Are Portable/Console Hybrids the Future? Scott’s Thoughts

NX rumors began shortly after Wii U launched. People were quickly eager for the next big thing.

Closing in on Switch’s first year, and Nintendo fans aren’t fidgeting for news on its successor.
We’re content. Eager for certain game announcements, yes, but satisfied with the hardware.

“What do you want in the next Nintendo console?”
Even enthusiasts are having a hard time answering that. A more powerful Switch, I guess?

And I would agree with that. Friends texted me right after the Switch reveal video, asking me what I thought. My response: What more could you want? It’s got all the buttons, it’s HD, and you can play on your TV or take it anywhere.

In many ways, we’ve arrived. Similar to the cellular market, where your phone looks about the same as it did 4 or 5 models ago, the Nintendo hardware line is maturing.

Could you imagine a follow-up console to the Switch not being portable? You don’t want to think about that, do you?
Rest assured, the hybrid strategy is here to stay.

With Nintendo, that is.
Competitors like Microsoft and Sony might not adopt it so quickly because of their emphasis on graphical power.

You can think of those companies as desktop PC makers, whereas Nintendo has differentiated itself as the laptop provider. Not leading the charge in technical specifications but in form-factor.

There certainly are advancements still waiting to be made in the gaming industry, make no mistake. In five years or less, we’ll likely have the opportunity to purchase a 4K Switch tablet with VR capabilities.

But Switch represents a revolution in how Nintendo makes their flagship consoles.

Where Will YOU Play Switch?

The toilet. Just say it. You’re gonna play this thing on the pot.


Our gaming lives are about to change! Having a console that can be played at home, taken on the go, and placed right back in the dock without interruption introduces whole new possibilities for us. When in YOUR life are you going to have gaming that you didn’t have before? Is the Switch about to make your otherwise long days more enjoyable? Simeon and Scott are here with a few practical examples as we endure what’s left of the wait until launch!

Shot by Alex Campbell

“Escape the Premises” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/