Is the Switch Replacing the 3DS?

Nintendo's most recent console has a strange issue with marketing. Nintendo calls it a console, but it allows for portable gaming as well. This has lead to a massive debate about the future of the 3DS, and a potential 3DS successor. While there is nothing definitive from Nintendo, I do think there are a few things we can look at to predict the future of Nintendo's dedicated handhelds.

I think there are some very strong benefits to the idea of Nintendo only needing to deal with one system, but there are also a few negative elements that I think need to be touched on.

The Bad:

-Good Switch games need to be designed to work well for portable use, but also need to be enjoyable for longer play sessions. Nintendo themselves have had issues with making certain games suitable for handhelds, including Luigi's Mansion Dark Moon having long gaps between save points.

-The Switch is expensive. You can buy a 3DS for as little as $80 (Nintendo refurbished). This for the original 2DS, but it's still a very cheap system to get into, and it supports the majority of games that are worth playing on the 3DS. The Switch is a minimum of $275 (again, Nintendo refurbished) which is still very expensive.

-The Switch is not very portable. I've seen people counter this argument by saying that the 3DS XL is also very large for a pocket, but the Switch has other problems than just the size. The 3DS (XL) has the screen and buttons protected, which results in a more standard shape. The Switch doesn't have screen protection in a pocket, and the Joy-Cons have fairly pronounced control sticks.

The Good:

-Games are only developed for one system. Instead of Nintendo making a 2D Mario game for two systems, Nintendo can just make a single game. This has many benefits, but the biggest is easily the fact that development time can be spent on a variety of games.

-You can play handheld games on the TV. Nintendo has previously let people play Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance games on their TV using accessories for the Super Nintendo and the GameCube. This was a nice feature, as it allowed for others to watch you play and allow you to see your games on a bigger screen. The Switch allows users to do this without the need for separate accessories, which is nice, and is also the whole point of the system.

-You can play console games on a handheld. This might seem like a strange advantage to mention, but a large amount of my time playing games has been spent on a portable system. This isn't because I'm constantly traveling, it's just my preferred way to play games. The Switch allows me to play games that I want to play in a way I want to play them.

The Evidence:

-Nintendo has been adamant that the Switch is not the successor to the 3DS, and many will point to the same claim about the DS replacing the Game Boy Advance. Unfortunately I couldn't find a source for the quote, as it just seems to be accepted history of the DS. If anyone can leave a source in the comments, I would be happy to add it here.

The big difference between the DS and the Switch is that the DS was obviously a portable system. The Switch is marketed as a console first and foremost.

-The 3DS game library is not very active. The 3DS has less than ten games in the upcoming games list. Many are lacking a release date, and one of the games listed is this. The 3DS simply doesn't have much coming, which would make sense if it was dying. In comparison, the Switch has dozens upon dozens of games listed for 2018 alone. Are many of them third party? Yes, but the same can be said about the 3DS upcoming games list. You can find the full list here.

-The Switch has a few handheld exclusive features. Some games like Go Vacation and Minecraft allow you to play locally on seperate Switch consoles. This can be done without an internet connection. The Switch also has a sleep mode, though I suspect that comes from the tablet form factor rather than being a successor to a system with that feature.

-Pokemon is coming to the Switch. While Let's Go Pikachu and Let's Go Eevee haven't gotten the most positive reception, it is still a Pokemon game on the Switch. It has also been confirmed that a more traditional Pokemon game is coming in 2019, though the platform wasn't specified in the confirmation tweet. However an official Pokemon Presentation did say it was exclusive to the Switch.

The Conclusion:

I don't think Nintendo will be releasing a 3DS successor aside from the Switch. I suspect that Nintendo is going to transition away from the 3DS, and eventually release a Switch that doesn't include the dock. This theory is further supported by Nintendo of Japan selling a Switch without a dock.