Topic: Where do/would you use the Switch out of the house?

Hi everyone!

I don't have a Switch, but I've seen lots of posts on this site from both people currently owning a Switch and prospective Switch owners about how they appreciate the portable nature of the console.

Problem is, I don't see how helpful this portable nature can be. I'm not belittling the portability advantage — it is definitely a major plus of the Switch. But I'm personally having trouble finding ways I'd use it when I eventually get a Switch (besides playing anywhere at home). I don't see many people with gaming systems outside - I've only seen a handful of people with 3DSs in the last six years it's been available. This might have something to do with image perhaps (a 3DS might be seen as "kiddy"), but even ignoring the question of image, I can't see many places I'd use a Switch out of the house. I feel that in most places (like work/school), I wouldn't have much downtime to play an in-depth game. The bus/train is a good place in theory, but in practice I feel the constant noise and movement of people means you wouldn't enjoy a game like Zelda as much as if you were in front of your TV at home.

So my question to people currently with a Switch or planning to get one eventually: Where do/would you use the Switch when you travel outside your house? Do you think it's an aspect that is truly helpful?

I use mine at work all the time. I like to get to work early in case there's traffic, so I sit in the car and play the Switch for 20 minutes before it's time to walk in. Sometimes I'll play on my lunch break, sometimes not. Depends on how social I am that day lol.

So far that is the only time/place I have played my Switch outside home. At home it's docked and I play it on the TV. I prefer it on the TV.

I commute to London three days a week during the school term and I have never ever seen somebody with a Switch anywhere, be it on the train(s), at Liverpool Street or on the Circle Line.

Bearing in mind that London is one of the busiest capital cities on this planet, I am surprised I haven’t seen a single soul with a Switch given that I used to toss my 3DS into my rucksack for the StreetPass bobbins several years ago, and there were lots of folks with a 3DS going by the number of Mii’s I ‘met’ at the StreetPass Plaza. I have even seen a couple of people play on their PS Vita from time to time too.

The trio of iPad, iPhone and MacBook are the most commonly seen devices on my commute. Personally speaking, I wouldn’t take the Switch out of its dock, let alone out of my house!

It depends on where (in the world) you are, I guess. If you go by the stories JaxonH on here has retold, however, you’d think everybody and their dog takes their Switch out with them!

I'll be taking mine to school in the case I brought for it when school starts in 2 weeks. Before school was over for the summer holidays, there were quite a handful of people with their own Switch systems. Maybe I can play some Splatoon 2 with them, who knows.

@shadow-wolf There is a coffee shop down the street from my work I go to regularly when I'm done for the day. That's usually where I play in in public. I've ran into three other switch owners there set up playing games so far.

I live in New Orleans Louisiana btw

I have 2 kids, so we tend to take the switch with us a lot.

• any long car journeys.
• When traveling by train.
• We took it on Holiday to Spain last week (for when hiding from the sun and waiting for the entertainment!).
• When taking a long Poo.
• When My wife is watching reality TV / Soaps.

Basically the Switch is now something we will take with us whenever traveling, partly for me but mainly for my daughters.

Lovely (!)

I hope you wash your hands afterwards...

@mav-i-am

is the 'long poo' regarding the amount of time it takes (a slow poo, surely) , or the length of the end result ?

do you ever use your Switch while taking a quick or short poo ?

If the Switch is with me during this scenario, it will be a long session regardless of how you measure it.

I will leave that to your imagination!

I didn't get it outside of the house jet. Don't travel to work, don't have friends with Switches, I'm not planing to play it in park where my kids play so.. 80% docked and rest on balcony or wc or bedroom or when my kids watch Nickelodeon.
Same goes for my wii u and 3ds.
For some quick play outside i just use my iPhone with more then a few games to play with

Nowhere. Mine hasn't left the house, and I bought it at launch.

I take mine around the house all the time for convenience and took it on vacation with me. I also take it to the park when I feel like going outside for once.

I take it with me to university so I can play some quick games like Mario Kart or Puyo Puyo Tetris on the train ride there/wait until class starts. I rarely ever take it with me, though. Not because of the weight but because I question whether or not it's actually worth taking it with me. The thing is that if I take it with me, I want to make it worth it. That in return makes me hurry to the station and from there to university. And when I feel the need to hurry myself, all my interest in taking the system with me dies.

I always take either my Switch or my 3DS, if not both, with me when travelling anywhere in case something happens that causes me to be waiting around for a while.

I also is then sometimes at lunch, or if I'm travelling on work but just fancy a bit of time out.

But it's the portability within the home that's just as valuable. No sharing of a tv, no reason to stop playing for toilet breaks, playing in bed.

I took mine out a few times to play with buddies, but primarily I wouldn't use it out and about on daily activities (work or out for coffee/meals) but 100% would use it on any long travel (bus, train, plane)

I use my Switch outside of the house whenever I travel. Use it on planes just like in the commercial, and play it wherever I arrive too. I also take it with me to the laundry mat and play games while doing laundry. But the biggest use for portability for me is within my house. I regularly play games in table top mode while simultaneously watching movies on my TV. Also, I frequently use my Switch at my desk to take breaks and play games in-between work. I rarely play it in handheld mode, it's usually table top mode for me. As much as I love playing on the TV, tabletop mode provides better accessibility and gets regular use from me, something I hadn't anticipated at all when I bought the Switch.

Wait, you mean that people actually play portable games outdoors?! I hardly see anyone playing anything but their mobile phones. I thought 80% of "portable" gaming was done in another room or on the loo.

In my country a guy in his mid-30s, on his own, playing anything more convoluted than a simple phone game to pass the time in public, would be considered a blah.

_{...Don't ask, but the word counts as profanity. lol -Joey}

EDIT: @Joeynator3000 okay no prob - you should have replaced it with a real word of your choice though (although I can't think of a better word atm).

@CroRock Your house is a jet?!

I commute a fair distance by bus, and will sometimes play my Switch (with headphones) during those trips. To be honest, though, I still mostly use my 3DS for that. It's more convenient, and currently most of the Switch's appeal is in online games for me. In time, of course, I'm sure this will change.

And yeah, just being able to use it anywhere in the house is much appreciated.