Nintendo’s Switch 2 got off to a roaring start but demand has started to sag, particularly in the US. Where are the big games to reverse this?
I’d love to get a Switch 2, but $500 + $70/per game is just too steep for me.
Switch 2 demand appears to be flagging as Nintendo reportedly lowers production
Submitted 3 weeks ago by simple@piefed.social to games@lemmy.world
https://www.eurogamer.net/switch-2-flagging-nintendo-lowers-production
Comments
FRYD@sh.itjust.works 3 weeks ago
AFallingAnvil@lemmy.ca 2 weeks ago
That’s 80$-90$ in Canada, that’s just waaay too much for a video game.
jefferyjefferson@lemmy.org 3 weeks ago
They’re a business and they need to make money.
If you’re too poor to afford video games, then you shouldn’t be playing them.
SparroHawc@lemmy.zip 2 weeks ago
If I have a PC (which is practically a necessity for modern life anyways), I can get a bunch of fantastic titles on Steam for super cheap right now from their Spring Sale. If you’re too poor to afford a Switch 2, there are plenty of other options.
FartMaster69@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 weeks ago
Please, leave the poor billion dollar company alone :(
nuko147@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
It’s not about affording something, it’s about it’s value. Nintendo is way overpriced atm.
billwashere@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Well aren’t you a bundle of joy.
MufinMcFlufin@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
If you’re too poor to afford video games, then you shouldn’t be playing them.
Shame there isn’t a gaming platform that often has tons of really cheap and often completely free games. One that has multiple storefronts, each with regular sales. Darn I guess that just means I’ll have to quit games entirely. For the sole reason of being too poor to afford overpriced hardware and overpriced games from a singular company regularly known for overcharging nostalgia bait games. Entirely because one person on the internet told me to, all so he could defend a billion dollar international company.
BurgerBaron@piefed.social 2 weeks ago
In theory I’d be upset with that but there’s no games to buy anyways.
FRYD@sh.itjust.works 2 weeks ago
Personally, Mario Kart World, Kirby Air Riders, and the next Pokémon is enough to get me to spend $200-$300. Altogether though, I’m looking at $710 pre tax. That’s just too much for me.
neon_nova@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 weeks ago
It’s a price thing for me to for the most part.
If they had better first party games, I’d be tempted, but even then.
Also them banning consoles of people who bought used games is a big no for me.
That means the only way to protect myself is to way until the system gets hacked and play on a hacked system disconnected from Nintendo.
So, that’s what I’m waiting for.
cattywampas@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
People ain’t got no money.
AWizard_ATrueStar@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
As a long time Nintendo fan since the NES, Switch 2 is the first Nintendo console (except Virtual Boy, I suppose) that I did not go out and purchase day 1. I still have no real interest.
I like physical carts and the idea that a cart is really just a license key to download a game is a no-go for me right from the start. $80 games. So heavily tied to the online account that any ban, accidental or otherwise, effectively bricks the console. No games that interst me (other than Metroid, which I just bought for Switch 1).
Add all that together and I don’t know if/when I will ever get a S2 at this point. Maybe in a few years second hand. We’ll see.
samus12345@sh.itjust.works 3 weeks ago
Same boat. Nintendo fan since the NES, this is the first one I don’t want to buy (I even had a Virtual Boy, although I got it cheap on clearance). The quality of their games has dropped while the cost of their games and hardware have gone up exponentially. I’m sure I’ll play the good games they release that I missed eventually, whether via emulation or a cheap used one MANY years from now.
kurmudgeon@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Why would I spend that much for a system only to play the same games I’ve already played on five other fucking systems? If you look at all the games you can play on switch 2 right now nearly all of them are from previous generation consoles.
And if that’s not bad enough, they charge full fucking price for the remakes too. You want to play a game that came out 15 years ago on the Wii? Well get ready to pay 60 fucking dollars for the privilege of paying for the same game for the third time.
Oh but you wanted to play in 4K? Cough up another $10 or $20 for the switch 2 upgrade.
Nintendo is smoking some serious fucking crack when it comes to the pricing of their shit.
Fuck all that. Get a steam deck or similar machine that can also play PC games and can emulate anything from the switch one or Wii U.
I recently almost purchased a switch 2, but after seeing the pricing structures and the lack of new original titles, I said no. I’m currently playing breath of the wild in the Cemu emulator at 4K with all the bells and whistles including surround sound using the gaming laptop that I purchased 2 years ago. Game plays flawlessly and fully supports my dual sense controller that I already own. Saved myself a ton of money.
