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The Switch is now Nintendo's longest-serving home console - with some caveats to consider.
This revelation comes thanks to peerless research from our friends over at VGC, who have determined that the Switch has surpassed the Famicom in terms of time on the market before the arrival of a successor.
Switch launched on March 3rd, 2017, and it has now been 2,687 days since that date - the Famicom was on sale for 2,686 days before the arrival of its successor, the Super Famicom / SNES.
It's worth noting that this fact only applies to home consoles; the Game Boy was Nintendo's flagship handheld for a whopping 4,352 days before it made way for the Game Boy Advance.
You also have to take into account that this is only based on days from launch to the release of new, replacement hardware; as we all know, systems continue to get support even after their successor has been released.
We still don't know exactly when Switch's successor will arrive, but it should be soon.
[source videogameschronicle.com]
Comments 57
I would consider the Game Boy Color as its own handheld personally, had enough exclusive games.
Looking forward to whatever Nintendo decides to port these last few years, would kill for a first party GameCube/Wii dump at <$20 apiece. Really make the Switch the ultimate Nintendo console.
I do wonder if they could make it catch up to the game boy if they do wanted to.
Well, probably too late now that they've spilled the beans on the successor coming, but if they hadn't, I wonder if it could have survived that long. It's easy to say no since it's so underpowered these days, but that was already the case when it first released, so...
It's also the ultimate compendium of RPGs. Feel lucky to have been part of an era that brought the hybrid console to a smashing success and enjoyed longevity.
For what it's worth, it's become my favorite video gaming device of all time period and I'm a sucker for a lot of older machines.
Even more reason to announce it's successor.
That’s insane! The Switch is awesome, so that’s really cool to hear! I’ve been liking some of these later year games for Switch a lot, so I don’t mind. I’ll be excited for the next console if it has backwards compatibility!
I kind of wish the era of the Nintendo Switch would never end.
The only thing wrong with it is that third-party ports tend to run worse on it compared to other versions.
If that one problem was fixed, then I would have no issue with Nintendo Switch being the be-all end-all Nintendo system going forward.
They're gonna have to make something truly spectacular if they want to surpass the Switch.
@AfroMario For me, it was the Wii U. It was so underrated. 😞
Removed - inappropriate; user is banned
@AfroMario
It's definitely up there with the best consoles. For me it's my favourite modern Nintendo console and SNES would be my favourite retro one.
The two consoles share a lot of similarities in the sense that both had good 3rd party support, strong lineup of first party games and both are home to great JRPGs.
Congratulations. I don’t know, I personally wish the 3Ds held that status. No matter. Congratulations.
long live the king.
The N64 was my favourite console, but the Switch has definitely surpassed it. The sheer number of truly excellent games on the Switch is just amazing... and that's before we even get started on the added ones in NSO. Just love the Switch.
And still the only company that still has love for their product. Easily the best system of the last fifteen years and also easily the best Nintendo system since the N64 (Wii was also great though)
The Switch is running out of records to break, though yeah, the Game Boy is a hard one to beat. I'm still waiting to see if it can take the crown for total unit sales before it's discontinued. With how close they are and the massive war chest they're sitting on, I'd probably just eat whatever cost it takes to get the missing numbers into people's hands. I've heard they're giving Switchs away as a bonus for switching internet providers, so maybe they're already way ahead of me.
I love Nintendo Switch. All hail the Switch!!! Praise be!!
A wee price drop and maybe another year of support, and it could also become the highest selling console of all time too. Not just the highest selling Nintendo console of all time--the highest selling console of all time, both home and handheld, bar none.
If I were in charge at Nintendo, I would actively be making that happen. That's an achievement to be proud of.
Meanwhile the constant drive of shorter cycles between hardware generations for the other two has resulted in devs struggling to get even a single one out for a generation and if that game underperforms in sales that dev is very likely to be shut down or gutted.
The king is dead, long live the king!
