Who is the Nintendo switch marketed for?

[Fonejackerjon]

Hasn't the PS Vita confirmed enough that people are not interested in playing AAA games on the go? Who is going to carry a bulky, extra handheld device along with their phone.

Nintendo has failed to realise the market has split in half AAA gaming belongs at home and casual gaming is for on the move. The 3DS was an anomaly


The thing is with portable gaming the better the graphics gets the more pointless it becomes, it like laying the most beautiful, expensive carpet in the world in your wardrobe.

 

[Dirty Hipsters]

I said this in another thread and the Switch doesn't seem like it's designed with an adult audience in mind, just like the WiiU.

The WiiU's touch screen controller was great for when your dad wants to use the TV to watch sports and doesn't let you play video games on it. You can just turn on your WiiU and leave the room with the controller while playing on the second screen!

...Except that I'm an adult, own my own TV in my own living room, and don't have to worry about people kicking me off my TV. I don't need a portable second screen because I have A FUCK OFF BIG TV SCREEN all to myself. Now Nintendo seems to be doubling down on that.

The Switch's portability is great for when you have to go on a long car ride with your parents and have nothing to do. You can just pull out your switch in the back seat and play it on battery power until the drive is over.

...Except I'm an adult and I'M THE ONE DRIVING THE CAR. I'll never actually need the Switch's portability. There aren't many times in my day where I have the free time to play a video game while simultaneously being away from my living room, and when those times rarely do occur I'll have a smart phone on my pocket.

These special features don't do anything for me, and that fact makes me feel like I don't want a Switch. And it's fine for the console to market itself toward younger people and not adults, but at the same time I don't feel like the Switch is doing a very good job of being portable either, which is its entire gimmick. It's trying to be an all in one experience, and it's good at neither being a handheld nor a console.

The portability is worse than the 3DS, which makes it worse at being a portable system than the 3DS. And considering that the portability is the whole gimmick of this console, that's a bad thing.

It's large and bulky and doesn't fit in your pocket, meaning that you'll need to carry it in a backpack. It has an unprotected screen, which means that you'll have to have a carrying case for it, or it has to be the only thing in your backpack to keep it protected. The controller attachments don't fit in a standard tablet case, so you'll have to take them off and put them back on every time you want to play a game. It just doesn't seem thought through at all. I mean seriously, how many people are willing to carry a bag with them just to accommodate the Nintendo Switch?

So in the end it's less powerful than the current generation of consoles, while also being less portable than this generation of handhelds.

I'd rather they release an actual new handheld instead, as well as a new console instead of this weird amalgamation that doesn't seem to do anything particularly well.

 

[TheMysteriousGX]

People with families, people who regularly take long commutes, people who've figured out that the 3ds already doesn't fit in all but the most spacious of pockets, and people who want the option of playing Monster Hunter and Pokemon on the TV.

So, Japanese people and me.

 

[American Fox]

People that want to play new Nintendo games.

As long as it does that, who cares about the other shit?

 

[Saelune]

I still hold that it is not meant to be a "portable device". It is a home console. I think they just are upgrading the ability to play in different rooms basically, or just without a TV.

One person pointed out how it would be good for him because he has a family and would not want to kick his kids off the TV just to game, but still be around them, so the switch would thus be able to allow him to play while sitting with his family as they watch whatever they want to.

No one (well, very few) is going to go hang out on the bus, on a train, or between classes playing the Switch. Might be good for say, light camping (like at a place with power to recharge, rather than in the dark wild) or outgoing social events but not to just pull out and play for a bit.

As for who it is for, the same people Nintendo has always been for, everyone. Nintendo is one of the few proper examples of "For All Ages".

Also the Vita mainly did not do as good because it doesnt have Nintendo games more than anything. Pokemon alone probably convinced more than a few people to go 3DS than Vita.

 

[Silvanus]

The 3DS being an anomaly doesn't explain why the DS was also successful, and the various gameboys before it. Portables are popular.

The only reason people aren't playing the biggest AAA games on the go is that up until now, no device has existed that can handle them, not that there isn't a market for that.

