this post was submitted on 11 Jun 2025
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It’s silly to compare Switch 2 sales to Steam Deck sales.

The Switch 2 is a locked-down, vertically integrated platform. There are no ROG Switch 2s. No Lenovo Switch 2s. No Switch laptops or tower PCs with discrete GPUs. If you want to play Mario Kart World, your only option is to buy a Switch 2. Period.

Steam Deck, by contrast, isn’t a platform. It’s just one hardware option—one entry point into the sprawling, open ecosystem known as PC gaming.

Every year, around 245 million PCs are shipped globally. If even 20–25% of those are gaming-focused, that’s 49–61 million gaming PCs annually. Steam Deck is a sliver of that. So of course it won’t outsell a console that’s the only gateway to a major IP.

But that’s exactly the point.

PC gaming is too decentralized for any single device to dominate. The last “PC” that did was the Commodore 64, which sold 12.5–17 million units over 12 years because it was a self-contained platform, unlike modern Windows, Mac, or Linux machines.

That the Steam Deck has sold 4 million units despite competing with every other gaming PC in existence is remarkable. It didn’t just sell—it legitimized a category. Handheld PC gaming is now a thing. That’s why Lenovo, ASUS, and MSI have followed. Even Microsoft is getting in, optimizing Windows for handhelds—something they would never have done if the Steam Deck didn't hold their feet to the fire.

So no, Steam Deck didn’t outsell the Switch 2. It didn’t need to.

It won by changing the landscape.

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[–] [email protected] 60 points 6 days ago (3 children)

I'll emulate Nintendo games till the day I die because fuck Nintendo and their greed.

[–] [email protected] 25 points 6 days ago

I won't even pirate their games

[–] [email protected] 21 points 6 days ago (1 children)

They make great games and they're a super anti-consumer company. Perfect combination for going out of your way to pirate their games.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Meh, personally I haven't enjoyed a Nintendo game since the GameCube. Every new game they release feels like a rehash of the same shit they've been shoveling down our throats since the Wii. Nintendo forgot how to innovate.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 6 days ago (2 children)

BotW and TotK were both really good. Don't mistake this as me saying "Nintendo is good actually", more like a broken clock is right twice a day sort of statement.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Personally I thought botw was pretty mid overall. The world is so empty and there's no reason to really ever fight anything for the most part. The weapons breaking so easily just cements that. Haven't played the second tho.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 5 days ago (5 children)

There's not a reason to fight most enemies in most video games to be honest. TotK mostly fixed the weapon breaking mechanic in my eyes. They're much more durable now and last longer when fused (there is generally no reason to not do fusion). The only thing that's more fun in BotW than TotK is riding a horse through Hyrule field while dodging tons of guardian lasers.

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 6 days ago (5 children)

BotW and TotK are by far the worst Zelda games ever made. What's the point of having a huge open world if there's nothing to do in it? Plus there are no real dungeons and there's barely a plot. It honestly blows my mind that people enjoy those games. Hell, TotK was so lazily slapped together that they couldn't even bother creating a new map.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 5 days ago

BotW and TotK are by far the worst Zelda games ever made.

"At last, vindication!"

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 days ago

It's always morally acceptable to pirate Nintendo games.

[–] [email protected] 30 points 6 days ago

Steam Deck is the winner, They don't even advertise.

[–] [email protected] 36 points 6 days ago (4 children)

Console wars stopped being cool years ago. Everyone has their preferences and favorites, no need to shit on someone's fun because you think yours is better.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Steamdeck also isn't a console anyway, it's a handheld PC.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 5 days ago (4 children)

it plays like a console and repairs like a pc.

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

Its unfair to call it a "console war" when one is a classic locked down console and another is a general handheld computer. This also means there are bigger societal stakes in this argument than just "which corporate flavor you like more" because one empowers people and the other does the exact opposite.

So no, "console wars" here are very much cool.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Competition is good. If the Switch didn't exist then I don't think we would've gotten the Steam Deck.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (1 children)

If the Switch didn't exist then I don't think we would've gotten the Steam Deck.

or we would have earlier and more of it? I'm not sure how are you basing your hipothesis is but to assume that handheld market with this crazy demand would just be there unfulfilled is kinda silly. Switch didn't event some magic technology that was not available before - it just took the market.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 5 days ago (4 children)

You're contradicting yourself. If you believe the Steam Deck exists purely independently from the Switch and that we would've had the Steam Deck before the Switch if the Switch never existed, but we didn't, it came after.

And no, I don't think it invented some sort of magic technology, obviously I don't think that. I'm saying the Steam Deck was good competition for the Switch in the portable/docked market (whatever we wanna call those).

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 days ago (1 children)

There's no hate for Nintendo here, just explaining why Steam Deck is different.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Sorry, should've clarified that this isn't directed towards you, OP! Just at a lot of the other comments in here who are acting like someone else's decision to buy an expensive gadget is a personal insult to them.

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[–] [email protected] 21 points 6 days ago (1 children)

The funniest thing is that Nintendo buyers are not even part of this conversation LMAO 🤣

[–] [email protected] 6 points 5 days ago

In a sense, this is also the point. They are different devices targeting different markets.

[–] [email protected] 25 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Actually you will be able to play switch two games on PC. It's only a matter of time so no your only option isn't just switch two. It's patience 😜

[–] [email protected] 27 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (5 children)

I've generally seen purchasing a Steam Deck as an informed decision. But most people are very nostalgic (can't blame them, SNES to Wii Zeldas and Metroids were amazing) and have uncontrollable FOMO, which Nintendo keeps on milking even when their software and hardware is noticeably much worse than it's competitors'. If anyone also wants to know how Nintendo currently uses the money they earn, here's a video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n025Gxn5GEM No wonder they're less worried about wasting money on legal battles. No trace of the good old Nintendo.

