Putting Nintendo Switch’s 10 million sales in context
- Thread starter JournalBot
- Start date
Mario is so legendary that my kids’ first chess set (coming under the tree this year) is a Mario-versus-Bowser chess set. There’s some deep social commentary about 21st society in there somewhere. It’s also a fun, colorful themed chess set if you don’t want to navel-gaze.
https://www.amazon.com/Super-Mario-Ches ... B00168PI9S
Me? I’m not losing sleep over it.
Upvote
4
(4
/
0)
There is precedent:
I actually had that thing at one point. Picked it up on clearance for $10 at Kaybee Toys back in the day.
Upvote
9
(9
/
0)
What is that monstrosity? It looks terrible, yet somehow so endearing.There is precedent:
I actually had that thing at one point. Picked it up on clearance for $10 at Kaybee Toys back in the day.
Upvote
1
(1
/
0)
I remember the speakers actually being surprisingly decent. Though that one plus was let down by the fact that the rest of it was one big, cumbersome waste of time.
I wish I remember what I did with it. I still have my old Gameboy, complete with the little velco strip I applied to the back of it to hold the little connector in place that slides behind the batteries to power the lights over the screen. But the getup itself? Long since gone.
Upvote
1
(1
/
0)
Upvote
6
(6
/
0)
Why are you giving him the credit? Take the credit for the Switch yourself and have Santa bring the clothes instead.
Upvote
9
(9
/
0)
AlaskanDruid
Ars Scholae Palatinae
Err.... In Context would mean comparing Nintendo's tablet with other tablets such as the iPads, Amazon Fire, and other android devices.
May need to reword the subtitle and most of the article....
May need to reword the subtitle and most of the article....
Upvote
-16
(0
/
-16)
Upvote
3
(3
/
0)
I once got an Xbox 360 because “we needed a streaming media box for the family room and it wasn’t THAT much more expensive than a Roku.”
It actually was a decent bit more expensive than a Roku, but on the other hand, Master Chief.
Upvote
2
(2
/
0)
So, compare PS4 / XBO numbers with PC sales and other nonsense like that?
Upvote
3
(4
/
-1)
Technically correct. NVidia has Mario, Zelda and Punch Out!, on the NVidia Shield in China
Upvote
0
(0
/
0)
Yeah, exactly. Are we now pretending that the following are all competitive devices?
(1) A Nintendo Switch used to play AAA games like Breath of the Wild and Doom.
(2) An iPad used to browse the web, do email, and occasionally play simple touchscreen games like Monument Valley and Alto’s Adventure.
(3) A $50 disposable Kindle Fire given to a toddler to play Fruit Ninja on when mommy or daddy really just wants to poop in peace and quiet for once.
That’s like saying that a Ford Fiesta and Ford Super Duty are direct competitors because they both have two axles powered by an internal combustion engine.
Upvote
8
(9
/
-1)
Because my wife “wants Christmas to be magical” and I “don’t want to sleep in the backyard”
Upvote
11
(11
/
0)
Whenever someone posts on Ars "downvote away" I tend to oblige that poster. Especially if they don't otherwise add anything useful to the discussion.
It's also an automatic downvote for me if you complain that it's because of fanboys that you're getting downvoted. Calling Ars posters "thin-skinned" and "sensitive" just makes me downvote even faster.
Upvote
13
(15
/
-2)
Didn't you recognize that they were intentionally hyperbolic downvotes?
ftfy
Upvote
8
(8
/
0)
Additionally, virtually anyone who refers to a group as being "thin-skinned", "sensitive", "snowflakes", or accuses them of requiring a "safe space" are projecting their own faults onto others.
Upvote
13
(13
/
0)
AlaskanDruid
Ars Scholae Palatinae
Obviously not. Why Ars choose to compare Apples to Oranges instead of Apples to Apples is disconcerting and I am hoping it's not a beginning of a trend here.
Obviously not. Read the comment.
Upvote
-12
(0
/
-12)
In my opinion, an ANTI-fanboy (i.e. someone who always attacks a certain company no matter what), like ZippyPeanut, is even worse than a fanboy. And I do agree with you: There must be some reason that Zippy spends so much time trolling the Nintendo comment threads. Zippy, can you show us on this doll where Nintendo touched you?
