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Nintendo Switch Becomes the Fastest-Selling Video Game Console of All Time in the US

Teran

Member
Very skeptical for 2018. I just dont see the quanity or quality keeping up. Prove me wrong nintendo


This is the most perfect first response to a Nintendo success thread. Something with this much momentum isn't going to fizzle out imo, especially with the unification of development environments and the big slowdown of 3DS game output.

At least on Nintendo's end, I wouldn't be surprised to see a consistent stream of quality games. Who knows what the 3rd party support will be like, but with these sales I imagine Japanese developers will be especially eager to go in.
 

Peterc

Member
Time for 3rd party to take this seriously and making even more/exclusive games for the switch.

Expect pswitch soon
 

TLZ

Banned
In 10 months. Why was this not in the title?

The PS4 sold faster in a day. Then slowed of course. Then picked up. And so on.
 
In 10 months. Why was this not in the title?

The PS4 sold faster in a day. Then slowed of course. Then picked up. And so on.

It's just marketing spin as per usual. Not trying to suggest it isn't impressive, but still. It's what these marketing firms get paid for.

That said, it's going to be interesting to see how sales for this thing develop as it's viability as a console (as opposed to a portable) wanes over time. I'm dying to see how Wolfenstein 2 turns out, considering how low the resolution is for Doom.
 
I used to laugh at the Switch.

Now I laugh at myself for not owning one.

I hope youve rectified the switchuation...

Impressive. I've had this sitting in my cart for a few days now, debating if I should pull the trigger. Decisions, decisions...

Its worth it. Great system. Have had it since april and havent plugged it into the tv yet. Use it every day on my commute and on couch/bed
 

kunonabi

Member
While i have issues with the system and the library it is nice to see it doing well so i dont have to worry about support dying off when i do get around to picking one up in 2019.
 
If Nintendo can keep this up they without a doubt will hit PS2 levels of success.

I feel like that's an insane 'what if', or at the very least, there's not much to base predicting that level of success on. A Nintendo home console has never achieved those numbers (much less recently) and where's the evidence to support the idea that a system priced as Nintendo has priced the Switch can hit those critical mass numbers at a non-handheld pricepoint?

It's a great first year and provided the games keep coming, could bode well for keeping that momentum up for a couple more. The PS2 continued to sell well because of its cheapness, up-to-date game selection, and value as a dvd player for a lot of people that didn't have them (all of which contributed to its massive, unique appeal and tail in non traditional markets/countries). If anything, the Switch's solitary focus on games, at the expensive of even last gen multimedia and social offerings, will limit it's audience once the initial "new hotness" factor is gone. It would have to get as cheap as the wii did (and probably faster) if it were to have a decent shot. And knowing Nintendo nowadays, I just don't see that happening.
 
Can I use it again?
25036792_167900387274495_8620483994296778752_n.jpg

200_s.gif
 

Lasty95

Member
Games We Know are Coming (that I personally am looking forward to):

Metroid Prime 4
New Pikmin
Fire Emblem
New Pokemon
Yoshi
Kirby
Bayonetta 1,2,& 3
New No More Heroes
Lost Sphere
Dragon Quest Builders
Shovel Knight King of Cards
Fe
Maluka
Mega Man Legacy Collection
Mega Man Legacy Collection 2
Mega Man X Collection
Mega Man 11
Starlink: Battle for Atlas
Hallow Knight
Project Octopath Traveler
Wolfenstein: The New Colossus
Valkyria Chronicles 4
Shin Megami Tensei V

and probably some more surprises. Not sure if all will hit 2018 but majority will.

That's not a great list really.

There's nothing Mario/Zelda/Kart big though. Metroid's getting there, but not quite,

What happened to that rumoured Pokemon game?
 

ShirAhava

Plays with kids toys, in the adult gaming world
Not really interested in the switch's 2018 lineup ...hopefully the next Nintendo direct corrects that....I really don't like the hardware at all tho thinking about buying one for XC2 and then selling it off....
 

Blam

Member
I feel like that's an insane 'what if', or at the very least, there's not much to base predicting that level of success on. A Nintendo home console has never achieved those numbers (much less recently) and where's the evidence to support the idea that a system priced as Nintendo has priced the Switch can hit those critical mass numbers at a non-handheld pricepoint?

It's a great first year and provided the games keep coming, could bode well for keeping that momentum up for a couple more. The PS2 continued to sell well because of its cheapness, up-to-date game selection, and value as a dvd player for a lot of people that didn't have them (all of which contributed to its massive, unique appeal and tail in non traditional markets/countries). If anything, the Switch's solitary focus on games, at the expensive of even last gen multimedia and social offerings, will limit it's audience once the initial "new hotness" factor is gone. It would have to get as cheap as the wii did (and probably faster) if it were to have a decent shot. And knowing Nintendo nowadays, I just don't see that happening.

Well if the Switch gets any sort of price cut even temporarily it'll sell a insane amount more.

I mean sure it might take longer but I can see it overtaking the PS2.
 

SadlerX84

Member
Remember that Nintendo Switch features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about other features, visit http://www.nintendo.com/switch/.

