Key words: Middle games, Switch’s identity, mobile gaming.
The Nintendo Switch is on the fast track to becoming a game changer. Nintendo have done something quite brilliant and it really needs to be dissected in order to fully understand it. On that Journey, you will learn to appreciate the Switch even more so, get a better perspective of the potential of this machine, get a better understanding of its position in the gaming industry, and be able to fully grasp its identity and the target audience.
First I want to talk about my experience, I don’t believe my example encapsulates the larger mass audience for the Switch, but I’m quietly confident it represents a large enough percentage of the target audience to be relevant.
I am in my mid 30s, the NES was my first ever console. After the SNES I jumped on the PlayStation bandwagon and have never looked back. I also had a 360, but PS3 was my favourite. I have not been interested in buying a Nintendo system since SNES, not even the Wii interested me. The Switch changed all that. Being older, with work and raising kids, I have no time to be tethered to a TV. So much so that I never even bothered to get a PS4 or a Xbone. I have been doing most of my gaming on mobile devices which, let’s be honest, is not a great experience, it’s more casual gaming. I wanted a console experience on the go - but, not like the Vita. So when the Switch was announced I was very interested, however, I also mainly just play FPS online multiplayer or 3rd person action adventure games on consoles. So, as much as I wanted Zelda, I waited until there was hope of seeing major 3rd party titles before investing. That time came in November 2017, with the releases of Doom, LA Noire, RE, Skyrim, etc. they all give me hope that we will see massive support from all kinds of developers in the future. GTA 5, COD, Battlefront... there is no excuse not to have these on the hottest selling system right now. As we know, devs were cautious to begin with, but they are now scrambling to make games for the Switch.
So, what is the Switch? Obviously it’s a portable gaming device that’s a hybrid and can be used in the TV and taken anywhere anytime. But, more specifically It’s a mid range machine, and that’s a good thing. It’s lesser than PC/PS4/Xbone, but it’s greater than mobile devices. We can argue all day about how much lesser and how much greater, but that’s besides the point I’m making. When Nintendo said they are not competing against PS4/Xbone but they are directly competing against mobile devices, I understood it, but I didn’t completely comprehend it until buying a Switch for myself. The mobile gaming industry revenue has overtaken console and PC revenue, so to be in direct competition with mobile devices at first seemed a tough task... but, the Switch isn’t just competing against mobile devices, it is a major threat to their revenue. People will buy Switches along side their PS4s, but they will be playing the Switch instead of their mobiles if given the chance.
So it is a midrange machine, with great indies, great first parties and good enough for ports of last gen and current gen AAA games. Games may look better on other consoles, however, if they are smooth and playable on the Switch, the portability factor will outweigh the graphics factor.
That’s the ingenious thing about the Switch, it’s position in the market as a midrange system, it’s ability to compete with consoles, and wipe the floor with mobile devices.
The future of consoles is up in the air, especially with streaming services available, one day we might not even need a console anymore. But, being portable is a huge factor right now. A factor that for me, puts it ahead of the other consoles. I probably won’t buy a PS4 now, because I’ll eventually get the games I want on the Switch instead.
Being a mid range machine doesn’t just mean mid range games either, as Doom shows us. I don’t know what this generation wants more... higher quality graphics or portability, but I know what I want, and I want to be able to play anywhere, anytime.
The Switch isn't some sort of middle ground between PS Vita/3DS and a 8th gen console. The Switch is a fully featured 8th gen console that will be able to run all new triple-A games, but at a reduced resolution and/or frame rate.
People don't comprehend the performance requirements of just a little more resolution, frame rate, etc. With all that hardware that the Xbox One X has, it will run a game at 4K and 60fps that the Switch will run portable at 720p and 30fps.
As for the games, many people always wanted the exact same games they are playing at home, but portable, which is what we almost have now. I say almost, because I am still waiting to see if new big releases will come to the Switch around the same date as other consoles. I don't want the Switch to be some afterthought for developers.
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Topic: The ingeniousness of the Switch
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