Topic: Is The Switch 2 Worth It???

Yeah, I suspect Nintendo rightfully judged that the worst case scenario would be to release the Switch 2 at a given price, and then "suddenly" raise the price. Doesn't matter how reasonable or unavoidable or not-their-fault it might be, they'd still take it in the teeth. Better to set a retail price higher and be able to keep it steady ( or to pay for Switch 2 costs with price rises elsewhere ).

If you loved your original Switch, but wished it was beefier to handle an even larger percentage of games well, then absolutely. It exceeded my expectations in that regard, really. If you want a console for the first time, I have no idea how to answer that. Buy a gaming laptop on sale probably lol! Only tangible reason to go with Nintendo over others is if you like their first party IPs a lot and/or you often need the portability, imho. I really enjoy handheld gaming a lot and I frikkin LOVE JRPGs. I tend to play the really graphics intensive titles on my PC, which is significantly more stout. Haven't touched my PS5 in months.

No, or at least not yet. The console isn't all that different from the Switch 1 and there's simply not enough big games for it yet to differentiate its lineup enough to overlook the sameyness of the hardware. There's too few new, original entries in their biggest IPs that can serve as good system sellers. Ask me again in a year or two and maybe then I'll recommend making the jump, but right now I'd say no.

@metaphysician
I think if someone might need the money they're considering spending on a console the answer should be an automatic no.

The logic of why wait is strictly for someone who has additional money, dependable revenue or otherwise has little to no concern of whether that money might be needed.

@Bolt_Strike
While that's perfectly legitimate for yourself, weighing what games are worth it and how many there are is something strictly personal, as each individual will come to a different conclusion. And trying to persuade someone a system either does or does not have enough games which appeal to them is rather presumptuous.

So I don't think that personal view has value for someone considering whether or not to buy a Switch 2. Only they can decide if the system has enough games worth it. Some might share your opinion, but they need to form that conclusion on their own. Others might say what? Mario Kart World and DK Bonanza and Metroid Prime 4 in 4k 60fps? I'm all in! Neither you nor I can, or should, presume to decide that for them.

Two thoughts. Firstly, this endless obsession with sales and Nintendo's bottom line is nauseating. Unless you're a shareholder with a large stake sales shouldn't concern you. Not even slightly. Even during the Wii U era when things were dire the consequences I saw as an owner of that device were a rapid fall-off in third party support and a shortened console cycle. But that was the extent of it. When I was playing Mario Maker, Splatoon, Mario Kart 8 or Bayonetta 2? The number of console sales did not impact my enjoyment

And in any case, even if you were concerned about sales at this stage that concern would seem pretty delusional given the numbers. I know some people get worked up here when you throw around words like delusional in relation to this kind of stuff but seriously. No rational person would look at the sales performance of the Switch 2 to date and say it was poor. But again, as a Switch 2 owner? I really couldn't care less how many units they sell

Second thought. Yes, you buy hardware to play software. That's the only reason we buy gaming hardware. However, what is a Switch game if not software? Does it matter what arbitrary category a game fits into? I find it kinda puzzling that people find a way to turn the decent BC often with improved performance and occasional full patches or editions into a negative. It's weird. There's no negative to be had here, it's optional but it gives you additional options. Saying this is not a reason is like saying the fact that a modern GPU runs games you can already run better than your GTX 1060 is not a reason to upgrade your GPU

If people think that these games are better played on the Switch because of the better screen, scaling, more "authentic" system or whatever? If they think that the ability to play Switch software in an improved state (i.e. stability, loading, resolution, framerates) isn't worth it because they are fine with the games on the Switch as it is? Then cool. More power to them. I think it's fair to say that this alone will not be enough to tip some people over the edge into upgrading to the Switch 2. But this is the same thing that GTX 1060 owner says when they don't upgrade their GPU

I don't think you can reasonably argue that BC, Switch 2 Editions and free upgrades are not a good reason to pick up a Switch 2. They most certainly are. But it's just a line item in a list of items a person has to look at to see if there's enough to justify it. Which is a subjective and personal question. Whether or not it's worth it to a person will depend on how they weigh the benefits and costs of upgrading

@skywake
I think this point is especially true for Nintendo, whose 1st party games continue to sell for decades on end. There are still people buying a Switch 1 for Zelda Breath of the Wild, Animal Crossing, Super Mario Odyssey, etc. Why wouldn't those games on Switch 2, running at higher resolutions and/or framerates, be a factor for some.

