Gamers are spoilt for choice when it comes to gaming platforms. Gaming PCs need no introduction. Microsoft has the Xbox One and series X/S. Then, of course, there’s the most powerful console yet, the PS5. And yet, The Nintendo Switch is a console one must own. Since its release in 2017, it’s still going strong. No one expected it to be such a huge success, given the fact that its predecessor, the Nintendo Wii U, was a huge failure. But that console failed for obvious reasons, such as Nintendo’s ignorance about not specifying the exact purpose of the Wii U. Many fans ended up thinking that Wii U was just an expansion or an add-on for the Wii. However, the Nintendo Switch never faced such problems. But it was criticized for being way less powerful than its competition. So how is it still so successful?
The console persevered and eventually won its place in the market. And its win was, without a doubt, something no one had expected. But when it won, people warmed up to it, and no one was surprised. It became such a success that one can even say the Nintendo Switch was the best platform to buy in 2023. Here are the biggest reasons for its success:.
Nintendo’s continuous support
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The Switch was always special. It showed off every game that was supposed to be launched for it, and those games were something. It started with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, followed by games like Skyrim, Super Mario Odyssey, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and Splatoon 2. Almost all of these games launched to critical and financial success. So much so that Mario Kart 8 Deluxe even ended up being the best-selling game on this platform.
After a mind-blowing launch, Nintendo did not stop. They continued this streak with numerous surprising titles. Over its lifetime, games like Metroid Dread, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Pokemon Legends: Arceus, Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, Luigi’s Mansion 3, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, and Metroid Prime Remastered became some of the games that fans were not even expecting to see on this platform. These are just first-party games.
Developers and publishers like Bethesda and Microsoft brought games like Doom, Doom Eternal, and the Ori series to the Nintendo Switch too.
This continuous support became the backbone of the Nintendo Switch. Imagine a console that lets you play games like Witcher 3, Doom Eternal, and Skyrim anywhere you want. That’s what the Nintendo Switch became for its many fans. Even in 2023, the seventh year of the Nintendo Switch, it will get brand new and unexpected titles.
Very recently, Rockstar Games launched Red Dead Redemption for the platform. And let’s not forget games like Sea of Stars, Oxenfree II, and Hogwarts Legacy. These new releases keep giving Nintendo Switch fans a reason to stick to it.
Easy availability and plenty of options
As with every Nintendo console, the Switch also has a bunch of different versions. Nintendo Switch V2 became the first revision it ever got. This brought improved battery life, and a tweaked processor to fans. The tweaked processor did not give them better performance, but it allowed for a better battery backup.
Then came the Nintendo Switch Lite. This revision made the Switch a proper portable device. It did not ship with a dock, and it did not even support a dock. It has a smaller display and a smaller size, making it a true portable device.
Following the Nintendo Switch Lite, there were rumors of a Switch Pro. People had started talking about this pro console that would allow for 4K gameplay and better performance in some heavier games. It was also supposed to have an OLED display. But that console never showed up. Nintendo has continuously denied its existence too. Eventually, Nintendo revealed the Nintendo Switch OLED. This was the same console, but with a few added features. It came with a larger 7-inch OLED display. The original had 6.2 inches, and the lite came with 5.5 inches. It provided 64GB of internal memory, double as compared to 32GB of both Switch OG and Lite. And finally, its dock was redesigned to have a Lan Port.
The availability of these models means fans can choose the console they want. They vary in both features and price. Switch OG costs $299.99, Switch Lite costs $199.99, and Switch OLED costs $349.99.
This means pretty much every demographic of gamers has something to choose from.
But this might be stalling its inevitable upgrade!
While Switch is all the rage in 2023, with games released on it selling millions of copies in mere days, there are some negative points here too. The Nintendo Switch is living outside its comfort zone right now. This console was underpowered during the time of the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Now, with PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch is in very urgent need of an upgrade.
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But its success is stopping Nintendo from taking the logical step. If rumors are to be believed, they intentionally canceled the Nintendo Switch Pro. They decided to go straight for the Nintendo Switch 2. But that was around two years ago when Switch OLED launched. That means Switch Pro itself is two years behind in technology.
Read More: Top 5 Nintendo Switch Games on Eshop Sale to Enjoy This Holiday Season
Nintendo has to do the right thing and release its console before whatever they are planning to launch becomes too dated. Fans would keep buying the Nintendo Switch and its games, but the main selling point of the original console was third-party games. And that well is now drying, given the fact that downgrading a PS5 game to Nintendo Switch levels is something that is becoming harder by the day.
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While the Nintendo Switch remains relevant to this day thanks to its vivid software and such, Nintendo needs to move on.
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