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With the Nintendo Switch OLED model just a few weeks away, we’re heading into the system’s fifth holiday season with three distinct “tiers” in its hardware family. We’ve already covered how each iteration of Switch offers something different, in terms of features and price, and how that stacks up against other gaming systems as we head into the most competitive and important shopping season. of the year. Nintendo is in its own “bubble” with its proprietary games and the Switch’s different role compared to other hardware, but it still competes for the same dollars as Sony and Microsoft.
What the OLED has also triggered since its announcement is of course a parcel talking about hardware strategy, whether Nintendo is doing things right, etc. There are more views on this subject than a questionable straight-to-DVD movie, as you compare the Switch’s huge commercial success to the online clamor for more powerful hardware. There is a parcel of factors that also played a role. There have been significant shutdowns and disruptions through 2020 and up to this year, and then there are ongoing and troublesome chip shortages in manufacturing. It is difficult to produce electronics at the moment, and it will undoubtedly have influenced Nintendo’s thinking and approach.
It’s possible that Nintendo’s plans have been altered or delayed by the chaos of the past 18 months, but it’s impossible to be certain. Looking at the company’s history and trends with portable hardware, however, one could argue that the Switch path has been quite typical. Yes, it’s a hybrid device, but in terms of technology, it’s basically a tablet / handheld that’s bolstered by smart controller and docking solutions. Nintendo is now a single-system company after decades of balancing handhelds and consoles, but it has almost always sold more laptops than TV-based systems. So it’s no surprise to see the company using a familiar portable playbook as it penetrates deep into the Switch generation.
The similarities with the DS and 3DS generations are interesting enough that they are worth presenting, clearly as the day, as a reminder to anyone who thinks the company has been “slow” to switch to a system. more powerful.
Nintendo Switch (Original) – March 2017
Very comparable to the original 3DS, the main difference being that a good start and continued positive sales helped boost its results. Still the base of the “family”, but perhaps unlike the original 3DS and even the original DS design, it is still the cornerstone of the range, which is not surprising given its popularity. .
Nintendo Switch (Revision) – August 2019
The “HAC-001 (-01)” model was a very minor overhaul with a noticeable boost for those who picked it up, and it replaced “the original” as the standard model on the market since its arrival. initial in August 2019. It features a more efficient version of NVIDIA’s Tegra GPU, which significantly increases battery life.
Comparisons with the DS and 3DS era are less straightforward – the DS Lite was physically very different from the original. It’s not a match for the “New Nintendo 3DS” either, as this system has improved a few features (a more stable 3D) as well as slightly improved performance and a handful of exclusive games. With this Switch overhaul, Nintendo locked in performance to match the original model, with battery life being the only feature to benefit from any improvement. Everything else on the hardware was the same.
As for Why it was released, it’s possible this was sourcing and manufacturing related, and it may have been to shut down hackable exploits and inherent weaknesses in the original Tegra chip.
Nintendo Switch Lite – September 2019
The most notable version of 2019, at least in terms of branding, was the Switch Lite. This comparison is easy, as it serves an extremely similar purpose to that of the original 2DS. As a reminder, the 2DS did away with the stereoscopic screen from the 3DS, came at a lower price, and was designed as a rugged tablet-style device to survive the rigors of childhood gaming.
The Lite, like the 2DS, removes some key selling points from the standard model while still offering an affordable price and a more rugged design. In this case, this removes the very definition of the pitch switch, without the possibility of connecting the system to a television. Joy-Con controls are built into the unit (although you can use wireless controllers) and there’s no kickstand, so it’s the true portable experience only.
Although it saw an increase in sales in 2020 during a period when standard models were hard to come by, trends indicate that the system is returning to 2DS territory – being a valued member of the family and contributing to decent figures, but ultimately secondary to the device core.
Nintendo Switch OLED model – October 2021
This is another easy comparison, ultimately, which fits well with the DSi XL and 3DS XL models. The increase in screen size from 6.2in to 7in is not as large as these XL systems, but will be quite noticeable side-by-side with the original model. Unlike these XL units, the shell and basic dimensions will feel very familiar to you (although there is small adjustments to those too), but the focus of the model and its place in the market will certainly be comparable.