And, it's been the flagship for this long without a successor even being announced!
I just wanna know what Baby Thorman said. Must've been pretty bad to get banned from it, now my curiosity is piqued. I NEED TO KNOW, PLEASE TELL ME.
#TheBabyIsCanceled
#WhatDidThormanDo
#ThisCommentWillGetDeletedForBeingOffTopic
#ImSorryModsButINeedToKnow
#NobodyPutsBabyInTheCorner
I know we're always talking about tech specs and everything, but the Switch really was the little system that could. Hats off to the system being the ultimate life form of all previous Nintendo systems put together, and it shows. Nowhere to go but up in terms of improving upon the design, bells and whistles, etc, but the follow-up to the Switch will still have the daunting task of sustaining the Switch's success.
@Not_Soos
Same I guess. The post was deleted 10 minutes when I logged in the site.
That was a fast deletion. What happened?? It’s not like the article is very contentious.
@Maubari Wii…this console was good. In fact, i’d like to get one just because I have nostalgia for it (I sold my old one).
@MarcusIsCool I know, right? And I looked at the guy's previous history, and he doesn't seem to have many deleted comments, so it's really strange. Did the dude just snap or what??
@Not_Soos
Slight disagree there. Looking at his comments, he seems to be anti Nintendo and DEI. But maybe he must’ve snapped at something he didn’t like.
Honestly fine with it, I have plenty of games to look forward to.
Also revisited some games from 2017-19? Great trip (yet short) trip down memory lane
@Kimyonaakuma
…just remember that switch 2 is highly speculated to be backwards compatible. (At least in most ways).
The Switch has been an incredible system – easily surpassing all Nintendo systems before it (and that's saying a lot). As a guy who was a kid in the 90's, a big chunk of my favorite games from that era are readily accessible and even portable. This has meant I have been able to relive these experiences with my own kids which has been fantastic. The library is vast – which may not be fully appreciated by those who didn't grow up in a Nintendo-only household in the late 90s and early 2000s.
Switch is my joint favourite Nintendo console along with the Wii, had both since day one.
But come on get on with it and give us the well over due Switch 2.
A salute to the great console the switch is 🫡 (although the Wii U is still better)
The Switch is the amalgamation of so many Nintendo consoles before it. I'm sure the next Switch can bring more features from their history. Analogue triggers from the Gamecube (I mean, citing the handle during the reveal presentation is still hilarious!), the IR pointer from the Wii (bring back light gun games!) and 2 screens from the Wii U / DS (Ok, this might be Switch 3 territory when the graphical leap will be much less impactful.) Oh, and I'm still convinced one day Nintendo will make a games console that uses holograms lol.
Gameboy Color was next generation than GB !
My Switch Lite is my 2nd favorite Nintendo platform ever. It's such a solid handheld that I've had very few issues with (no drifting for example). The only downside to it, is that it looks a bit like a Playmobil toy imo.
@Mykcir I agree Yes exclusives on WiiU were better for example I enjoyed Color Splash more than Switch exclusives,
Also it was the age where Nintendo have 2 consoles at the same time 3ds/Wiiu so many Nintendo games yearly , now its only Switch and we get like 2 or 3 Nintendo games a year.
Except it's a handheld, not a home console. Well, it's a hybrid, but if you're going to class it as one or the other (as this article is), then it's a handheld.
I thank the universe for being able to enjoy this moment in gaming history. As a Nintendo gamer since the late NES/early SNES days, there has never been a better time than now to enjoy games day one, to be able to buy less popular games that wouldn't be available easily at stores at other times. Having both new releases and a huge retro library in a console that's both a handheld and a TV console is a blessing
It's called Nintendo not famicom. Hehehe
@Yosher
Maybe they could but the hardware sure shows its limits by now. To keep it going would be like running for president at the age of 81 - oh wait.
