2020 is set to be a huge year for gaming, with both Sony's PlayStation 5 and Microsoft's Xbox Series X planned to launch towards the end of the year. As its largest rivals release upgraded tech, it would be understandable for Nintendo to be concerned about what impact this might have on Switch as we enter 2021 and beyond, but that doesn't appear to be the case.
In a newly-published Japanese Q&A, with translations provided by VGC, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa briefly discussed the upcoming rival consoles with investors. "We will explain the specific figures for the next fiscal year in our next fiscal year announcement, but I think there will certainly be a change in the environment as new products of our competitors appear," he said, going on to highlight his belief that the target audiences for Switch and its competitors are different.
Because of that belief, Furukawa added, "we do not believe that the business trends of other companies will have a significant impact on our business."
Just last month, NPD shared a survey which suggested more than 40% of Switch owners located in the US also own a PlayStation 4 and/or an Xbox One. NPD Group's Mat Piscatella also noted that he doesn't believe Switch's rivals will have any meaningful impact on its sales in 2020, saying that Nintendo Switch "isn't a substitute" to these rival systems.
If these thoughts are indeed correct, perhaps it makes sense for this trend to continue as the next generation of consoles arrive? We'll let you mull that one over in the comments below.
Further Reading: Feature: Where Does Nintendo Switch Fit In The PS5 And Xbox Series X Next-Gen War?
[source nintendo.co.jp, via videogameschronicle.com]
Comments 78
"we do not believe that the business trends of other companies will have a significant impact on our business."
Yes because they are not investing in handhelds. This is the main reason people love the Switch, because of the portability.
Nintendo is best knows for its amazing portable consoles. And now the Switch is the perfect match of both handheld and home.
@Zuljaras True, portability, and also the great 1st party line up. Mario and Zelda are going to keep gamers connected to Nintendo.
Not to mention Animal Crossing (mentioning Animal Crossing)
I really hope Nintendo drops a Bomb with many game anoumcements.
At least give us a brand new FZero.
As long as Nintendo keeps nailing their main IPs, people will buy their systems, whatever the generation. That's their business, that's their environment.
Marios (literally every one of them, even rabbids crossover was amazing and did well), zeldas (the main franchise, for me), animal crossing, etc.
Hope they soon figure that dormant IPs could do well too (metroid prime 4 can show it)
Nintendo has been the "other" console the outlier for 20 years now.
Doubt that wil change anytime soon.
The NX even more so because it can be what you want it to be .
I'm sure the ps5 and Xbox 4 wil do well enough as usual.
He's right, they aren't. Xbox and Playstation are sub-brands of larger behemoths, and they dabble in pretty close to niche gaming territory- stationary, under the TV consoles. They've known for a long time competing with them would be like fighting bodybuilders for grains of rice at a buffet
Nintendo's true competitors are Apple and Google. Both are raking in cash, taking 30% of all in-app purchases, and doing absolutely nothing to get it. As their mobile prowess stacks up and their IP spreads beyond games, I think one of two things will happen in the next decade- Nintendo releases and licenses they're own mobile OS to manufacturers to take on iOS and Android, or they grow too big for comfort and face a hostile takeover by Apple, Google, or Microsoft
@The-Chosen-one they have to drop a few bombs... I think Xenoblade DE is the only game they’ve got slated for this year after Animal Crossing.
He actually used the word "competitors". They usually don't like to even acknowledge that they're competitors.
I think it may impact holiday sales this year and next because people only have so much money to spend on game machines but the Switch is more of a complement to a next gen console than an alternative. You aren't buying a Switch to play the latest, most technologically advanced games like you are with PS5 and XBSX. You're buying it to play fun Nintendo games both at home and portably. And streaming isn't a threat because Switch is going to be retired before the infrastructure is there to make streaming viable portably.
@roboshort Also Travis main series is coming back. Not so big of a bomb, but he's here, and he'll make it.
Possibly naive on the surface, but I wouldn't worry. Neither Xbox Series X One X Launch Edition nor PS5 are portable, soooo...
@roboshort
I really hope they have more than that.
@Dezzy yeah for public they do, but for investors they dont.
It's like saying that 100 euro/dollar smartphones from cheaper brands are not competitors to Apple because they target different groups of consumers.
They are no matter what the fans think or a spokesperson said.
To investors and the higher ups they are all competitors.
