The Steam Deck - a Switch competitor coming in december 2021

[beanman12345]

Because nobody is talking about it. Even people in this thread that have one have stopped

I love mine, mostly post about it on reddit.

[Tech614]

Nintendo hasn't been a console market leader since the Wii and Nintendo DS. I'm not saying the Switch is doing bad in sales but you'd be ignoring the Playstation market share sales since the PS2 era.

Nintendo is #1 in consoles sold every month in every region for the last 2 years with the exception of 1 single month where the PS5 sold more units in it's launch month only in the US, Switch still outsold it in EU and Japan.

You have a funny definition of what the market leader is if you don't realize that Nintendo is indeed, the current console market leader. Not surprising coming from you though.

[Video Games]

Not much reason to talk about my hype for something when I actually have it in my hands Honestly, I used to talk about the Deck hype here, on a discord, & on the subreddit for a bit before it became a cesspit. Now I have it, I just share thoughts with other people who have it in the Discord really.

Honestly though, I still don't love it. The idea is perfect, the hardware is damn near flawless, but the software puts me off.

I love mine, mostly post about it on reddit.

All fine and dandy. I will like mine. But the switch thread gets a lot of traffic because we get hype about directs and exclusives. The xbox thread is dead because that doesnt get games. I just dont see it having legs

[Toybox]

All fine and dandy. I will like mine. But the switch thread gets a lot of traffic because we get hype about directs and exclusives. The xbox thread is dead because that doesnt get games. I just dont see it having legs

Depends on what you're after I suppose. I was looking at a Switch for years, but if I added all the exclusives I wanted to play (knowing they barely dropped in price) to all the games I'd have to replay to play on a portable device (things like Celeste & CrossCode) the Switch just ended up making absolutely no sense as a secondary gaming device.

For PC gamers who go out & about, the Deck lands with a gigantic library of games, no online subscription, & no need to rebuy anything you already own.

Now will the Deck sell to console gamers? I honestly don't see it, so I agree its appeal is a lot more niche than the Switch, but it definitely has a niche, & only time will tell whether or not that's enough to make it a successful product in the long run. I'd argue Valve don't need to hit the huge sale milestones Nintendo/Sony/Xbox to consider the device a success, though.

[Vash The Stampede]

Because nobody is talking about it. Even people in this thread that have one have stopped

That's not a metric to go by. The hype over the Deck has died down like months ago because it was suppose to be released last year. The fact that it sold out and you can't even begin to buy one until October is enough proof that it's doing well. I want one but that ain't happening due to the demand.

Nintendo is #1 in consoles sold every month in every region for the last 2 years with the exception of 1 single month where the PS5 sold more units in it's launch month only in the US, Switch still outsold it in EU and Japan.

The PS4 has sold more over it's lifetime or do we not count that since the PS4 is out? Elden Ring is on the PS4 yet not on the Switch. There's many reasons for that. You want to narrow it down to 2 years while I'm going for lifetime.

You have a funny definition of what the market leader is if you don't realize that Nintendo is indeed, the current console market leader. Not surprising coming from you though.

Careful, your ad hominem is showing.

Now will the Deck sell to console gamers? I honestly don't see it,

Why not? It has more games than the Switch. Has no monthly fees unlike the Switch. Doesn't require you to buy old games again like the Switch. It's cheap like the Switch. It's about as portable as the Switch. It can even play Switch games through not Nintendo approved methods. It can even play older Nintendo games, again by not Nintendo approved methods.

so I agree its appeal is a lot more niche than the Switch, but it definitely has a niche, & only time will tell whether or not that's enough to make it a successful product in the long run.

I think it will be successful, so long a Valve updates the hardware every so often. I can't imagine that hardware staying the same for 5-7 years. I'd say the Switches market share is definitely going to drop due to this, assuming Valve can make enough.

I'd argue Valve don't need to hit the huge sale milestones Nintendo/Sony/Xbox to consider the device a success, though.

I don't think Valve cares for it to succeed. They gave out files to allow people to make their own housing for the Deck, which can and will be copied by their competitors. They want the PC market to push against consoles and Valve probably wants the Deck to be the catalyst. Valve isn't a fan of the console market.

[Edge-]

The PS4 has sold more over it's lifetime or do we not count that since the PS4 is out? Elden Ring is on the PS4 yet not on the Switch. There's many reasons for that. You want to narrow it down to 2 years while I'm going for lifetime.

He was clearly talking annual sales in recent year comparing the current hardware - PS5 and Switch, so I'm not sure what the PS4 and lifetime sales have to do with this.