 

[klaynexas3]

I'd say the Vita also failed in terms of not having any major killer apps to work with. I bought the damn thing, and I play it fairly often and will often pick it over getting the graphically superior ports on my PS4. Why, might you ask? I just like stuff on the go, and this lets me play a lot of things on the go, and it's more convenient than my laptop. But again, I still wouldn't recommend it to hardly anyone.

So, as to the answer to your question, the Switch is marketed at people like me, that are just too damn lazy to turn their computer on and sit in a chair, but still want to play some games, and the living room is just too far away. Or maybe I'm waiting between classes and need something to kill time. Or maybe it's the weekend at my work and the managers couldn't give a shit what we're doing so we just play on our 3DSes anyway between calls. Or maybe I'm at Friday night magic and I just suck and had a buy during a round. Maybe I'm at my friend's house and we're just chilling and drinking but two of them are already playing some smash. I can think of a lot of scenarios where I can use it as just the portable tablet, but also have use to have the base and throw it up on a TV, and I almost always have my bookbag with me wherever I go, so I'd have a way to carry it around. I'm also assuming Nintendo will put out a shoulder bag perfect for taking it on the go, and lord knows I could use it.

Ultimately, there are a lot of reasons why I'm excited that the console is what it is. I know a lot of people wanted it to be at least as powerful as a base PS4, and I can understand people not being happy that it is not, but honestly, I'm happy with what I'm getting, and I think a lot of other people will be too. I don't think it will outsell the PS4, this is still technically a Nintendo home console, and those things haven't sold extremely well since the SNES(outside of the Wii, but that also sold well as a cheap Netflix machine and a way for parents to think their kids were actually being active), but I imagine probably closer to the GameCube or N64 range, which isn't awful.

 

[barbzilla]

Hasn't the PS Vita confirmed enough that people are not interested in playing AAA games on the go? Who is going to carry a bulky, extra handheld device along with their phone.

Nintendo has failed to realise the market has split in half AAA gaming belongs at home and casual gaming is for on the move. The 3DS was an anomaly


The thing is with portable gaming the better the graphics gets the more pointless it becomes, it like laying the most beautiful, expensive carpet in the world in your wardrobe.

I don't think the Vita proved any of that. The issue with the Vita was lack of library (and more importantly good games in said library, as there were precious few). That said, as long as the game has save anywhere features and doesn't over do it on the cut scenes, there is no reason why you can actually put an effort into making a portable game something more than 99% of the portable games out there.

Honestly I use a Nvidia Shield Portable and play AAA PC games on the go regularly (provided I have a decent 4g signal), and rarely if ever touch my 3ds since I just don't get into a lot of the games they have for it (though there are certainly some amazing games out there for the 3ds, I'm not trying to say they are all bad or anything), and I prefer playing a game with some production value.

Also, graphics have nothing to do with the portable gaming market and player's perception of the games/systems in a negative light due to the fact that the games are improving. The issue is that the portable game devs are used to being able to push a fully finished game out in 6 months to 3 years (with some out-layers on both sides of the numbers). So as the graphics improve, and budget/development time is tighter and tighter, they spend less time innovating and worrying about the actual design of the game (or they just release the same tired games every 2 years with a new subtext). That said, the two are not mutually exclusive, nor should they be.

If you want to be mad about the quality of games that are coming out, blame the developers not the systems they develop for.

 

[KaraFang]

People with families, people who regularly take long commutes, people who've figured out that the 3ds already doesn't fit in all but the most spacious of pockets, and people who want the option of playing Monster Hunter and Pokemon on the TV.

So, Japanese people and me.

People with families - Yeah, the Switch doesn't look rugged enough for kids to handle. Plus you will hand a kid that not very strong looking device to use while out and about? I'd also add cost... if this thing is in the GBP200 range? That's a VERY expensive device to hand a child. Hell, my mother was loathe to give us the original gameboy when we were 12/13 and that only cost 70 cause she was worried we'd lose it.

people who regularly take long commutes - No, this is going to be a phone. Almost nobody takes more than one device with them on commutes unless they HAVE to. If your phone has video, books and games on it, you take that because it also works as a PHONE.