A notable part of Nintendo’s marketing of the XL models in the DS and 3DS eras was to emphasize their “premium” role in the lineup. With the OLED model, the focus is on the screen, upgraded speakers, a significantly improved kickstand, and an updated LAN adapter in the dock. It is very It is questionable how far these luxuries will push current Switch owners to upgrade, and based on bundles and deals, this scribe suspects that the standard model will easily sell for more than the OLED variation during winter season. vacation.
The sales it generates (assuming Nintendo can manufacture enough to meet its demand) will be interesting to see. At the top of the Switch family price bracket, it may have more similarities in number to Lite than the standard model, but in the same way, it will likely give Nintendo a higher profit margin per unit. Ultimately, like the XL models before it, its role is to be the premium option for those who are happy to pay extra for its upgrades.
So, has Nintendo been “slow” with the Switch family?
The internet is a very impatient place, at least if you spend too much time on social media. Still, a common thread of complaint when the OLED was announced is that Nintendo is lagging behind and showing little initiative. In other words, one opinion is that Nintendo should switch to improved hardware, even if it follows the “Pro” / “X” approach taken by Sony and Microsoft in the latest generation of consoles – iterate and add more. power, while supporting the original material for any or more Games.
But, how does Switch’s evolution and timeline compare to the DS and 3DS eras (using the NA release windows)? Let’s take a look, focusing on the key (not necessarily all) iterations.
Switch → Lite Switch → OLED Switch – 4 years and 7 months
DS → DS Lite → DSi → DSi XL – 5 years and 5 months
3DS → 3DS XL → 2DS – 2 years and 7 months
3DS → 2DS → New Nintendo 3DS / XL – 3 years and 11 months
We’ve done several 3DS timelines above for more context, as the 3DS family was particularly ‘busy’ with Nintendo, and it’s extremely questionable whether the new 3DS is the equivalent of the upcoming OLED. What we are seeing is that with the incredible sales of the DS and then the addition of downloadable games to the DSi is that Nintendo has taken its time because this generation has sold so impressively. The 3DS, however, got off to a particularly poor start, and Nintendo stepped up its revisions and new models – along with various big game initiatives and releases – to accelerate its momentum. 3DS has finally recovered from its bad start to show very respectable lifetime sales, but Nintendo has continuously iterated and increased the lineup to attract consumers.
With Switch, two factors explain why it has seen less revisions and activity than the 3DS. One is that its sales dynamic has more in common with the DS / Wii era, in that it’s a popular system that’s central to gaming culture. Second, we can’t ignore the enormous impact of bottlenecks and related challenges in 2020 and even into 2021. Manufacturing in the tech space has been and still is under great pressure, with challenges to overcome existing demand not to mention new products. Nintendo, like many businesses, also faced long periods of work from home, travel restrictions, and more. All of this has significant implications when trying to work out the logistics of designing, manufacturing and then selling hardware (and software, for that matter).
Perhaps the OLED was originally set to release around the same time last year, it’s also possible that a boosted system was on the cards at some point. Only Nintendo knows it internally, but it’s not beyond the realm of possibility. It could be argued that the hardware plans at the end of 2019 have been significantly adjusted, torn apart, or simply delayed as world events take hold.
Even if that is the case, what the timeline shows is that Nintendo is still following a variation of its usual pattern for portable hardware. Should we be surprised that Nintendo isn’t in a rush to release brand new hardware when the existing Switch and its iterations are selling so well? As in the DS era, Nintendo has no reason to rush.
On top of that, the Switch is always less than five years. Some of us definitely yearn for better gaming performance from third parties in particular, and to see a Switch logo at the end of more cross-platform trailers. Yet at the end of the day there was impatience as well, and when you look at the reality Nintendo just took pragmatic steps, especially with all of the unexpected challenges of the past 18 months.
If, in a year from now, there is still no talk of new and improved hardware, perhaps the argument that Nintendo is too cautious and inactive will be more convincing. The current reality, however, is that it follows its own – often successful – formula.
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