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So Why Are Switch & Switch Lite Sales Being Combined?

Debate we were having over on PushSquare.com after they (along with countless other gaming websites) posted an article about the Switch passing the Wii and the PS1 total lifetime sales - my question is - did it really?

Why are the Switch & Switch Lite sales numbers being combined?

Because Nintendo calls the Lite a Switch? (even though it doesn't "switch" from anything).

Because they look similar?

One is a home console / handheld hybrid, the other a dedicated handheld.

One replaced the Wii U on the home console side, the other the 3DS on the handheld side.

Nintendo itself lists the Lite as a dedicated handheld on its website.

Because VGChartz says so?

VGCharts- the source of the sales figures - has a chart specific to Nintendo handhelds. The Switch Lite? Nowhere to be found.

Now before the Nintendo legions come out of the woodwork - no one is debating that the Switch is a massive success and a complete turnaround from the disaster that was the Wii U. We're debating the combining of sales of the two different types of consoles.

It would be one thing if they played the same games - but they don't. There are several games you can't play on the Lite due to the functionality they removed from it.

Had there been a single game that could be played on either the PS4 Pro or Xbox One X that you couldn't play on the base consoles - would those sales have been allowed to be combined together? I highly doubt it.

And no - it's not the same thing as Pro/Xbox One X. Those systems played 100.00000000% of the games as the base units- and they certainly didn't change form factor from home console to handheld.

If either Sony or Microsoft released a handheld today that played 99.99% of the games that the PS5 and Xbox Series did - would those sales be combined together? Not a f@%king chance!

So why does Nintendo get away with it?

Seems to me that they're allowed to get a 25-30 million bump whereas the others would not.
 

Ogbert

Member
If either Sony or Microsoft released a handheld today that played 99.99% of the games that the PS5 and Xbox Series did - would those sales be combined together? Not a f@%king chance!

So why does Nintendo get away with it?

To be honest, I think they would get combined.

I understand your point and it is certainly a valid opinion. That said, it really does just come down to software and the Switch Lite plays absolutely everything that the standard Switch does.
 

DenchDeckard

Moderated wildly
It’s the current generation of Nintendo console that uses the exact same hardware, uses the same games.

it’s a Nintendo switch console but it’s lite version for those who either want a second console or have no interest in connecting it to a tv.

we don’t need to break off numbers or we would need to separate PlayStation 4 and pro numbers, Xbox one and one x. Series s and series x.
 

Lognor

Banned
So the folks poverty at push Square really that triggered that the Switch has outsold the ps1? Damn that's sad.

Of course the Switch and switch lite and switch oled are all the same console. There are probably less than 5 games that can't be played on switch lite.

Quite the reach
 

Stuart360

Member
Because its the same console, just a different model. Same with the Series and PS5 different models.
When people go to a store they buy one model or they other, they dont buy both.

People just need to accept the success of Switch, even if it means its going to pass one of your fave consoles.
 

Ezquimacore

Banned
fed296bb4d4f8993adb1d0b2c2b40dec.gif



Edit: the fact is, switch lite, switch and switch oled are the same console compared to ps4 and ps4 pro/ xbox series s/x. Those consoles run games at different resolution and framerate, yet they're combined sales, while the switch oled runs the korok forest from breath of the wild at 25 fps just like the switch lite.
 
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It plays those games. They’re just crap as you have to buy a stand for the Lite and extra joycons.
But you'd have to pay an extra $100 or so to be able to play them - and even then you wouldn't really be able to see what you're doing on such a small screen.
 
But Switch OLED has a larger screen so maybe the original Switch doesn't count. :unsure:
No issue with combining OG Switch and OLED - both play the same games, both are hybrid consoles.

I'll tell you now though - a couple of years from now when Nintendo releases the Switch 4K - they'll still try and combine the sales with the others (even if it plays games the others can't)
 

Orta

Banned
Debate we were having over on PushSquare.com after they (along with countless other gaming websites) posted an article about the Switch passing the Wii and the PS1 total lifetime sales - my question is - did it really?

Why are the Switch & Switch Lite sales numbers being combined?

Because Nintendo calls the Lite a Switch? (even though it doesn't "switch" from anything).

Because they look similar?

One is a home console / handheld hybrid, the other a dedicated handheld.

One replaced the Wii U on the home console side, the other the 3DS on the handheld side.

Nintendo itself lists the Lite as a dedicated handheld on its website.

Because VGChartz says so?

VGCharts- the source of the sales figures - has a chart specific to Nintendo handhelds. The Switch Lite? Nowhere to be found.

Now before the Nintendo legions come out of the woodwork - no one is debating that the Switch is a massive success and a complete turnaround from the disaster that was the Wii U. We're debating the combining of sales of the two different types of consoles.

It would be one thing if they played the same games - but they don't. There are several games you can't play on the Lite due to the functionality they removed from it.

Had there been a single game that could be played on either the PS4 Pro or Xbox One X that you couldn't play on the base consoles - would those sales have been allowed to be combined together? I highly doubt it.

And no - it's not the same thing as Pro/Xbox One X. Those systems played 100.00000000% of the games as the base units- and they certainly didn't change form factor from home console to handheld.

