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[Happosai]

Thought I'd drop this poll out there. Too many speculation threads about what should or shouldn't be with Nintendo's next console (colloquially being called 'Switch 2'). One thread brought up how they feel digital is the future for Nintendo's next console. However, we have a thread several pages long defending physical games too. We all know Nintendo and are going on what, year 7 of Switch OG? I think everyone here knows what they want but let's get a percentage!

So...which is it (click the poll before posting) for you and tell us why?

Edit: Both option available

 

[LavitzSlambert]

Even for people who like digital games, they should want physical games to stay. It's the only way they will get anything resembling good sales on digital platforms - because there is no other competition.

 

[DavJay]

Who doesn’t like options? Both needs to co exist

 

[TexMex]

Digital will continue to grow as it does for everyone but Nintendo's trend line is much more horizontal than anyone else's. They still have a big physical presence and command plenty of shelf space at retail. Doesn't hurt that their biggest demographic doesn't have a credit card either. They will be the last "digital only" domino to fall for sure.

 

[lachesis]

Of course I am in favor of Physical - but the game size & loading may prohibit them to go fully physical stand alone, which I'm afraid of.

 

[SenkiDala]

Physical as long as possible, I don't mind digital but I can sell physical games if I don't like them anymore so...

 

[Happosai]

Who doesn’t like options? Both needs to co exist

Squeaky wheel...

TL;DR ...fixed

 

[Punished Miku]

Best case scenario is that next gen is the last physical gen. Make your peace with it.

 

[Celcius]

It will be both just like this gen lol

 

[Putonahappyface]

Physical if Nintendo want to entice me in to buying their new product.

 

[ShadyAcshuns]

Even for people who like digital games, they should want physical games to stay. It's the only way they will get anything resembling good sales on digital platforms - because there is no other competition.

For reals. Kills me seeing people championing ideas of removal, from wanting a digital-only future to an only-Sony future. Those people better be careful what they wish for.

 

[Happosai]

It will be both just like this gen lol

That is the likely scenario. Although I could easily see them avoid attempting a standalone all digital predecessor and a digital anytime in the next 5-years. Poll is player's choice but if we're talking Nintendo...we know.

 

[Fake]

I like how people pretends this is a war.

I all about physical, but buy indie and games/dlc that don't have physical media.

 

[ReBurn]

I like having the option to buy physical if I want it. Switch is the only system I still buy physical for.

 

[Happosai]

I like how people pretends this is a war.

I all about physical, but buy indie and games/dlc that don't have physical media.

I do download indies on occasion. However, it's not super often. More Steamdeck for that. Not a war, there was a thread where OP believed Nintendo Switch 2 would be all digital and that's still up. Current Switch paved the way for there to be a 'both' option too.

 

[Magic Carpet]

What if it's Nintendo Pass digital only? You will have to pay $30 USD per month to access a limited number of digital games.
No more store just a list of games you get the priviledge to play.
Every few years Mario Galaxy is allowed on the service and you get to play the old games again.

 

[Happosai]

What if it's Nintendo Pass digital only? You will have to pay $30 USD per month to access a limited number of digital games.
No more store just a list of games you get the priviledge to play.
Every few years Mario Galaxy is allowed on the service and you get to play the old games again.

I wouldn't buy unless that's an additional perk. I don't want to discount that perk though as a 'pass' version would easily save them on having to print remasters of older games. Sorta a mix of the remaster collections, some yet-to-be popular first party games from the past and somehow bake that into the current Nintendo Online.

 

[nikos]

Doesn’t matter to me but I’ll be buying games digitally as I always do. I’m sure it’ll support both again.

 

[64bitmodels]

It's nice to have options and physical doesn't harm digital.

 

[kunonabi]

While I'm digital only, that anime collection is taking up too much space these days, it should always have the option for both. That said, a digital collection is far more suitable for what the switch is and physical games demand big downloads a little too often as of late.

 

[CS Lurker]

 

[Happosai]

It's nice to have options and physical doesn't harm digital.

The both option was there. I was reminded that Switch is doing this already. They're going to want the revenue of both. It doesn't harm is but as TexMex stated, Nintendo will be the last domino to fall all digital.

 

[VolticArchangel]

Both, obviously.

Options are always good for the customer.

 

[TexMex]

It's nice to have options and physical doesn't harm digital.

Well to be fair, sure it does, right? The very existence of any alternative inherently takes away, does it not?

 

[Andyliini]

Both is good. although I will always prefer physical. Especially on Switch, as physical games work like they used to. Put in the card, and play. Of course there are exceptions, but lately there have even been games without day 1 updated. That is a rarity these days.

 

[ahtlas7]

I love my library level of physical games that I can share with anyone forever. But, I don’t care if people prefer digital because switching cartridges is too hard.

 

[Robb]

I’d be surprised to see them go digital only, that’d be a big mistake imo. They’re not there yet.

Not sure if I get the “both” option. They’ll obviously have either both or just digital.

 

[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

Thanks OP for making the thread. Like I mentioned in the other one, the Switch's successor is supposed to launch in the next 12 months, and it will 100% have support for physical games considering their 1st party sales skew towards physical in important regions like Europe and Japan. Will it also have BC with Switch physical games? That I don't know.