Errorcode7@programming.dev 3 weeks ago
Games costing $70+ is a giant turn off for me with that console. I would like portable cyberpunk, but I’m not buying that several year old game for $70
Regrettable_incident@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
I played cyberpunk on my steam deck - it’s my only device. I picked it up on sale for £22
sp3ctr4l@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 weeks ago
As of 2 days ago, FSR 4 works on a Steam Deck, w/Cyberpunk:
youtube.com/watch?v=0er-7pyMr3Q
This will also work on AMD 6000s and 7000s series cards.
lemmyng@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
That’s why you buy a Steam Deck instead, pirate Cyberpunk and be able to play it with mods for much better performance than on the Switch 2. Plus, you can pirate a shit ton of other games. Proton on Steam Deck has come a VERY long way.
samus12345@sh.itjust.works 3 weeks ago
buy a Steam Deck
Yeah, not really an option now, unless you want to pay scalper prices.
OnfireNFS@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
My favorite part of the steam deck is how I didn’t have to pay to “upgrade” the games I already own.
Oh and how I didn’t have to buy my game library again
Gerudo@lemmy.zip 3 weeks ago
I loved my Switch but wasn’t planning on getting a 2 due to cost of device and new games. I was gifted one for Xmas, and while I enjoy it, outside Mario Kart (that came with it) I haven’t found a new title made specifically for S2 that I wouldn’t buy for the other consoles or PC. I’m just playing some older catalog stuff, or games that I would prefer on the go. There’s no new Zelda, Mario, Splatoon, nothing 1st party to keep driving a console. It boggles my mind they didn’t have more 1st party lined up for the first year of launch
piyuv@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Pokopia, Bananza? It’s better than PS5 launch imo
cheat700000007@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Bananza feels so pointless, pokopia is the first thing so far that feels worthwhile.
Meanwhile ps5 launch had demons souls, and was the high end thing so multiplats made sense there like cyberpunk and asscreed Valhalla.
Ultimately; they’re both sad launch lineups
GiantChickDicks@lemmy.ml 2 weeks ago
I was just gifted a Switch 2 for my birthday, and Bonanza was what I was most looking forward to playing. I’m enjoying it a lot, but so far I’m glad I didn’t spend the money myself.
jefferyjefferson@lemmy.org 3 weeks ago
You can, and should, just get used to downloading games for free on an open device like the Steam Deck or just a regular PC/gaming laptop.
We need to stop giving power to the companies that only use it to take advantage of it.
Gerudo@lemmy.zip 2 weeks ago
Oh I have an Ally. One of the big reasons I wasn’t going to get an S2. I was just about to get a bigger battery for it when I got the S2 gifted to me.
agingelderly@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Where/how do I get them on my steam deck? I’m old and confused
SparroHawc@lemmy.zip 2 weeks ago
I was tempted to get it for the Metroid Prime game, but after reviews (and having to lower my discretionary budget because EVERYTHING COSTS MORE) I’ve decided to hold off. The Mario Mafia is definitely souring my opinion of the Big N, and the fact that their titles practically never go on sale means I wouldn’t buy many games for it anyways. Meanwhile my PC (and by extension my Steam Deck) continues to be my favorite gaming platform.
ALoafOfBread@lemmy.ml 3 weeks ago
The value proposition just isn’t there. Much more expensive for better performance and… pokemon pokopia? There aren’t any games really taking advantage of that increased performance that I am aware of. My switch 1 still works. I’d like better performance, but not $500 worth
NOT_RICK@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
DK Bananza is fun but I don’t think it’s worthy of buying a new system. It’s also pretty cool running Cyberpunk on such a slim system but there’s plenty of ways to play that. It’s got a strong third party base already, but I do think this calendar year’s releases will be important for the system.
A_Union_of_Kobolds@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
My Switch Lite with Diablo 2, Brotato and Balatro will last me till heat death
ALoafOfBread@lemmy.ml 3 weeks ago
That’s why most people I know got the switch. They got it in spite of bad performance to play older 3rd party games on a portable, social format. Can play with friends, on the bus, on the couch. Don’t really need better specs to do that.
The nintendo games are largely just a bonus, imo. They’re very expensive and I personally wouldn’t seek them out if I didn’t also own a switch. If I had kids or was a kid that’d be a different story, probably.
NekoKoneko@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Yeah, this is the “tock” part of the “tick-tock” hardware cycle. People bought the Switch because it was refreshing and a new way to play. Now Nintendo is offering to let us pay again and more for nearly the same. It’s a little cynical but true.
They could have called it the SwitchU, but honestly that’s a disservice to the WiiU - its second screen had more innovation.
