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[ManaByte]

Back in 1990 when Nintendo was releasing the Super Famicom in Japan, they were coming from a position of total dominance.

With the Famicom (and NES), Nintendo enjoyed ownership of 98% of the entire video game industry. This was mostly due to Yamauchi's iron-fist policies that put both third parties and retailers on their knees at his feet. When they released the Super Famicom in 1990, they had a captive audience of fans that led to the company's continued domination.

The console didn't shake things up in terms of designs or gimmicks. It was just an iteration of the NES. More powerful, and adding more buttons to the controller while maintaining Nintendo's patented d-pad.

35 years later and the Switch to Switch 2 transition feels very similar.

The Switch 2 is just an iteration of the Switch, while being more powerful and with minor updates to the console and controllers. Like the Famicom, in Japan Nintendo is the video game industry enjoying a similar level of dominance they did in 1990 although for very different reasons.

Except this time the transition has backwards compatibility. Honestly even if they could do that in 1990 I doubt Yamauchi would allow it because he still wanted to sell the New Famicom models. But now everyone's Nintendo account carries over and they don't have to restart their library due to BC (unless they're hardcore Labo and Ring-fit fans, then too bad). So this has a potential to be even bigger than the Super Famicom/SNES transition in comparison.

 

[Badlucktroll]

I am suprised nintendo didnt come out with a dowhatsit to play nes games on the snes like super gameboy

 

[HRK69]

Noted

 

[cireza]

So like the SNES, it will sell less.

 

[ManaByte]

So like the SNES, it will sell less.

 

[RetroGamingUK]

A backwards compatible SNES would’ve been quite a blow for Sega back then.

 

[ManaByte]

A backwards compatible SNES would’ve been quite a blow for Sega back then.

 

[RoboFu]

So like the SNES, it will sell less.

Wow talk about the dumbest take award winner.

 

[RoadHazard]

So like the SNES, it will sell less.

And the GameCube (a pretty standard evolution over the N64), and the 3DS (an evolution of the DS). And, one might argue, the Wii U (an evolution of the Wii).

Nintendo has done these pretty straightforward upgrades several times, and it has always resulted in worse sales than the predecessor.

I think the Switch 2 will do well, but not as well as the original.

 

[Sebastian1295]

And alongside the switch 2 and nintendos dominance they've unveiled a new mascot to replace mario.

 

[ManaByte]

And the GameCube (a pretty standard evolution over the N64)

 

[cireza]

I am not hoping for anything, rather you, who are making this thread, seem to be hoping for something. Personally I don't care about sales.

You make a comparison, why do you omit the fact that SNES sold less than NES in said comparison ? Are we cherry-picking whatever we prefer here ? I think that noting that each Nintendo console that simply was "an iteration" sold less than the previous console is also relevant in such comparison.

Also Wii U was exactly what you stated, an iteration of Wii with BC. Certainly feels like a repeat of this as well.

 

[ManaByte]

And alongside the switch 2 and nintendos dominance they've unveiled a new mascot to replace mario.

That's likely the design from the upcoming Donkey Kong movie, which is obviously similar to the Super Mario Movie design.

 

[RoadHazard]

The GameCube didn't introduce any new gimmick or brand new feature. It was just more powerful, had an updated controller with an extra analog stick, and a new media format.

 

[Gameplay Gods Bless]

Wow talk about the dumbest take award winner.

The SNES sold less than the NES. The Gameboy color sold less than the game boy. The 3ds sold less than the ds. The Wii U sold less than the Wii.

 

[ManaByte]

The SNES sold less than the NES. The Gameboy color sold less than the game boy. The 3ds sold less than the ds. The Wii U sold less than the Wii.

Empire Strikes Back made less than Star Wars. Return of the Jedi made less than Empire Strikes Back

 

[RoboFu]

The SNES sold less than the NES. The Gameboy color sold less than the game boy. The 3ds sold less than the ds. The Wii U sold less than the Wii.