Dude, you appear in literally every Nintendo thread to bash the company and post a link to that video. You're even more devoted than the Nintendo fans
I mean, I get not liking a company because of its past practices, and that company goes on your personal no-buy list. I have companies on my own personal no-buy list. What I don't do, however, is go on every article about that company and tell everyone (who never asked for my opinion) how terrible they are. If you ask me, I'll tell you my opinion. But Zippy seems to feel that it's his personal mission to tear down Nintendo and try to make sure no one gives Nintendo their money - it's like a religion to him.
Irrational fanboys and anti-fanboys almost always earn a downvote from me. Especially those that post the exact same arguments, links, and videos in every single comment section - like ZippyPeanut.
I do read the entire comment just to make sure there isn't a hidden gem in there somewhere, and occasionally ZippyPeanut does somehow come up with an insightful comment (I'm guessing by accident, like a clock being right twice a day.) But generally Zippy can be relied on to earn all their downvotes legitimately, by rarely adding anything useful or insightful to any discussion about Nintendo.
Upvote
12
(12
/
0)
But thanks to the Switch being portable you'd be able to play just fine back there.
Upvote
8
(8
/
0)
To fit in a pocket. Seriously, it’s not rocket science. If it’s to replace the 3DS it should be pocketable. Even the 3DS XL is reasonably pocketable. A backpack is still more bag than a lot of people might want to carry around on a day to day basis.
It’s not like a mini version would lose the ability to use other controllers either. Personally I can’t see myself that often offering half a joycon to another person. Certainly not more than random commuting subway usage.
Upvote
3
(3
/
0)
Dude, you appear in literally every Nintendo thread to bash the company and post a link to that video. You're even more devoted than the Nintendo fans
All the multinationals I buy consumer products from are total dickwads. Every last one. Nintendo? Sony? Microsoft? Samsung? Apple? All dickwads. But I like their products and I’m not Amish, so here I am. Now that we’ve got that out of the way, where were we?
No. Only Nintendo. (Well, maybe Apple, too.)
With all the effort you put into decrying Nintendo as a bad company, you must surely do the same due-diligence with every other company whose products you intend to purchase.
It must be an absolute trial to exhaustively research these companies to make sure they've never screwed anyone over before they get your hard-earned money.
You're better than all of us, Zippy.
Unless, of course, you're a hypocrite.
Upvote
13
(13
/
0)
It's so good to see that the Switch is a commercial success. I would have been mortified if it was a failure, because Nintendo would've turned around and said "well, I guess we're going to do Wiimotes forever now".
Instead, they released a more traditional gaming experience with a focus on hybridity and people love it, thank god. I think that largely represents what people have wanted out of Nintendo over the last 10 years; a hardware platform for Nintendo software that feels more like a perk, and less like an obligation that you have to wade through to get the software.
Instead, they released a more traditional gaming experience with a focus on hybridity and people love it, thank god. I think that largely represents what people have wanted out of Nintendo over the last 10 years; a hardware platform for Nintendo software that feels more like a perk, and less like an obligation that you have to wade through to get the software.
Upvote
2
(3
/
-1)
I don't think he has time to research any others. He seems just wait to pounce on any Nintendo thread so he can repeat the same unfounded complaints.
I can only assume there are still no Switches available for THOUSANDS of miles around him, because Nintendo like to limit supply and not sell devices. You know, contrary to every other observation anywhere. (To clarify for the obviously thick folks out there, that was hyperbole)
Upvote
7
(7
/
0)
Ha, yes. But presumably, they're just allowing the games to be played on their hardware in their original form. They're not being "special-editioned" so that in Zelda, you'll be trying to harness the power of the GeForce instead of the Triforce.
Upvote
3
(3
/
0)
Posting pro-tip: if you're being downvoted, and are frustrated and/or don't understand why, the last thing you want to do is mention downvoting. The better statement is "I don't understand what was controversial about that" or "I don't understand why people disagree, can somebody enlighten me?"
Obviously it's asking (basically) the same thing, but the thing is that it underlines that you (hopefully) don't care about the downvotes themselves...silly internet points don't matter!...but rather you're hoping for an actual discussion around the disagreement they represent. You're trying to encourage other posters to actually engage in a conversation rather than lazily hit the downvote button and move on.
