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Polygon: Nintendo Switch will launch with fewer games than the Wii, Wii U or 3DS
- Thread starter Equanimity
- Start date
Because game consoles have lived with one game before right.
I know, but the title says "fewer than Wii/Wii U/3DS" like a low number of launch games is inherently a bad thing.
I'd take a launch with 2 or 3 awesome games over a launch with like 32 random ass multiplat and shovelware releases any day.
Switch launch is terrible because, as you said, the only notable game is also available on a console that many of us on GAF already own. It's the reason why I'm not getting a Switch at launch.
And fucked over owners of a system that was promised a seemingly good title.
metalslimer
Member
To be fair Wii Sports pretty much sold the Wii for like 6 months.
OrbitalBeard
Member
Six months? More like a year and a half. And the only reason it wasn't longer is because Mario Kart and Wii Fit took the reigns.
Solid SOAP
Member
Zelda and Mario Kart within the first 2 months is fine by me, but Nintendo really need to play nice with indies and 3rd parties if they're gonna get people interested in their console.
The real switch launch happens in 2018, that's when it'll have a nice collection of games to play.
metalslimer
Member
I think this is the argument against buying a Switch at launch though.
Lord_Byron28
Member
The initial launch lineup is pretty bad as well as 3rd party support. However, in terms of major releases in the first 9 months it is probably the best in a long time. They are releasing Zelda, Mario Kart, Splatoon, 3D Mario, Xenoblade, and "their next big ip, ARMS"- Nintendo in the first 9 months of launch. Comparatively in the first 9 months of Wii U we got 2D Mario, Pikmin, Nintendoland and Game & Wario. I imagine there are still a fair amount of games we don't know about releasing in 2017 as well.
Spieler Eins
Member
Your old WiiU?
Pretty much. Why should I drop 400 drops for jokes like 1,2 Switch when gaming elsewhere sees the best time in years.
If Nicalis have already lined up Redout and Isaac Afterbirth + for a Spring launch then indies ought to be fine on the console. It wouldn't surprise me if Switch gets a bit of a Vita effect in this regard.
At least one AAA game that isn't available on another console?
efyu_lemonardo
May I have a cookie?
So everyone should wait a year. That'll guarantee good support for the platform.
darkazcura
Member
?? The common meme for PS3 was its lack of games the first year.
Anyway don't know why people think Nintendo has been sitting on their hands. You have them converting BOTW to Switch, MK8, ARMs, 1,2 Switch, Splatoon 2, and Mario all coming in 2017. Xenoblade has 2017 listed as its release date on Nintendo's website in Japan I believe. That's 5 new first party games and 2 ports/remasters all in 2017 (span of 9 months), and we haven't even gotten to E3 yet where we will probably hear about Pokémon Stars, Smash, some other portable franchises, and maybe even Retro's game (been three years since their last game). Seems like a ton of output to me.
If by the end of the year we have gotten Zelda, MK8, Splatoon 2, Mario, and Pokémon all on one system..I don't even know how anyone could say that is a drought. That is pretty crazy output for one publisher in 9 months. If Xenoblade actually hits holiday 2017 or very early 2018? That would just be even more insane obviously. I wouldn't even know the last time any console received that much high end first party support in such a short period of time.
If some still think that is a drought, expectations, IMO, are way out of whack.
D
Deleted member 752119
Unconfirmed Member
I thought I was clear on that? I've rarely bought more than 5 games a year on Nintendo platforms from GC on as they're secondary for me and few of their games take precedent over the mutliplats and Sony/MS exclusives for me.
Best version of Zelda is enough for me to get it day one instead of playing on Wii U. MK8, Splatoon 2 and Mario are plenty rest of year for me as I'll have difficulty making time for them with all the stuff I want to buy in PS4/PC. Again, even in mid generation years I've rarely played more than a handful of Nintendo games in any one year so it's a pretty normal year. Hell in 2016 all I bought for Wii U/3DS was Star Fox Zero, Twilight Princess HD and Monster Hunter Generations.
Mario Kart and Zelda are Wii U games and I'll eat a spicy hot dog if Xenoblade actually releases this year.
That's a pretty silly justification. You're saying it worth the price right now with these titles because you will also have other games to play on other platforms. What?
FalsettoVibe
Member
Horrible first post.
True, but I see it as let me enjoy Zelda and by the time i'm done with other stuff there's more available on the Switch. Not saying that everyone would like that approach though.
wastedyears
Member
Not true. Unless by loves you mean, thinks it's kind of fun for about five minutes.
efyu_lemonardo
May I have a cookie?
The thing is, from a financial position that's the worst thing they could do.
While this is true - Zelda alone beats everything that DS, 3DS and WiiU had at launch. Not Wii since it had Wii Sports and TP lol.
I dont believe you. You need more people.
I dont believe you. You need more people.
That's nintendo's problem for launching when they're clearly not ready.
RyanPierre
Member
Is selling out launch hardware much of an accomplishment? It's a high profile new console. The Wii U sold out its launch hardware. The real measure of success is what happens after launch.
Also, for all the "nobody has a Wii U" comments, consider the millions who do have them, and that they're probably pretty hardcore Nintendo fans, and Zelda's announcement years ago likely helped many of them make that decision. Many are also probably a little disappointed on the quantity of the Wii U games library, so I don't think it's unreasonable to consider that Wii U owners may be more cautious about buying into the next Nintendo console at launch, and may instead want to save a bunch of money and get Zelda for the console they already own and partially bought in anticipation for Zelda anyway.
Nobody at all has a Switch. And as things stand, it looks like it won't be matching up to the Wii U's sales figures either.
The hole in that logic is that Zelda isn't even exclusive on one platform. That's like a big movie opening day and date showing on CBS.
