Why is Nintendo still a hardware manufacturer?

Seriously they don’t have any third party offerings unless you count full priced ports of games you bought years ago on your Xbox, PS or PC.

Their first party offering is limited and lacking too.

Wouldn’t it be easier and less embarrassing to just focus their resources solely on software?

They're making enough money to justify being in this business

Because... ...they still sell?

If you ponder this question hard enough I’m sure that the answer you seek will come to you. :P

This is a WiiU thread. That was some hot garbage. Switch is genuinely way different from any other hardware on the market.

@locopatho: what’s the point in hardware if there is limited software for it?

So "limited and lacking" that they're hauling in oil tankers full of cash?

Who are you to say the software is limited? I have bought as many games for my Switch since it released as my PC/PS4.

Out sold Xbox one X

"Their first party offering is limited and lacking too."

Yeah ok

They're a business that successfully employs thousands of people across dozens of divisions.

AdobeArtist: what?? How many of those games weren’t already available on other consoles?

Portable console gaming.

Because their stuff is stocked in the toy section, while Sony and MS is in the electronics section.

@jcrame10: Yeah you're right. Having the fastest selling console in history is such an embarrassment. They should do the smart thing and make free phone games.

9 of them.

If you treat the switch as a handheld, it's not limited. There aren't any other handhelds on the market either.

Someone sure does not get that Ps4 and X-box one are not portable.....weird...very weird.

@mojito1988: don’t care about portable gaming.

Nintendo tries to make money on hardware too though, it's not like the old days where they took a loss on the hardware and made money only on software (and licensing).

The issue with Wii-U, was that the hardware sold soooo bad, they probably had a hard time recouping investments even in 1st party software. So they were losing big time on the hardware, and then also couldn't make money selling software. The Switch isn't in danger of going that route, yet, though it is concerning how little effort Nintendo seems to be putting forth to help Switch succeed. Seems they figure Smash or bust this holiday season. Smash should keep pushing some hardware sales, but I don't get why they wouldn't have some more lined up to really help Switch reach the next level. It's a very light lineup IMO.

I remember when Nintendo fanboys wanted to insist Switch was a console. Hell, some disagreed with me that it was merely a tablet, even though it literally *is* a tablet! All of it's relevant innards are in a tablet form factor.

Sure, it is fair enough to say it's the only place to play Skyrim or Doom (2016) on the go. It just depends on if one has a real interest in doing that. I do not. I want to play those games at home, and for that, Switch is sorta useless. The problem with the Switch, similar to the Wii-U, is that you are paying like half the price of the device because of the "tablet". But at least with the Switch it is actually a portable self contained device, whereas the Wii-U tablet was only useful in proximity to the console.

Because software sells hardware, and Nintendo's software sells and it's not hard to understand why Nintendo is still around. Nintendo has the franchises to keep them alive.

I remember when the Switch was shown and ALL the hype revolved around the fact that it would be a great thing for Nintendo because it will unify their console and handheld division so there'll be no game droughts for Nintendo fans...........welllllllllll............................ uhhhh

What you're really saying: "I want Nintendo's software, but not their hardware, so they should go third-party for my sake."

Does not matter if you care about it. It does answer your question very well. (that and they turn massive profits)

There's no drought though. There was a very short one in Q1, but right now there's only a "drought" in the sense that many of the games have more limited appeal relative to the multiplats the other consoles are getting. Basically, it's a drought for people with too much time and money who need to buy 20 games per console they own per year for whatever reason.

@jcrame10

The same can be said about MS

Seriously they don’t have any FirstParty offerings unless you count BC with XBOX 360 Games

Wouldn’t it be easier and less embarrassing to just focus their resources solely on software?

Their first party offerings are strong enough to support getting their systems. That's not the same as saying whether it needs to be your primary gaming device because it has the most games and more exclusives and blah blah blah, that mentality is fucking stupid and someone who thinks that way should feel bad but I don't think they are capable of feeling bad and probably spend their free time strangling baby kittens.

The 3rd party has massively improved this gen im a bit surprised there wasn't that cheaper rumoured handheld only switch announced.

