I wish to preface this article by saying there’s nothing I find wrong with the Switch. It looks like a fantastic console, and I can’t wait to get my hands on one. If you want to get a Switch at launch, by all means do so. This article is just my personal reasons on why I won’t be buying one at launch.
It has been said countless times before, software sells hardware. You need to have the games in order to sell the consoles. The launch lineup for the Switch is just void of any serious exclusives. The only launch game actually worth getting is Breath of the Wild, however this isn’t a console exclusive. The Switch has been confirmed to offer a slightly better experience in Breath of the Wild in the form of better background sounds, and it renders at 900p instead of the Wii U’s version being at 720p. For the most part, however, both versions are identical.
The remaining launch titles are:
Just Dance 2017 (Not an exclusive, already released on other consoles October 2016)
Skylanders: Imaginators (Again, not an exclusive and also launched in October 2016)
The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth+ (Also not an exclusive and released on Steam in January 2017)
Super Bomberman R, which is an exclusive, and I do have to admit it does interest me, as I do like Bomberman, but it’s not enough to get me to buy a console.
Then, we have 1-2 Switch, which can be equated to Wii Sports or Nintendo Plaza. It’s just a game that demonstrates what the hardware is capable of, but leaves no lasting gaming experience. It’s essentially a party/gimmick game.
None of these games make me want to run to my local store and purchase another gaming console, when I still have games I haven’t played on other consoles. Now, on the plus side, there are a lot of great games that Nintendo has shown will release on the Switch. By the looks of things, we’ll get one great game per month. Xenoblade Chronicles 2, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Splatoon 2, Fire Emblem Warriors, and Super Mario Odyssey are all games that will release this year.
This will make for a great lineup just a years’ time, but just like with the Wii U, the game that people will be playing most after launch is The Waiting Game. Personally, I would rather have seen Nintendo wait until November to release the Switch, so that all of these games could be launch titles, which would be the best launch lineup in history. Sadly there’s not much on offer at launch.
Another reason for my decision to wait on the Switch, is the overall user-interface and operating system. At launch, a lot of times the console isn’t the best it can be. This was shown through updates to the Wii U that brought about the quick-launch menu to bypass the home screen and go right into playing a game. It even took the 3DS a few months after launch before it received an update for the eShop. Now, the Switch will have an eShop at launch, but there are still unknowns with the overall operating system.
We do know that Nintendo is not going to carry Miiverse over to the Switch, but many people are wondering what it will be replaced with, if it is going to be replaced at all. New information is coming out each day, and I’m sure by the time the console is launched, we will have the missing pieces, however, I still think it will be an easy decision to wait for the optimization updates. To be honest, the early user-interface doesn’t really bug me much at all, as I sometimes like to see how a console grows and develops through its life-cycle, but I also like an already optimized experience as well.
Finally, I’m just not looking to buy a new console at this exact moment in time. Before the 3DS came out, I was already looking to buy a new DS. I had heard the rumors of a new glasses-free 3D DS, so I decided to wait for a year to see if they were true, and I’m glad I waited. The 3DS did have the same software trickle issue, but by the end of 2011 there were some fantastic games for the 3DS, just like there will be for the Switch.
The main point is, I’m personally not ready for a new console. My Wii U has hardly seen any use since its release, and I really regret not using it more. Another part of the issue for me, is that I just don’t have the time to dedicate to serious gaming as I had a few years ago. It would not make sense, therefore, for me to purchase another console at this moment in time.
Now before I wrap things up, allow me to get serious here. If the fact that not every game will be 1080p 60fps turns you away from the Switch, do us all a favor and go build a PC. Gaming is not all about framerate and resolution, it’s about the overall experience, and I know the visuals can heavily add to that, but at one time, all of us were able to get lost in Nintendo 64 and PlayStation 1 games. I don’t buy a console for the hardware specs, I buy it for the gaming experience that I can only enjoy on that console.
At the time of launch, the Switch isn’t able to offer a solid gaming experience. I may get envious of other people with a Nintendo Switch, but hopefully by holding out, I’ll end up happier. There’s also the chance I could be horribly wrong and wish I had purchased the Switch at launch, in which case I would be completely ok with that. I want the Switch to be as successful as possible, however from a personal standpoint, I see no reason to buy it at launch.
