It’s official: No Nintendo console has lasted as long as Switch without being replaced
It’s official: No Nintendo console has lasted as long as Switch without being replaced
by Turbostrider27
36 Comments
JuanMunoz99
So do y’all expect a simple trailer in October to reveal the next console like what they did with the Switch?
loveboobas
hooray
Soft_Researcher702
The article notes that this is limited to both home consoles (obviously the Game Boy has the Switch beat) and Nintendo consoles. Outside of Nintendo, is there any home console that has lasted longer without a successor? Nothing comes to mind, unless you count prior console manufacturers creating some sort of legacy product (like the Atari VCS), but I’d be inclined to not include those.
Lupinthrope
Getting back into my switch lately after playing my Steam deck for so long, while I do still really like my switch I do wish it had more horsepower and it was bigger
spideyv91
Most consoles last longer now. Each generation since the GameCube seems to have last longer than the previous. I feel like the jump from the GameCube gen to ps3/360 gen is really understated. So many of those games still hold up next to games that came way after.
Powerful_Artist
Still remember launch day like it was yesterday. I rarely preorder anything, but you can bet I preordered with BOTW. One of my fondest gaming memories ever.
The Switch has really lost its novelty factor though. I loved playing in handheld at first. Now I rarely take it off the dock.
Puzzleheaded-Fix-915
I don’t even know if I should save up for the OLED anymore. Also, has the switch been out that long ? I keep thinking it’s only been five years
mrlotato
Switch is great but a replacement is well due.
insane_steve_ballmer
Clickbait article that leaves out portable consoles, even though the Switch is also a portable console. The original gameboy lasted from 89-98, or 2001 even if you count the fact that many GBC games were compatible with GB too
deviousmajik
Typically gets 5 or 6 year cycles before a new system. This is going on over 7 years.
I do want the next system to be very similar to the Switch (and fully backwards compatible) – improve the performance, controls and screen, but otherwise it has been a very very good system.
absolute4080120
This post just made me have such a stark realization about the passage of time and how it feels with these systems.
The Nintendo switch was the first video game console that came out after my college career ended. It was the first console I preordered and managed to get on day 1 it feels like yesterday. Hell my wife took a photo and we still get the Facebook notification.
But that’s insane. She’s my wife now, we had been dating 2 years already. We’ve Lived in 5 different places and we’ve now been married for 7 years.
Crazy to think
Piggstein
If only the same could be said about all my fucking joycons
king_bungus
except the joycons
moep123
NES was 1985,
SNES was 1990, N64 was 1996,
GC came 2001, Wii was 2006
WiiU was 2012, Switch was 2017.
We have 2024.
Average from all companies is about 5-7 years.
I wouldn’t be surprised if a new console would be released by end of the next year or beginning 2026 tbh.
It’s always been like that.
Nintendo did a great job with the switch. I would have squeezed every bit out of it as well. Time for something new that adds up to it’s success. I am very excited what they will come up with next. They’ve always been very playful with their ideas.
Smugg-Fruit
What about Gameboy?
9 years between GB and GBC
jaymef
I just want Mario Odyssey 2
Qualityhams
I love my switch
DarukuAWG
In general, technology has come to a place where art design and dev expertise matters a lot more than the hardware, as long as it is relatively modern. PS5 can have great graphics and all, but many games on Switch look way better than most middle-tier PS4/5 games.
Graphics were never a good metric for game quality, but now more than ever, game design and games being actually fun to play matter way more than “are the graphics in game A 1% better than game B”.
Caged_in_a_rage
The switch is just THAT good
Wasabi138
Just bought a switch last month and now feel like I’m trying to fit 8 years worth of games into its remaining 1-2 years. No regrets though.
Xmookie12911X
Don’t blame them considering how successful the system is. 13m more units and it’s their best selling console. I am ready to move on however. I’m ready for what’s next
UnfortunateCakeDay
It has had a good run; It’s hard to blame them for milking a cash cow for every penny.
Nearby-Initiative739
This is history in the making. I had a feeling that the switch would be a very successful console but I couldn’t have ever fathomed the life span of the switch would surpass all other Nintendo consoles.
MessageMePuppies
My SNES has never been replaced, it’s still going strong.
karyuuDON
I love the Switch because they really focused on user experience and affordability. Having played every Nintendo console since the NES, this is definitely my favorite one — which is pretty cool to say.
The learning curve is easy for casuals, the gameplay is fun, and the graphics / performance are good enough.
Sony and Microsoft tried doubling down on hardware and horsepower, but it ended up being the wrong move… Nintendo understands the “fun” factor and makes products accessible for all ages.
Acalthu
The word pre-successor irks me to no end. ‘Predecessor’ exists for a reason.
Mr-pizzapls
The Switch has been a sales monster for Nintendo, I’m not surprised they’ve rode it for so long. I only hope the Switch 2 is backwards compatible
Kinglink
I feel like this is a more a statement on game development than the Switch being that special.
You can push more pixels, but there’s also a question of “Do you really need to?”
We’re 5 years into the Ps5 and I don’t even see a reason for the “next gen” consoles.
Game dev is more popular than ever of course, but it’s not like there’s transformative power out there, and the switch’s only flaw is it’s not as good as the Steam Deck but as anyone knows they’re not really playing the same game.
fnordal
after all, does it need to be replaced? there hasn’t been such a technological evolution that “nintendo” videogames have to have.
It could have at least 5 more years, imho.
Charlesvania
Call me a boomer, but i love the switch and it still feels new to me. I also only play Nintendo exclusives on it so (almost) everything runs really well…
menyemenye
I say the next is switch U and we redo the cycle
mushious
The best thing they could do is keep the format and improve the hardware.