KraeuterRoy@feddit.org 3 weeks ago
Thing is, a lot of people, me included, were asking for a more powerful Switch rather than something entirely new. Its just a compelling form factor.
What I did not want (and what’s the reason I never bought a Switch 2) were 70-80 bucks a game, subscription based hardware features, gimmicky shit like the camera on a stalk and the sheer audacity to charge 10 quid for a shitty tech demo / marketing game.
And yet, so many people still bought a Switch 2 - so I guess Nintendo did the right thing…financially.
a_non_monotonic_function@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
I would take a new fire emblem game, but certainly not a full upgrade for it.
I upgraded to the OLED model years back and it works fine for me.
RaoulDook@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Also you can buy 2 of the Switch 1 for the price of 1 Switch 2, and more people can play nintendo
lemmyng@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Any games that do take advantage of the increased performance cost $5-20 extra.
One of the smartest thing Nintendo could have done, and it seemed like they were doing this with BOTW/TOTK was to offer the upgrade for free with NSO Expansion Pak memberships, to increase the value of NSO Expansion Pak, get more people to sign up for NSO Expansion Pak and make the Switch 2 a more viable purchase.
BUT NAAAAAAH, ROTFLMAO, $20 ON TOP OF $70 ANNUALLY ON TOP OF $70 GAMES COMING OUT MONTHLY ON TOP OF A $450-500 CONSOLE + $100 ACCESSORIES IS MOTHERFUCKING CRAZY.
Caesium@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
personally, I’ve been hesitant to buy because Nintendo is willing to brick consoles for people using 3rd party software. otherwise, I’m just waiting for splatoon 4 to come out to buy it. I can wait for an emulator for anything else :p
RightHandOfIkaros@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Nintendo definitely learning the wrong lesson from this:
-
The Right Lesson: Maybe we shouldn’t released an expensive console, with only a handful of new games and tons of repeat releases that are $70 (and suck), and some of those games dont even have a real physical copy, and stop treating our fans like they are literally Hitler because they are passionate about our products.
-
The Wrong Lesson: People must not want powerful hardware and physical games anymore.
pycorax@sh.itjust.works 2 weeks ago
Why would they learn that when the Switch 2 is selling twice as fast as the first even with a much more limited catalog? A drop of 1/3 is still selling notably faster than the first Switch at it’s same time span.
-
Ashelyn@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 weeks ago
The switch 2 costs considerably more in the US than elsewhere thanks to the tariffs. That tax is going to suppress sales no matter what, and there are other economic pressures that harm most people’s buying power as well
carotte@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 weeks ago
it doesn’t, in fact the switch 2 seems to be cheaper in the us than anywhere else (except maybe japan)
msrp is 450$ usd in the us, 630$ cad (458$ usd) in canada, 396£ (530$ usd) in the uk, 700$ aud (487$ usd) in australia, and 470€ (545$ usd) in france
i don’t think the tariffs are having much of an impact, or more likely nintendo is charging everyone to cover them
PonyOfWar@pawb.social 3 weeks ago
Keep in mind though that US prices don’t include VAT, whereas in most countries they do.
leoj@piefed.zip 3 weeks ago
State+local sales tax at around 7.5% (weighted average) takes it to 480 USD (sales tax in the US can be 0 in a couple states, but is usually much more)
cheat700000007@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
The games are $99.99 on the shelf for Canada too. Just seeing that is immediately revolting. $110 for the “switch 2 upgrade pack” versions of games, like BOTW. A fucking switch 1 launch title that is currently 9 years old.
devolution@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Expensive console + $80 games - decent amount of games = Fuck Nintendo???
Zoomboingding@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Switch 2 had record-breaking sales FYI. This story is really about the overall economy and how fans already bought it.
cyberpunk007@lemmy.ca 3 weeks ago
Ya I eventually night a switch 1 and I loved it. I’ve got stacks of games, some which I haven’t even played yet.
Also a long time PC gamer with shit tons of games in gog and steam and other stores. I bought a steam deck on sale a year or so ago. Now my library is practically endless, especially when you consider emulation. It also plays switch 1 games pretty damn well…
nao@sh.itjust.works 2 weeks ago
Wasn’t it the fastest selling console, at least for some time? So many people who wanted one will already have one.
Willoughby@piefed.world 2 weeks ago
They’ve half-assed every game since BOTW. The systems aren’t the problem.
Rubanski@discuss.tchncs.de 2 weeks ago
TOTK was amazing
Willoughby@piefed.world 2 weeks ago
The fact that it runs above 20fps in some areas on a Switch 1 is amazing.
