Topic: Who'd be up for a "docked" only TV console?

I know I answered this before but I cant find the post currently. Basically a docked only Switch would basically make the Switch not a Switch. Part of the marketing for it is you can go from playing docked to undocked smoothness.

It also makes Nintendo unique otherwise they would just be another Playstation or Xbox. I think going the hybrid formula is Nintendo's niche. Besides their portable gaming has always been a big seller for them so it makes sense to have a device that do both. Also by going both Nintendo captures a wider market both console players and handheld players.

If the Switch was only a handheld then I would say sure, but it doesnt. I play mine 80% docked.

Depends on price and what it came with.

You know the thought has crossed their mind. And they've probably even designed one to some degree just in case last generation.

Also the fact they made the Switch Lite which can't switch means they aren't totally against releasing a non-switch Switch.

But ...they are the king of handhelds and no one really had a handheld when Switch Lite came out.
They are still king even with the pc competition.

With a cheap box packaged with a pro controller that (while nice) is basically like every other box and would be compared to the other boxes more... I think that keeps them away from doing that if they can help it.

Exactly!

People are saying if they released a console only it would defeat the point of a "Switch" portability/TV ..but they have a Switch Lite which can't be used on a TV so that isn't technically a Switch either.

Like all the non - handheld consoles? Or is it something else?

Sure, the Switch Lite exists, but it gets outsold by the dockable models by a ratio of about 5:1. The niche it is there for is somewhat small, and pretty much based around people looking for a replacement for Nintendo's legacy handhelds, i.e devices for children to play Pokemon on or as a second console to be used out and about.

There just isn't the corresponding case for a docked-only console. In particular, Nintendo's legacy home consoles hit a dead end, with the Wii U selling very poorly. While you probably will still get a few households with multiple Switches where one of them never leaves the dock, I don't think that the demand for a model that can only be used that way would be very far into the millions.

Sony tried something similar in the past with the PlayStation TV, a home console version of the Vita, and it bombed so hard that they practically had to give them away in the end. That's not to say that Nintendo would make all the same mistakes but it's another data point for why they wouldn't be inclined to try.

Sure, the brand of Switch is so set in stone for Nintendo now that they'd be absolutely bonkers to do anything that upsets the tidal wave that they are currently riding and sadly that involves throwing myself and many others that crave a home console by the wayside.

I hadn't heard about this console before, but presumably one of the reasons it flopped was because there was another Playstation tabletop console on the market at the same time (the PS4) with better specs and a much larger game library? (According to Wikipedia, Playstation TV couldn't even play all of PS Vita's games, let alone games available for the PS4.) While a supposed Nintendo Switch 2 Home would not only have a lower price, it would have the same specs and same library as a regular Switch 2.

I think the Switch Lite is a great little console and love mine but a shame they disabled video output on it. It wouldn't have cost them anything to have provided 720p tv output if the Switch Lite doesn't have sufficient cooling to run at full docked speed. I think if they had kept a lower standard tv output then the Switch Lite would probably have sold more and been true to the Switch name. I think this was a missed opportunity by Nintendo personally. I've seen a OLED display kit for Switch Lite and that does have video output as a bonus feature I believe. I actually think the Switch Lite display at least on mine is fantastic quality so see no need to do a OLED upgrade personally. The Switch Lite is so much more portable than a regular Switch and seems more robust.

Only under two circumstances:

1) It was a small box that could be easily carried around.
2) I could mod it like the Steam Deck.

Since 2 is unlikely to ever happen, my answer is no.

1. Switch 1 and Switch 2 are hybrid Docked console already.
2. Anyone Homebrew/Hacking never post on sites like this to begin with. Unless they want to out themselves to Nintendo Ninja visits.

@sethfranum
1. Still too big. I would want it to be the size of an Android TV Box, with no dock or the likes.
2. Yeah, that's why I said 2 is unlikely to ever happen. Nintendo won't give up their closed garden, especially now that they "Mission Impossible" your console if they detect tampering.

@Dimjimmer
1. Big as in how? Your Android TV needs outlet power to work this is a gaming console not a TV
2. This is EULA/TOS anyone buying Switch agreed to otherwise why buy it. And FYI, all other Console makers has this same EULA/TOS. So if you think they aren't detecting console tampering not sure what to tell you now.

@sethfranum
OK, let me repeat myself. I would buy a TV-only Switch 2 if:
1. It was easy to move it across TVs. A small TV box can do that. Neither of the Switches can do that. The dock makes it too big and it's also unwieldy.
2. The Steam Deck can be modded with Valve's wishes. You can install Windows (they even support it!) and they won't bat an eyelid. I would like to able to do that with the Switch 2. I can't do that, though, and it's unlikely that I will ever be able to.

@WaveBoy I have never been a big handheld gamer to begin with, I always preferred consoles. Yeah I grew up with Game Boy but really I only played it when on cartrips or I was at Grandma's. Yeah there are classics like Super Mario Land, Mega Man Dr Wileys Revenge and others but they always felt like inferior ports of NES games and just make me want to play the NES games.

It wasn't till the DS that Instarted to play more handheld games and but then games started to feel more their own then like inferior ports. I am talking games like the Castlevania series and even games like Mario Kart DS, and Tetris DS and even the first New Super Mario. 3DS was cool too and I did play a bit of that too.

I honestly prefer playing games on a huge screen, with a surround sound system over a small screen and headphones. As I said before the only time I play my Switch undocked is Tabletop with my pro controller and that's when the TV is in use.