If it is a Switch 2 in name and functionality it makes no sense to maintain the Switch past launch, anymore than it would have made sense to maintain the Wii past the launch of the Wii U.
I just don't think it's very likely it'll just be a plain old Switch 2. I'm not ruling it out, but calling it that and just getting bare basic shit like increased performance doesn't seem like something Nintendo will do.
Releasing your last few games in the pipeline isn't really trying to maintain a console.
It's kind of splitting hairs now. All I'll say there is there's plenty of games in the pipeline that get dropped for the system in question, either shelved or ported to the next system, and Nintendo doesn't always give as much attention to a system like they did with 3DS after the launch of its successor.
Besides, I doubt it took 2 years to port Kirby's Epic Yarn to 3DS so it probably wasn't already in the pipeline, and even if it was it still would've been decided on while Nintendo was ready to launch Switch, meaning it was a purposeful decision to port that to 3DS instead of Switch (and possibly other games, but at least that one as it was the last Nintendo game for 3DS).
At any rate, software aside, it's pretty undeniable they were trying to maintain it, they launched a new model (New 2DS XL) after Switch was already out.
Except they didn't really talk about it in terms of third pillar, only mulled over the idea. And, as I said twice already, you can argue whether or not they were really serious about it. @whatever I feel like believes that Nintendo Life were reading to much into what was said, and maybe they did. Others seem to think that Nintendo really were considering it. I fall somewhere down the middle. Nintendo were never really looking to third pillar anything. They merely kept the idea in their back pocket in case the Switch didn't pan out.
I suppose it's not impossible they could actually consider doing something dumb like launching a 3DS successor alongside Switch, it's just to me a very obviously bad idea.
And trying to maintain the Switch while also pushing the Switch 2 wouldn't cannibalize sales?
No more than 3DS cannibalized Switch. Whatever cannibalization occured was obviously worth it to Nintendo.
Except Nintendo didn't really support the 3DS after 2017. All Nintendo did was release what was already in the pipeline.
You can classify what they did as not being support if you want, but it seems like a stretch to me. N64 is what it looks like when Nintendo moves on and doesn't look back, releasing their last game half a year prior to the launch of its successor, not literally 2 years of additional releases.
And most of the games already being in the pipeline doesn't mean much, like I pointed out. If they're ready to move on, they do. Releasing new hardware post-Switch launch and releasing 1st party games for 2 more years (not all of which were necessarily already in the pipeline either) is support in my book, we'll just have to agree to disagree.
Sony right now are coasting on few multiplats (like COD) and name brand recognition. However, PS5 sales are nowhere near PS4 or even PS3 numbers, and will probably never get there at this rate. That's what happens when you have no games.
Looking at Sony's numbers now, it seems PS5 sales as of July are 41.50m, nearly half of PS3's lifetime sales in just a few years (PS3 was discontinued after 10 years). There's almost no doubt PS5 will at least match or exceed PS3's sales numbers. It may not do as well as the other systems, but it's pretty safe to say they (unfortunately) aren't doing too badly there.
If they actually get games then they'll probably do incredibly well, especially with cheaper, more readily available revisions in the future.
Apples to oranges comparison. 3DS games don't require nearly as many resources as HD Switch titles. And as pointed out, the 3DS was in end of life mode, with only remaining big game release being Pokemon, because The Pokemon company is going to get their Pokemoney. They were winding down that system, and they are already doing the same with the Switch, even before the successor releases.
Many Switch games aren't exactly taking much more resources than 3DS themselves, they're not comparable in resources to AAA current-gen games, probably not even last gen aside from maybe the biggest ones like TotK.
And there were substantial releases aside from Pokemon, it was not the only big game release (it was the biggest, surely). Looking at the list of games on Wikipedia, here are the most significant post-Switch releases imo (skipping smaller ones, even if published by Nintendo):
Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth
Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn
Yo-kai Watch (like 3 of them)
Etrian Odyssey Nexus
Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey
Luigi's Mansion
Jake Hunter Detective Story: Ghost of the Dusk
WarioWare Gold
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux
Detective Pikachu
Radiant Historia: Perfect Chronology
Kirby Battle Royale
Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney
Pokemon Ultra Sun/Moon
Mario Party: The Top 100
Fire Emblem Warriors
Layton's Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaires' Conspiracy
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions
Metroid: Samus Returns
Minecraft
Monster Hunter Stories
Hey! Pikmin
Miitopia
Kirby's Blowout Blast
Ever Oasis
Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia
Team Kirby Clash Deluxe
Mario Sports Superstars
Blaster Master Zero
Now we can nitpick over these, like that is probably the worst version of Minecraft and several are remakes/ports/spinoffs, but the fact is this list is not bad. You cannot say that Pokemon was the only big one (and there were
multiple Pokemon games to boot).
Cross-gen games are more likely. On the other hand, Nintendo don't want to encourage a PS5 situation where almost every game on a successor console is a cross-gen release.
I think the reasons Nintendo would do it are a bit different. Sony seems to be edging towards Microsoft's strategy of phasing out console exclusives, Nintendo doesn't have any intention of that. They'd simply be playing it safe with a successor temporarily.
PS2 coming out at the opportune time doesn't take away from the fact that the name didn't hurt it.
I agree, I'm not even sure it's a bad idea for Nintendo, but just because it worked for Sony doesn't mean it'll work for Nintendo, that's all.
Nintendo's focus with the Switch, as seen in their marketing, wasn't casuals.
The reveal trailer was pretty balanced really, you should watch it again if you haven't in a while. They wanted this console to appeal to everyone. At the very tail end they tacked on eSports to throw a bone to "hardcore" gamers, but the majority was an emphasis on the average gaming situations, casual experiences.
I haven't had too many rooftop Switch parties myself, so I think it's fair to say they were still targeting casuals, albeit not as narrowly.
Sony have basically been coasting on the PS2's success for the past few generations and have been helped by their competitors stumbling over their own two feet (Microsoft with the tv stuff and always online bullshit they tried to pull last generation, Nintendo with the Wii U). That was never going to last forever. Its already fallen apart in Japan and Nintendo basically dominate that country now, whereas it used to be Sony territory thru and thru. Hardcore gamers are moving on to PC or have largely stuck with the PS4, and many of them now also own Switches.
I completely agree, but things can and do change fast. One generation Sega was a blip on the radar, the next they were toe to toe with Nintendo, and then has a slow motion death. Then Sony came out of nowhere as a darkhorse and curb stomped everyone for two generations, then somehow Microsoft started kicking ass and Nintendo went in their own direction.
Nintendo is in a pretty good position right now but it's easy to forget how poorly 3DS started off and Wii U bombed spectacularly. All it takes is another fumble from Nintendo or one of the competition to up their game and turn everything around again. Microsoft is looking to put out a handheld, I think if they compete directly with Nintendo rather than Valve they'll be raped, but who knows?
There actually was a successor to the GBA in development at one point: the Game Boy Evolution. There were just a few old articles that mentioned it and nothing more was known until the 2020 gigaleak, where internal documents showcased what it was going to be and what it looked like. It looked just like a DS without the top screen.
Is that separate from Project Atlantis?