The Game's Industry website released an article going in detail just how the new release of gaming titles, alongside improved hardware, has helped to maintain the gaming industry as a whole in a thriving environment in a post-pandemic world, stabilizing into a new normal state, as well as helping it grow even more than what it was before.

In this new article titled "The US video game industry gets back to growth", depicts several factors that are influencing the gaming market in the current day, with an expected growth of around 3% for the US, nearing 58.3 billion USD. In terms of hardware, products alone contribute around 7 billion out of the 57+ billion USD in video game expenses, with a growth of around 19% from last year.

One of the points of interest from this article, comes from the same talk about hardware sales, which is related to that of the Nintendo Switch. In the article, it's mentioned that the Nintendo Switch held a very strong 2023, with the release of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom helping with hardware sales, and not only that, but also helping the Nintendo Switch to finally surpass the sales of the Nintendo Wii on the US back in July of 2023, with the Switch trailing behind just a bit from the Xbox 360 by a million, and the PlayStation 2 by 5 million:

Switch has also continued to perform strongly in 2023, helped by the release of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. In fact, the US lifetime sales of Switch hardware finally surpassed those of Wii in the US market during July 2023. Switch lifetime sales now trail Xbox 360 by less than one million units, and PlayStation 2 by fewer than five million.

It's worth noting that the sales numbers combine all versions of the Switch, including Switch Lite and Switch OLED.
It might only be a matter of time before the Switch pairs up with the most successful consoles (PS2, DS) in terms of sales, but with the current rumours of a new Switch revision, or even a Switch successor on the horizon, it's still uncertain if the Switch will get there in time before said console appears and the Switch stops being sold.

Source

 

[LightBeam]

but Switch was more of a "right time right place" type of deal than anything inherently special

Idk, sure it did arrived at the right time but the games that came with it the first year also make it rather special imho. So it's not JUST the timing.
Now, as it is, it clearly couldn't work as well now that there are competitors like the Steam Deck and many other similar portables. Hence why Nintendo needs to have some more recent hardware, not just because it would be more powerful but because they need to take advantages of stuff like FSR 3 and DLSS 3. Frame generation could do so so much for a Switch 2, just like FSR helped a TON the Steam Deck, there are so many games that run on the Deck thanks to FSR.
If Nintendo can take advantage of all that, again that would be a pretty nice timing, but I don't think a console's success can be explained just by that.


Also wish that Prime 4 will be exclusive to the Switch 2. Who needs a crossgen release that will be bottlenecked by old Switch 1 ?
And give me that Mario Kart Nintendo All Stars thing too ......


It's crazy to think that we used to say that « the best combo » was PC and a Nintendo console, and now these people could play exclusively portable if they wanted to

 

[Metoroid0]

It's not a fair comparison but alright.

Internet and gaming is bigger now than it used to be, so advertising and amount of
people seeing ads for Switch vs. Wii is 10x larger.
Also, the console is a Hybrid system so portable enthusiasts as well as home console gamers bought one,
where Wii was home exclusive and 3DS was Portable Exclusive.
On top of that, it was a pandemic which meant many MANY people where home playing video games, Meaning many
of them bought a Switch, and some people even have 2 or 3 of them in one house, even if its one person.
I have 3 consoles.

So yeah... Statistics are not everything.
Also speaking in general, statistics don't lie but people that put out statistics do.
So don't believe everything you hear or take it at face value or as is.

 

[TomSwitch]

It's not a fair comparison but alright.

Internet and gaming is bigger now than it used to be, so advertising and amount of
people seeing ads for Switch vs. Wii is 10x larger.
Also, the console is a Hybrid system so portable enthusiasts as well as home console gamers bought one,
where Wii was home exclusive and 3DS was Portable Exclusive.
On top of that, it was a pandemic which meant many MANY people where home playing video games, Meaning many
of them bought a Switch, and some people even have 2 or 3 of them in one house, even if its one person.
I have 3 consoles.

So yeah... Statistics are not everything.
Also speaking in general, statistics don't lie but people that put out statistics do.
So don't believe everything you hear or take it at face value or as is.

Wii has such good press and favorable word of mouth that many people who don't do video game have heard of and maybe even bought one.

Switch won by having better stamina.

 

[CharlesDeGaulle]

The Wii was my first own home console ever

Good God, I'm feeling so old suddenly...

 

[BlazeMasterBM]

Your problem is you're considering only the worst ports and rushed first party games to evaluate Switch HW, instead of using the best ones.