People who've figured out that the 3ds already doesn't fit in all but the most spacious of pockets - What and the switch will? It looks VERY large... and those click in parts look VERY flimsy, even in the ad.

People who want the option of playing Monster Hunter and Pokemon on the TV. - This could have been done for a more powerful, non transformer, console? = better graphics, sound, frame rate for responsive play.... yeah.

Anyone seen the demos of the new Zelda adventure? WIP or not, it ran like treacle... blegh.

The Switch will go two ways:

Gimmick for "family" people like the above who then realise it's not actually much use and it'll grow dust (A la the Wii)
Nobody will buy it and it'll be a footnote in the "trying to blend use" market when we have PHONES and TABLETS that already do this. All the phones need is a way to cast to your TV... maybe Chromecast or Amazon will bring this in.

 

[TheMysteriousGX]

People with families, people who regularly take long commutes, people who've figured out that the 3ds already doesn't fit in all but the most spacious of pockets, and people who want the option of playing Monster Hunter and Pokemon on the TV.

So, Japanese people and me.

People with families - Yeah, the Switch doesn't look rugged enough for kids to handle. Plus you will hand a kid that not very strong looking device to use while out and about? I'd also add cost... if this thing is in the GBP200 range? That's a VERY expensive device to hand a child. Hell, my mother was loathe to give us the original gameboy when we were 12/13 and that only cost 70 cause she was worried we'd lose it.

Looking rugged and being rugged are two separate things. Nintendo's not in the habit of making flimsy equipment. I'm fairly certain I could kill a man with the GameCube between rounds of Smash.

people who regularly take long commutes - No, this is going to be a phone. Almost nobody takes more than one device with them on commutes unless they HAVE to. If your phone has video, books and games on it, you take that because it also works as a PHONE.

And yet, the DS and 3ds were popular despite not being phones.

People who've figured out that the 3ds already doesn't fit in all but the most spacious of pockets - What and the switch will? It looks VERY large... and those click in parts look VERY flimsy, even in the ad.

Never said it would, just said people are already used to carrying things around that don't fit in pockets.

People who want the option of playing Monster Hunter and Pokemon on the TV. - This could have been done for a more powerful, non transformer, console? = better graphics, sound, frame rate for responsive play.... yeah.

Not without added cost and development time. One of the big reasons the Vita failed is because publishers were spending AAA money to sell AA games and the math just doesn't work out. Now if the Vita could have gotten a power boost while being hooked up to a TV, that might've been less of a concern.

Gimmick for "family" people like the above who then realise it's not actually much use and it'll grow dust (A la the Wii)
Nobody will buy it and it'll be a footnote in the "trying to blend use" market when we have PHONES and TABLETS that already do this. All the phones need is a way to cast to your TV... maybe Chromecast or Amazon will bring this in.

See, you say that, and I look round and see people are willing to pay a hardware modder $600 to get a 3ds with an HDMI output.

A portable console that has that as standard while getting a power boost for being docked could do quite well.

 

[Saelune]

People with families, people who regularly take long commutes, people who've figured out that the 3ds already doesn't fit in all but the most spacious of pockets, and people who want the option of playing Monster Hunter and Pokemon on the TV.

So, Japanese people and me.

People with families - Yeah, the Switch doesn't look rugged enough for kids to handle. Plus you will hand a kid that not very strong looking device to use while out and about? I'd also add cost... if this thing is in the GBP200 range? That's a VERY expensive device to hand a child. Hell, my mother was loathe to give us the original gameboy when we were 12/13 and that only cost 70 cause she was worried we'd lose it.

people who regularly take long commutes - No, this is going to be a phone. Almost nobody takes more than one device with them on commutes unless they HAVE to. If your phone has video, books and games on it, you take that because it also works as a PHONE.

People who've figured out that the 3ds already doesn't fit in all but the most spacious of pockets - What and the switch will? It looks VERY large... and those click in parts look VERY flimsy, even in the ad.

