Price
Price is a pretty obvious sticking point for many consumers, and it’s been a make or break factor for several console launches in days gone by. PS3, for example, launched at a stratospheric price that was a huge off put for many gamers, especially when the rival Xbox 360 console was marketed at a lower price point.
Xbox One had the same issue, too, when it launched versus the cheaper PS4 unit. But both of those systems were home consoles; the Switch is neither a true home console or a true handheld, so how do you price a hybrid unit that’s offering a USP from other consoles?
On the one hand, given the innovation pioneered by the Switch and the fact that we’re pretty sure, specification-wise, its going to be similarly powered to the current base model PS4/Xbox One, a $300-$400 price tag seems likely.
Yet, on the other hand, the Switch isn’t a fully fledged home console, and given that Nintendo seem to want to merge the market with the handheld market, the price is going to have to be competitive to get everyone on board. Nintendo can’t afford to have a soft launch after the poor sales of the Wii U, but this unit can’t be priced as low as handheld systems, can it?