Though if you want to make that comparison -

PS4: Release year 2013 - total sales 116M as of 2021
Switch: Release year 2017 - total sales 103M as of 2022

Considering Sony stopped production on the PS4 already and that the rumors about the "Switch 2.0" continue, as Nintendo hasn't done a proper refresh outside of the OLED screen, it won't take long for the Switch to surpass PS4 if it continues selling 20M+ like they did in 2021.

[Vash The Stampede]

He was clearly talking annual sales in recent year comparing the current hardware - PS5 and Switch, so I'm not sure what the PS4 and lifetime sales have to do with this.

The success of a console is determined at the end of it's life, though with the Switch getting an upgrade it's life might be extended beyond the normal 5-7 cycle. The PS3 for example didn't do so hot until after they made the slim version. Though I'm not sure how the PS5 is selling less than the Switch currently when the PS5 is always sold out. Quick Amazon search shows no PS5's but lots of Switches for $299. Supply chain issues? Scalpers screwing numbers?

Though if you want to make that comparison -

PS4: Release year 2013 - total sales 116M as of 2021
Switch: Release year 2017 - total sales 103M as of 2022

Yes exactly. You do realize the Switch is officially five years old?

Considering Sony stopped production on the PS4 already and that the rumors about the "Switch 2.0" continue, as Nintendo hasn't done a proper refresh outside of the OLED screen, it won't take long for the Switch to surpass PS4 if it continues selling 20M+ like they did in 2021.

So when Sony releases the PS5 that is basically PS4 2.0, yet we don't count those sales plus PS4? When Ninteindo does make Switch Pro or Switch 2.0, that's a continuation of the original Switches sales? Despite that most likely new Switch 2.0 games won't always be backwards compatible with original Switch? Even though as I type there are still games released on the PS4 and PS5 simultaneously. You have a very narrow way of thinking. Look at the bigger picture.

Game consoles have moved to a more PC like approach in that new consoles are going to be more compatible with older generation games. Tech614 believes that Nintendo knows what they're doing by avoiding people who use emulators to play their games, and we quickly forget how the Wii U went down. Nintendo doesn't always know what they're doing and ignoring people who use emulators to play their games is just leaving money on the table. With Sony now finally bringing admittedly old PS4 games to PC shows that they aren't going to entirely leave that money behind. If people are playing Switch games through an emulator on the Steam Deck then that's a raging clue for Nintendo to open up a store on PC and port their games. The Steam Deck isn't the first portable PC like handheld to do it and it won't be the last either. The Switch is so under powered that a handheld $400 Steam Deck that mimics it's functionality is able to emulate it. Unlike consoles where they must commit to hardware for the next 5-7 years, you won't see this problem with the Steam Deck. Valve can easily release Deck 2.0 or 3.0 without requiring game developers or end users to modify their games for it. It will literally just work as it has for the past 20 years. Valve can even make Switch 2.0 look under powered compared to the Deck.

[Edge-]

Yes exactly. You do realize the Switch is officially five years old?

Thought that "PS4 sales over 8 years vs. Switch sales over 5 years" comparison was fairly obvious, but I guess I need to be more explicit. Switch will likely catch up to and surpass the PS4 within the next two years while PS4 sales are much lower due to the end of production.

So when Sony releases the PS5 that is basically PS4 2.0

Again surprised I need to be this explicit here, to. No, the PS4 Pro, just like the Xbox One X - two consoles that remained firmly a part of their generation while having a hardware refresh. Which has been rumored for the Switch for some time.

Tech614 believes that Nintendo knows what they're doing by avoiding people who use emulators to play their games, and we quickly forget how the Wii U went down.

And the smashing success of the follow-up console. I'd say yeah, they know what they're doing. That's also why we're seeing things like Valve entering the handheld gaming space, which I'll hardly attribute solely to Nintendo - but Nintendo proved that handhelds can make a comeback and there's a big market for them even when they don't fit in your back pocket.

With Sony now finally bringing admittedly old PS4 games to PC shows that they aren't going to entirely leave that money behind.

Sony competes with Microsoft, and with Microsoft making more plays on PC Sony is responding. Nintendo is a mushroom and doesn't give a shit about either platform holder. Just like Valve is a jellyfish, and similarly doesn't give too much of a fuck about what anyone is doing in any space they're experimenting in.

The Switch is so under powered that a handheld $400 Steam Deck that mimics it's functionality is able to emulate it.

That's fine. Nintendo seems fine with being completely exclusive and enjoying the benefits that come with it: Making sure folks need your hardware and only your hardware to play your software. Which brings additional software sales with it and keep Nintendo's financials very healthy even when they release the occasional lemon.

Unlike consoles where they must commit to hardware for the next 5-7 years, you won't see this problem with the Steam Deck.

That's to be seen. It seems like great hardware don't get me wrong, but I recall there being similar optimism for Steam Machines and...well, that went nowhere pretty fast. Valve is fine trying out experimental stuff that might fail and they're awesome for that, so let's see how the Deck does for a while before talking about it's super bring future.

