Nintendo Switch is about to surpass 3DS in number of available games in NA

Brawly Likes to Brawl · Aug 26, 2018

I'm finding the shovelware argument that some people are making in this thread hilarious considering that I remember it being lobbed against the 3DS a few years ago. Surprise, surprise, popular consoles attract devs trying to make a quick buck. It's a numbers game.

higgsboson1997 · Aug 26, 2018

Hieroph said:
So much shovelware that nobody even knows.

So I'm going to play Link Between Worlds or Samus Returns instead of Astro Bears, Forbidden Romance With A Mysterious Spirit, or Loot Monkey: Bling Palace, thanks.

It's very much a case of quality vs. quantity.

You can make that argument with any game though if you're cherry picking though?

It's so easy to do, I could say that I'd easily play Splatoon 2, Dark Souls, and Xenoblade Chronicles 2 instead of Johnny Kung Fu or Turtle Tale.

Hollywood Duo · Aug 26, 2018

Not surprised the eshop has like every indie game ever created on it.

Colossal Moo · Aug 26, 2018

Brawly Likes to Brawl said:
I'm finding the shovelware argument that some people are making in this thread hilarious considering that I remember it being lobbed against the 3DS a few years ago. Surprise, surprise, popular consoles attract devs trying to make a quick buck. It's a numbers game.

Also, their definition of shovel ware is questionable. Are the games truly terrible games no one wants to play? Great games with a low price? Good games with bad graphics? Niche games which only appear to a small number of people? Cheap OK games? Some mixture of all of the preceding categories? The "shovel ware" camp won't say and won't provide examples.

Another suspicious thing is where are all of the complains about shovel ware on the PS4/PS4 Pro and the Vita? How about the Xbox One? (I own one and I don't think it has a shovel ware problem, but like the Switch, it has a lot of indie games and I buy a lot of them and I enjoy a lot of the ones I buy). What about Steam? It seems strange that only the Switch is singled out.

Nanashrew · Aug 26, 2018

Legit impressed no one can name all the shovelware on the platform.

Brawly Likes to Brawl · Aug 26, 2018

Colossal Moo said:
Also, their definition of shovel ware is questionable. Are the games truly terrible games no one wants to play? Great games with a low price? Good games with bad graphics? Niche games which only appear to a small number of people? Cheap OK games? Some mixture of all of the preceding categories? The "shovel ware" camp won't say and won't provide examples.

Another suspicious thing is where are all of the complains about shovel ware on the PS4/PS4 Pro and the Vita? How about the Xbox One? (I own one and I don't think it has a shovel ware problem, but like the Switch, it has a lot of indie games and I buy a lot of them and I enjoy a lot of the ones I buy). What about Steam? It seems strange that only the Switch is singled out.

Steam definitely has a noted problem with asset flips that gets regularly criticized, but that's not quite the same ballpark as "shovelware" on consoles. Anyways, if shovelware actually has a concise and clear definition it doesn't matter because nobody buys a Switch or any console for so called low effort titles and nobody really talks about them either.

Lelouch0612 · Aug 26, 2018

I have a feeling the Switch library is going to be glorious at the end of its life.

It is only the beginning folks :)

Slam Tilt · Aug 26, 2018

But guys, if we clear out all the shovelware from the eShop we'll free up enough disk space to finally get GTAV on the Switch!

;-)

Bandage · Aug 26, 2018

When I said put everything on Switch, I meant put everything on Switch.

Guaraná · Aug 26, 2018

Plus the Switch is only 1 1/2 years old.
And having almost 30% of it's library rated above 80% on metacritic is awesome. In the end of it's life cicle, the Switch has the potential to have one of the best gaming libraries ever.

FireFistAce · Aug 26, 2018

Probably just a lot of indies.

Beatle · Aug 26, 2018

Bandage said:
When I said put everything on Switch, I meant put everything on Switch.

Yes! :)

Psychonaut · Aug 26, 2018

There's some shit on Switch, but most of the time when I look at something I'm unfamiliar with or uninterested in on the eShop, my impression is "that seems like a fine one of those, but no thanks." Better than I can say about most other marketplaces. Content is not the issue--they just need to make the shop easier to navigate.

Ximonz · Aug 26, 2018

Dekuman said:
Yeah i'm just pointing out it's not charting at all. Maybe use of the word 'kinda bombed' is harsh? The key point is, the games doing well aren't the usual suspects that riled up the 'hardcore' gamers in the gaming forums before, so the use of shovelware in the context of Switch seems to me to be really disingenous as a criticism of Switch's growing library. It's getting a ton of releases because core games are doing well.

I see there's now an attempt to shift the context to 'ports', but it's just a poor argument I think.

well the game did not have any marketing, looks like a HD version of cheap party game,
did not get more polish compare to the original release (loading problems, no QoL improvements) no price cut, etc.
most people without prior knowledge would not have the desire to buy this game.

Falchion · Aug 26, 2018

Damn that's more than I would've thought.