People who want the option of playing Monster Hunter and Pokemon on the TV. - This could have been done for a more powerful, non transformer, console? = better graphics, sound, frame rate for responsive play.... yeah.

Anyone seen the demos of the new Zelda adventure? WIP or not, it ran like treacle... blegh.

The Switch will go two ways:

Gimmick for "family" people like the above who then realise it's not actually much use and it'll grow dust (A la the Wii)
Nobody will buy it and it'll be a footnote in the "trying to blend use" market when we have PHONES and TABLETS that already do this. All the phones need is a way to cast to your TV... maybe Chromecast or Amazon will bring this in.

Have you used a Wii U? Have you used it's gamepad? That thing is durable. Sure the switch looks less durable, but I doubt it is Apple quality of frail. Plus I find you have to actually use and handle these things to get a real sense of them.

I find I take my 3DS over my phone, but generally anyone who has a 3DS cares enough about games to want good ones, and will endure taking it so not to endure boredom.

Seriously, phone games are garbage. The same reason we still have real restaurants despite fast food, real games will never be outdone by phone games.

 

[Yoshi178]

I mean seriously, how many people are willing to carry a bag with them just to accommodate the Nintendo Switch?

Quite a lot of people already carry bags with them because they already need to bring other things with them. things such as work laptops and documents. headphones. shopping items. kids taking their school books to and from school. etc.

shocking i know right?

 

[Fox12]

I think it's a product of Japanese audiences moving toward mobile gaming. It's short sighted, though, and won't work.

 

[gyrobot_v1legacy]

I still hold that it is not meant to be a "portable device". It is a home console. I think they just are upgrading the ability to play in different rooms basically, or just without a TV.

One person pointed out how it would be good for him because he has a family and would not want to kick his kids off the TV just to game, but still be around them, so the switch would thus be able to allow him to play while sitting with his family as they watch whatever they want to.

No one (well, very few) is going to go hang out on the bus, on a train, or between classes playing the Switch. Might be good for say, light camping (like at a place with power to recharge, rather than in the dark wild) or outgoing social events but not to just pull out and play for a bit.

As for who it is for, the same people Nintendo has always been for, everyone. Nintendo is one of the few proper examples of "For All Ages".

Also the Vita mainly did not do as good because it doesnt have Nintendo games more than anything. Pokemon alone probably convinced more than a few people to go 3DS than Vita.

Lets not forget how it quickly became a fappinh handheld where all the perverted niche crap goes with actual stripping mechanics

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Going by the trailer, it's primarily for:

1) The guy that stops playing games at home only when his neglected dog begs him for some attention, only to be set lose in a park as his master walks ten feet, succumbs to a bench and continues to play on his portable device all the while ignoring his dog, his life and a perfectly good sunrise.

2) People who would be caught dead reading a book.

3) Young people in airports falling in conversation and, subsequently, love as they discover they've both bought a Nintendo Switch.

4) The too-cool-for-school crowd that throws spontaneous rooftop parties and hunch over a single 5 inch screen for entertainment.

5) Basketball athletes that like to take a break from basketball by playing more basketball.


Realistically:

1) Japan
2) Kids
3) People with kids
4) Fans

 

[KingsGambit_v1legacy]

Fans of Nintendo games and parents with kids. This is a system they can give their kids during travel and trips away as well as at home. Considering Nintendo games remain generally aimed at a younger audience it will inevitable suit parents well.

 

[Aiddon_v1legacy]

Er, the Vita failed due to not having much of a library, not helped by Sony pissing off CAPCOM and thus losing Monster Hunter and ESPECIALLY not helped by Sony effectively abandoning making first party titles for it. Find a better comparison, because the Vita doesn't work.

 

[Specter Von Baren]

Have you used a Wii U? Have you used it's gamepad? That thing is durable. Sure the switch looks less durable, but I doubt it is Apple quality of frail. Plus I find you have to actually use and handle these things to get a real sense of them.