OdeeSS
I’m glad. I have no interest in keeping up with all the consoles. I want to buy and play at my own pace.
3ehsan
I lowkey don’t want the Switch era to end lol
Slap_My_Lasagna
Alternative Headline:
#Nintendo has never taken longer to release a new generation of console since it entered the video game industry.
36 Comments
So do y’all expect a simple trailer in October to reveal the next console like what they did with the Switch?
hooray
The article notes that this is limited to both home consoles (obviously the Game Boy has the Switch beat) and Nintendo consoles. Outside of Nintendo, is there any home console that has lasted longer without a successor? Nothing comes to mind, unless you count prior console manufacturers creating some sort of legacy product (like the Atari VCS), but I’d be inclined to not include those.
Getting back into my switch lately after playing my Steam deck for so long, while I do still really like my switch I do wish it had more horsepower and it was bigger
Most consoles last longer now. Each generation since the GameCube seems to have last longer than the previous. I feel like the jump from the GameCube gen to ps3/360 gen is really understated. So many of those games still hold up next to games that came way after.
Still remember launch day like it was yesterday. I rarely preorder anything, but you can bet I preordered with BOTW. One of my fondest gaming memories ever.
The Switch has really lost its novelty factor though. I loved playing in handheld at first. Now I rarely take it off the dock.
I don’t even know if I should save up for the OLED anymore. Also, has the switch been out that long ? I keep thinking it’s only been five years
Switch is great but a replacement is well due.
Clickbait article that leaves out portable consoles, even though the Switch is also a portable console. The original gameboy lasted from 89-98, or 2001 even if you count the fact that many GBC games were compatible with GB too
Typically gets 5 or 6 year cycles before a new system. This is going on over 7 years.
I do want the next system to be very similar to the Switch (and fully backwards compatible) – improve the performance, controls and screen, but otherwise it has been a very very good system.
This post just made me have such a stark realization about the passage of time and how it feels with these systems.
The Nintendo switch was the first video game console that came out after my college career ended. It was the first console I preordered and managed to get on day 1 it feels like yesterday. Hell my wife took a photo and we still get the Facebook notification.
But that’s insane. She’s my wife now, we had been dating 2 years already. We’ve Lived in 5 different places and we’ve now been married for 7 years.
Crazy to think
If only the same could be said about all my fucking joycons
except the joycons
NES was 1985,
SNES was 1990, N64 was 1996,
GC came 2001, Wii was 2006
WiiU was 2012, Switch was 2017.
We have 2024.
Average from all companies is about 5-7 years.
I wouldn’t be surprised if a new console would be released by end of the next year or beginning 2026 tbh.
It’s always been like that.
Nintendo did a great job with the switch. I would have squeezed every bit out of it as well. Time for something new that adds up to it’s success. I am very excited what they will come up with next. They’ve always been very playful with their ideas.
What about Gameboy?
9 years between GB and GBC
I just want Mario Odyssey 2
I love my switch
In general, technology has come to a place where art design and dev expertise matters a lot more than the hardware, as long as it is relatively modern. PS5 can have great graphics and all, but many games on Switch look way better than most middle-tier PS4/5 games.
Graphics were never a good metric for game quality, but now more than ever, game design and games being actually fun to play matter way more than “are the graphics in game A 1% better than game B”.
The switch is just THAT good
Just bought a switch last month and now feel like I’m trying to fit 8 years worth of games into its remaining 1-2 years. No regrets though.
Don’t blame them considering how successful the system is. 13m more units and it’s their best selling console. I am ready to move on however. I’m ready for what’s next
It has had a good run; It’s hard to blame them for milking a cash cow for every penny.
This is history in the making. I had a feeling that the switch would be a very successful console but I couldn’t have ever fathomed the life span of the switch would surpass all other Nintendo consoles.
My SNES has never been replaced, it’s still going strong.
I love the Switch because they really focused on user experience and affordability. Having played every Nintendo console since the NES, this is definitely my favorite one — which is pretty cool to say.
The learning curve is easy for casuals, the gameplay is fun, and the graphics / performance are good enough.
Sony and Microsoft tried doubling down on hardware and horsepower, but it ended up being the wrong move… Nintendo understands the “fun” factor and makes products accessible for all ages.
The word pre-successor irks me to no end. ‘Predecessor’ exists for a reason.
The Switch has been a sales monster for Nintendo, I’m not surprised they’ve rode it for so long. I only hope the Switch 2 is backwards compatible
I feel like this is a more a statement on game development than the Switch being that special.
You can push more pixels, but there’s also a question of “Do you really need to?”
We’re 5 years into the Ps5 and I don’t even see a reason for the “next gen” consoles.
Game dev is more popular than ever of course, but it’s not like there’s transformative power out there, and the switch’s only flaw is it’s not as good as the Steam Deck but as anyone knows they’re not really playing the same game.
after all, does it need to be replaced? there hasn’t been such a technological evolution that “nintendo” videogames have to have.
It could have at least 5 more years, imho.
Call me a boomer, but i love the switch and it still feels new to me. I also only play Nintendo exclusives on it so (almost) everything runs really well…
I say the next is switch U and we redo the cycle
The best thing they could do is keep the format and improve the hardware.
I’m glad. I have no interest in keeping up with all the consoles. I want to buy and play at my own pace.
I lowkey don’t want the Switch era to end lol
Alternative Headline:
#Nintendo has never taken longer to release a new generation of console since it entered the video game industry.
The current Mario Kart game is 10 years old