Support NeoGAF

[AdventureRacing]

i don't see how. better to have zelda sell units til april, then roll out mk8. try some new ip out with arms and then e3 announcements and splatoon when (i believe) jp schools are on break in july.

id love to be playing it now, but their release schedule is well done so far

It's done about as well as possible but it's still not ideal to have such huge gaps between any sort of significant SW releasing. At the moment there aren't really enough small titles to fill in the gaps.

 

[Kaze Kyou]

It's not exactly scientific, but for me a good indicator of how successful a console is going to be is how the general "non gaming" public perceives it.

I've been getting questions from my non-gaming colleagues left and right, interested in the new system but holding off because of the price.

They can bring the price down if the sales start to struggle. By then the games will be out and the Switch will provide good value for money.

So happy seeing Nintendo get a win, even if just for launch.

 

[Psycho_Mantis]

I could see it happening. The 3DS shipped 15 million in its first year as well.

The difference is that it took a severe price cut and Mario games at the end of that year to get those numbers.

So far, Switch is breaking records in Europe which is shocking because 1) It suggests people are okay with the price of the system worldwide 2) Nintendo are only known to sell well in the US and Japan.

The Switch will have more major franchise titles in its first year than the Wii U or 3DS had, MK8D, Splatoon 2, Super Mario Odyssey, Fire Emblem Warriors, Zelda BotW.

In three more months E3 will come around and if Pokémon Stars is announced as the rumours suggest, then Switch is likely to reach that 15 million in shipments.

We still haven't heard anything yet about a new animal crossing or whatever Retro is working on either.

And this is not counting third party titles but hey, maybe FIFA on Switch will do well since Switch is sold well at launch in Europe.

What records? PS4 in the UK sold 250k alone. SW ain't coming close to those EU totals. Wii was extremely supply constrained (hence the relatively mediocre launch) as was PS4 in certain countries for a short time like Spain. So is SW hence why short term comparisons are less indicative. Long term (coming months) is where the real trajectory will be seen.

 

[TreasureHunterG]

And this is not counting third party titles but hey, maybe FIFA on Switch will do well since Switch is sold well at launch in Europe.

Yeah, as long EA don't try to fuck up the Switch version or try to change the aesthetics like they did with the Wii versions. If they take it seriously, it'll have solid sales, no doubt about it.

 

[Teran]

Now the true test will come during the holiday season. It's looking good though, especially with all the games that will be out by then. If they cut production costs and start doing bundle deals, it really will fly off the shelves imo. In any case, I've been hearing lots of buzz around it from the so called normies of the world, so I think it's definitely got some momentum going for it.

 

[AdventureRacing]

I don't think the holidays are a test at all. Even the Nintendo consoles that have failed spectacularly have managed to pull some big holiday numbers. With the big games Nintendo has coming (and the potential for some big unannounced titles like Pokemon) I think a fairly big holiday is all but assured. How the switch sells leading up to the holidays and much more importantly how sales old up next year will be more telling.

 

[TarNaru33]

It's so bizarre to see so much negativity around the system at GAF and at the same time seeing it break sales records all over the world.

I may be thinking of it in a negative light, but I don't see how Switch's sales is an accomplishment that is worth comparing to the other 2 "competitors"

Unlike the PS4 and Xbone, it sold by itself with no competitors to eat through it's sale. Nintendo do have hardcore fans just like the other 2 consoles, but it stays in a relatively safe demographic and does not try to compete with the other 2 (not to mention its a handheld game) and $100 cheaper than even PS4 when it launched.

I still say congratulations to the great sales, but I have a hard time comparing it to the other 2 console's sale due to circumstances.

 

[Oresama]

It's so bizarre to see so much negativity around the system at GAF and at the same time seeing it break sales records all over the world.

I few folks on GAF posted a prediction thread from years ago, and majority of GAF predicted Wii U would be a hit, while PS4 would flop.

So basically, if GAF says a console will be a massive failure, chances are the opposite will manifest.

 

[Teran]

I don't think the holidays are a test at all. Even the Nintendo consoles that have failed spectacularly have managed to pull some big holiday numbers. With the big games Nintendo has coming (and the potential for some big unannounced titles like Pokemon) I think a fairly big holiday is all but assured. How the switch sells leading up to the holidays and much more importantly how sales old up next year will be more telling.

I feel a big holiday season on top of the current momentum will cement a good install base to attract developers to the console. The more Switches there are out in the wild, the more it will advertise itself to people and keep the ball rolling. With all the diehards and early adopters out of the way, I think killer holiday sales will be what really decide the system's fate. Then again, nobody knows what will happen these days.

 

[kitsuneyo]

Those numbers still seem low compared to other countries of Spain's size. Is that because Spanish people spend more time outdoors and live like real human beings, or am I just romanticising them?

 

[dc89]

Spain went HAM for the PSP.

 

[Thunder Monkey]

I mean... the value proposition is there.

Insanely powerful dedicated gaming handheld that doubles as a moderately capable home console. With an incredible Zelda. My bro brought his down, I played a few hours. It was pretty cool. Stone Talus thingies were much easier than I expected. I was still on the plateau when I stopped playing though.