Sales will drop, and there's a good chance that for the launch week Zelda could sell more on Wii U than Switch simply because it's 300 buck cheaper.
There needs to be more than that to get people to perform another leap of faith.
Oddly enough, given enough time with Switch games that have been worn out and played to completion, we'll see people crying about the 3ds being neglected for their favorite titles.
quite frankly this system imo was rushed to launch. With MK8 coming out over a month later and Splatoon only being given a Summer 2017 release window. I think they should have launched this when when Zelda AND MK8 could be had. ARMS would have been great at launch as well.
And to me the 3rd party situation isn't something anyone should be boasting about either.
Then maybe if you're Nintendo, you could wait before you put out an image like this and let a narrative form:
Wii U launched with more games than Nintendo Switch has all year...
I'd argue the PS4 had the worst launch line up, especially if you own a PC, which is incredibly common unlike the very few with a WiiU. There was Resogun for good exclusive games and that was it.... Any other quality title was a multi platform game that played better on PC.
Yes, Zelda is technically multiplatform but again how many people actually still have a WiiU? I got rid of mine about a year ago. And the WiiU version will perform noticeably worse.
Yes, Zelda is technically multiplatform but again how many people actually still have a WiiU? I got rid of mine about a year ago. And the WiiU version will perform noticeably worse.
Jon Carter
Member
Yeah, it's look pretty great. I would say I hope it has a healthy online userbase but I'm not even sure I'm going to subscribe to Nintendo's yet.
Luckily, their online service is the easiest disastrous decision surrounding the Switch to fix. Backlash, lackluster sales and a low number of subscriptions will probably make Nintendo rethink their value proposition. Scrapping the whole idea would be even better but that doesn't seem likely. I hope they do rethink things, because there's no way I can justify to my wife (or to myself) spending money to play games like Mario Kart and Splatoon online that we already play online on Wii U for free.
Shil Pencer
Member
Iam still not big on the new Zelda, yeah I know Iam the worst, but if it launched with 1 game and it was Mario Odyssey I'd say it was the best launch lineup ever
Dr. Buni
Member
A game I care about.
I like Zelda, but that is not the kind of Zelda I like. If that game was on the vein of Ocarina, Majora or the top down games, I'd be hype.
So you wanted Nintendo to give people yet another reason to not give them money anymore?
I dunno how quickly you all play games.
But most launches, one game is plenty for me, maybe even too much ahahaha.
A whole bevy of titles would be great.
But starting with Zelda. Then Mario coming up, Splatoon 2 coming up, stuff like DQ 11 coming up, gonna be fine.
As much as people complain about like Wii U and games, I've built up a library thats stellar as hell and made the console worth it a million times over.
Now doubts the Switch will be the same.
But most launches, one game is plenty for me, maybe even too much ahahaha.
A whole bevy of titles would be great.
But starting with Zelda. Then Mario coming up, Splatoon 2 coming up, stuff like DQ 11 coming up, gonna be fine.
As much as people complain about like Wii U and games, I've built up a library thats stellar as hell and made the console worth it a million times over.
Now doubts the Switch will be the same.
Nintendo is obviously holding Mario Kart back so they'll have something for April, which is just dumb (it should have been a pack-in, in my opinion).
If they are that short on titles, they should have delayed until late April and then e3 announcements/excitement could have carried them thru any software droughts.
If they are that short on titles, they should have delayed until late April and then e3 announcements/excitement could have carried them thru any software droughts.
facetheslayer92
Member
Exactly, yet some people are still in denial. The fact that Kart, Splatoon, and Skyrim are so far out is mind boggling. Mario and Xenoblade could easily be pushed into 2018.
You are actually correct. But it was such a huge outlier and Zelda doesn't come close to having such an impact on our popular culture as Wii Sports had.
darkazcura
Member
I'd prefer Kart and ARMs at launch but it seems clear Nintendo is trying to spread it out a bit to get something out there every month or two to avoid droughts. Would have been nice to have Kart and ARMs at launch but then you wouldn't have Splatoon 2 until summer. As sparse as the day 1 lineup looks, a 3-4 month drought would have looked far worse and been slammed in the media even harder.
I truly believe that even if Nintendo released during the holidays, they would have spread out their titles similarly. Pushing this system to the fall or launch wouldn't have gotten us those games at launch necessarily. It'd still be a month to month thing, IMO.
The quantity might not be there, but 2017 is looking to be the best first year from a Nintendo console since the GameCube. Some seem to forget how bad the first year was for DS and 3DS.
axisofweevils
Holy crap! Today's real megaton is that more than two people can have the same first name.
Super Bomberman R and 1-2 Switch fit that bill.
Later that same month, SnipperClips, Fast Racing Remix and Has Been Heroes arrives.
Then, Mario Kart hits in April.
As someone that was there for the 3DS and Wii U launch, this article is laughable. The Switch dumps on both from a great height. I never thought I'd see someone long for the apparently halcyon days of Steel Diver and Nintendogs.
PS4 and Xbox one had the better launch lineup than the Switch.
Switch has Zelda. A game that will be amazing, but that's it really. It's the game most everyone will buy.
For PS4 you have the exclusives, and then you had AC, COD, Madden, Battlefield, etc. It had much better 3rd party support from franchises that totally eclipse Zelda.
Yoshi
Headmaster of Console Warrior Jugendstrafanstalt
Which is what I hope many will do, because I'm going to play Zelda on Wii U
.And to the question whar Switch needed: One game exclusive to itself.
Well maybe I'll be lucky and can get into the situation of becoming a Switch Ambassador and get it for a cheaper price as well
.Since the last 3D Bomberman I played was terrible, I can't see people rushing out to buy the console just to play that.
And 1-2 Switch is a tech demo that should be included for free.