PdotMichael
Banned
I don't think this is going to be true in the long term. I think this is certainly true now, because like I've been saying for a year now, I simply don't see the Switch as a 3DS replacement in 2017 itself. Nintendo's plan for it has been really clear - they needed a replacement for the WiiU which was deader than dead. The Switch fills that void now by offering console-level Nintendo games on a system that isn't retail poison. It also offers portability which is a plus too. The 3DS continues to be supported because any 3DS game coming out within this year or early next year which is substantial would have been already in development before the Switch was released.
Beyond 2017, the Switch is absolutely a replacement for the 3DS. We will see Pokemon, Fire Emblem, Monster Hunter, top down Zelda, Mario RPG, etc on the Switch. Some of them will have higher production values than before, but that would be part of the natural tech creep. Games on Vita and PSP were already way more advanced than DS/3DS in the same generation. Now there will be another leap. But not every game will need to look like BotW. The expectations will actually be a huge range across the board because different gamers have different interests and now every demographic are going to demand the best.
Only that we have already seen a massive decrease of games for 3DS and Vita compared to the NDS/PSP generation. At the same time we are seeing several typical handheld games companies and developements are moving to mobile, so even if there is a market for games only a step above Vita games production values wise, I don't think is a sustainable market for such games.
I expect the amount of games will decrease further and we see Switch/PS4 multiplatform games as standard for even the most Japanese centric games.
When the PS5 and Xbox whatever are coming around you're not going to be seeing publishers prioritising Switch over them because they'll understand the important of getting their early and establishing a userbase for their products.
You already forgot the long transition phase of the PS4 in Japan?