A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a column about how much I love my Switch, and how much I hate myself for loving it so much. The Nintendo Switch has been a fixture of my gaming schedule since it launched back in 2017, and despite the infrequent game launches, the poor graphical fidelity and performance, and the insane cost of Nintendo games, this fact didn't seem to abate.
Until now. Until that infamous announcement. The three minutes that solidified the annoyance I felt towards myself for loving my Switch so much. I reiterate what I said in that last column: Nintendo is behind the times. Except, now it isn't just Xbox Game Pass, it's the Steam Deck, which looks to be exactly what the Switch is supposed to be, albeit one – rather major – difference...
That difference? It's a modern system, with modern games, and modern features. It's modern. Contemporary. Sleek. All the things we wished for in what we originally thought was going to be the Nintendo Switch Pro. We also have one other added benefit: the Steam library. There are so many more games to play on this new system from the good ol' folks over at Valve, and we will play them in a higher quality, at a higher frame rate, than we ever could have on the Switch.
I want to ask a question, and direct it straight at Nintendo: What are you doing? Why?
You see, when you launched the Wii U back in 2012, people were asking the same question. That's (crazily) almost a decade ago now, and it's almost like we are in the same predicament. This is not new, this is not inventive, and this is certainly not what the fans wanted. Nintendo, you had it in the bag, you knew what we wanted: a 4K screen, a more powerful machine, true triple-A experiences on the Switch platform.
We wanted Nintendo Games, and we wanted to be able to play our other favorites on the move, without the need for a full internet-connection (streaming, of course, requires constant internet access). There is a benefit – especially where I come from – to having a system which does not require an always-online connection, and has the insane portability of the Switch. Australia has shocking internet. Streaming isn't the most reliable where I come from – so the Switch is an absolute gold mine.
No longer. Sorry that I keep repeating myself – but what the hell was this announcement? A LAN cable? Really? That is your big innovation, a cable input that has existed for decades? An OLED screen? Okay, that's nice, but not what we wanted. Seriously, guys, what are you doing? Nintendo: we love you, but we don't want another Wii U fiasco and yes, this isn't as bad, but it's pretty close, and a pretty big betrayal of the fans.
The Steam Deck is coming, and it's going to crush the Switch. There really isn't much to it, if I'm honest. At a competitive price, the Steam Deck provides so much more content, such better quality, and a much better value proposition. Once it's out, I can't really see myself going back to a new Switch. Nintendo can definitely rest assured that I won't be buying the Nintendo Switch OLED. What bollocks, seriously. What bollocks.
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