Devs should have had lots of last gen ports ready. Seemed like easy money for something that sells itself.

edit: I mean if this thing had ME Trilogy at launch I would have been there in a heartbeat. It and Zelda? I'd never need another system again. Bonus if KotOR showed up.

 

[The perfect Dark]

What records? PS4 in the UK sold 250k alone. SW ain't coming close to those EU totals. Wii was extremely supply constrained (hence the relatively mediocre launch) as was PS4 in certain countries for a short time like Spain. So is SW hence why short term comparisons are less indicative. Long term (coming months) is where the real trajectory will be seen.

 

[Resistance100]

Those numbers still seem low compared to other countries of Spain's size. Is that because Spanish people spend more time outdoors and live like real human beings, or am I just romanticising them?

Pretty much. Spain isn't as big of a gaming market, as other countries

 

[MrCookiepants]

Wow, Zelda is turning out to be a true killer app. Even more so than Twilight Princess was for the Wii.

 

[Psycho_Mantis]

Did my post highlighting the numbers and stock situation upset you? You could of made a proper response but chose not to.

 

[pretty done]

Wow, Zelda is turning out to be a true killer app. Even more so than Twilight Princess was for the Wii.

Open world effect

 

[Charamiwa]

What records? PS4 in the UK sold 250k alone. SW ain't coming close to those EU totals. Wii was extremely supply constrained (hence the relatively mediocre launch) as was PS4 in certain countries for a short time like Spain. So is SW hence why short term comparisons are less indicative. Long term (coming months) is where the real trajectory will be seen.

Still, I think it's good to keep in mind that the Wii U only sold 9k at launch in Spain. Selling well at launch is never a done deal, and 44k has to mean something.

 

[Belker]

I wonder if summer holidays will see an increase. Could the word have got out enough by then that this is a 'travel console' with two controllers, so that parents could be persuaded to buy one for a family trip. Keep kids quiet in the car, something to do in a holiday apartment at the end of the day. That sort of thing. Obviously it would be competing with holiday budgets, which will be tough, but it feels like a good fit.

I remember I bought my N64 in a French supermarket, so maybe some families will buy the unit abroad - like Brits on holiday in Spain.

 

[Sakujou]

spain is a traditional strong sony country, so this is good news, that nintendo was finally able to sell a few units there.

 

[wildfire]

The sales are exceptional and indicates a strong interest outside the typical gamer. Still would like to see how the sales go 2 months from now around when Mario Kart launches.

 

[correojon]

I still haven't bought one,I'll do in the following months, but I'm checking regularly stock in game, eci, amazon and fnac and there seems to be no problem in getting one. I'm just saying that even though the system seems to be achieving some record numbers, supply seems to be good.

Oh and for the first time ever, I'm hearing people at work talk about videogames, specifically BotW. I'd never heard anyone do it before, except someone occassionally talking about his kids being crazy for Minecraft and Pokemon Go. That's very significant.

 

[joanot]

Those numbers still seem low compared to other countries of Spain's size. Is that because Spanish people spend more time outdoors and live like real human beings, or am I just romanticising them?

Pretty much. Spain isn't as big of a gaming market, as other countries

Country Size ≠ Population. France, Germany, UK & Italy all have much larger populations than Spain.

Spain's game market size is big enough although it hasn´t recovered yet to the pre-crisis levels from 2007.

According to the Interactive Software Federation of Europe (ISFE), report from 2015, sorry couldn´t find the last one:

Spain is the fourth largest games market in Europe after the UK, France and Germany and the ninth largest in the world. Regarding to users, a total 13 million people play video games in Spain, which represents 36% of the total national population.

 

[Pikma]

That reminds me: What does SpainGAF think about this dude?

https://www.youtube.com/shared?ci=MbX8TD3CDsI

I just can't get a read on this guy. Sometimes he's right on the money but most often he's clearly a fanboy in denial (a Sony hater) and claims to be right on stuff he's pulling from his ass, yet I can't stop watching him because he does stupidly hilarious shit sometimes.

That dude used to shit on Nintendo and the WiiU big time a few years ago, so I guess he just has really strong opinions.

But yeah, he comes up with some really hilarious shit every now and them

 

[wildfire]

Regardless, the amount of launch sales relative to its population is strong. Proportionally it most likely is close to how well the Switch sold in the US in the same time period.

 

[joanot]

That reminds me: What does SpainGAF think about this dude?

I just can't get a read on this guy. Sometimes he's right on the money but most often he's clearly a fanboy in denial (a Sony hater) and claims to be right on stuff he's pulling from his ass, yet I can't stop watching him because he does stupidly hilarious shit sometimes.

Don´t link his videos here please, this guy doesn't deserve any views.

He is just a two-faced hater.

 

[SMD]

Nintendo should release Splatoon NOW.

Ugh they are FLOPS. They have a Hinton their hands but the poor planning is going to hurt them.

"Jesus christ, Hinton!"