ISolox@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Nah there’s definitely bangers that came out after BOTW.
They’re definitely greedy with these upgrade prices though.
melsaskca@lemmy.ca 2 weeks ago
And one day the whole world was priced out of everything. Forgive our corporate overlords for they know not what they do. (Just kidding, they know).
billwashere@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
But do they? It seems like most are very short sighted and opt for immediate gains as opposed to any long term growth.
entwine@programming.dev 2 weeks ago
Nintendo needs to get humbled every couple of generations.
billwashere@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
I like it it’s just too damned expensive for what seems to be a minor upgrade from the switch. I mean the main differences are power, storage, display, and controller design and since my switch sits in the docking station and we use external controllers most of those are negated.
I haven’t seen a game that would justify it at this point.
setsubyou@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
And if you play docked you don’t get much out of the added power for the majority of games. You can get a few upgrade packs (some of which cost money) and a small number of games that require a Switch 2. But otherwise the main difference is better load times.
For handheld they just recently fixed this with a new handheld boost mode where Switch 1 games run in some docked mode simulation, so handheld players do get better performance and resolution out of a Switch 2 (in some cases significantly, there are some Switch 1 games that are borderline unplayable on a Switch 1 in handheld mode). But only as of a couple weeks ago. Literally the feature every handheld player wanted out of a Switch 2, and it took them this long.
OneWomanCreamTeam@sh.itjust.works 2 weeks ago
Switch 2 has several games that would’ve pushed me to buy it. Mario Kart World, DK Bonanza and Pokopia all look like I’d enjoy them a lot. I just can’t afford it.
QuentinCallaghan@sopuli.xyz 3 weeks ago
There aren’t enough appealing Switch 2 games at least for me, the price should go down and I rather wait for that EU model with easier battery-swapping.
eronth@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
I thought the price was going to go up because of silicone shortages.
DeathsEmbrace@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Well when you funnel everything to 1% eventually nobody can buy. That’s the whole point of the system.
leoj@piefed.zip 3 weeks ago
they got too greedy, why would I buy a system with games that expensive? Maybe once the library is full and there are people reselling their used copies for cheaper I’ll jump in, but for now I’m holding the line at 60.
orenj@lemmy.kde.social 3 weeks ago
I’m gonna go ahead and claim responsibility for this. I did that, you’re all welcome
FaygoRedPop@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
They could try lowering the price instead. I mean, paying $600 to play the newest Mario Kart seems a bit high. At that price, I’ll replay all the games they are re-releasing on switch 2 on my switch. What’s the point of a Switch 2?
cheat700000007@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
The new Mario kart is shit too. Did 1 of each gp and uninstalled to bring back mk8.
Carighan@piefed.world 3 weeks ago
Careful with these re-citations. The original Bloomberg article is ny Mochizuki, someone who has consistently pulled things out of his arse for years now.
Unless you’re currently playing on your Switch 1 4k Pro model that arrived ~2 years ago, I would not give much weight to this.
(and even if, the cited 4 mil sales is an insanely high number, even the Switch 1 only once managed an actual 6 mil quarter average for 24 mil in a year - but like I said, it’s very likely made up entirely, given the author)
ampersandrew@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Just because the Switch Pro didn’t come to pass doesn’t mean they weren’t working on one or planning one. He wasn’t the only one reporting that.
Carighan@piefed.world 2 weeks ago
Sure, but it’s also far from the only time that guy has been making shit up, and that’s independent of the part where the Switch 2 is still the fastest-selling console ever (at least when it was last-posted after 7 months on the market it was), so it’s a bit of a weird point to make about “flagging demand” unless that’s an extremely recent thing.
Tarambor@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Amazon UK have just discounted the Switch 2 form £499 to £385.
ampersandrew@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
I’m rooting for the demise of what Nintendo currently is, but this isn’t so much of a story. They had lofty projections for sales and manufacturing to make sure that they could meet demand, they’ve met that demand, and it’s high. This is revising one quarter’s production down from 6M to 4M. It’s still doing well for them.
Khanzarate@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Right? They specifically set out to make sure it wouldn’t be scalped to hell and back after repeated complaints.
They did that, and now the product is real, and market predictions on existing products are much more reliable. The initial production wasn’t sustainable but wasn’t meant to be sustained, either.
catalyst@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Agreed, this feels like making a story out of nothing for clicks.
Zoomboingding@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Just look at this comment section, it’s popular to hate Nintendo. It’s mostly justified, but this story isn’t.
5in1k@lemmy.zip 2 weeks ago
That’s a third though.