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[Doorman]

It's a "soft launch" insomuch as the OS and other features are going to continue to be added and refined over the system's lifetime.

Which at this point refers to, you know, every console.

The system came out lacking some features that people are accustomed to having on other consoles. That's all it really means. You can say it's light on content but frankly most new console launches suffer with those issues, especially so with a Nintendo system that you knew going in was not going to suddenly have tons of day-and-date Western support. So far I've had more than enough to play on Switch so that argument's a non-issue to me.

It's fairly common now for games to launch incomplete and have stuff patched in later. Consoles are all going the same way, Nintendo or otherwise.

 

[schopaia]

It is pretty embarrassing that half of the store is freaking Neo Geo games.

That said Zelda is receiving both effusive and near universal praise so I don't think it matters.

This is the biggest fumble in my view. The problem isn't the games themselves - it's the bizarre ratio of neogeo to all other games, and particularly the ratio of neogeo to nintendo games. I get that nintendo doesn't want to distract from Zelda, but logging into the eshop... it's just weird for someone to browse through 25 games and have such a large quantity that have really no association with the nintendo brand at all.

 

[NimbusD]

It is pretty embarrassing that half of the store is freaking Neo Geo games.

That said Zelda is receiving both effusive and near universal praise so I don't think it matters.

I think that's more a failure if the eshop presentation than anything. Your main screen is just recent games lumped together and no real other view unless you dig into filters. It's bizarre that.there isn't a real landing page or even easy category tabs. It's not like Nintendo hasn't done this before.

 

[KingSnake]

I think it has a pretty hot launch for a Neo Geo system.

 

[marc^o^]

Reserved.

 

[qko]

No Dock, No Grip, $199 in October is my guess.

I think we see this happen in two years. Or the earliest, holiday 2018

 

[Sohter.Nura]

I like the hardware but I think it's absurd I can't browse the internet or watch Amazon / Netflix on it. It's way too soft.
I wanna finally unhook my Wii U off the TV and put it in the closet where it belongs but I keep it around because the switch's functionalities just aren't there yet.

 

[FlaygletheBagel]

I think the biggest hangup I have about the launch is the complete absence of Virtual Console games. NeoGeo is the only retro console that has a presence on the Switch, and it's not even a Nintendo console. It strikes me as a bit odd.

Plus when you look at how anemic the summer will be for the Switch, it's an unbelievable shame that there aren't at least some weekly Virtual Console games to pad the huge gaps we'll have coming up. It took Nintendo two to three months to start Virtual Console on Wii U, right? So I'm really hoping we hear an announcement on that soon.

Spoiler

And I hope it's before E3.

 

[Skyzard]

I mean, not for Nintendo, but in general, yep, weak as hell.

 

[requiem02]

The Neo Geo games are obviously somewhat of an apology for not having Virtual Console ready. Though one does have to wonder how they managed to sort of the licenses and get a bunch of non-Nintendo games ready for the Switch launch but couldn't get some SNES games on there....*scratches beard inquisitively*

 

[Icarus]

A soft launch means no marketing... superbowl ads = marketing. So no. It's a launch.

 

[Gartooth]

This does feel like a soft launch for their fanbase while they ramp up to Fall. That will be when Mario gets released, along with probably new OS features such as sharing videos, and the premium online service. I'm sure games like MK8D and Splatoon 2 will receive a renewed push too around November.

 

[andymcc]

This does feel like a soft launch for their fanbase while they ramp up to Fall. That will be when Mario gets released, along with probably new OS features such as sharing videos, and the premium online service. I'm sure games like MK8D and Splatoon 2 will receive a renewed push too around November.

Splatoon 2 will probably sell around what Mario Odyssey does. Especially considering Japanese numbers.

 

[Leafhopper]

I almost guarantee there will be a 1-2 Switch bundle in the fall and a big marketing push.

By the Fall that might just be Splatoon 2 or something to be honest. 1-2 Switch as a game is less appealing than Wii Sports by a lot so even as a pack in I don't think that's something that would make people jump on one.

 

[MoonFrog]

Their first party calendar is there for a buildup to a strong holiday with most "essential" Nintendo software on the system by that point. (Especially if Stars/Smash 4 pan out)

Bigger question is how third party release schedules look going into 2018, with regards to how this system will do.

 

[EulaCapra]

Soft launch with their OS and amount of games and multimedia apps for sure.

But their North American marketing team has been working overtime! Best and most expensive ad campaign I've seen from them. Every Switch commercial I've seen so far has been completely different. Kudos to this particular marketing company, whoever they are.

 

[sirap]

Absolutely. A lot of missing features in their OS and the eShop feels really bare.

 

[Cuburt]

The Neo Geo games are obviously somewhat of an apology for not having Virtual Console ready. Though one does have to wonder how they managed to sort of the licenses and get a bunch of non-Nintendo games ready for the Switch launch but couldn't get some SNES games on there....*scratches beard inquisitively*

The Neo Geo games aren't put out by Nintendo, they are put out by Hamster for their Arcade Archives arcade emulation for games already released on other platforms.

Fortunately, Hamster committed to releasing games every week, similar to how Nintendo would roll out the Virtual Console. It just so happens that since these games aren't being ported, merely emulated, that they are able to have a constant flow of content compared to other releases.

Not sure why this is a problem to people. It doesn't take the place of VC, in fact, I'd totally be down for more arcade emulation on the Switch beyond just Neo Geo games so hopefully Hamster gets some other publishers' titles like on the PS4.

 

[Ninja Dom]

I like the hardware but I think it's absurd I can't browse the internet or watch Amazon / Netflix on it. It's way too soft.
I wanna finally unhook my Wii U off the TV and put it in the closet where it belongs but I keep it around because the switch's functionalities just aren't there yet.

You want to put your Wii U in the closet? Surely it should be the opposite. You bought it to use & play it.

 

[Protome]

The lack of any kind of functionality with the friends list is the biggest unfinished thing to me and things like the lack of any party chat or voice chat in general solution is pretty worrying because it might end up locked into their mobile app, making it functionally useless.