Nintendo should make a powerful console.

[CastletonSnob]

I've heard people make the argument that "Nintendo shouldn't make a powerful console to directly compete with Sony and Microsoft, since the N64 and GameCube, both powerful consoles, failed!"

Here's the thing: The N64 and GameCube didn't fail because they were trying to compete against Sony and Microsoft, they failed because Nintendo made stupid decisions with those consoles, like sticking with cartridges and using mini-DVDs. A Nintendo console on par with the PS5 and Xbox Series X would most likely do very well. Imagine a Nintendo console with amazing first party AND third party games, and having Mario and Zelda in 4k and 60 FPS. It's actually really simple to make a console that sells well.

If I can figure this out, why can't a multi-billion dollar company like Nintendo?

[wilamu]

It's simple really, they have a huge fan base who are more than happy with what they're offering. They're making plenty of money!

 

What's the point in them investing all that money into R&D for a high-spec console that no one really cares about, relatively speaking.

[deadlou666]

I fully agree with this. Was thinking the same because Nintendo used to be amazing and every household had a n64 / snes etc but now it's rare you have people who ig "dedicate" themselves to a switch in the way xbox / playstation players do. I think a big problem was when they went too family friendly ya know. Anwya that's just my opinion 

[CastletonSnob]

6 minutes ago, wilamu said:

It's simple really, they have a huge fan base who are more than happy with what they're offering. They're making plenty of money!

 

What's the point in them investing all that money into R&D for a high-spec console that no one really cares about, relatively speaking.

If Nintendo wants to be taken seriously in the console wars and by the average gamer, they need to make a console on par with the PS5 and Xbox Series X. 

 

 

[OhioYJ]

6 minutes ago, CastletonSnob said:

If Nintendo wants to be taken seriously in the console wars and by the average gamer, they need to make a console on par with the PS5 and Xbox Series X.

You might be focusing on what you want, and not what the actual market wants? They are different markets, different "gamers", as you put it.

 

Besides, I think Nintendo is doing just fine. While you may thing the switch was a poor decision, a quick google search shows:

 

Nintendo Switch Sold: 122.5 Million

PS5 Sold: 30 Millon

 

References (First Google results, from near the same time frame of this year):

Switch

PS5

 

This means about 10 million PS5 a year? About 17.5 million switch a year? I know it's not going to be as simple as just dividing it out over the number of years it's been out, but it would seem to indicate, the Switch is doing fine.

 

It appears Xbox numbers aren't as simple, but I found estimates that figure they are behind the PS5. Even throwing the PS5 / Xbox numbers together that I saw and dividing them, they still don't match the Switch sales.

 

So why would Nintendo the "billion dollar" company would to change this up?

[CastletonSnob]

I may be overestimating how much the average gamer cares about power.

[Ertman]

17 hours ago, CastletonSnob said:

I may be overestimating how much the average gamer cares about power.

It depends on whether you think “gamers” care more about games, or metrics like teraflops.

On 3/18/2023 at 4:05 PM, CastletonSnob said:

Here's the thing: The N64 and GameCube didn't fail because they were trying to compete against Sony and Microsoft, they failed because Nintendo made stupid decisions with those consoles, like sticking with cartridges and using mini-DVDs.

N64 wasn’t a failure and the cartridge was fine. The mini disc thingy was also not a factor in the GameCube’s relatively lack of success. 

 

On 3/18/2023 at 4:05 PM, CastletonSnob said:

A Nintendo console on par with the PS5 and Xbox Series X would most likely do very well. Imagine a Nintendo console with amazing first party AND third party games, and having Mario and Zelda in 4k and 60 FPS. It's actually really simple to make a console that sells well.

Specs do not drive the sales of those games. Also, specs don’t usually equal sales.

There are plenty of companies including Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo, Sega, Atari, etc.that disagree with how “simple” it is. 

[SteveGrabowski0]

Nintendo doesn't take losses on console sales and they don't want to only break even on them too. That right there kills the chance we'd ever see Nintendo take Sony and Microsoft on by making systems of comparable power. They're not going to make hardware to be a loss leader the way Sony and Microsoft do because they don't need to.

[Lorben]

I don't see Nintendo separating their home and handheld systems again and they're not packing PS5 power into a Switch form factor.

 

I'm just hoping the Switch 2 is on the level of the Series S.  That would open up a lot of third party games since anything released on the Series X also has to work on the Series S.