Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4 (PS4) game consoles have been enjoying the attention of serious gamers.
Despite Nintendo's offer of the Wii and Wii U, players have yet to seriously consider switching out their preferred console. But the Nintendo Switch has been getting a lot of attention since it was announced and it could be a noteworthy challenger to the two reigning consoles.
The Nintendo Switch, set for release on March 3, is marketed as a hybrid console that will allow gamers to take their games wherever they go. Other neat tricks that definitely made some gamer jaws drop, but will those really be the console to bring Nintendo's glory back?
Tech Times has already compared the unreleased Switch to its predecessor, the Wii U, so now it's time to see how well it fares against the preferred consoles of serious gamers.
Hardware
As already mentioned above, the Nintendo Switch is marketed as both a home and portable gaming console, as opposed to the Xbox One and the PS4. Nintendo's focus on mobility, while remarkable, means that the Switch is less powerful than both Xbox One and PS4. This is evident in each of the system's specifications because, while the Xbox One and PS4 both have internal memories reaching up to 1 TB, the Switch only has 32 GB with a portion of it locked for the system. Then again, Nintendo's focus was on mobility and to prove the console's hybridity.
Games
There are already a lot of games for both Xbox One and PS4 out in the market since both have been released some time ago, but the Switch is fighting back by releasing games that are exclusive to its console such as Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and new Super Mario games. While there are game developers and publishers that have committed to making games for the console, it remains to be seen whether the execution would be successful. After all, Nintendo is known for its more "family friendly" games so gamer satisfaction is not yet foreseeable at this point.
Switch will also offer games in its online store but, with only 32 GB storage capacity, those who prefer downloads over cartridges may not be too happy, even if the memory is expandable using microSDHC or microSDXC cards.
Applications
Let's just make it simple: while both Xbox One and PS4 offer applications that would enable users to stream content using the console, the Nintendo Switch does not. Why? Simply because it was made for gaming at home and on-the-go so all its specifications-1080p on the big screen and 720p on handheld mode-is for your gaming experience.
While some speculate that Nintendo could offer the same streaming applications further down the line, we think it may be out of the question since, historically, the company has always focused on family friendly gaming entertainment since the first NES console.
Will the Nintendo Switch be a formidable competition?
Nintendo Switch is definitely spicing things up in the console wars but it is still not in the same league as the Xbox One and PS4 when it comes to hardcore gaming.
It is not that we are discounting the Switch's capabilities but Nintendo seems to be targeting a different market than Microsoft and Sony. Rather, Nintendo seems to be targeting the same market it was able to pool from its NES classic days, all while trying to see how it could attract serious gamers.
We definitely believe that some serious gamers would consider purchasing and using the Switch as their secondary game console-mostly for portable gaming-but to completely switch to it may not be a possibility in 2017.