It's all about framing it properly. Now obviously that's assuming it's not an outright troll post, or the "downvote away" style post, which obviously you get what you get there. Most people are going to downvote any post that focuses primarily on the voting system, as they should...it's not relevant to the topic at hand. That more than likely includes this one...so downvote away!
FWIW nobody should be surprised that save states are brought up immediately when the Switch is mentioned. It's 2017, we're used to the data on our mobile devices being safe (especially with mobile devices being routinely exposed to theft, loss, and damage). I personally am dealing with the issue, I'm keenly aware that my Switch is slowly approaching the end of its warranty period, while at the same time needs repair, but I'm afraid to send it in because there's a non-trivial chance I lose everything on it when I do. For anybody that actually uses their Switch as a portable, the lack of save states is a Big Deal(TM), whether they realize it yet or not.
Obviously it's asking (basically) the same thing, but the thing is that it underlines that you (hopefully) don't care about the downvotes themselves...silly internet points don't matter!...but rather you're hoping for an actual discussion around the disagreement they represent. You're trying to encourage other posters to actually engage in a conversation rather than lazily hit the downvote button and move on.
It's all about framing it properly. Now obviously that's assuming it's not an outright troll post, or the "downvote away" style post, which obviously you get what you get there. Most people are going to downvote any post that focuses primarily on the voting system, as they should...it's not relevant to the topic at hand. That more than likely includes this one...so downvote away!
FWIW nobody should be surprised that save states are brought up immediately when the Switch is mentioned. It's 2017, we're used to the data on our mobile devices being safe (especially with mobile devices being routinely exposed to theft, loss, and damage). I personally am dealing with the issue, I'm keenly aware that my Switch is slowly approaching the end of its warranty period, while at the same time needs repair, but I'm afraid to send it in because there's a non-trivial chance I lose everything on it when I do. For anybody that actually uses their Switch as a portable, the lack of save states is a Big Deal(TM), whether they realize it yet or not.
Upvote
7
(7
/
0)
Those PS3/360/Wii U sales numbers also included a full Christmas season, which the Switch hasn't gotten yet. I looked at Amazon's top 100 list and three of their games are in the top 5 and both systems are in the top 10. It's going to be under a LOT of trees this month.
I know a lot of people predicted modest success for the Switch or worse (I read one report from an analyst that predicted 5 million units this year), but Nintendo knew the strengths of the system and clearly communicated that - two things they failed to do with the Wii U. Of course, having a brilliant Zelda and a brilliant Mario in the same year doesn't hurt.
I know a lot of people predicted modest success for the Switch or worse (I read one report from an analyst that predicted 5 million units this year), but Nintendo knew the strengths of the system and clearly communicated that - two things they failed to do with the Wii U. Of course, having a brilliant Zelda and a brilliant Mario in the same year doesn't hurt.
Upvote
4
(4
/
0)
Or even more protip: don't care. It's not like you are able to exchange upvotes for goods/services/bitcoin/whatnot. So you're getting downvoted, so what. So you're getting upvoted - again, so what. But yes, complaining about downvotes (especially preemptively) will guarantee your comment getting downvoted.
Upvote
7
(7
/
0)
See, and here you went and missed the entire point of my post. Which is how to frame the question in a way that is more likely to lead to an actual exchange of thoughts and ideas, rather than more arrow clicks. Sometimes that's what the poster is actually looking for, and arguably everybody benefits.
Upvote
0
(1
/
-1)
Perhaps I'm being overly cynical (I'd say realist - but I admit being very stressed out after a long work trip and should probably be sleeping already), but I maintain those that complain about the votes are not really looking for an exchange of thoughts and ideas.
Upvote
3
(3
/
0)
Generally agree, but I think there are those who are genuinely interested in what is so wrong with their post, and would like feedback in order to learn/improve themselves (I'm one of those kind of folks)
However, a simple way to ask is "why the downvotes" even if meant in an honest way.
And the internet what it is.. that is automatically assumed to mean "Why all these fkin downvotes you plebes!!!"
I find the advice from cmacd more about improving the way one communicates, rather than trying to improve the way one thinks/acts. And we can only get better at communication through feedback from others.
Upvote
0
(1
/
-1)
Upvote
2
(2
/
0)
I'd just like to state for the record that a couple months after the Switch launched, and after I had my own Switch, I stated in an Ars Technica comment section that I felt that the Switch would end up matching or beating the Wii's sales.