They're largely profitable? Switch is great, and the Wii was gangbusters... WiiU sold like poo. Their first-party is always on point, and the third-party has increased greatly this gen, both in quality and number.

It will surpass the Xbone in sales sooner than later. That’s why.

Dumb question, without the platform, you can't collect platform royalties nor rip people off for online gaming

The indies support is big on Switch but if you don't consider indies games then ok.

I've bought more games for my Nintendo Switch in a little over 1 year than I have bought for my Xbox One and PS4 in the 4+ years that I've owned a Xbox One and PS4.

For true Nintendo fans, there is no drought on the Switch. The only people that might think that there is a drought are people that only care about the big AAA crap and don't even own a Switch. I've not heard of many people that actually own a Switch who are not loving it.

No, no it wouldn't. If anything, it would be even more embarrassing.

Did people actually say there would be no droughts? There are always droughts, and it's just a fact of life. I saw the advantage of unifying the handheld and console division as a way of bringing Ninty's excellent handheld offerings over to your TV. Look at my sig, Octopath would have likely been handheld if it weren't for the Switch.

Nintendo fans are abnormally loyal (not being horrible), they buy Nintendo handhelds in large numbers, Japan being a massive market in this respect. I hate their games personally, but Nintendo will always sell with limited number of releases.

It would be a sad day for the industry if Nintendo stopped making hardware... in my opinion. And I'm not that big of a Ninty fan.

I wish i could see a Zelda on PS5. Would look insane!

@jcrame10: Less embarrassing for who?

Why is the Xbox still a thing? All the games are coming to PC... And you question why Nintendo is still in the game?

The Switch isn’t a PS4 or Xbox One. The Switch doesn’t get the Fallouts or Battlefields because it isn’t possible. Why some of you here act as if it’s because of incompetence puts me into a murderous rage. The Switch is smaller than a bluray case. Its scientifically impossible to get something that small to run games like your big black boxes. No negotiations or deals could change that fact. Nintendo isn’t competing with Xbox and PlayStation. Nintendo is going after the untapped majority of consumers

Then there are things like the Switch outselling the Xbox One since it’s launch and trading blows with the PS4 in the process. The Switch is on pace to pass the PS4 lifetime sales in Japan. These are all facts that justify the Switches purpose in the market

Fastest selling console in US history, killing the PS4 in Japan and projected to hit 37 million total sales by next year. But yeah you're right, they should stop making hardware lol.

this E3 3rd party games

Fortinite
paladins
ARK survival evolved
dragon ball fighterZ
dark souls remastered
crash insane trilogy
Star link
donkey kong rabbids kingdom
fifa 19
SNK heroines
monster hunter generations
wolfenstein II
world ends with you
mega man 11
octopath traveler
DAEMON X Machina

not to mention mobile or card games like:

fallout shelter
skyrim blades
elder scrolls legends

or big indies like:

trials revival

....

fact is the switch has ok 3rd party and can all be played portably anywhere and that is a cool idea that you need to respect.

This. So we have to deal with their shitty hardware until it stop selling all together.

handheld gaming will never die. it has proven to not be a gimmick and actual viable form of entertainment. just look at sales of the gameboys, DS family...etc...

its not like 3D or VR or AR

Just to piss you off.

Freedom exists. They are free to make the products, services they wish. You are free to not buy them.

Nintendo sells their hardware at a profit from day one. They don't need to sell find tobe profitable. Even the flops made them money

This is pretty much asking...

- Why is Facebook still around? Aren't pictures already available on other platforms like Instagram ?

- Oh but people use it on their cellphones.

- I don't care about cellphones.

Cuz they have had the best selling handhelds since the 80s to current plus some of the best selling home consoles of all time from the 80s to current....thats like asking why Starbucks keeps selling coffee....cuz it makes a shit ton of money maybe?

Oh boy this thread again. The blind fanboy "why is Company X still around even though I don't like them?" thread. Cool. Go learn about market diversity a bit and the large and varied demographics of gamers and come back.