Switch has proven again and again that, when the developers dedicate enough time to optimize Switch games, they can easily surpass PS3 and X360 visuals thanks to the superior HW:

• Red Dead Redemption for Switch runs 1080p in dock (compared 720p of PS3 and X360), with slightly better performance and enhancements than X360, and much, much better than PS3.
• Dark Souls runs at 1080-900p in Dock and 720p in portable... higher than X360 resolution (1024x720, lower than 720p). Switch framerate lacks the frame rate huge drops from X360.
• Skyrim Switch port has higher resolution than PS3/X360 in dock (900p vs 720p). The frame rate is comparable to X360 and better than PS3... plus Switch lacks the PS3 lag issues after long gameplays and has some enhancements.
• Bayonetta 1 is 720p is all modes and consoles... but Switch has more stable 60fps than X360 and literally doubles PS3 terrible frame rate (30fps cap with frequent drops).

Also, you're also idealizing the 6th generation. X360 and (specially) PS3 games ran at 720p and had unstable framerates and issues... I dare to say Switch has more 1080p 60fps games that PS3 ever did.



8GB of mobile RAM wasn't that cheap on 2017... plus, you're not seeing Switch as it is: handheld HW (despite the hybrid use) with a fraction of the size and power consumption of a home console.

It's notmal for handheld HW to be a generation behind from home console. It that way, Switch similar to what a PS3 Pro+ or a Vita 2 would be, it deserves some credit.

If you compare antecedents, Switch RAM (8 times more than PS3, half PS4) isn't that low:
Playstation Vita had 512 MB + 128 MB VRAM, next to PS4's 8GB.
PSP had 32MB next PS3 512MB.

It's normal.


The Wiimotes had many issues.

• It lacked accesible buttons for most games. Vertically, you couldn't access 1 & 2 and the dPad was barely accessible. Horizontally, it was a NES gamepad with 2 extra A & B buttons awkwardly positioned. Vertical+Nunchuck you had a SNES gamepad (with a joystick). That isn't enough for many games and genres, and motion sensors aren't a reliable substitute for the missing buttons.
• The lack of a second stick for camera harmed the controls in 3D games.
• The motion sensors were crap. Nintendo promised us 1:1 motion capture, yet it gave us a gamepad without gyros, only accelerometers. It didn't fix the issue until years later with the wiimotion+, because of that most games were never compatible.
• The stupid cable between Wiimote and Nunchuck...

Actually, the first Wii could break easily if you just enable

Your problem is you're considering only the worst ports and rushed first party games to evaluate Switch HW, instead of using the best ones.

Switch has proven again and again that, when the developers dedicate enough time to optimize Switch games, they can easily surpass PS3 and X360 visuals thanks to the superior HW:

• Red Dead Redemption for Switch runs 1080p in dock (compared 720p of PS3 and X360), with slightly better performance and enhancements than X360, and much, much better than PS3.
• Dark Souls runs at 1080-900p in Dock and 720p in portable... higher than X360 resolution (1024x720, lower than 720p). Switch framerate lacks the frame rate huge drops from X360.
• Skyrim Switch port has higher resolution than PS3/X360 in dock (900p vs 720p). The frame rate is comparable to X360 and better than PS3... plus Switch lacks the PS3 lag issues after long gameplays and has some enhancements.
• Bayonetta 1 is 720p is all modes and consoles... but Switch has more stable 60fps than X360 and literally doubles PS3 terrible frame rate (30fps cap with frequent drops).

Also, you're also idealizing the 6th generation. X360 and (specially) PS3 games ran at 720p and had unstable framerates and issues... I dare to say Switch has more 1080p 60fps games that PS3 ever did.



8GB of mobile RAM wasn't that cheap on 2017... plus, you're not seeing Switch as it is: handheld HW (despite the hybrid use) with a fraction of the size and power consumption of a home console.

It's notmal for handheld HW to be a generation behind from home console. It that way, Switch similar to what a PS3 Pro+ or a Vita 2 would be, it deserves some credit.

If you compare antecedents, Switch RAM (8 times more than PS3, half PS4) isn't that low:
Playstation Vita had 512 MB + 128 MB VRAM, next to PS4's 8GB.
PSP had 32MB next PS3 512MB.

It's normal.


The Wiimotes had many issues.

