The Switch Dilemma

I have NO idea how this is going to go - everybody is rooting for Nintendo, but its just so hard for them to continually compete with Sony and Microsoft these days. Yes, the Wii sold like crazy and is one of the best selling consoles of all time, but once the gimmick wore off it didn't get the traction or staying power with its lackluster software support. It had great titles, but in the end you were playing CoD, Madden, and FIFA on your PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360...and that's the thing. 

You could play Madden on the Wii and it was different, it wasn't the authentic experience or the graphically superior version of the game but it might have been the more fun because of the novelty of the Wiimote - but that wore off. The Switch might be graphically inferior, and it no longer has the novelty of motion control (mostly) but the Switch DOES have the novelty of portable local multiplayer. NBA2K doesn't have to be different on the Switch - it can be basically the same controls, but being able to take it on the go and playing with your friends without being bound to a TV could be a game changer. 

The challenge is that NBA2K will be better on your 4K set with HDR on your PS4 Pro or Xbox Scorpio, it will be a better experience even in 1080p on a regular PS4 or XB1 than the Switch. The PS4/XB1 is the more definitive version of your favorite 3rd party franchise, while the Switch is the portable party version. Can you really play Madden on the Joy-Con? Yes, you can buy 2 Pro controllers, but that hurts the portability. 

Maybe the Joy-Con undocked experience is good enough - this is a generation that prefer to play on their iPhone and iPad rather than a 50" TV and the Joy-Con is definitely a better experience for playing FIFA than a touchscreen. And if you take that into account and combine it with the fact that Nintendo can continue to churn out titles like Zelda Breath of the Wild, maybe they can make a play on both demos. 

The WiiU showed that Nintendo can't JUST rely on their franchises - Mario/Mario Kart, Zelda, Metroid, Pokemon, etc. are great but if 3rd party devs abandon ship its almost certainly curtains. 3rd party devs seem enthused with the portability factor and are willing to give the Switch a shot, but the sales numbers on Call of Duty Switch edition and FIFA Switch need to be satisfactory in order for the Switch to survive.