Valve can even make Switch 2.0 look under powered compared to the Deck.

That's fine, Nintendo hasn't relied on computing power to sell hardware or software in quite some time, they rely on making good, interesting games. They have different goals than Valve does in regards to hardware, but Valve being a more open environment results in a lot of similar kinds of experiments that Nintendo does but in very different directions given their PC focus. And while they've had some failures as well, they've continued to do well and keep trying new shit.

[Video Games]

Seeing vash's mega pro pc posts are always so funny. Never mind the god awful ports pc has been getting the past 20 years and just missing games. Its still such a secondary market and always will be unless consoles die.

[Ealyssa]

All fine and dandy. I will like mine. But the switch thread gets a lot of traffic because we get hype about directs and exclusives. The xbox thread is dead because that doesnt get games. I just dont see it having legs

That’s normal. It’s not a console, it’s a PC. You don’t really have platform hype on PC, just game hype.

If you are looking for a hardware tribalism church to join the steam deck clearly isn’t for you.

[Toybox]

Seeing vash's mega pro pc posts are always so funny. Never mind the god awful ports pc has been getting the past 20 years and just missing games. Its still such a secondary market and always will be unless consoles die.

PC has more games that the consoles don't have than vice versa, & PC makes up more of the industry than Sony/Microsoft/Nintendo individually.

That’s normal. It’s not a console, it’s a PC. You don’t really have platform hype on PC, just game hype.

If you are looking for a hardware tribalism church to join the steam deck clearly isn’t for you.

I don't know, the blind fanboyism is definitely all over the Deck community as well. It's honestly tiresome to deal with.

[Video Games]

That’s normal. It’s not a console, it’s a PC. You don’t really have platform hype on PC, just game hype.

If you are looking for a hardware tribalism church to join the steam deck clearly isn’t for you.

Tell that to vash who hates consoles but brags about being able to emulate them. Guess they aren't all bad

PC has more games that the consoles don't have than vice versa, & PC makes up more of the industry than Sony/Microsoft/Nintendo individually.



I don't know, the blind fanboyism is definitely all over the Deck community as well. It's honestly tiresome to deal with.

It has more games because it's older than them, but nobody is chomping at the bit to play fate or arx fatalis. Big non exclusive games these days sell more on console than pc

[Toybox]

It has more games because it's older than them, but nobody is chomping at the bit to play fate or arx fatalis. Big non exclusive games these days sell more on console than pc

As someone who follows VNs, I don't know, I'd say the likes of Fate/Grisaia/WTC still have a decent market, & it's more than just PC being older - it gets, by far, more exclusive releases a year than every other non-mobile platform combined & multiplied.

Sales per system are super game dependent as well. As an example, PS4 had the advantage for Y1 Witcher 3 sales, but PC was responsible for most sales every year since then - & PC quite possibly generated more revenue for CDPR from those sales.

Elden Ring in the UK, an incredibly console-centric nation, PC is right up there with both console platform releases: https://www.statista.com/statistics/...e-uk-platform/

Apparently across Europe, PC sales of Elden Ring were higher than PS4 & PS5 combined: https://www.pcgamesn.com/elden-ring/sales-worldwide

[Video Games]

As someone who follows VNs, I don't know, I'd say the likes of Fate/Grisaia/WTC still have a decent market, & it's more than just PC being older - it gets, by far, more exclusive releases a year than every other non-mobile platform combined & multiplied.

Sales per system are super game dependent as well. As an example, PS4 had the advantage for Y1 Witcher 3 sales, but PC was responsible for most sales every year since then - & PC quite possibly generated more revenue for CDPR from those sales.

Elden Ring in the UK, an incredibly console-centric nation, PC is right up there with both console platform releases:



Apparently across Europe, PC sales of Elden Ring were higher than PS4 & PS5 combined: https://www.pcgamesn.com/elden-ring/sales-worldwide

I meant fate the diablo clone for kids.

As for the graph, you can see with all consoles combined is still 70% of sales. Its normal for a game to sell a few million on consoles and then 200-500k on pc. Not to mention how bad the port was for a lot of people

[Toybox]

I meant fate the diablo clone for kids.

As for the graph, you can see with all consoles combined is still 70% of sales. Its normal for a game to sell a few million on consoles and then 200-500k on pc. Not to mention how bad the port was for a lot of people

In an incredibly console heavy market sure, but as linked, despite its issues, ER on PC outsold both Sony consoles combined across Europe. & it'll likely have MUCH longer legs on PC as well as higher margins per unit sold.

PC is bigger than any individual console platform. The market is huge, & growing incredibly fast.