As for two separate models, one supporting physical and digital games while the other being digital only, there's indeed a chance of that happening. But so far there's nothing concrete on that subject matter, just some rumors, so we'll have to wait and see.

 

[Mownoc]

It will still have physical. But third party games will almost certainly be even worse than the Switch. I imagine the largest size will be 64GB physical cartridges and they'll probably cost a bomb too. Going to be another situation where publishers are cheaping out on 1GB carts with installers on them.

 

[th4tguy]

I’ve been mostly digital but my kids are getting their own lites this year and the carts we do have will come in handy for letting them play on their own system. Not looking forward to buying multiples of games though

 

[Lupin3]

A few physical games that I want to touch, caress and make love to, like the Metroid series, and then some cartridges for the kids as presents and such. Otherwise, all digital.

 

[Zannegan]

Just like the Switch, I'll get the big purchases physical and use digital for smaller titles or things that are on super sale. It's the best of both worlds.

Plus, anything digital has a chance of disappearing forever, either by being delisted, the company going under, account bans, loss of BC from one gen to the next, etc. Unless it's from Steam, I don't buy digital unless I'm willing (on some level) to lose it.

 

[Happosai]

Thanks OP for making the thread. Like I mentioned in the other one, the Switch's successor is supposed to launch in the next 12 months, and it will 100% have support for physical games considering their 1st party sales skew towards physical in important regions like Europe and Japan. Will it also have BC with Switch physical games? That I don't know.

As for two separate models, one supporting physical and digital games while the other being digital only, there's indeed a chance of that happening. But so far there's nothing concrete on that subject matter, just some rumors, so we'll have to wait and see.

I knew what the majority are expecting or want with the next Nintendo console. Fitting my head around something 'all digital' by Nintendo and we'd be talking a released predecessor of Switch; they'd lose quite a bit from their target market. The both option is there as digital games are an option through the Nintendo store and they'll likely keep that. Not sure if someone has figures on their digital sales vs. physical for 2022 or 2023.

 

[John Wick]

Switch would be DOA without physical media support. That's my opinion.

 

[CitizenKratos]

I'm surprised that BOTH is not the most popular, why would you not want to at least allow digital?

 

[GeekGuyWithGlasses]

I honestly cannot see retail games for the Switch disappearing anytime soon, brick and mortar game stores would eat Nintendo alive for that

At worst it will be a case of "xy content is on cartridge, rest you will need to download"' kind of deal that I can realistically imagine to happen.

 

[rofif]

both is a no brainer. Everyone is happy

 

[Happosai]

I'm surprised that BOTH is not the most popular, why would you not want to at least allow digital?

Somewhat agree. The original was to test if the consumer base for an upcoming 'next' Nintendo console would polarize more toward Digital or Physical. I knew what the numbers would look like but another thread touched on this but wouldn't concede to provide data. At any rate, 3rd post prompted me to add the 'both' option no more than 10-minutes after this thread was created. As things sit now, there's like a 10.6% higher input to the poll on physical than the 'both' option. Hear me out, when I added the option last night - the both option had like 8 votes in about 12-minutes. The physical already had some time to pick up. The real numbers (if every owner of Switch or is just following Nintendo in general) are probably much closer than that.

So far though, unless there are underdog voters out there. I'd say it's safe to say consumers don't want an all digital 'Switch 2.' Still 6-days left to vote though...

 

[Ainem Enamas]

The market demands both.

 

[Happosai]

The market demands both.

Depends. Poll is for the forum but I buy physical on the current Switch when it's for keeps. If it's something I'm on the fence about, yet still want to give it a chance...I download digital. That's me though. I've seen more physical libraries still even though the option to download most first party games has been there for some years now.

 

[Kings Field]

My whole switch library is digital but I want both to stay.

 

[cireza]

So let's take a look at what happened with Wii, Wii U and 3DS...

Of course they will offer Physical. It will necessarily have both then.

 

[Happosai]

So let's take a look at what happened with Wii, Wii U and 3DS...

Of course they will offer Physical. It will necessarily have both then.

Well...Nintendo did try digital downloads (Satellaview) as a hybrid model prior to any other platform. Not saying they were the first but this did happen in JP even though it was met with little success.

 

[Spirit Icana]

One of the most successful games on Switch is Ring Fit Adventure. Nintendo has also ventured into other risky spaces (Mario Kart Live Circuit, Nintendo Labo, etc) that require a physical product beyond the hardware. While they could sell a digital slip in place of hard copies, the sales of these products are still largely bought by an older generation for children to play with. The digital space has grown exponentially, and the success of core IP releases like Splatoon 3, Zelda TotK, and others show that this space is significant, but Nintendo's audience is more expansive than the online enthusiasts, and at least in Japan, Physical Media is still king.

So I completely expect Nintendo to continue to run with physical media as the primary means of sell-through for their tent-pole releases for the foreseeable future. Therefore, all consoles will feature the ability to playback physical media, beyond simply an SD card/SSD/what have you.

 

[EverydayBeast]

Digital will be the champion in the end my friend.