It's Time To Revisit How Wrong I Was About The Nintendo Switch

Forbes: “If there’s one thing I’ve learned writing for a living on the internet, it’s that after 8,000+ articles, you are bound to be wrong at some point. And while I’ve probably been wrong a decent chunk of the time about one issue or another, it’s pretty clear to me that I have not missed the mark more wildly than I did when talking about the Nintendo Switch in the run-up to its launch.”

[CorndogBurglar]

Nice to see a nay-sayer admit they were wrong about the Switch. Thats refreshing. Respect.

There are still people on this site claiming the Switch is going to fail lol.

[Leeroyw]

I was one of those people. My earlier comments were always about Switch being under done. I love my ps4, but with a little one at home and a long commute each day I play my Switch three times as much as my ps4 but always in portable mode. The guys at work are fascinated by the fact we can play Mario kart or NBA on our breaks and I am playing the long game in Skyrim on the go.

I was wrong. But damn it's good to be wrong sometimes when the result is so good.

[Neonridr]

I love both my Pro and Switch. They get probably about equal play in my books. It's hard as hell trying to juggle all the good games for both systems, but I try to make it work. I have 2 kidlets at home, so getting to be able to play on my Switch wherever is definitely a god-send.

I am not blinded by my love for Nintendo or anything, there are still things I wish that were better about it. But with a gaming PC and a PS4 Pro, I didn't need another powerhouse machine. Honestly it's hard to believe the thing can play the things it can based on how small it is. I mean people poke fun at the fact that it's inferior technically to the XB1 or PS4 yet it's like 10% of the size of those machines. So go figure.

[CorndogBurglar]

I play both. I'm currently playing Dragon's Dogma and Fractured But Whole on PS4 and Zelda and Pokken Tournament on Switch.

Its possible to enjoy both lol. People act like its gotta be only PS4 or nothing.

[3-4-5]

You learn the most from being wrong. I didn't have the luxury of that as my Switch hype was through the roof. It was one of those things every 4-5 years that I'm 100% sure on....an intuition thing.

But yea I've been wrong about games and console before as well...it happens to everyone.

Didn't catch the authors name...It wasn't that Paul Tassi guy is it ? That guy has terrible taste in games and doesn't focus on the smaller details in games but only the big showy stuff....or at least in his "reviews" he does.

[Prince_TFK]

I remembered when the Switch was revealed the people here were screaming out of their lounge that it is gonna fail and Nintendo will either be bankrupt or going third party. But now it is the exact opposite of what they have predicted.

Never underestimate the power of Nintendo and its portable appeal.

[kidrebidru]

I'm making $86 an hour working from home. I was shocked when my neighbor told me she was averaging $95 but I see how it works now. I feel so much freedom now that I'm my own boss. This is what I do>> http://www.Buzz70.com

[RommyReigns]

I was also a naysayer. I thought this was going to flop like the WiiU especially when I saw the initial games line-up (or the lack of it, I was like ''who is going to buy a console/handheld for that price with just one game?''). Then I saw the accessories and thought they were vastly overpriced, and remembered the demise of the PSVita and it's memory cards.

Oh boy was I wrong, so wrong I had to get one and I did with Mario Kart Deluxe and the absolute masterpiece Game of the Generation called Mario Odyssey. The Switch has reminded me why I love handhelds (from the Game Boy and Game Boy Advance to the PSP and PSVita), the portability and simplicity of just getting it out and playing wherever the hell I like, no more of the 'waiting for hours for everyone to get off the TV so I play some PS4' (made ten times worse because I have a casual in the house who loves FIFA like it's Gospel and hogs the PS4 playing that tripe), and with the bonus of having console quality gaming on the go and at home.

Seriously, for those N4G members who I have on my friend list on PSN from the community pages wondering why I have literally not logged on to my PS4 in over two months (no joke), the Switch is the major reason for that. Too busy driving the Odyssey (Don't worry I'll hopefully be back on the 26th January with Dragon Ball FighterZ (unless there's a Switch release coming soon ;) ).

[CorndogBurglar]

Kind of off topic but you mentioned DB Fighter Z.

Does the news of horrible online fornthe beta worry you? I'm nervous and may wait to see what it launches like before buying this. Poor online can quickly kill a great fighting game.

[RommyReigns]

@CorndogBurglar

The horrible online for the beta does not worry me for now, it was a beta and it's a good thing the (big) problems have been found so that they can be sorted soon. The beta should have been open at least a month before the release and not 2 weeks before like in this case to sort out problems like the ones persisting in the current state. I'm buying the game primarily for the Dragon Ball Z experience, fighting spectacle and tons of easter eggs along with the Android 21 ''canon'' story mode, so for me the online is a lesser priority (unless PS4 trophies are involved). However judging from the last Guilty Gear game I heard had a similar lobby system but flawless online with dedicated servers, so I think the current online problems should be sorted on or very soon after release date.

[raWfodog]

I don't think the Switch will fail but it is definitely a very slow burn in my household. I thought the kids would be more into it but so far my youngest was the only one to play with it. The other two haven't even picked it up yet. I have yet to dive in as well. My youngest played Odyssey for about two days straight after Christmas but then hasn't picked it up since. He went back to Overwatch and Minecraft on the PS4 (I think its because he loves being in party chat with his other friends who are also playing those games). I also picked up BOTW, Mario Kart, and Mario+Rabbids but nobody even played those yet. Oh well, its there whenver we decide to pick it up.

[CorndogBurglar]

Thats crazy. My 8 year old daughter can't keep her hands off it. We have Odyssey, Mario Kart, Just Dance 2018, Pokken Tournament, BOTW, and Lego Marvel 2.