[Varolyn]

In an incredibly console heavy market sure, but as linked, despite its issues, ER on PC outsold both Sony consoles combined across Europe. & it'll likely have MUCH longer legs on PC as well as higher margins per unit sold.

PC is bigger than any individual console platform. The market is huge, & growing incredibly fast.

PC market WAS growing very fast... but sadly overpriced GPU's has kneecapped that progress hard. Thanks to overpriced GPUs, Xbox Series X and PS5 have effectively become far better value for a majority of people. Plus those consoles can do many things that PCs can do these days as well, with the main drawback for consoles being that you can't really modify or upgrade them like a PC.

[Vash The Stampede]

Thought that "PS4 sales over 8 years vs. Switch sales over 5 years" comparison was fairly obvious, but I guess I need to be more explicit. Switch will likely catch up to and surpass the PS4 within the next two years while PS4 sales are much lower due to the end of production.

When the Switch 2.0 or Pro is released then that marks the end of the Switches cycle. That could be this year, which means the Switch doesn't have 2 more years. The Switch was released under powered which is why people were so quick to emulate it. The PS4 is still not emulated though it's more to do with the complexity of the system than performance, but it certainly wasn't as slow as the Switch was on release. The beauty of the Steam Deck is that even if it were underpowered, which it isn't, it can be upgraded later without any consequences.

And the smashing success of the follow-up console. I'd say yeah, they know what they're doing.

Really? Is that so? What about the combination of the Wii and Nintendo DS? Remember, Nintendo had a thriving mobile and home console market that in combination dwarfed the Switches sales, which is suppose to be both. The Switch took both home and portable console places for Nintendo but it doesn't have the combined sales of those two consoles. Compared to Wii U and 3DS sure but there's good reasons why both these consoles failed.

That's also why we're seeing things like Valve entering the handheld gaming space, which I'll hardly attribute solely to Nintendo - but Nintendo proved that handhelds can make a comeback and there's a big market for them even when they don't fit in your back pocket.

There's more to this than just Nintendo's influence, which does play a big part. Valve wants to push Linux and Steam Machines failed horribly. A portable console like the Steam Deck that is better off staying with SteamOS than Windows and is probably not making any profit for Valve or very little is most likely Valve pushing for the adoption of Linux over Windows. Even before the Steam Deck we've seen similar portable consoles that would mimic the Switch. Though I would argue it mimics the GameGear more than the Switch since the Switches main feature is removable controllers.

Sony competes with Microsoft, and with Microsoft making more plays on PC Sony is responding. Nintendo is a mushroom and doesn't give a shit about either platform holder. Just like Valve is a jellyfish, and similarly doesn't give too much of a fuck about what anyone is doing in any space they're experimenting in.

I'm sure that's why Nintendo removed any videos showing Switch emulation on the Steam Deck? Nothing says shits given like taking down YouTube videos.

That's fine. Nintendo seems fine with being completely exclusive and enjoying the benefits that come with it: Making sure folks need your hardware and only your hardware to play your software. Which brings additional software sales with it and keep Nintendo's financials very healthy even when they release the occasional lemon.

You only need their hardware when your morals are high and your PC specs are low.

That's to be seen. It seems like great hardware don't get me wrong, but I recall there being similar optimism for Steam Machines and...well, that went nowhere pretty fast. Valve is fine trying out experimental stuff that might fail and they're awesome for that, so let's see how the Deck does for a while before talking about it's super bring future.

As probably the only person here that actively uses Linux, I can tell you why this time it's different. Valve wasn't paying developers to work on Proton and Linux Kernel features for nothing. When they tried SteamOS they were trying to push for Linux binaries. This time they're not.

Seeing vash's mega pro pc posts are always so funny. Never mind the god awful ports pc has been getting the past 20 years and just missing games. Its still such a secondary market and always will be unless consoles die.

Who are you again?

Tell that to vash who hates consoles but brags about being able to emulate them. Guess they aren't all bad

I'm against techno feudalism, which game consoles abuse heavily. You essentially step out of capitalism when you buy a game console, which is why Sony was so confident to push for $70 games. You don't have a choice where you buy your games anymore. The Steam Deck is a PC in that you don't have to use SteamOS and you don't even have to get games only from Steam. You can even emulate other competitors games on it. Valve even gave away their CAD designs of the shell of the Deck. I could literally 3D print myself a new shell for the Deck.

I'm pro consumer which is why I'm also pro PC and pro Steam Deck.

[Usernameforforums]

That’s normal. It’s not a console, it’s a PC. You don’t really have platform hype on PC, just game hype.

If you are looking for a hardware tribalism church to join the steam deck clearly isn’t for you.

Ryzen hype, intel hype, nvidia hype. Its there but for more specific components like gpus/cpus