• It lacked accesible buttons for most games. Vertically, you couldn't access 1 & 2 and the dPad was barely accessible. Horizontally, it was a NES gamepad with 2 extra A & B buttons awkwardly positioned. Vertical+Nunchuck you had a SNES gamepad (with a joystick). That isn't enough for many games and genres, and motion sensors aren't a reliable substitute for the missing buttons.
• The lack of a second stick for camera harmed the controls in 3D games.
• The motion sensors were crap. Nintendo promised us 1:1 motion capture, yet it gave us a gamepad without gyros, only accelerometers. It didn't fix the issue until years later with the wiimotion+, because of that most games were never compatible.
• The stupid cable between Wiimote and Nunchuck...

Actually, the first Wii could break easily if you just enable WiiConnect24. After months, the GPU got damaged, showing clouds of green pixels



Maybe... but it beated WiiU+3DS and GC+GBA... I'm 99% sure it beated N64+GBC... maybe SNES+GB... maybe PS4+Vita...

...all that without having to support a non-profitable dead console (Nintendo lost money with WiiU) and with superhigh software sales. Switch prints money.

Wii+DS is impossible to repeat... Nintendo could only gather all casuals in the world because smartphones hadn't arrived yet.

Oh yeah, red dead redemption on Switch..... I forgot about that LOL.

the funniest part is, I just bought that game for Xbox 360 for around $9. Nintendo is probably gonna shill it out for 50 or 60. Nothing wrong with the port, it's just an old game. I guess if you're like me and keep old consoles, you wouldn't even consider buying the switch one, but I suppose it might be good for people with no other option.

I agree the Wii remotes kinda suck. I don't mind them too much I just wish they let you use other controllers all the time, I hate their forced motion controls.

Oh yeah, and the Switch does the same thing with a few games that force you to use Joy cons. Which are by FAR worse than Wii remotes, since they drift way too easily. You shouldn't have to replace a consoles controllers because they're shitty, but that is the reality of joy cons. I had to buy 3rd party ones.

 

[Desconocido90]

the funniest part is, I just bought that game for Xbox 360 for around $9. Nintendo is probably gonna shill it out for 50 or 60. Nothing wrong with the port, it's just an old game. I guess if you're like me and keep old consoles, you wouldn't even consider buying the switch one, but I suppose it might be good for people with no other option.

Yes, the game is going to cost 50$ in Switch... but the PS4 version is going to cost exactly the same, so it's not a Nintendo thing. It was Take Two who decided it.

 

[Nerdtendo]

Great. Can we wrap up it's life now? I have absolutely no reason to touch my switch since I got the Rog Ally. I'm sure we can do better than a Tegra X1 and 4 GB of RAM

 

[PopcornSweetie]

Good God, I'm feeling so old suddenly...

Actually it was the NES...

'Own' is VERY important in this sentence.

 

[CharlesDeGaulle]

Actually it was the NES...

'Own' is VERY important in this sentence.

Lol, thank you for this kind notification.
Aging sentence defered.

Still, you seem to have a complicated story with home consoles.

 

[PopcornSweetie]

Lol, thank you for this kind notification.
Aging sentence defered.

Still, you seem to have a complicated story with home consoles.

I had too many Nintendo handhelds/home consoles.

 

[CharlesDeGaulle]

Wii has such good press and favorable word of mouth that many people who don't do video game have heard of and maybe even bought one.

Switch won by having better stamina.

Even my mother-in-law had one, and in my book that's not necessarily a good thing.


Some random ratios, for no reasons:

N64: 33 millions
OOT: 7 millions

Switch: 123 millions
BOTW: 18 millions

DS: 150 millions
Nintendogs: 23 millions


Locking Tezuka in a producer golden closet is suuuuch a brilliant move

Post automatically merged: Aug 29, 2023

I had too many Nintendo handhelds/home consoles.

For your hobby, never say 'too many'.

 

[raxadian]

I have a Switch but nowadays it is mostly ignored since I am too much of a chicken to hack it.

 

[CharlesDeGaulle]

I have a Switch but nowadays it is mostly ignored since I am too much of a chicken to hack it.

I tried the SX lite mod and miserably failed the CMS soldering...
You are right, better be cautious with this stuff.

