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The Nintendo 64 and GameCube were the last consoles from Nintendo to truly compete against Xbox and PlayStation. The GameCube has more raw graphics performance than the PS2, yet the PS2 outsold the GameCube. After that, Nintendo stopped competing with Xbox and PlayStation in terms of graphics and performance.
Instead, the company focused on making handheld consoles that deliver fun gaming, including the Nintendo DS series, Wii U, and now the Switch. The Nintendo Switch became one of the best handheld consoles and delivered massive sales to Nintendo. But the question remains, should Nintendo make a home console again to compete against Xbox and PlayStation?
We hope Nintendo will return to the home console market, but do they need to? Yes, in a way. This article explains why Nintendo should make a home console again to compete against Xbox and PlayStation.
Note: This article is subjective and solely reflects the writer's opinions.
Brief history of Nintendo consoles
Nintendo first entered the console space in 1980, with their Nintendo Game and Watch. This handheld console had just one game and a watch functionality, particularly a clock, an alarm clock, or both in some models. It could run just one game, which was a limiting factor, but it still became quite popular.
In 1983, Nintendo released the Nintendo Entertainment System, NES for short, to the public as a home console. It became quite popular and sold 60 million+ units. In 1989, Nintendo released the original Nintendo Game Boy, a handheld, which became one of the greatest console releases ever. It existed alongside the NES, so gamers had the opportunity to buy both the home console and the handheld.
In 1990, Nintendo released the Super NES as the second generation of their home console, but it faced tough competition from the Sega Mega Drive, another popular console. So, Nintendo developed a series of first-party games, which helped the console become a bestseller once again.
However, Sony released their original PlayStation in 1994, and the pressure started brewing at Nintendo headquarters. So, Nintendo released the Nintendo 64 in 1996 to take on PS1, the most powerful console of its time. In 2001, Nintendo released the GameCube but failed against the tough competition from PlayStation 2, even though the GameCube games looked better.
After that, Nintendo stopped competing with PlayStation and Xbox directly and mostly made handheld consoles, like Nintendo Game Boy Advanced, Pokemon Mini, Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS, and Nintendo Wii U. Now, it's the Nintendo Switch, which is their prized collection and has sold close to 140 million.
Should Nintendo go back to home console days?
After the failure of the GameCube, Nintendo not only stopped making home consoles but also stopped competing with PlayStation and Xbox. Their current focus is on making innovative and fun games that can be played on a handheld. The company did release a home console once called the Nintendo Wii, but it couldn't compete with PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
The Nintendo Wii mostly focused on fun games that could be played with the Wii remote. It was its main selling point, but the company didn't want to compete against Xbox and PlayStation since they were capable of playing AAA games and the Wii wasn't. Even today, Nintendo is not making any home consoles to compete with Xbox and PlayStation.
Their current console is the Nintendo Switch, which is very popular and has made close to 140 million sales. But the Switch doesn't have the hardware to cater to both handheld and home console needs. You can argue that the Switch can be docked to act like a home console, but it's not the same thing.
Nintendo needs a proper home console that fits the right hardware required to compete against Xbox and PlayStation. They don't need to stop the production of Nintendo Switch to release a home console. Both console types can co-exist like the Nintendo 64 and the Game Boy once did.
Does Nintendo need to compete against Xbox and PlayStation?
The Nintendo Switch only caters to a specific gaming niche. But if Nintendo wants to capitalize on the larger gaming market dominated by PlayStation and Xbox, they need a home console once again. They don't need to abandon the handheld for the home console, since both consoles can exist alongside each other.
This way Nintendo can cater to every gamer and better compete against PlayStation and Xbox. The Hogwarts Legacy game released on Nintendo Switch last year didn't have the best graphics, but that's okay. They can enable better graphics on the home console and offer the best of both worlds. It's another reason why Nintendo needs a home console.