At the time, very few people were willing to go that far. Looks like I'm well on the way to being vindicated.
Is it the brilliant hardware, or the brilliant games, that are causing all these sales and buzz? In my opinion, it's both, and Nintendo's current success with the Switch (and any console really) would not be possible without both. I think it's also because it *launched* with a brilliant game (I'm talking about BOTW of course) that not only is a blast to play, but gives you easily 100+ hours of gameplay. That took a lot of the pressure off for there to be not as much of a need to have a bunch of other AAA games available at launch.
My opinion: If Switch had launched with just Mario Kart 8 Deluxe as a 1st party game, we'd either see a whole different sales trajectory, or the sales wouldn't have ramped up until after BOTW dropped. (I mean, I absolutely love MK8 and I play it all the time - but I can't see Mario Kart being a system seller all on its own.)
Moral of the story for all companies that want to launch a successful console: Make sure it launches with at least one kick-ass must-have game. Seems simple, but amazing how many console manufacturers forget this rule. It's all about the games for a game console, after all.
And then, of course, keep the big, great games coming, at least one per month, if you want to keep the momentum going.
Upvote
5
(5
/
0)
Cynicism? On the internet?!
I totally get where you're coming from though, I still just try to maintain an occasional streak of idealism, and I'm fine wasting a post late in a thread on the topic. Plus it was a convenient spot for me to complain about save states myself...since Stardew Valley finally saw some patches, I've taken to carrying mine around more (plus the whole defective thing) and it's been on my mind again.
Upvote
3
(3
/
0)
I think I'm probably in the minority about save game files.
For current active games I'm playing, I definitely would like to have some way to ensure that my game saves are backed up somewhere, in case something happens to my console. Losing my current Zelda BOTW play session at 150+ hours would surely suck, especially since I haven't finished it yet - haven't bothered to fight Gannon or even set foot in Castle Hyrule yet, although I have started on the new DLC.
However, once I've set a game down for 6-12 months, I have almost zero desire to pick it up and play my current saved game. By that time your familiarity with the gameplay, muscle memory, etc., for the game are much less than when you were actively playing the game. And I don't think it's a whole lot of fun to pick back up a game and instantly be in the hardest, end-game parts.
What I almost always end up doing in those cases, is start a brand new game and play through the game from the start.
I can't count the number of times I've played through Super Mario World, for example, and every time I start new from scratch, even though I have multiple previous save games.
Just another perspective on the issue, YMMV.
I think Nintendo definitely needs to add cloud saves to the Switch. It's just that I don't let the lack of them keep me up at night, or stop me from getting a Switch.
For current active games I'm playing, I definitely would like to have some way to ensure that my game saves are backed up somewhere, in case something happens to my console. Losing my current Zelda BOTW play session at 150+ hours would surely suck, especially since I haven't finished it yet - haven't bothered to fight Gannon or even set foot in Castle Hyrule yet, although I have started on the new DLC.
However, once I've set a game down for 6-12 months, I have almost zero desire to pick it up and play my current saved game. By that time your familiarity with the gameplay, muscle memory, etc., for the game are much less than when you were actively playing the game. And I don't think it's a whole lot of fun to pick back up a game and instantly be in the hardest, end-game parts.
What I almost always end up doing in those cases, is start a brand new game and play through the game from the start.
I can't count the number of times I've played through Super Mario World, for example, and every time I start new from scratch, even though I have multiple previous save games.
Just another perspective on the issue, YMMV.
I think Nintendo definitely needs to add cloud saves to the Switch. It's just that I don't let the lack of them keep me up at night, or stop me from getting a Switch.
Upvote
8
(8
/
0)
This, ten times over. The lack of this feature at the end of 2017 is a head-scratcher to me...but I'm not going to miss out on games I want to play because of it.
Upvote
6
(6
/
0)
I'd just like to state for the record that a couple months after the Switch launched, and after I had my own Switch, I stated in an Ars Technica comment section that I felt that the Switch would end up matching or beating the Wii's sales.
At the time, very few people were willing to go that far. Looks like I'm well on the way to being vindicated.