And that's not even accounting for those who want to play Zelda Tears of the Kingdom in 1440p 60fps. That's not even accounting for those who want to play Super Mario 3D World online with GameChat. That's not even accounting for those who want to play Pokemon Scarlet in 4k 60fps and not sub-HD 15fps.

Of course brand new NS2 exclusive software will be the largest factor, but BC with upgrades is a significant factor as well, probably the 2nd biggest factor actually. I'd have bought a NS2 just for the upgrades alone even if it didn't have Mario Kart World or DK Bonanza or a bullpen lineup with Fire Emblem Fortune's Weave, Splatoon Raiders and Mario Tennis Fever.

The 3rd party games are also a huge factor, because they're hybrid handheld and most offer gyro/mouse aiming when other versions do not.

@Bolt_Strike
I did say it was a subjective and personal thing as to whether the costs/benefits work out for someone enough to get one. Something you kinda ignored here

My point was only to say that the existence of optional options and improvements by definition cannot be a negative. At most you can consider it to be something of zero value. In which case it does not factor into your personal equation. But for many people, myself included, these things do have some value so do bend the equation somewhat

The second point I would make is in terms of your statement on cost. I know you personally have a hangup about games being complete on cartridge and do not consider DLC, patches or other such digital upgrades. So for you something like BotW Switch 2 Edition is an entirely new full price purchase. I would however highlight that this is an odd hill to die on and I would say most people do not share your philosophy

I've spent a grand total of $28AU so far I otherwise would have not spent on Switch 2 enhancements. BotW/TotK were part of NSO+ I was already paying for. Games like Galaxy 1/2, Arms, Odyssey, Clubhouse Games etc had patches for no cost. Other games often have the S2 Edition at the same price. The only performance patches I have paid for have been Prime 4 and Animal Crossing. And even then they were optional. I wasn't forced to pay more or again for a Switch 2 version of any of these games. And this is all ignoring the improvement in performance you see for unpatched games

You personally may not care. Sure. And that's fine. But that doesn't mean these things are not positives that some people will consider when working out whether or not the new hardware is worth it. Either as a new to the Switch ecosystem or as someone upgrading

edit: oh and the sales rant I don't really think worth a response

I saw. But you don't seem to understand the calculations from other people who do not share your opinions on graphics/performance, which is why I felt the need to explain it.

When those options have a price tag associated, yes they can. Zero value and a non-zero cost is a net negative.

I never said this, you're either confusing me with someone else or misconstruing my point. I have no issue with games not being complete on cartridge, the issue is they're smaller add-ons that aren't as filling as a full new game. It's like being hungry for dinner and being offered a light snack instead. A snack isn't going to fill you up the same as a full meal. To put in terms of this metaphor, the issue with the Switch 2 is that there are less full entrees and more snacks and appetizers. The main events are lacking right now and the smaller things they're doing to try and hold us over don't last long so it still feels like a game drought even if nominally we have a ton of games.

Honestly, the Switch 2 is doing pretty amazing in terms of sales right now. And the backwards compatibility is near perfect. And the paid upgrades, which are nice, are also optional. And, it's only six months in bit we've got some pretty amazing-looking exclusives like Mario Kart World, Donkey Kong Bananza, and Kirby Air Riders. There are so many games, and so many ways to play said games on the Switch 2.

I say this with one hundred percent certainty: IF GAME KEY CARDS DIDN'T EXIST AND NINTENDO OF AMERICA WASN'T CANCELING THE RELEASES OF A TON OF THIRD PARTY JAPANESE GAMES LIKE NEPTUNIA RIGHT NOW, THEN THE SWITCH 2 WOULD BE MY FAVORITE GAMING CONSOLE EVER. And I say this as someone who doesn't even own the thing yet, but wants to buy one next year.