  • For Nintendo fans that may get triggered by this, don't. Just own it. Spending more on something worse doesn't mean you can't enjoy it.
[–] [email protected] 21 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (3 children)

This is such a wild take. « I buy the steam deck because I am informed and smart, they buy the switch 2 because they’re nostalgic impulsive morons ».

Has it ever occurred to you that not everybody is you, and people have different tastes ? Some gamers want to play the latest COD, others are Final Fantasy super fan, and others want to play Zelda and Mario. Most people even just play on a smartphone! (Disgusting, I know).

Your lack of basic awareness of what an individual is is astonishing. May I never meet and have to talk to someone like you again.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 6 days ago (1 children)

I think you're missing the point.

The steam deck is still relatively niche and unknown compared to a switch.

The namesake and brand recognition for nintendo completely dwarfs that of the steam deck.

More people are going to buy a switch on impulse and brandname alone so buying a steam deck is almost always going to be an informed decision as in it won't be much of an impulse purchase.

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[–] [email protected] 11 points 6 days ago (7 children)

But most people are very nostalgic (can’t blame them, SNES to Wii Zeldas and Metroids were amazing) and have uncontrollable FOMO, which Nintendo keeps on milking even when their software and hardware is noticeably much worse than it’s competitors’.

This reads like someone who never played any of the switch titles. It's not simply nostalgia. The switch titles were objectively good despite lackluster hardware. The switch lasted for almost a decade and is still playable today. People are buying switch 2 to be able to play the Nintendo exclusives.

It's true that the hardware is largely lackluster, but especially in the case of the first party titles, and in general overall, the lackluster hardware just doesn't prevent the games from looking and running great. Nintendo invests in developers capable of running large, complex games on somewhat modest hardware.

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[–] [email protected] 16 points 6 days ago (2 children)

No shame to anyone who bought a switch 2. My partner got one during pre-sales and is incredibly happy to have gotten one, and I feel so happy for him that he gets to have some joy in his life with it. I wish you the same joy.

But I just can't get into it. I didn't grow up with nintendo so the properties really don't mean much to me. And now, I just don't think I can swallow paying hundreds of dollars to start, then another hundred dollars to get games that seemingly play the same way as they did in the last release, plus a yearly subscription for online play. You may not see what you purchased the same way, and I'm glad that it's meaningful to you even if I can't find the same meaning in it -- it's good that there exists something for everyone's niche.

I don't see why this needs to be a competition. Are there really people out there who were about to get a steam deck but decided not to in favour of a switch 2? I feel like switch owners are well aware that it's a Nintendo machine and theyre not gonna be playing a lot of their favourite out-of-franchise games on it. That's what they expect and thats what they'll likely get.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 6 days ago

I DID grow up with Nintendo. The first gaming thing that wasn't a DOS computer with asteroids and commander keen on it was a NES. Then an SNES. Then an N64. A few months after the N64 we got a Sega Genesis, and a PS1.

All that said?

......fuck Nintendo. Switch 1 games play at a higher resolution and better frame rate ON MY PHONE. I refused to buy a switch, and there's no chance in hell I'll get a switch 2. The fact that they say if they "detect" cheating or that your S2 is jailbroken they reserve the right, and built in the ability to, brick your device. Fuck them, get fucked, no fucking chance they're getting a single cent, pence, fucking whatever out of me. Fuck yourselves well and truly to fuck! 👍🖕👍

Rant over 🥰

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[–] [email protected] 12 points 6 days ago (1 children)

There is no value in defending a billion dollar company from another billion dollar company. Just accept Nintendo is more popular and live your life ❤️

[–] [email protected] 7 points 6 days ago (1 children)

What company do you think I'm defending?

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 6 days ago

I loved my steam deck, but it was too chunky for me and certainly for my kid.

My compromise is Anbernic type devices. Long battery life, better form factor, lots of ported games too.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

Lol what comical copium.

They are both handheld gaming devices. To claim otherwise is nothing more than an ideological feature that only matters to 2% of thr market.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Not really copium. OP makes a great point. It's like comparing Xbox sales to the sales of a specific pre-built PC. The pre-built PC could never compete, but all PC sales over a given period likely outnumber Xbox sales significantly.

I don't own either, and probably never will, but IMO, you are the one who is coping.

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[–] [email protected] 8 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Playing with a amiga as a kid when I was at friends and got to play Nintendo I always felt like an outsider.. But I didn't realise how lucky I am that it was like that. I was exposed to so many more games, and got to tinker. Got to see many crack intros that was mesmerising to me as a kid. Soon enough I got into coding because of it.. And guess if that was useful later. I'm never going to think buying a walled garden device is ok, sends the wrong message to your kids and hampers their development. Don't take the easy way out.

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 6 days ago

There is a reason why i call all these handheld gaming pcs as decks or gaming decks.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 6 days ago (5 children)

So no, Steam Deck didn’t outsell the Switch 2. It didn’t need to.

I don't disagree with the sentiment. I would still consider the Steam Deck a "failure" if it couldn't move enough units to justify its production cost, but it looks like they're still churning them out, so... eh, it's not great but its fine.

I would argue that merely comparing generic PC sales to Switch sales also misses the mark. At the very least, you'd focus on unique Steam installs or Active Steam Accounts if you're really interested in counting the success of Steam relative to Nintendo.

Even then, what you're really competing with isn't "SteamDeck sales v. Switch sales". I'd say its "SteamDeck sales per $1 advertising spent v. ..." Given that Nintendo spent around $730M in advertising last year and Valve spent under $100M, it seems that Nintendo has to spend roughly $50/unit to move a Switch relative to Valve coming in closer to $40/unit.

It's very difficult to compare popularity under two wildly divergent marketing strategies.

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