As most gamers are well aware of, both the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 are due out later this holiday season, releasing November 10 and 12 respectively. These consoles will mark Sony and Microsoft’s entry into the ninth console generation. Though the two consoles offer their own exclusive titles and different features, the two are largely very similar in their respective approaches to gaming. PlayStation has done great in the past, with both the PlayStation 1 and 2 outselling its competitors, and PlayStation 4 currently leading the way in sales. But Microsoft has seemingly fired back, with the Xbox Series X focusing much more on the games and has even gone as far as to purchase Bethesda in order to gain additional IPs.
But with both Sony and Microsoft stealing all of the spotlight with their respective consoles launching in tandem with one another, where does that leave Nintendo?
Nintendo launched the Switch over three years ago, and it was largely due to the failure of the Wii U. In many ways, the early launch of the console felt like Sega’s launching of the Dreamcast, which launched over a year before its rival consoles in order to get a head start up against the competition. But unlike Sega, Nintendo’s hybrid console has become incredibly popular.
The PS5 and Xbox Series X are launching this year, but it now feels quite a bit different than prior generations. Unlike the Sega Dreamcast era, where the system went up against the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and GameCube, the next generation feels less competitive. The Nintendo Switch is not directly comparable to the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X, for many reasons. For one, the Switch is a hybrid system, appealing to both home console gamers and handheld gamers alike. By being a truly unique product, it therefore appeals to a different market and is less comparable to the other gaming systems.
It would be fair to argue that many Xbox or PlayStation gamers also own Nintendo Switches as their secondary systems, as they offer very different experiences than the other consoles. While an Xbox or PlayStation console largely offers beefy single-player experiences or massive multiplayer games like Call of Duty or Destiny, Nintendo systems generally offer more family-friendly experiences and local multiplayer fun. This difference in overall gaming experiences has allowed the Switch to stay relevant despite its shortcomings, as the console’s hardware and software sales have shown.
Console launches can sometimes be a bit messy, and the PS5 and Series X appear to be no different. With the current situation that everyone is facing with COVID-19, the gaming world has been affected quite a bit. Both companies have experienced their own share of issues in regards to console pre-orders, and this year’s new console launches are looking to be heavily impacted by the pandemic negatively. These issues could easily bleed into next year and unfortunately end up being longer lasting for both consoles.
At the same time, the Switch has also become affected by COVID, with shortages worldwide for the hybrid console. Gamers worldwide will likely continue to struggle to get their hands on all three consoles for quite some time, even with the companies increasing their hardware production.
One of the fears that some gamers may hold is that Nintendo won’t be capable of delivering enough titles that can compete with Sony and Microsoft’s new offerings. Both the PS5 and Series X are shaping up to be consoles with plenty of great new exclusives, with Sony announcing brand new titles in franchises such as Gran Turismo, God of War, Ratchet and Clank, and Horizon, and Microsoft delivering a brand new Halo game, as well as now owning the entire catalogue of Bethesda, which apparently will only come to PS5 on a case-by-case basis. As such, it feels very understandable why many are a little worried for the Switch’s future.
But going into 2021, it feels like quite the opposite. With a massive back catalogue already built up for the Switch, Nintendo seems to be in a better position than ever. Games like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and Super Mario Odyssey have all sold ridiculously well, and Animal Crossing continues to top sales charts even in late 2020. And with Nintendo Switch console shortages seen throughout the better part of the year, there are gamers who are still struggling to get their hands on a system. With the new consoles coming out, many players will have to choose between the brand new consoles and Nintendo’s offering, but it may not be that simple.
If all else fails, Nintendo seems to have a few tricks up its sleeves: the biggest one being the heavily rumored Nintendo Switch Pro, which might be coming sometime next year. It isn’t confirmed, but many believe that the Switch Pro will be released in order to help better compete with the other new consoles. This would make sense, as the Switch is now roughly halfway through its life, if gamers are to believe that the Switch with have a six year life cycle. A more powerful Switch would be great, as it would more easily run third party titles and could attract additional third-party companies looking to get titles on the hybrid system that maybe, otherwise, would be incapable of running on the system’s base model due to its inferior processing power.
Overall, the Nintendo Switch is looking pretty good going into this year’s holiday season. Though both PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X are nearing their launches, it seems that there is plenty of room on the market for all three consoles. Unlike prior “console wars,” this generation is looking to be the tamest yet, with the companies embracing cross-play and multi-platform releases of titles that used to be exclusive. The Switch so far has had a very strong run, and it doesn’t look like the new generation of consoles will be slowing down its success any time soon.
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