I find I take my 3DS over my phone, but generally anyone who has a 3DS cares enough about games to want good ones, and will endure taking it so not to endure boredom.

Seriously, phone games are garbage. The same reason we still have real restaurants despite fast food, real games will never be outdone by phone games.

Or at least not yet. I said this in a similar thread but I think Nintendo is doing the smartest thing of all the system developers. Why continue to try and compete with computers when you've already lost and will continue to lose as time goes on? Instead, try and make your console more appealing in other ways since you're never going to top a computer in terms of raw power. Also, phone games still haven't reached the point where they can top dedicated portable console games so by creating a fusion of their home and portable console Nintendo can, theoretically, not lose either market while also merging them together.

Er, the Vita failed due to not having much of a library, not helped by Sony pissing off CAPCOM and thus losing Monster Hunter and ESPECIALLY not helped by Sony effectively abandoning making first party titles for it. Find a better comparison, because the Vita doesn't work.

Not to mention that so many titles on the system were just less powerful ports from their main systems.

 

[Dirty Hipsters]

Have you used a Wii U? Have you used it's gamepad? That thing is durable. Sure the switch looks less durable, but I doubt it is Apple quality of frail. Plus I find you have to actually use and handle these things to get a real sense of them.

I find I take my 3DS over my phone, but generally anyone who has a 3DS cares enough about games to want good ones, and will endure taking it so not to endure boredom.

Seriously, phone games are garbage. The same reason we still have real restaurants despite fast food, real games will never be outdone by phone games.

Or at least not yet. I said this in a similar thread but I think Nintendo is doing the smartest thing of all the system developers. Why continue to try and compete with computers when you've already lost and will continue to lose as time goes on? Instead, try and make your console more appealing in other ways since you're never going to top a computer in terms of raw power. Also, phone games still haven't reached the point where they can top dedicated portable console games so by creating a fusion of their home and portable console Nintendo can, theoretically, not lose either market while also merging them together.

I agree that Nintendo shouldn't be trying to compete with PCs the way that playstation and xbox are doing, but I also think they're focusing on the wrong thing.

What's the one thing that Nintendo does better than any other console maker right now? Couch multiplayer. The other consoles have almost completely moved away from split screen couch multiplayer, and it's really unfortunate. I used to love coming over the friends houses, or have friends over at my house, and we'd just drink some beers and play a 4 player coop game. Now the WiiU is really the only console that's still good for that.

Nintendo should be doubling down on that, instead of making a silly console for the handheld market that's underpowered as a console, and barely portable as a mobile device.

 

[Yoshi178]

Have you used a Wii U? Have you used it's gamepad? That thing is durable. Sure the switch looks less durable, but I doubt it is Apple quality of frail. Plus I find you have to actually use and handle these things to get a real sense of them.

I find I take my 3DS over my phone, but generally anyone who has a 3DS cares enough about games to want good ones, and will endure taking it so not to endure boredom.

Seriously, phone games are garbage. The same reason we still have real restaurants despite fast food, real games will never be outdone by phone games.

Or at least not yet. I said this in a similar thread but I think Nintendo is doing the smartest thing of all the system developers. Why continue to try and compete with computers when you've already lost and will continue to lose as time goes on? Instead, try and make your console more appealing in other ways since you're never going to top a computer in terms of raw power. Also, phone games still haven't reached the point where they can top dedicated portable console games so by creating a fusion of their home and portable console Nintendo can, theoretically, not lose either market while also merging them together.

I agree that Nintendo shouldn't be trying to compete with PCs the way that playstation and xbox are doing, but I also think they're focusing on the wrong thing.

What's the one thing that Nintendo does better than any other console maker right now? Couch multiplayer. The other consoles have almost completely moved away from split screen couch multiplayer, and it's really unfortunate. I used to love coming over the friends houses, or have friends over at my house, and we'd just drink some beers and play a 4 player coop game. Now the WiiU is really the only console that's still good for that.

Nintendo should be doubling down on that, instead of making a silly console for the handheld market that's underpowered as a console, and barely portable as a mobile device.

Who says they aren't still focusing on local multiplayer?