If either Sony or Microsoft released a handheld today that played 99.99% of the games that the PS5 and Xbox Series did - would those sales be combined together? Not a f@%king chance!

So why does Nintendo get away with it?

Seems to me that they're allowed to get a 25-30 million bump whereas the others would not.

Do I smell boiled piss?
 

kyliethicc

Member
Hardware sales are grouped by game library.

Switch, Switch OLED, and Switch Lite play the same games.

Same as PS4 and PS4 Pro.
Same as Xbox One, Xbox One S, and Xbox One X.
Same as Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X.
 

JimboJones

Member
No issue with combining OG Switch and OLED - both play the same games, both are hybrid consoles.

I'll tell you now though - a couple of years from now when Nintendo releases the Switch 4K - they'll still try and combine the sales with the others (even if it plays games the others can't)
I don't think they will, they never combined GB/GBC with GBA , GameCube with Wii or DS with 3DS.
 

Chastten

Banned
Well, if it makes you feel better and helps you sleep, I will allow you to combine sales for other platforms as well. If you combine the Xbox and PS4 into a MicroSony PlayBox they reach a combined sales number of 170 million or something. No chance Nintendo will ever catch up to that. That'll teach 'em!
 
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all play the same games, none of them switched form factor
Actually, if you want to go into the nitty gritty of the technical details, many of these revisions broke compatibility for maybe 4-5 games or some notable features (PS2 Slim not working with games that needed the harddrive is example one. Genesis Model 3 broke compatibility with the Sega CD/32x which technically is a much-larger-than-5 number of incompatibile games, and most of the others may have minute issues with certain third-party games that are obscure and undocumented), the same amount being used as the justification for calling the Switch Lite a "new platform".

And if form factor is the issue? Swap the Model 2 and 3 for the Sega Nomad.
 
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Three

Member
The only reason debates like this exist is console wars. People combine the numbers to win console wars, people don't combine the numbers to win console wars.

The truth of the matter is the switch and switch lite are both low power machines that play the same games. From an install base perspective it doesn't matter if one can't be played on the TV or not.

If people are discussing WHY people might be buying these products though instead of measuring penis sizes then that's a legitimate discussion.
 
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"There are several games you can't play on the Lite due to the functionality they removed from it." is what I wrote.

you'd have to pay an extra $100 to get that functionality back. Is that really the same console then?
It sure as heck did not take you 14 minutes to respond to that post with a measly two-liner when myself and two other posters responded to you spreading misinformation about the nature of other console revisions and have been apparently glossed over.

You're ignoring my rebuttals.

Way to argue in bad faith.
 
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Of that list, only the Labo series is physically impossible to play as-designed, due to the cardboard sets being designed for the Switch main body - so it's not even the game that's unplayable, it's the cardboard. Everything else is playable, with the caveat that you need external controllers (or a phone, in the case of Just Dance), and have to play on the Lite's tiny screen. It's a terrible experience, but you can, because it's the same exact hardware. No reason not to count it together with everything else.

you'd have to pay an extra $100 to get that functionality back. Is that really the same console then?
Considering you pay $100 less for the Lite in the first place... yes?
 
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Pagusas

Elden Member
My wife wanted to play Pokémon, she looked up buying a switch, she bought a lite because she didnt like how bulky the normal switch or oled is. She is now playing Pokémon on her Switch Lite. She is happy.

My point is... The OP is a monster who believes in segregation, discrimination and wanting my wife to be unhappy and counted as a 2nd class citizen. Do better OP.
 

NeoIkaruGAF

Gold Member
I almost want the Switch to stay on the market for 8 years just to relish in the amazing show of mental gymnastics that would ensue if the Switch passed PS2 sales. No exclusive, no acquisition, no betrayalton could top that. Add together the salt of “Square just shot themselves in the foot” and that of “Nintendo is stealing our games” and you’d still fall very short of the amount of salt we’d see flowing.
 

Termite

Member
If the Switch had been correctly classified as a handheld with an awesome TV-out gimmick from the start misunderstandings like this would never happen.

People need to understand that Nintendo left the dedicated home console space after one too many failures. The Switch is their latest handheld after 3ds, and the fact that you can use it as a home console on your TV is amazing, but doesn't negate that the whole thing is limited by having the internals of a handheld (you know, because it is one).

When you see it this correct way, the idea that the Switch Lite is somehow a different family of devices is even more absurd.
 
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I mean just like sales of the PSX and PSOne are combined, sales of PS4/PS4 pro and Xbox One/Xbox One X are combined.
You were really having a debate about this really…
 

K' Dash

Member
If the Switch had been correctly classified as a handheld with an awesome TV-out gimmick from the start misunderstandings like this would never happen.

People need to understand that Nintendo left the dedicated home console space after one too many failures. The Switch is their latest handheld after 3ds, and the fact that you can use it as a home console on your TV is amazing, but doesn't negate that the whole thing is limited by having the internals of a handheld (you know, because it is one).

When you see it this correct way, the idea that the Switch Lite is somehow a different family of devices is even more absurd.

what is the amount of copium needed to write dumb stuff like this?
 
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