Is Steamdeck killing Nintendo Switch?

@sargentd: A PC/laptop definitely is better, and I would agree with that 100% , but TC was comparing his Switch to His Steam Deck. Console to console. If he opened the thread comparing his Laptop to his Switch the comparison would be far worse.

Steam deck is great for getting former exclusive ps games. Though this is rare and far in between. But it's good to have games like uncharted on my deck. I'll get returnal eventually, and who knows, maybe even spiderman. It's going to be an all in one device to play gamepass Xbox games and Playstation games.

Cows are owned as usual.

Definitely not. I had no interest in getting one, but I decided i'm gonna pick up the base model with a 512gb SSD for my vacation.

It’s really strange to compare Switch and Steam Deck. On the one hand, Switch is judged for its current game output on this forum (posters alluding to Nintendo “droughts”). On the other hand, Steam Deck gets rave reviews, but it’s judged for its “backlog” of older games, though it is much stronger than Switch. It’s not really a logical comparison, and I think both are excellent systems for a number of reasons.

@blaznwiipspman1

God of War was a great time on Deck. Gonna pick up some other fun Sony movie games like Days Gone and Detroit: Become Human. I’ll probably even pick up that Sackboy game. Looks neat.

I doubt it, the price difference is too much in Nintendos favour. I recon if you put 10 people in a room and told them all they could either take home a Steam Deck or a Switch, 8 of the 10 would choose the Steam Deck.

Oh please. Weeeaksauce. It's a success, not a failure. 400 million is not a failure and it just started. Not to mention all the game sales they are making from it.

I wish ... then Nintendo would have to pretend like they care ....

Would be interesting to see what would happen if Valve started putting Decks in stores and started marketing the thing.

I doubt most casual gamers (the vast majority of gamers in the market) know what is a Steamdeck. The device needs to appeal to people other than hardcore PC gamers to compete with the Switch.

Power wise? Sure. Everything else? Hell no! It lacks the versatility of the Switch and, in addition, Valve doesn't see it as competition, yet their fanboys refuse to listen.

Steam Deck runs rings around it in this regard.

@uninspiredcup: Sure... if you like having limitations on HOW you get your games like say physical media (that dying is not a win... it's a major loss in an era where preservation is junk). You're also boned if you want to play games that are always online.

Why?

Steam Deck can use a DVD or USB/HD drive. It turns into a bog standard PC as well outside the framework of Steam.

But that's something pc gamers generally haven't given a shit about for years outside of maybe Blueray movies. And even then tend to opt for streaming services.

Not a "had to" as it is "we chose to"

Yeah I was going to say, if anything is "exclusive" here, it's the Nintendo option.

Steam is pretty open, and just about any half-serious gamer has a Steam account with some games (or a GoG account, or Tencent-Epic account, etc) just to snag free games or check out what's out there.

So really, Steam Deck is for everyone, while Switch is for Nintendo fans.

Nope, Switch is still selling like hotcakes. And Steam Deck doesn't have Nintendo's exclusives.

It does.

@hrt_rulz01: yes it does

@R4gn4r0k: I wish I had a portable option for Xenoblade Chronicles X. It’s a Wii U game that would be awesome for the Switch.

Metal Jesus explains it better than I do, but when airplane mode renders some games useless, yeah that's a yikes. Always online is always an issue, but it defeats the purpose on a handheld way more than a stationary PC.

@uitravioience: Aside from piracy, no.

What legitimate way can you play Nintendo's first party on Steam Deck?

Nice inserted caveat.

Wonder why done that.

Morality, no doubt.

Interesting how you didn't insert the same caveat in your initial response... just a generic response that "it does" have Nintendo's exclusives. "Wonder why done that"? Hmmm.

No, and it never will. Steam Deck is too niche. It's audience are:

- PC enthusiasts who don't mind that the Steam Deck is not customizable and you can't upgrade it whenever

- Portable gamers who don't care to game on their smart phones

- Portable gaming enthusiasts who for some reason hate the Switch

You have to be all the above, combined, who cares about how weak the Switch is while not wanting to game on a more powerful console/PC. That's not possible. Most portable gamers are on their phones and tablets. The others who aren't, are on the Switch for the Nintendo exclusives. Sorry to Nintendo haters, but the Steam Deck is not going to kill it.