I agree with Nintendo on this point
As long Nintendo can keep providing Cute,
Cartoonish, Girlie games for Nintendo Switch, i'm happy to consider Nintendo Switch as my Primary machine.
While for PS5, if they have their Exclusive Cute / Cartoonish games / new Ratchet & Clank games, i will consider PS5 as Secondary machine. I really hope PS5 comes in beautiful game box design.
Maybe a Metallic Aquamarine color strip on the Top with PS5 logo + Transparent Aqua Blu-Ray box, it will looks beautiful for physical collector.
Edit: Btw, if PS5 really have portability, the machine design should be at least like Laptop design with detachable screen that streamed from the machine like Wii U, the screen can be closed with clam shell design and the machine can be brought like normal Laptop. The machine can be hooked into TV just like VGA cable hooked from Laptop to TV monitor. Well, maybe my PS5 portable ideas sounds weird, but a man can have a dream....
Switch will live long and prosper!!
Can we has put Nintendo Direct now?
By the time most third-party developers produce games "not possible" on Switch, it will be time for Nintendo to announce the next system.
I am very curious where this partnership between Nintendo and Nvidia leads to next. I hope it leads to another hybrid with AT MINIMUM Turing-level specs: dedicated ray tracing cores, DLSS and VRS capabilities. At least keep up with the technology, even if it can't keep up with pure horsepower. If that means 1080p maximum docked, then so be it. 720p portable is just fine.
No meaningful impact on Switch sales, here in the Uk that is not true, even throughout the world I would expect some effect but difficult to say how much. And this is all a little premature as we haven't even seen the PS5 yet so we don't know of any similarities between systems.
Switch is a hand held, so it’s a different market. It will become more difficult to port games to Switch. But Nintendo can continue to charge full price for older ports and get much higher profit than new AAA games on other systems.
I'll be resuming my spectator's seat for the next few years when it comes to Xbox & PS (though as a One X owner I may apparently still be able to maintain an interest in new Xbox releases...), so Nintendo has me where they want me.
Though, for some reason I'm more likely to expand my range of 3DS hardware than anything else at the moment.
Significant impact, may be not, but it will have an impact.
I see three main gaming modes consoles cover.
1.High end graphics with the best technology available.
2. A home console that plays Nintendo games.
3. A handheld device.
The Switch does two of these well. The Switch plays Nintendo games well because they are designed for it. The Switch Lite plays Switch games on the move, well. But the Lite is not a replacement the 3ds.
It's the high end graphics the Switch can't match. And while games like Witcher play on the Switch, many reviewers praise the effort that was made in getting it to the Switch, the verdict was, unless you need to play on the move, buy the PlayStation version, save money and get graphics that aren't compromised.
While 40% of Switch owners own another home console, this will rise and the result will be that less third party games will be bought for the Switch.
I've just finished Sniper Elite 3, and it plays much better on a big TV screen and while it does play ok in handheld, it's just ok. Long distance graphics are just to small.
@gcunit
Same with me. 😀
This year i will continue adding more Japanese or PAL 3DS games to expand my 3DS games library. Well, still hunting PS3 and PSP games on early 2020 as my main priority right now. 😅
I probably won't buy a PS5 until after a year or two when a Pro model inevitably is released and possibly a price drop. I enjoy my Switch and still have a backlog for both the Switch and PS4 anyway. As for Xbox--either the games can come out on PC, Microsoft can port them to Switch, or I can just smile and be happy for Xbox owners when they have exclusives.
Why is the media so obsessed with who's on top as far as consoles?
Can't we all just get along? It's all gaming after all. As a kid i was so facinated that pressing buttons made stuff happen on my games that i didn't care who made the games. It was like seeing magic right before your eyes! If you blindly follow one company and refuse all others you're not a gamer. You're a sheep.
That would be like only watching movies made by one studio yet calling your self a movie buff.
Gamers game on anything they can game on! No matter if it's cool in the eyes of others or not!
@Zeldafan79 Most of the time people start console wars because they can't afford all available products and have the need to justify their purchase as superior to the others.
Sad but true
My plan is to own all three. I don’t think the impact will be major, but I’ll probably choose to buy a lot of games on the others, if given the choice, which is def a change from now, when the Switch is the only system I own.
I predominantly use my Switch in handheld mode, so I am equally convinced that PS5 and Series X won't have much impact on my interest in the system. Portability is a big factor.