@Bolt_Strike
You're being a bit dishonest here. You literally cited the full RRP of S2 editions when dismissing the additional value higher performance brings. There are performance gains to be had on the Switch 2 which have zero additional cost beyond the Switch 2 itself. Both actual updates and patches but also the ability for the console to brute force its way through bottlenecks that existed on the original hardware

If you consider these things to be of no value? Cool. But I would say that indisputably it is not a negative. It is most definitely a reason to buy a Switch 2. Of course whether or not it is enough of a reason, combined with the other advantages like the exclusive titles, is something people will have to judge for themselves. Weighed against the monetary cost, how much they will use it, opportunity costs etc. But it isn't a negative

@Nep-Nep-Freak
Well, stay tuned on the game key card thing.

The tide may be changing on that soon. A third-party dev (I think it's the one doing the R-Type remake/collection/whatever) confirmed a few days ago that Nintendo is in the process of offering two smaller cartridge sizes (most people are thinking 16 and 32 gig options).

The dev posted about it, actually, and the post was quickly taken down (lol).

For me it will be because I skipped the switch one now I have a huge catalog of games to check out.

The Switch 2 is doing amazingly in Japan and in the US below expectations but in Europe merely ok. There is a huge amount of stock available right up to Christmas day so we are going into the new year with a lot of stock available in retailers who will likely be motivated to shift it at a reduced margin or maybe even a loss if there is a huge amount of stock available. However into next year component prices are going up so there is the real possibility of Switch 2 console pricing going up and Nintendo might market their inventory better with production matching sales so no need to discount etc. If you are in Europe it definitely feels a good time to buy especially as Christmas returns will get re-sold at a discount as well and we are going into the dead period of gaming sales after Christmas where people don't have much money so harder for shops to extract it from people. It feels to me in the short term it could be a good time to buy and in the long term not so much if prices are forced up.

If I really see a cheap Switch 2 I might go for it but really there is nothing I'm that bothered about currently in order to make that purchase and the first version of the Switch 2 is a bit disappointing with short battery life and a rubbish display panel. I still have Switch games I've yet to start so as ever my backlog of games is very large, many of which are great games. Also Epic have been giving away PC games daily and a couple of those I'm really looking forward to playing. Also the Christmas Day giveaway hasn't been announced yet but is live at 4pm I think. Various rumours about what the game will be have circulated, of those rumours Subnautica below Zero takes my fancy.

@BonzoBanana
Looking at the numbers and ratios I don't really see evidence of what you're saying here. It seems to be doing similarly across regions to what the Switch did just faster. Of course in Japan it is performing the best, especially relative to the PS5, but portable systems have done this in Japan for decades

The only thing that has changed is that XBox doesn't really complete anymore. Which inflates PS5's sales numbers, particularly in the US. Which in turn makes Switch 2 look worse in a direct sales comparison to PS5 than it otherwise would. But if you look at the ratios and rates of sales? Switch 2 is split by region similarly to the Switch. And it's about 1.5mill ahead of where the Switch was in NA, launch aligned

The other thing I want to comment on is your last bit about inflation and the price of gaming hardware likely to keep going up. I'm sure this is true and will likely suppress sales. However I would suggest that it will not apply evenly. It may go against the grain me saying this but Nintendo has the cheaper platform. Sure right now you can get a digital only PS5 for less than the Switch 2. But I would put to you that given the components that are becoming more expensive are RAM and NAND and given the Switch 2 is the platform that has the least of both? And especially given Switch 2 is selling through and likely has more of a margin still built into the price. I would say over the course of this generation the Switch 2 will be the more budget friendly platform. Relatively speaking. Even moreso once we have the PS6, Switch 2 Lite and the Switch eventually gets discontinued

And in any case, as I said on the previous page. Outside of the fun of being an armchair analyst does any of this really matter? For me, I got the Switch 2 because I like Nintendo's software output and the Switch 2 is the best piece of hardware to run that content on. Whether or not they have a decent supply in Iceland, what the Yen is selling for and what the current US tariffs are does not really impact how much enjoyment I get out of the thing

The cost is the cost. A single price. Everything else, as fun as it may be to play that game, is entirely irrelevant to the decision about whether or not the value of the Switch 2 (new games BC, performance, enhanced versions) is worth the price it is being sold for. Everything else is just noise

@skywake
As long as this trend continues, Switch 2 has absolutely nothing to worry about.

People love to cherry pick data points but ignore the forest for the trees. They refuse to analyze the entire statistical trend, typically because it's a mythbuster against whatever narrative they want to be true.