This part made me laugh... they still haven't fixed the "flight mode" circumventing this feature. My son does this all the time to get around the 3 hours daily max.

Anywho... great for Nintendo and it really is a well designed and thought out bit of kit.
 

Kurt

Member
That's not a great list really.

There's nothing Mario/Zelda/Kart big though. Metroid's getting there, but not quite,

What happened to that rumoured Pokemon game?

If you talking about system sellers.
Only mario kart is a real system seller.
No one did expect that mario odd sold that much. (compared to prev mario games)
Same go's for zelda.

Pokemon will prob sell even more than mario kart.

That said. If you talking about quality :
Games like pokemon, metroid prime 4 and bayonetta 3, fire embled, pikmin are AAA franchises. But we will see what kirby & yoshi has to bring.

I'm even not talking about 3th party content. But it seems that we would get a lot more of 3th party games in 2018.


Last but not least.
Nothing yet is official. We don't know for sure what to expect for 2018.
This is all speculation based on the news we get.
 
In 10 months. Why was this not in the title?

Yup. Fastest-Selling is just sales divided by time. It is meaningless without indicating the timeframe. The timespan should ALWAYS accompany a "fastest-selling" statement.

That's because every monthly milestone can have a different fastest-selling console in history. The Wii could still be the fastest selling console ever on 9 months, or 11 months, without causing a paradox. The important part of the information is 10 months, not "of All time", so it should not have been left out.

However it gives a good idea of the progression of sales. A less good idea than a graph would though, (the smaller the timeframe, the bigger the fluctuations spikes) but the graphs were also looking good last time they were produced.
 

FightTest

Member
Recently beat XC2, long done with Zelda, turns out I'm the only person on the planet who didn't find Mario fun at all..

Really hoping Fire Emblem comes out soon because my Switch basically just sits there now collecting dust. I might get Disgaea 5 to play in bed if the price ever drops substantially, but otherwise there's nothing I want to buy over PS4 options. (Bought both consoles recently after being PC only for 15+ years.)
 

Zog

Banned
I remember when Final Fantasy 13 was the fastest selling Final Fantasy game. Now Final Fantasy 15 has taken that title. Who cares about fastest selling, it's not an indicator of quality and I too doubt 2018 will keep the momentum. Why do consumers care about sales figures when they don't profit from them?
 

TannerDemoz

Member
I remember when Final Fantasy 13 was the fastest selling Final Fantasy game. Now Final Fantasy 15 has taken that title. Who cares about fastest selling, it's not an indicator of quality and I too doubt 2018 will keep the momentum. Why do consumers care about sales figures when they don't profit from them?

It's an indication of demand – something that Nintendo has struggled with in recent years.

As a Nintendo fan, I care about sales figures because it shows that Nintendo has learned from the mistakes with its Wii U console and is on track for one hell of a prosperous future. Why would sales slow down any time soon? What happens when they inevitably announce the next Smash Bros, show more information on Metroid Prime 4 and showcase the next Pokemon Game? They're sitting on bags of cash.
 

Zog

Banned
It's an indication of demand – something that Nintendo has struggled with in recent years.

As a Nintendo fan, I care about sales figures because it shows that Nintendo has learned from the mistakes with its Wii U console and is on track for one hell of a prosperous future. Why would sales slow down any time soon? What happens when they inevitably announce the next Smash Bros, show more information on Metroid Prime 4 and showcase the next Pokemon Game? They're sitting on bags of cash.

Good sales don't show that Nintendo has learned from it's mistakes, it shows that they got lucky just like with the Wii. I know the Wii's success caught them by surprise and I wouldn't doubt if that's the case here. Just as NES Classic's demand caught them by surprise.

This happens in the console market. The original Xbox wasn't too successful but the 360 was. Now the Xbox One is lagging behind. The PS1 and PS2 were super successful but the PS3 didn't do so well. PS4 is doing very well and has been since it launched.

The reason for Switch's success probably lies in it's library and they can't release a Zelda and mainline Mario every year. Maybe you think Metroid, Smash and Pokemon will sell as many consoles as Mario and Zelda but I don't see it. Most fans of those franchises are also fans of Mario and Zelda and have already bought their Switch.
 

TannerDemoz

Member
Good sales don't show that Nintendo has learned from it's mistakes, it shows that they got lucky just like with the Wii. I know the Wii's success caught them by surprise and I wouldn't doubt if that's the case here. Just as NES Classic's demand caught them by surprise.

This happens in the console market. The original Xbox wasn't too successful but the 360 was. Now the Xbox One is lagging behind. The PS1 and PS2 were super successful but the PS3 didn't do so well. PS4 is doing very well and has been since it launched.

The reason for Switch's success probably lies in it's library and they can't release a Zelda and mainline Mario every year. Maybe you think Metroid, Smash and Pokemon will sell as many consoles as Mario and Zelda but I don't see it. Most fans of those franchises are also fans of Mario and Zelda and have already bought their Switch.