She plays all of them quite a bit except for BOTW. ( I play that). But she was never into PS4 except for Minecraft and she doesn't have friends online to talk with. So maybe thats the difference?

[Einhander1971]

Good to hear, even though some want to see it fail. Bad luck it's running on all cylinders can't wait for E3 this year even more surprises from the big N.

[gamer7804]

its doing better than expected, but honestly its not even been a year yet, it takes a couple of years to really see how a console will do long term. But either way I think it will do much better than the wiiu, its hard not to.

[Shiken]

Well there are some things we can look at to see long term success.

Portability- The main selling point of the Switch. More and more people are seeing how usful this feature is when playing big games, especially adults. Sure it won't get the most demanding of PS4 games, but at this rate it is likely to get most of the less demanding games. This will make up a lot of the Switch's library and many people will want a portable version of these games.

Last gen ports- Some try to spin this as a negative, but lets be real. No one has played every game they had an interest in for their console. Many passes were made. Also last gen games play pretty much the same as current gen games, but slightly less pretty. PS3 to PS4 is no where near PS2 to PS3 was. Add a fresh coat of paint and portability and it will breath new life into the game. Because guess what, if I have not played it, it is new to me!

WiiU ports- Another thing people try spin ad a negative, but that could not be further from the truth. These are true to form Nintendo games that never got a chance to shine due to not many people owning a WiiU. These will be new experiences to most gamers and now that they are on a console with a promising future, it can help Switch sales as a whole.

Switch current gen exclusives- The Switch already has more current gen quality Nintendo exclusives in less than a year (ARMs, Zelda BotW, Splatoon 2, Mario Oddyssey, Fire Emblem Warriors, Xenoblade Chronicles 2, Mario Plus Rabbids) than the PS4 (Knack, Killzone, Infamous SS) and X1 (Rise, Dead Rising 3, Forza 5, Titanfall) did in their respective first year. With that, we also have the promise of Bayo 3, Prime 4, Kirby, Yoshi, Fire Emblem, Pokemon, Smash, Mario Kart 9, Animal Crossing, Pikkmin, and many more as the years go on. These games that you cannot play on a Sony console or a MS console will drive sales as well. Not to mention more 3rd party exclusives based on Nintendo IPs, like Mario Plus Rabbids.

With all of this in mind, I do not see Switch sales dropping off any time soon. There is no real drought in sight and portability plays a huge role in making ports relevant. So I think it is very safe to say that the Switch is on the road to being VERY successful with little doubt. It may have been less than a year, but we still have a lot to go on and trends are being set sales wise.

All in all, Nintendo would have to ROYALLY fk up to fail with the Switch at this point.

[gamer7804]

It depends on what an individual measures as success.

Such as first and foremost games.

Exclusive games - check

3rd party games - more than wiiu but not enough time to see yet.

Online capabilities - uncertain and postponed

Portability - check

Power. - good enough for a handheld but lacking in order to run all types of games

Features - has some apps but lacking media capabilities, achievements, social capabilities., recording / streaming.

[Shiken]

I measure sales as a success. Does the consumer see it as something they want to buy. All signs of what we are seeing thus far, and what is coming later down the road, point to yes. It will likely outsell the PS360 lifetime IMO.

What you listed are grips you have with the system itself, which as we have seen so far, has not held up sales. What you hope to see the device have =/= sales and overall success.

Portability and games are selling it, anything else is extra. One could argue that it should have the things you want, but that does not stop it from being a sales success.

[Neonridr]

you are partially correct there. The PS3 didn't have a great first year, but gained momentum over the course of its lifespan. The Wii U had a strong start with a solid launch library, however 3rd party devs quickly started jumping ship as the sales slowed and first party games were few and far between. Switch seems to be doing the opposite as more and more devs are scrambling to get titles onto the system as the Switch continues to move units.

[zb1ftw777]

I didn't think the Switch would be very good.

But i bought one and was very wrong about it too.

It is favourite console.

[PhoenixUp]

Nice to see someone own up to their mistakes

[Emme]

I still think the Switch is too limited. Sure, You can play older games now in portable mode (if You didnt play them then, why would You play them now ?), but if its nothing more than a nostalgia console, then so be it. A portable ROM emulator. Sure, people will buy Isaac oder Meat Boy a THIRD time to play them on the go. Fine. As a non commuter, with a big TV and friends who have grown out of Mario and Zelda, I dont find anything appealing with the Switch.
And I also find people sweettalk the actual experience with the Switch. Quite some games look not really good in handheld mode, the standard joycons arent that joyfull, and the online and additional app stuff is not even barebones.If the Xbox was like that, it wouldnt have survived the first three months. People live out their nintendo nostalgia, which is cool, I get that, but beyond that ? A barebones tablet that somehow sits square in 2018, when other consoles can play Monster Hunter World, Anthem, Horizon, Forza or Sea of Thieves. I had my sweet time with the Wii and the Wii U, the Switch doesnt impress me much (having played with it at work several times).

[Prince_TFK]

“A barebones tablet that somehow sits square in 2018, when other consoles can play Monster Hunter World, Anthem, Horizon, Forza or Sea of Thieves.”

Can “other” consoles play Pokemon, Smash, Zelda, Mario, Splatoon, Bayonetta 3, Metriod 4, SMTV, Animal Crossing...? I think you are being abit too biased here. It is not for you but it is for the millions of people that had already bought it and for the other millions that will also buy it.

[Discobastrd]

I was the same. Them by April I'd crumbled and bought. Incredible machine. Best hardware in years and regularly beats my PS4 pro in the usage competition

[pandehz]

Best console to date