I love it! They combined everything from the Wii (wii u too) and 3ds to make a great hybrid console! It’s also great for playing indies on. That’s why all I want for their next consoke is just to make a more powerful switch, I really want this to be the console Nintendo sticks with!
@Tasuki at this point, its been so long that its no rush. Whenever it happens it happens
Honestly this has been the most satisfying console experience for me. It still feels like a strong system and it’s gonna take 5ever for me get through my backlog.
@Mykcir yeah, I don’t get it why people say the Wii U was bad. Just because the marketing and sales are bad doesn’t mean the console as a console was. Most people saying it was bad never even had one. The games are probably the best in Nintendo’s history with NSMBU, Super Mario 3D World, Nintendo Land, Pikmin 3, Yoshi’s Woolly World, Mario Kart 8, Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze, Captain Toad, Breath of the Wild and so much more. A massive chunk of the Switch’s library is made up of Wii U titles, including three of the top ten! The Switch is a truly amazing console, but I think the Wii U deserves a lot more attention than it gets
It may last longer and be pretty fun to play, but nowhere near as great as the Famicom.
Well warranted. The Switch was too popular and successful to die quick like the Wii U for example. Great portable machine with a great wealth of 1st party library to match with plenty of million+ sellers. Glad Nintendo didn’t “move on” like 3 years ago when people kept insisting a sequel console needed to drop right away.
Still satisfying to see years later all those so called game industry “experts” and armchair analysts claiming the Switch would fail just because it didn’t chase to be the highest specs of a machine like Sony or MS lol.
@Not_Soos If you look at his comments, he comments pretty often, and is complaining about nintendo. Lol though I am with you. So curious.
Nothing will ever top that feeling of being alive when the Nes was brand new! Videogames were still in their infancy and it was something magical being there to experience it first hand. You kinda had to be there.
Switch is very good though. I remember the Snes debut was a big deal too. Kids were like wow what are all these extra buttons for? The commercials alone made it seem amazing! It's 16-bit! Now you're playing with power! Super power!
Congrats to the switch for hanging in there so long! Can't wait for the Super switch!
Gameboy to Gameboy Advance?
Gameboy Color was the successor to the Gameboy. It featured better specs, a better screen, and had exclusive games. Kirby Tilt’ n Tumble is fricken’ fantastic and you ain’t playing that on OG Gameboy.
Someone re-crunch the numbers because it doesn’t add up.
I can understand if you skip the Pocket. That’s just a smaller, more efficient Gameboy like a DS Lite or GBA SP or Switch Lite. Gameboy Color was in fact, a successor.
@Duffman92 Lmao nice one. The Switch looks like it has more life left in it than said presidential candidate though.
Yeah and it has been outdated even longer than that.
I hope they keep supporting / selling Switch hardware long after the successor is on the market. I am not giving up on my Switch Lite until I finished my backlog (in about 10 years or so).
If it would break for some reason, I would buy a replacement in a heartbeat.
Best console ever for me. It contains nearly everything I adored on the Nes/Snes/N64/Mega Drive/GB etc before we even get started on the games made for the switch itself. Like @EarthboundBenjy, the new console....I am really not desperate at all.
That said, I will get it Day 1 if it is backward compatible and basically a super duper version of Switch, but I can't imagine going back to having something that has to go under the TV and that is that. Combining their resources and efforts from always having a home console AND hand held has been a clear winner for them and us.
Snes was always my favourite console ever until this came along.
@WaveBoy or with very little effort (and I say that as someone who is not particularly good with computers and the such) you can reconnect that Wii and fill it with any and all the Virtual Console and Wiiware titles you could ever want. My Wii is my go to retro machine under my crt tv.
They really should count GB days before GBC separately for those who want to define the eras differently.
The Switch 2 grift has become the longest running grift on Youtube.
It’s been a great run, but my body is ready for a new console! With backwards compatibility because the Switch library needs to stay playable.
@Not_Soos They were ban evading
Anyways back on topic, please 😇
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