A second and very heavy factor is that I have not previously owned a PlayStation or an Xbox.
A third is that I do not expect their new systems to impress me in regards to new ideas about what games are and how they should be played.
it'll impact it when even less developers moan that they can't get their games working on the switch because of the demands of their new games, leaving the switch to go down the route of the Wii U with nothing but 1st party and indies to rely on. And loads of old ports.
@Zuljaras
Exactly! It's like well my mommy bought me a sega so it's better than your stinky Nintendo! These kids i knew back in the day insisted their playstation was better than my N64 because it had those FMV cutscenes and games on a disc LOL! Nevermind the games.
Nintendo needs a Switch Pro.
The Switch Pro needs no upgrade in CPU, GPU or battery. It just needs a pair of drift-free Joycons.
@Zeldafan79 Each console has its positives and negatives. But how would anyone know if they stick to only one?
Well the money is a big factor as well
As much as I play my switch vs my ps4, and as much more as I want to play some of the ps4 games I have left... I'm seriously considering picking up the new ps5.
Some of the games I've played, like horizon, are just glorious. I like the system.
Nintendo is still my main, so if I must choose only one, I'm all nintendo - yet if an extra system is an option, ps5 will be in the household sooner rather than later.
I think one reason the switch is doing so well is because it has convinced parents to get a Switch for the kids as they can see the value in it over mobile games. This aspect of Switch’s success is therefore not competing against the PlayBoxTwins but mobile instead. However they’re also definitely older kids and adults with a choice of only one console and obviously this is direct competition between the big 3. Basically it’s a dog eat dog world and Ninty have to keep innovating and doing what they do best to attract new customers.
Nintendo have existed in their own little bubble for about 25 years so why would that change now? For me I've been an avid gamer on pretty much all consoles for over 30 years, yet I have little interest in PS5 or Xbox Series X.
Over the last few years I've grown increasingly bored of so called AAA games, Red Dead Redemption 2 for example looks amazing and the story is great, yet the controls are awful and you spend most of your time sitting on a horse waiting to get to the gameplay. Where as Nintendo have managed to continue to advance their games without sacrificing gameplay in any regard and even with the Switch's limited power, games like Luigi's Mansion 3 are as visually appealing as anything I've played on any system.
It doesn't make sense, some people say that Nintendo consoles are the 'other'. That people buy a Playstation or an Xbox and a Switch is the 'other console'.
Well if that's true then every dollar spent on a PS5 or an Xbox X will be a dollar NOT spent on a Switch or it's games.
@Zuljaras too bad it can't deliver when it's played in port mode.. lower resolution and worse graphic setting to save battery... limited gameplay.. while other hardware at full power at full strength and doesn't have to dumb down. Indeed Switch a winner... not
They shouldn’t be too complacent as trends can change quickly. The Wii sold incredibly well, but by about 2009, sales really started to slow down because HD televisions really took off. Yes, the Wii sold 100 million units, but it was practically irrelevant by 2010-2011.
All I’m saying is that I hope they’re being a little more cautious than what they’re leading on here. I’d argue that the Switch is positioned much better than the Wii was, with it being a hybrid system, but you still need to pay close attention to what Microsoft and Sony are doing.
I do really wonder if Sony is gonna try a handheld again, something that connects to the PS5 that you can take on the go.
yeah there won't be a significant impact but there still will be an impact made by next gen consoles especially from the PlayStation 5, there is nothing Nintendo can release that will convince a large amount of people to not buy ether a PS5 or a Series X
@Alucard83 Well if it was on par with the PS4 and Xbox One specs the console would be too expensive. I mean the same power but with mobile tech? It would have been around 700-800$ at least.
You just can't have it all in one device unfortunately.
And if we have to be technical PS4 and Xbox One dumb down compared to PC. The Switch is dumb down compared to all 3 but it gives exclusives and handheld mode.
@Crono1973
I actually very much agree with this, I’ve always thought that was a silly argument. Nintendo may have its own niche market, but it’s still in the game business as a whole. Whether directly or indirectly, they are still competing for people’s hard earned dollars.
Of course they compete, any kind of entertainment competes with any other kind of entertainment.
@Zuljaras When you get older you will find money is less of an issue than time. Not saying I have unlimited money, only that my time is very limited. Even one console is a bit of a stretch.
