With the Nintendo Switch now released and more and more games being released for the console I've noticed a decline in 2/3DS games being made. This has led me to believe that the days of handheld gaming is dying and eventually 2/3DS games will no longer be made. Look at Pokémon for example, the main games have always been on handheld but with the I believe confirmed main game coming to Switch, possibly gen 8, a lot of the market for handhelds are already gone. I don't know about everyone else, but I know I only got a handheld to play Pokémon and if it's going to be a Switch then I don't see any reason for anyone from that market to get that particular system. Of course there are plenty of other games out there such as Fire Emblem, but it's also coming to Switch with Fire Emblem: Warriors. Whether or not that means they will all be there isn't something I can predict, I'll leave that up to the fans of the franchise. So my question is this, do you believe that the days of handheld gaming are coming to a close or do you think they'll be able to survive despite it's possibly biggest franchise moving to the Switch? Vote in the poll above and leave your thoughts and opinions below. Let's have a fun debate about it!
I honestly don't think so, but we may end up seeing more fusion consoles instead that can be both home and handheld and if that happens the handheld truly won't die it'll just have taken a different shape.
Even if the Switch does replace the 3DS, so to speak, that doesn't actually mean the end of handhelds, because the Switch itself is a handheld console. I don't think handhelds will ever truly die as for many people they are far more convenient than consoles.
First, I would like to point out that the Switch is a handheld system. Now that we have that misconception out of the way, we can get down to business. I am aware that several developers are steadily migrating away from the Nintendo 3DS and onto the Switch, to start developing for that instead. This is, more likely than not, a sign that the 3DS is being phased out. To be fair, it was largely a matter of 'when', but it appears to have lasted a long time - six and a half years so far! - more than most people were expecting or predicting. With Nintendo using the Switch to create an entirely new paradigm (a portable console - and no, I don't mean the GameCube), it's possible we may be seeing ideas like this as the norm. But I digress, because now we're getting into future predictions that are far too soon to call by any means. So really, the topic should be named "Death of the Nintendo 3DS" rather than "Death of Handhelds". The 3DS is the only console really in danger here, and the existence and massive popularity of the Switch indicates that handhelds aren't dying any time soon.
To be fair, as soon as I posted the topic I realised I messed up the topic name. The cringe was hard. An important definition though is the Switch is classed as a gaming console with handheld capabilities, not a handheld. I personally think this means that Nintendo is beginning to move into the world of consoles more than they have before. What I really meant to name the topic is "Death of Traditional Handhelds" because I don't see Nintendo, or any other company out there, creating a straight up handheld system anymore.
You could edit the thread title under "Thread Tools" on the top right. That's fair, though the counterpoint to that is that Nintendo has been the only company to give any sort of support or light to handheld consoles at all for the past several years. The only other handheld console still in existence that has games still being made for it is the PlayStation Vita, and that doesn't have very much attention at all, for a variety of reasons. I suppose some other company could potentially create some sort of handheld, but without widespread support, I don't see it happening.
I Don't Feel It Will Be Die. Both 3DS and DS Have The Most Number Of Pokémon Games(Including Side Series). It Will Be Perfect Handhelds For New Pokémon Fan Or Those Who Start Playing Pokémon.
