I wanted to talk about this because I've seen many people say that the classic mini consoles will replace the Switch VC and that Switch VC isn't coming. I really don't think that will be the case at all.
Both have completely different appeals.
- The classic mini consoles are more targeted toward older lapsed gamers who might be not into gaming anymore but have nostalgia for the NES/SNES as they grew up with them. It also is a neat collectors item that is perfect as a holiday gift. I even remember Reggie describing the NES Classic as a "novelty item"
- Virtual Console allows for Nintendo fans to conveniently have decades of their favorite Nintendo software on Nintendo's current hardware, and allows those who own current Nintendo hardware for it's current games to also catch up on some titles they may have missed. It satisfies a completely different need in my opinion. Then there's the fact that Nintendo's current hardware is the Switch, which adds the portability factor for games that might have been console only.
I don't think the classic consoles and Switch virtual console would cannibalize eachother's sales at all. They both, to me, have completely different appeals. Personally, I don't really want a SNES classic but am dying for VC on Switch.
What I DO think affects the Virtual Console is the mysterious new online system. Hopefully we'll get more details on that in 2018.
Both have completely different appeals.
- The classic mini consoles are more targeted toward older lapsed gamers who might be not into gaming anymore but have nostalgia for the NES/SNES as they grew up with them. It also is a neat collectors item that is perfect as a holiday gift. I even remember Reggie describing the NES Classic as a "novelty item"
- Virtual Console allows for Nintendo fans to conveniently have decades of their favorite Nintendo software on Nintendo's current hardware, and allows those who own current Nintendo hardware for it's current games to also catch up on some titles they may have missed. It satisfies a completely different need in my opinion. Then there's the fact that Nintendo's current hardware is the Switch, which adds the portability factor for games that might have been console only.
I don't think the classic consoles and Switch virtual console would cannibalize eachother's sales at all. They both, to me, have completely different appeals. Personally, I don't really want a SNES classic but am dying for VC on Switch.
What I DO think affects the Virtual Console is the mysterious new online system. Hopefully we'll get more details on that in 2018.