@StevenG Oh then still those people need to justify their product purchase?
Console wars is a stupid thing. Just enjoy what you have and that is it.
@Alucard83 what's wrong with portable mode? If anything games look better at native 720p on a 6 inch screen than a 1080p image blown up to 4K on a 50 inch TV
There will be an impact though how much it is depends on the game libraries and promotion tactics. The game library front being what's happening summer 2020 onwards meanwhile promotion tactics being stuff like timing of the first general Direct compared to the PS5 reveal.
Switch is the only way to play as far as I’m concerned. If my son and I are gaming, I let him use the TV and I go handheld, or vice versa, if my wife is watching TV and I’m not interested? I pick up my Switch. Heading on up to bed? Take my Switch if I fancy it! It has been a real, genuine game changer, love it.
I’m sure there will be some impact but it shouldn’t be anything major. Nintendo has the handheld market all to themselves and has tremendous strength in its first party games.
There will probably be very little crossover between people considering buying the new PS/XB and people buying the Switch next Winter. Likewise Switch isn’t sharing many games with PS4/XB1 so there won’t be too much loss there.
If the Switch were to get Xbox Gamepass or xCloud play for Xbox 1 games and/or PS Now for PS4/PS5 streaming for Playstation games Sony and MS would be promoting Switch, maybe more the cheaper Switch Lite, as much as Nintendo would.
Just think about it, 1 console, Switch, could play Nintendo, PS and Xbox games if Switch had PS Now and Gamepass. Not so much w/ xCloud and streaming b/c then you'd need an Xbox and PS4/5, but I play a bunch of Xbox games on my PC w/o owning an Xbox using Gamepass - Sensua is really good. And PS Now is also on PC, though it's game selection is extremely limited compared to Gamepass.
But still, 1 hybrid to play them all. Why worry?
@The-Chosen-one I thought Miyamoto said f zero was dead because people dont like hard nintendo games. But then again DKC Tropical Freeze and Breath of the Wild are pretty challenging
@rjejr the switch definently doesnt have the power to play ps now games tho. Just imagine modern warfare on switch. That would he impossible
Microsoft is drifting directly into specialized pcs. I'm not talking about how the XS looks, but of Series X is a model identifier them there could be a model whatever every year or two like there is a new surface book, pro, laptop. Also, with the thing being backwards and forwards compatible and the Ps5 also being backwards compatible is something that hasn't been a thing for 15 years and forwards compatibity just never has been a thing. And again, Sony is trying to get into game streaming being good and Microsoft and game pass is a giant selling point for the thing. If you can directly just buy PC games to play on the Xbox and vice versa that would be a game changer as well. It wouldn't be surprising.
Point is, yeah, the environment is changing
Most nowdays want options on how and where they game that is why the Switch is a success. Also Graphics and CPU power isn't want sells but Developer support and games that brings in all different types of age of Gamers. This is what will keep the Switch going into the future. Those xbox/psx doesn't equate to better gaming there is more then just a Power Console if that is all they are betting one then they are on a loosing streak.
Switch + PS5 will be the combo to have. It will simply be what a consumer will buy first.
Portability is as irrelevant as Power. 5 Million did not care about the "specs" of Luigi Mansion 3... 10 Million did not care they had to play Jedi: Fallen Order at home.
All that matter will be the Games - just like now.
@Zuljaras t's not console wars. It is simply that if I only have a few hours, which of these is the most enjoyment?
@PickledKong64 nintendo players average 30yo nowadays (me included), and we've been playing it since the 90s, so, we had time to learn right?
bring fzero
They will. We will get less major 3rd party ports. Not going to affect indie support which is more important for me.
@xpownz
I still don't get why we can't get a new F-Zero. They could market it as the Dark Souls of racing games.
@StevenG Ok, you misunderstood me.
One thing is to say you enjoy Nintendo the most, completely different is to say the PS and Xbox suck. This is starting console wars.
Nobody would be upset if you say "Nintendo Switch is my favourite console!" but some people prefer to say it like that "Pff PS fanboys are salty because the Switch is selling well!".
See the difference?