And the switch destroyed the ps4

NES was a phenomenon. Its life span went into the snes life span. The nes had zero competition. The snes had big competition from sega. Yet the snes only was 10 million behind the nes total sales.

Again the dumbest take.

 

[bitbydeath]

And alongside the switch 2 and nintendos dominance they've unveiled a new mascot to replace mario.

Edit: Imma take this to a new thread, with cocaine and hookers.

 

[ungalo]

SNes is not a minor update of Nes like Switch 2 is, sorry. Different era though, nowadays there's no real leap anyway but still.

 

[DonJimbo]

It will be just as successful as the snes

 

[SimTourist]

And alongside the switch 2 and nintendos dominance they've unveiled a new mascot to replace mario.

Cracky Kong

 

[cireza]

Again the dumbest take.

Facts are takes now ? SMH.

 

[Deerock71]

I cannot state with enough emphasis how THRILLED I am at the backwards compatability announcement (now that it's official). It actually puts more thrust into acquiring the hardware, and software will get here when it gets here. I now openly wonder if there's any boosts to uncapped software(?).

 

[Thaimasker]

So like the SNES, it will sell less.

Less than 150 million is the most likely result for any console. If it sells 20 mil less like the SNES, that's still a historically amazing result for Nintendo.

Only 1 other console has ever sold that much.

 

[NeoIkaruGAF]

I don’t know. Sales may tell one story, but the fact remains that PlayStation is still the undisputed king of the console space when it comes to global recognition and the power of the brand. Sales of the Switch were helped by its relatively low price and the fact that one household may want to buy more than one Switch. The Switch didn’t exactly “win” its generation, and it doesn’t have the stranglehold on the market that the NES had.

Then you have to consider that Super NES was a technological leap that allowed for things simply impossible on the NES, while the Switch 2 will not offer any new technology or feature. While the SNES wasn’t the best in all categories by any stretch, it was still at the forefront of gaming tech for its time. Switch 2 will be an upgrade that will mostly offer better specs to achieve similar results, and will be in no way superior to any of its competitors in the console space. It will have the luxury of being in a pretty unique spot in the market, where similar devices are either cheaper emulation machines, or much more expensive handheld PCs.

So yeah, I don’t really feel the comparison, and I think that Nintendo playing it so safe tells a lot about the stagnation of the market, the diminishing returns of technology, and the enormous risks associated with going against the tide nowadays.

 

[ManaByte]

but the fact remains that PlayStation is still the undisputed king of the console space

Not in Japan.

it doesn’t have the stranglehold on the market that the NES had.

Again, in Japan it does.

 

[Unknown?]

And the switch destroyed the ps4

NES was a phenomenon. Its life span went into the snes life span. The nes had zero competition. The snes had big competition from sega. Yet the snes only was 10 million behind the nes total sales.

Again the dumbest take.

Wii U was competing with PS4. An even dumber take on your end.

Not in Japan.



Again, in Japan it does.

Japan only has PS5 and Xbox in the console space. Switch is a hybrid.

 

[ManaByte]

Japan only has PS5 and Xbox in the console space. Switch is a hybrid.

 

[BlackTron]

Wow talk about the dumbest take award winner.

I don't really agree with the instant default to negativity, but he's not really off-base.

Only because history shows that iterative systems sell less than groundbreaking ones, and Switch 1's numbers are SO HIGH. Dumbest take ever? That's a stretch.

Could it sell more? Sure, if they knock it out of the park and maybe even get more momentum with third party games including Xbox titles. They just added mouse aim...

Or it could just be a repeat of Switch 1 and end at "only" 130 million. And he'd still be right that it did "worse". We don't know yet, it will be interesting for sure.

 

[Unknown?]

Not at all, I've long said Japan is mobile land. If it can't be picked up and taken out of the house, it will have a niche audience. It's why Wii U did so poorly there despite have all that Nintendo software.

 

[AngelMuffin]

So like the SNES, it will sell less.

No Genesis to compete with this time.

 

[cireza]

Less than 150 million is the most likely result for any console. If it sells 20 mil less like the SNES, that's still a historically amazing result for Nintendo.