Is it the brilliant hardware, or the brilliant games, that are causing all these sales and buzz? In my opinion, it's both, and Nintendo's current success with the Switch (and any console really) would not be possible without both. I think it's also because it *launched* with a brilliant game (I'm talking about BOTW of course) that not only is a blast to play, but gives you easily 100+ hours of gameplay. That took a lot of the pressure off for there to be not as much of a need to have a bunch of other AAA games available at launch.
My opinion: If Switch had launched with just Mario Kart 8 Deluxe as a 1st party game, we'd either see a whole different sales trajectory, or the sales wouldn't have ramped up until after BOTW dropped. (I mean, I absolutely love MK8 and I play it all the time - but I can't see Mario Kart being a system seller all on its own.)
Moral of the story for all companies that want to launch a successful console: Make sure it launches with at least one kick-ass must-have game. Seems simple, but amazing how many console manufacturers forget this rule. It's all about the games for a game console, after all.
And then, of course, keep the big, great games coming, at least one per month, if you want to keep the momentum going.
It's also worth saying that BotW is the best tech demo Nintendo could've hoped for. If they wanted to convince people that you could get a full, traditional console experience on the Switch, boom, there it was.
Mario Odyssey, Mario Kart and other titles are great and all, but feel like it was Breath of the Wild's scope - with such a huge emphasis on an open world and big, big spaces - that really drove home the point. Obviously, the world doesn't have the visual detail of other AAA titles debuting on more powerful systems, but the point is that the Switch can do it decently in docked mode, and can do it portably as well. Those were two selling points that they needed to nail, and that title allowed them to nail both at once.
Upvote
5
(5
/
0)
PS4 will more than likely break 70 million sales by end of year. PS2 sold over 150 million globally in its lifespan. PS3 and Xbox 360 sold over 80 million. Switch isnt even in the same league yet.
More importantly, it's a companion purchase for many so it's total sale through for titles will be weaker in comparison.
Switch has a place as long as it and its fans learn not to expect top tier catering from devs.
I think the healthiest place overall is inspiring repackaging of classics that aren't getting full blown remakes on the big systems.
More importantly, it's a companion purchase for many so it's total sale through for titles will be weaker in comparison.
Switch has a place as long as it and its fans learn not to expect top tier catering from devs.
I think the healthiest place overall is inspiring repackaging of classics that aren't getting full blown remakes on the big systems.
Upvote
-9
(0
/
-9)
The real treat would be if Nintendo actually does treat this both as its handheld and its console for this generation, because then you're looking at Zelda a whole lot more frequently. During the life of the Wii, we also had Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks on the DS, and even during the Wii U lifecycle we had Link Between Worlds on the 3DS, which was phenomenal.
That may not work on the Switch, since those titles had greatly reduced graphics needs and somewhat streamlined gameplay due to their simplified hardware, and BotW has set a standard that you couldn't reach with a smaller dev team. But maybe it could work as a "Majora's Mask" kind of approach, telling a different sort of story with reused mechanics and graphics, or something along those lines. In any case, I'm hoping that there will be some sort of dividends from consolidating the handheld and console first-party dev efforts.
I'll also throw in my support for a potential mobile-only, no-local-multiplayer version of this console down the line, mainly because the ergonomics of this thing as a handheld console are atrocious. Look even at the (very similar) Wii U controller: the thumbsticks are set high up and close to the edge, while the d-pad and buttons are set lower, but further in. That accommodates the way your thumb swings when you're gripping the tablet with the ball of your thumb. On the Switch, the secondary controls (which here include the camera control, as though that's not important) are straight down and right out at the edge. It's totally cramp-inducing.
There's no good way to fix that while maintaining the ability to break them off and use them as multiplayer controllers, but since the best games on the machine have been massive single-player epics, I'd be pretty okay with giving up that use case to have a comfortable, highly portable option for playing BotW, Mario Odyssey, Fire Emblem Warriors, and, when it comes out, Metroid Prime 4.
Upvote
3
(3
/
0)
My personal opinion of the Joycons? They're not as bad as you're saying, but they could be laid out better. I've never had my hand cramp up, or felt that I didn't have as much control as I'd like (beyond the shallow throw of those little analog sticks), but if someone were to make a right Joycon that mirrored the layout of the left one, I wouldn't complain at all.
Upvote
2
(2
/
0)
- Status