abugida

I’ve played all 4 games, probably started around 2005, and I loved Pikmin 4. I really think people should appreciate a piece of art for what it is and don’t come in with petty expectations. If you liked Pikmin 1 or 2 better, then by all means: play that game! No reason to dump on Pikmin 4.

Anyway, these WW sales numbers were sad to see, because Japan sales had been looking amazing on the weekly Famitsu charts. Pikmin 4 basically bombed outside of Japan. Remember, a typical title sells 20 % inside Japan, and 80 % outside. So 50 %/50 % for such a cute, universally accessible game is terrible. I hope that Switch long tail software sales will still be doing well into 2024/2025, despite a new console, so that the game can reach well over 3 million lifetime sales. I really want to see Pikmin 5 in under 5 years.

What happens after the release of the next gen console? That’s the only aspect this article was missing. The DS and 3DS each shipped another 7 to 8 million units after their respective successors had been released. Why? A lower price, yes, but also the software library. So the Switch still has that potential of long-tail sales.

@IronMan30 I never said it’s not selling well. I think it will outsell the DS. I’m just astonished why people would insist that a 10 oz / 300 g mini tablet is primarily a stationary device.

@IronMan30 @Nourldean So by that logic you’re saying that Nintendo has abandoned the handheld market?

@Nourldean “Defense mechanism to wall off accomplishments”? That is your emotional baggage, not mine. I’ve been giving Nintendo all my $$$ for decades, even through the Wii U years. In my eyes, the Switch not only had some of the best games ever (I’ve played Breath of the Wild for 400 hours, which is probably just average), it was also a brilliant way to hedge their bets on the console market after the commercial failure of the Wii U while making the perfect handheld. The Switch is a convertible handheld with TV out which can replace a home console. Just like a notebook has USB and HDMI ports and can replace a desktop computer when you plug in a screen and a mouse. But it’s still a notebook. The Switch marketing was beautifully done to sell to an older audience as well, but that’s just marketing. The hardware is not a home console.

@westman98 Channel inventory for retail electronics is worth about 4 to 6 weeks. Before a product launch that can be shorter, however I don’t think Nintendo will pay for air freight like Apple for example. They probably put a lot of OLED Switches on boats and trucks in August and September.

@Nourldean Also let me point out that other writers on Nintendolife have said the same before: Compare Switch sales to the Gameboy, DS and 3DS as well, not just home consoles. This article is sort of a regression in that regard.

@Nourldean Then explain to me why the 3DS is not in that table? It launched at $249 like the Wii. Obviously, because home consoles and handhelds are two categories. The Switch and Switch OLED can be considered hybrids (or handhelds). The Switch Lite is not a hybrid by any stretch of the concept. It’s a handheld.

@westman98 That is normal. Nintendo is counting a system as sold when the retailer has paid it, which would be several weeks before the consumer buys it.

@Specter_of-the_OLED They won’t do that. Nintendo is competing on quality, and $299 seems to be their sweet spot. If they tried to compete on price they could never beat free smartphone games. That ship has sailed.

First of all, congrats to Nintendo. I love my Switch. But: the Switch is not a home console. The Switch Lite does not even connect to a TV! Putting it in a table of Nintendo home consoles next to the Wii is nonsensical.

The system to beat is the Nintendo DS which stands at ~150 million units. I think Nintendo still has a good chance of getting there with the Switch. Something like the Switch Lite can sell for another 5 years for $149 and eventually $99.