Good sales do show that Nintendo has learned from its success, because those good sales have come from direct lessons: focusing on mobile platforms to broaden IP awareness; savvy marketing and PR; strong first party support from the go; utilising older titles with NES and SNES mini to gain market support and hype; recognising their strengths in the handheld market and listening to consumer demand – a consumer demographic that is consistently moving around from place to place. I could go on.

The reason for Switch's success partially lays with its first party line-up, yes, but it's also the strengths of the console. A diverse handheld/home console hybrid.

If you don't think Pokemon, accompanied by the likes of Metroid and Smash will help sell as many consoles as Mario and Zelda, I think you're severely underestimating the power of the franchise.
 

Zog

Banned
Good sales do show that Nintendo has learned from its success, because those good sales have come from direct lessons: focusing on mobile platforms to broaden IP awareness; savvy marketing and PR; strong first party support from the go; utilising older titles with NES and SNES mini to gain market support and hype; recognising their strengths in the handheld market and listening to consumer demand – a consumer demographic that is consistently moving around from place to place. I could go on.

The reason for Switch's success partially lays with its first party line-up, yes, but it's also the strengths of the console. A diverse handheld/home console hybrid.

If you don't think Pokemon, accompanied by the likes of Metroid and Smash will help sell as many consoles as Mario and Zelda, I think you're severely underestimating the power of the franchise.

If having a successful console means learning from their mistakes, does a failed console after a successful console mean they forgot what they learned?
 

Kid Ying

Member
Very skeptical for 2018. I just dont see the quanity or quality keeping up. Prove me wrong nintendo

Congrats on year one tho


Edit - dont forget octopath traveler rveryone!
Yeah.

And yeah.

Nintendo had an awesome year after a couple of bad ones. I Hope they manage to keep up, but it's going to be hard.
 

TannerDemoz

Member
If having a successful console means learning from their mistakes, does a failed console after a successful console mean they forgot what they learned?

Depends what it was. Going from Wii to Wii U shows they got too complacent and it they mess up after Switch it'll because they try focusing on home console
 

Zog

Banned
Depends what it was. Going from Wii to Wii U shows they got too complacent and it they mess up after Switch it'll because they try focusing on home console

In other words, they build what they think people want and then luck takes over. With the Wii and the Switch they got lucky and with the N64, Gamecube and Wii U they were unlucky.
 

TannerDemoz

Member
In other words, they build what they think people want and then luck takes over. With the Wii and the Switch they got lucky and with the N64, Gamecube and Wii U they were unlucky.

Or they build what they think people want and they're either right or wrong? Don't think luck has anything to do with it. It's either nailing it or missing the mark. I don't see how you can amount Wii and Switch level sales to 'luck'
 
Too bad they shat on everyone who bought a Wii U to sell those Switches. They should have kept all games released and planned for Wii U on the Wii U because people bought it for exclusives, not beta Switch games.
 

Zog

Banned
Or they build what they think people want and they're either right or wrong?

Yes, this is luck. Did they read the market correctly or not.

You originally said that they learned from their mistakes but I think they just got lucky with a console people wanted like they did with the Wii. They hoped people would like a dual screen console but in that case, they were unlucky. If they fail next gen, it won't be because they forgot valuable lessons learned, it will be because they were wrong about what they thought the public wanted.

It's hit and miss, ask Sony and Microsoft.
 
Yes, this is luck. Did they read the market correctly or not.

You originally said that they learned from their mistakes but I think they just got lucky with a console people wanted like they did with the Wii. They hoped people would like a dual screen console but in that case, they were unlucky. If they fail next gen, it won't be because they forgot valuable lessons learned, it will be because they were wrong about what they thought the public wanted.

It's hit and miss, ask Sony and Microsoft.

It's not entirely luck. Companies spend millions of dollars on market research to find out what people want. The Wii U fuckup is proof Nintendo doesn't even do market research, because the Gamepad looked like a bad idea from the beginning, not to mention the confusing name and marketing.
 

Zog

Banned
It's not entirely luck. Companies spend millions of dollars on market research to find out what people want. The Wii U fuckup is proof Nintendo doesn't even do market research, because the Gamepad looked like a bad idea from the beginning, not to mention the confusing name and marketing.

So in NIntendo's case, it's not market research it's luck. Remember how demand for the NES Classic caught Nintendo by surprise even though the hype was super high after the announcement? Apparently they weren't paying any attention.
 

jts

...hate me...
Nintendo hit a home run. It was clear from the October 2016 reveal, but somehow forgotten by January 2017.

cue "BUT WILL IT HAVE GAEMZ LOL" because that's the only thing can keep banking on - the uncertain future. While in the present Switch keeps being a winner, beating the doubts over and over.

And yes, Nintendo and other software houses will definitely not want to make and sell more software for a console that sells with this kind of momentum.

Can't wait for the January Direct.
 
Glad I picked one up at launch. I was worried about Nintendo following the Wii U.

There were a several key points which gave me hope for this system.


  • The idea of consolidating development efforts for a single console.
  • Faster quicker cut down system UI.
  • Partnering with Nvidia for technology concerns (huge win for both companies).
  • Marketing for a more adult audience.
This 'hybrid handheld' market is a good one for them and gaming overall.
 
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