, please.

@skywake

Indeed the definition of a console has been a bit blurred over the years. The one thing I’d say is home tv console gaming has become an expensive hobby. You now have to factor in the cost of having a 4K HDR capable TV is required for the optimal experience, not to mention the added cost of storage on these home consoles isn’t cheap. These add an easy extra $1000+ to the gaming experience at home. Plus in a family household that TV time is shared, so accessibility can be a bit of a challenge. I’d argue the better value is in the hybrid option , sure it has its limitations BUT the portable accessibility allows gamers to play wherever and whenever. It might be on a smaller screen but ppl are used to watching media via their cell phones anyway.