Only 1 other console has ever sold that much.

I definitely agree with this. I simply shared a reminder of what happened in the past, almost every time. Some people got emotional lol.

100 millions would be a great result for sure.

 

[od-chan]

I hope OP is just trolling.

For fuck's sake no it won't be bigger than the NES/SNES transition and anyone who would genuinely argue that is lacking enough mental capacity to qualify as retarded tbh. Gaming itself was a whole different beast, what the SNES (and the NES) meant for the industry cannot be understated.

And no, it does not feel similar, not in the slightest. It feels similiar if you close both eyes and shut off 99% of your brain in the way that it is a followup console, whatever. The SNES was THE FIRST follow up console of Nintendo, dude I feel so stupid typing this out, there goes so much into this.

Sure the Switch had impact as well, but it's like comparing the invention of the iPhone to the invention of the Samsung Galaxy S22 or whatever.

 

[AnotherOne]

 

[lestar]

so we will have game cards with an rtx 5090 as a FX chipset to surpass ps5 power?

 

[Mephisto40]

The difference in graphical power between the NES and the SNES was clear to see

The difference in graphical power between the Switch and the Switch 2 isn't

 

[ReBurn]

The transition from Famicom to Super Famicom came with a decrease in total console sales of around 20 percent from the previous generation. It was more successful than its contemporary competition, but it was also less successful than its predecessor. Nintendo probably doesn't want to be less successful than Switch, but it's going to be tough to top.

 

[Zacfoldor]

I agree, can't wait to get my hands on this thing. BC is a beautiful thing. Also, XBCX!!!!!

 

[rkofan87]

you know the switch pro rumor well its not named the pro its just 2

 

[ManaByte]

The difference in graphical power between the Switch and the Switch 2 isn't

Show us a Switch 2 game that isn’t a 24 player Mario Kart.

 

[Mephisto40]

Show us a Switch 2 game that isn’t a 24 player Mario Kart.

I think that's more for you to prove considering you made the thread tbh

 

[Thaimasker]

I think that's more for you to prove considering you made the thread tbh

When we see games like Hogwarts legacy on the switch 2 and compare it side by side with a switch it's going to be a Clear as day difference lol

 

[diffusionx]

The transition from Famicom to Super Famicom came with a decrease in total console sales of around 20 percent from the previous generation. It was more successful than its contemporary competition, but it was also less successful than its predecessor. Nintendo probably doesn't want to be less successful than Switch, but it's going to be tough to top.

Sales decreased largely because Nintendo held onto the NES/FC too long and let the TG-16/PCE and Genesis/MD establish a foothold in Japan and the USA, respectively. Nintendo has kept the Switch around a year too long (at least) but the market is just not the same as what it used to be.

 

[GymWolf]

Graphically it doesn't look nearly the same jump if we have to judge what they decided to show.

 

[touchfuzzy]

I think the Switch 2 will do well, but not as well as the original.

This take is very popular around here, people always throw it around like they're really saying something profound and it's so mild. Switch will likely end as literally the best selling console of all time, it's very unlikely for any console ever to do as well as it has. That doesn't mean Switch 2 can't also be hugely successful and profitable.

 

[justiceiro]

Man, this thread will be so fun to revisit in 5 years time.

 

[Astray]

unless they're hardcore Labo and Ring-fit fans, then too bad

If the problem with those has to do with the new joycons not fitting into the accessories then I can easily see AliExpress or the 3D Printing scene coming to the rescue here with custom parts.

 

[ComputerBlue]

I hate that they didn’t call it the super switch

 

[ManaByte]

If the problem with those has to do with the new joycons not fitting into the accessories then I can easily see AliExpress or the 3D Printing scene coming to the rescue here with custom parts.

The Switch 2 won’t fit into the Labo either.

 

[Trogdor1123]

I am suprised nintendo didnt come out with a dowhatsit to play nes games on the snes like super gameboy

I thought they did… I’ll look

Edit: it wasn’t actually Nintendo. It was a third party. My bad.