Nintendo is right with it. Between ps3 and ps4 games was big graphics jump and game prices that's well.new Games will be more expensive because of 4k graphics. 70pounds pare game maybe less and switch will stay around 50. This will be a huge impact on sales. Microsoft bought a lot of studios and they will buy more. I think xbox game pass will dominate the market and switch will be the best handheld ever. I thinkig about buying series x becasue of that. 15pounds a month and i will be able to play most of games without any cost extra. Since i have netflix i do not watch any tv programs. Gaming market is changing and all pass option will be the cheapest to play any games..
@PickledKong64 Are you sure you understand how "streaming" games works? All the Switch has to be is a screen with some buttons, everything else is done on the servers. Switch is more than powerful enough for that. Google Stadia streams 1080p over a dongle. Switch would only have to handle 720p b/c that's the screen max.
As long as Zelda, Metroid, Fire Emblem, Xenoblade and/or Bayonetta remain Nintendo exclusives, I'll keep having Nintendo consoles. I'll use my free time to play my favourite series.
Just to make sure everybody on this comment section understands it. Nintendo Switch's difference with the other consoles is NOT that it is portable. It is that it's portable AND a TV console. No need to thank me for the correction.
I can agree somewhat with this line of thinking. With the Switch being portable it’s not competing directly with Xbox or PS5. I can totally see it continuing to be a complimentary system for people who own one of the other consoles. I play my Switch much more than my PS4 Pro but I do know I’ll be upgrading to the PS5 at launch. And if Nintendo eventually launches a Switch Pro I’ll upgrade to that as well.
Fun fact: NDS reaches its peak sales by selling 30 million units annually in 2007/2008, about 2-3 years after the 360/PS3 launched.
@xpownz ey, I'm not against bringing f zero. I love hard games and the switch is filled with them. Hollow Knight, Celeste, Enter the Gungeon, breath of the wild, Fonkey Kong, Dead cells and Dark Souls are all proof that hard games sell well. I really want f zero to come back. Ots not often a racong game is as fast paced and as hard as f zero. Challenges can sell
Pretty simple really, it's not like you can take the PS5 or Xbox X on go/double it as a handheld
There might be PS Now Steaming and such but it aren't the same as playing it on the actual hardware
@PickledKong64
Lol yeah zelda was really hard.
Did people really say fzero was too hard?
@The-Chosen-one I could be wrong but apparently Miyamoto said that's why theres no new f zero
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2012/11/miyamoto_puzzled_as_to_why_anyone_would_want_a_new_f_zero
I won't be buying an Xbox or ps as long as I have a pc.
I never understood the argument that the Switch would tank just because of the new consoles. It's like people will stop buying Nintendo games, which obviously wouldn't be the case since Switch software is still really good despite more powerful hardware on the market. Also, Sony and MS still haven't released pricing for their systems yet and are talking up "the powah" of them, which leads me to believe that both will be at least $500. 🤔
Likewise, the Switch won't impact PS5 or Xbox sales. Practically two different gaming niches, portable game device vs at home entertainment device.
@PickledKong64
Oh forgot about that article, tnx for the link.
In other news, Nintendo does not think there is anything outside the sand which they put their head in.
@Leo_ascendent To some extend, all entertainment is in competition with each other. If people spend more time on Netflix, they have less time to play Switch. Playstations and Xboxes are way more similar to the Switch than Netflix is.
Nintendo knows full well it will have a big impact. They just cannot say it because acting worried would only hurt them.
I don't think they need to worry but they would be foolish to think that big flashy and powerful new gaming options wouldn't have a very noticeable impact on sales.
People only have so much time and money for gaming, more options means that time and money will be more divided.
Since the Switch is a hybrid (the Lite is a handheld) that is selling more like a Nintendo handheld than a Nintendo console (it has already outsold the GCN/N64/SNES and will quickly overtake the NES), let's take a look back at history:
> The Genesis and PS1 didn't significantly impact the GB/GBC.
> The PS2 and Xbox didn't significantly impact the GBA.
> The 360 and PS3 didn't significantly impact the NDS.
> The PS4 and XBO didn't significantly impact the 3DS.
Here is one thing that did impact Nintendo's handheld business over the years:
> Mobile gaming stole a large chunk of Nintendo's casual playerbase and killed off massive franchises such as Brain Training and Nintendogs, hence why the 3DS has sold less than half of what the NDS sold.
With Switch hardware and software selling as well as it is, it seems like mobile gaming not longer a threat to that Nintendo's business anymore.
I think it depends on if they have a major game to release during the holidays. The question is, if not BOTW2 then what is it?
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