First thing you learn in SPC (statistical process control) is the golden rule... NEVER form conclusions on single data points. Only derive conclusions from statistical trends. Now. If a statistical process is stable, and in control, the only thing you need to look out for is a process change, indicated by a data point falling outside the control limits, after investigating to ensure it's not an outlier, or a random anomaly.

Here is the trend thus far of Switch 2 vs Switch 1:

And here is the monthly global sales data (in millions) plugged into an I&MR chart for SPC. And as is quite evident, the process is stable and in control. Nothing is out of the ordinary (aka "cause for concern").

@skywake Well the inflation and tariffs actually may have an effect because Nintendo may need to raise the price. That was the main reason I jumped on the Switch 2 now, if I waited I was concerned it would get even more expensive. In a vacuum I probably would've waited a few years, I do think the lineup will look good enough after about 2-4 years on the market, but if I waited until I saw the lineup I was looking for, the value wouldn't be as good because I'd be paying more money for the exact same product (and no, a Switch 2 Lite probably wouldn't be better value because it would likely compromise some core feature to get the cost down as the 2DS and Switch Lite did, and if that feature is the hybrid nature like the Switch Lite, that doesn't work for my gaming preferences).

@Bolt_Strike
I'm sure it'll have an impact and is driving purchasing decisions out of fear of price changes down the line. I know people IRL have made that call. Hell, I made a gamble at launch that the Mario Kart bundle might be dropped and in the current climate it seemed unlikely that deals would get better. As it happens I gambled incorrectly (I paid $769AU, that bundle is currently on sale for $715AU) but it was still part of my rationale (i.e. it's probably not getting cheaper so why not enjoy it from day 1)

But that wasn't really my comment. My comment was more that as components get super expensive that even though this will mean people buy less it probably won't be even. And that I suspect that when the market includes Switch 2 Lite, PS5 portable, PS6 etc that Nintendo could actually benefit from this. Because likely people will still want gaming devices, they'll just go to the lower cost options. Which in this case is probably Nintendo's platform

I mean Nintendo probably will be the cheapest relative to that point in time, the PS6 and next gen Xbox will only get more expensive and the Switch 2 Lite will definitely be the cheapest device on the market when all of that dust settles. But @BonzoBanana's point isn't simply about competing devices. It's about when to buy a Switch 2 if you're potentially interested. And a potential price increase is a good reason to buy now, it's objectively worse value to buy the exact same product for a higher price. Standard Switch 2 now vs. Switch 2 Lite in the future might be a trickier and more subjective calculation (are the cut features in a potential Switch 2 Lite important to you or are they features you can live without to save money), but beyond that if you believe a price increase is coming you need to buy now because every other option for the Switch 2 will only get more expensive.

I don't think a price increase for Switch 2 is coming. But the bundle is being discontinued, which is an indirect price increase. Furthermore, the bundle is on sale for $449.99 right now, netting you Mario Kart World ($80 value) for free.

So weighing buying now for $450 and getting NS2 + Mario Kart World, vs waiting a few years and buying for $450 and getting only NS2... I see no rational reason to wait. Again, this assumes ppl have the money to spend. It's irresponsible to blow money on entertainment if you think you might need it for something that matters. This also assumes the person believes they will buy the system at some point anyways. Which, if they aren't, I'm not sure what they are doing in this thread in the first place.

But even if buying now didn't save you $80, I still maintain the opportunity cost of waiting is a net loss. If you're going to buy it anyways and you're not gonna get it for any less by waiting, then you're only losing every day you put it off. Because every day you wait is one less day of enjoyment you're getting for your money when you eventually buy.

Almost nobody buys a system within the first year believing it's worth it just for the couple games that released already. Nearly everyone buys the system within the first year not only for the games that are out, but also with the understanding the nearly a decade of nonstop support will follow. You can't trust everyone to do that because Sony abandons their platforms left and right- I got burned with Vita. Got burned again with PSVR. And learned my lesson with PSVR2. But Nintendo has proven they will support their systems come hell or high water. Wii U received one of the best generations of exclusive software we'd seen in a long time. And it's for that reason people people trust Nintendo to follow through with quality games, especially when the system is doing as well as it is.