I use my Switch more. That will change whenever M$ decides to start releasing worthwhile exclusives, which is the main reason why I bought the Deck. Both play 2nd and 3rd fiddle to my PS5 which is just a frabjous machine.

No. Different demographic

True, but the Deck can run Switch games. The Deck will at least eat some of Nintendo's lunch.

I mean, that's pointing to the obvious: the Steam Deck should be able to run Switch games alright. If it couldn't, that would would be a big problem.

Now, the Steam Deck nibbling off some of Nintendo's lunch is a far reach from the topic asking if it'd be the Switch killer. I mean, it's what PC emulation has been doing all along, nibbling off the success of the Nintendo IP? Seems to hardly impact the success of the Nintendo IP regardless of what hipster emulator folks would claim.

@ivangrozny: That’s because everyone knows what a Switch is ….. I’ve never seen a steam deck in the flesh either, so that’d be my reaction too …..

@luxuryheart: lol... I'm none of those things and I absolutely love my steam deck. Tough to pigeon hole people, even tougher to predict why people resonate with different things.... Your explanation of steam deck owners is way off in my case though.

I purchased one because I love my switch but switch doesn't offer consistency enough for me and I only enjoy a few of their franchises.... It's the form factor I love. My busy lifestyle works perfectly with steam deck. I also wanted a way to play Xbox and ps games without having to buy both consoles. I game a little on my phone, but those experiences don't fill the same gaps as playing say, elden ring on the go. Not even in the same class. I don't hate smartphone gaming, but I gravitate towards more depth and better controls.

I bought steam deck because it's a better offering for my tastes than xbx and ps5.

He moved the goal post on you bud.... You're right though, switch games are playable on the deck.

That's not the same thing, and you know it. 99.9% of Steam Deck owners aren't going to pirate Switch games.

Oh, I didn't realize there are still other caveats in this conversation as well! I thought the origin of your conversation that I butted into was that switch exclusives can't be played on steam deck, but in fact they can and people do.

https://youtube.com/shorts/IuZsWXxSYI4?feature=share

The legality/morality conversation likely deters many, and likely should, though I suppose you could make peace overlooking it if you owned a copy of said game already, but that's a conversation for another time... I think we can all agree that thievery is only gonna harm our hobby so let's not screw it up.

In the context of the question though, yes the steam deck can play switch games, including Nintendo exclusives as originally stated.

Yep, there are plenty of caveats here it seems... such as the original main one that you can play Switch games on Steam Deck by pirating/stealing them illegally... yes.

You're part of a niche audience. You somehow care about power and controls while wanting to game on the go; gaming on the go automatically caps the power potential. Most portable gamers generally do so on their phones or on a Nintendo device. Most portable gamers don't really care about power like that. Most people who care about power, are going to customize their PC; Steam Deck ain't customizable, so most PC gamers won't care for it. Most people who want power and the convenience of not having to build your own PC, would get an Xbox or PlayStation.

This is why y'all need to give up your fantasies of the Steam Deck killing the Switch. The general population doesn't care for it. Most of the general population who games on the go are doing so on their phones, followed by tablets/laptops, and then the Nintendo Switch. Other than the Switch, the other options are picked because they are multipurpose. The Switch is the dominant dedicated gaming portable because of its exclusives and price point.

They are being willfully oblivious. Most people who think of Nintendo exclusives on the go will think of the Switch. They won't think of the Steam Deck. The issue is price and look.

Price: the Switch is cheaper while having Nintendo exclusives (casuals associate Nintendo exclusives with the Switch, not the Steam Deck).

Look: the Steam Deck has the same issues as the Wii U. Both of them are bulky and ugly. The Switch looks like a tablet with cute joy cons on the side, that are customizable. The Switch is visually more appealing.

Another issue is marketing. The Switch marketed itself as a Wii combined with a DS. The joy cons are like the wiimotes when you detach them, and you can take it on the go like a DS. It promotes itself as a fun party machine that you can play with friends. Meanwhile, the Steam Deck is promoted as solo play, that plays games from Steam. If you have a laptop, you can play Steam games. I've even heard that some people can access Steam on their mobile devices.

NintenCope.

@luxuryheart: I don't even know where to begin with your last two posts... 😱

Steam Deck is successful. That is all that matters.