The Nintendo Switch faces a new challenge in 2020 with the launch of the PS5 and Xbox Series X.
And it has led some analysts to question just how the big games company plans to deal with the next-gen console war.
Predictions have been made regarding Nintendo’s future whenever a new console is released, and there was no exception made for the Switch.
The initial response from markets was tepid at best and made the launch of the new console in 2017 even more of a swing to positivity.
Going from a slightly negative reception to a top selling-console helped show that Nintendo had avoided another Wii U.
But with the next-gen devices coming from Sony and Microsoft, questions are being raised again about the Nintendo Switch and its future.
There’s plenty to talk about when it comes to the launch of the PS5 and Xbox Series X, but one area that has been raised is how third-party support will be affected.
IGN covered this in a recent video discussion, focused on how the Nintendo Switch could be left behind.
The PS5 and Xbox Series X consoles will be much more advanced than the Switch, which lags behind the PS4 and Xbox One now.
It raises the spectre of third-party developers having to provide a powered down version of any game they are making.
Which means many could opt to avoid bringing new third-party content to the Nintendo Switch in the future.
Whatever does happen in the future for the Switch, it probably isn’t going to happen at the end of 2020.
The millions of PS4 and Xbox One gamers will still want stuff ported to their devices, at least for a short amount of time.
And this will leave a window open to the Switch, and plenty of time to work on a solution.
The other thing to note is that while the Nintendo Switch could lose more third-party support, the console appears to appeal in many different ways to gamers.
For some, it’s the perfect indie machine which they take on the road with them, and for others, it’s the first-party stuff that makes it worthwhile.
Meanwhile, some of the older gamers buying the Nintendo Switch are looking for a secondary device that gives them something different, especially for those on PC.
So there’s a good chance that this won’t change with the launch of the PS5 and Xbox Series X.
What those consoles will bring is more power and bigger games, something that people buying the Nintendo Switch now aren’t really looking for.
And let’s not forget that the Nintendo Switch still offers something unique; the ability to enjoy handheld gaming.
GOING PRO
Another option Nintendo will have moving forward is releasing an upgraded version of the Switch console. We got the Switch Lite in 2019, providing a more cost-effective way to play Nintendo games.
But a new upgraded console has been mooted by analysts since the original launched. There are a ton of ways to improve the current Nintendo Switch design; be it through better storage, screen tech, or power.
So it seems a no-brainer that something would be in the works for 2020, or early 2021. But it would also be interesting to see whether Nintendo decided on a mid-generational refresh or a whole new platform.
Rather than a Nintendo Switch Pro, the games company could instead invest in a Switch 2, closing that power gap with the PS5 and Xbox Series X by a tad.
Waiting a year or two will mean better tech options but it would also mean skipping a Switch Pro that shared the same catalogue as the original Switch console.
As IGN points out, Nintendo will probably continue on its current business path for at least the next 12 months, before having to make some big decision heading into 2021.