Post automatically merged: Aug 29, 2023

Idk, sure it did arrived at the right time but the games that came with it the first year also make it rather special imho. So it's not JUST the timing.
Now, as it is, it clearly couldn't work as well now that there are competitors like the Steam Deck and many other similar portables. Hence why Nintendo needs to have some more recent hardware, not just because it would be more powerful but because they need to take advantages of stuff like FSR 3 and DLSS 3. Frame generation could do so so much for a Switch 2, just like FSR helped a TON the Steam Deck, there are so many games that run on the Deck thanks to FSR.
If Nintendo can take advantage of all that, again that would be a pretty nice timing, but I don't think a console's success can be explained just by that.

They need gimmicks at all cost.
I'm sure its sheer power will suck as always, but adding 3D (why not holographic ?) or VR would be a less risky investment today than it was five years ago.

Also wish that Prime 4 will be exclusive to the Switch 2. Who needs a crossgen release that will be bottlenecked by old Switch 1 ?
And give me that Mario Kart Nintendo All Stars thing too ......

Wasn't BOTW bottlenecked by wiiU hardware ?
In the end, TOTK performed even worse...What a joke.

And icing on the cake, Prime 4 announced on switch in 2017 is, in the end, false advertising.

Post automatically merged: Aug 29, 2023

Idk, sure it did arrived at the right time but the games that came with it the first year also make it rather special imho. So it's not JUST the timing.
Now, as it is, it clearly couldn't work as well now that there are competitors like the Steam Deck and many other similar portables. Hence why Nintendo needs to have some more recent hardware, not just because it would be more powerful but because they need to take advantages of stuff like FSR 3 and DLSS 3. Frame generation could do so so much for a Switch 2, just like FSR helped a TON the Steam Deck, there are so many games that run on the Deck thanks to FSR.
If Nintendo can take advantage of all that, again that would be a pretty nice timing, but I don't think a console's success can be explained just by that.

They need gimmicks at all cost.
I'm sure its sheer power will suck as always, but adding 3D (why not holographic ?) or VR would be a less risky investment today than it was five years ago.

Also wish that Prime 4 will be exclusive to the Switch 2. Who needs a crossgen release that will be bottlenecked by old Switch 1 ?
And give me that Mario Kart Nintendo All Stars thing too ......

Wasn't BOTW bottlenecked by wiiU hardware ?
In the end, TOTK performed even worse...What a joke.

And icing on the cake, Prime 4 announced on switch in 2017 is, in the end, false advertising.

 

[MyJoyConRunsHot]

I wish you could just navigate menus and play all the games with a GameCube controller........

I thought you could already do that with the classic controller?

The Wii had some amazing games. I really get angry at people who write it off. Yes shovelware was an issue, but it had some games you couldn't have on any other system. Switch again is great. I just love gaming.

Some of my favorite games ever are on the Wii. But I cannot blame the detractors. Nintendo did developers no favours launching a SD console in an HD era. Often with forced waggle.

 

[BlazeMasterBM]

I thought you could already do that with the classic controller?


Some of my favorite games ever are on the Wii. But I understand the frustration from some. Nintendo did developers no favours launching a SD console in an HD era. Often with forced waggle.

you still need the wii remote for the classic controller

 

[MyJoyConRunsHot]

you still need the wii remote for the classic controller

Ok, I figured you just wanted to avoid moving your wrist to navigate the menus.

 

[raxadian]

I tried the SX lite mod and miserably failed the CMS soldering

I have an old model Switch, so I don't need to solder it.

 

[Julie_Pilgrim]

Nice, can we have a new console now? Stop milking this old cow.

i read this message and thought "oh the switch came out in 2017 that's not old at all"
that was seven years ago.
time is so fucking werid

Post automatically merged: Aug 30, 2023

also @ all the people shocked the switch is selling so much:
you have to remember in the grand scheme of things, we are just a small portion of nerds, the vast majority of people buying these switches don't care at all about things like performance, they just want a device that can play mario

 

[ertaboy356b]

In the end, TOTK performed even worse...What a joke.

It's too bad that the Switch has a RAM issue. Overclocking the Switch's RAM locks the game to 30FPS even after using ultrahand. Those transparency effects really kills the switch's performance.

 

[SunsetFelid]

Its cos almost all the multiplayer games require you to use multiple Switches. Even remakes of games that used to be local multiplayer like Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles Remastered require multiple switches and multiple accounts and as such multiple copies of the game to play. In that way, its a money machine, moreso than the Wii was, not just for the Console, but for the games as well, which is probably why so many multiplayer hits end up getting a Switch release.

Then there's also the factor of Special Edition Switches & Alternate Variants (Switch Lite & OLED). Again, it's a money machine.