I think the Switch blew up because it was the right product, at the right time, with an expert game publisher backing it. Also, Nintendo owns the handheld space, so not competing for the high end 4K HD space makes sense for them. I think the Steam Deck will gain more popularity in the years to come.
I've got to go with the Switch. It started the trend of hybrid console, has had excellent games through its life span, is affordable, and so simple that anyone could use it. Also, sales don't lie. The Switch has been incredible successful.
ALT: a pixel art illustration of a nintendo switch in blue and red
Nintendo name and IP, but also affordability, simplicity, and availability.
i can argue both the switch and steam deck are massive successes. i dont know what it'd take to compete with the steam deck, but i saw many of the deck competitors managed to not have most of the input options as the deck. to ride off the deck's success, it needs to also fit into the deck ecosystem.
Bravo, Bluesky users. You're answering this simple question with FAR less unwarranted aggression than your counterparts on Twitter/X.
id argue being significantly cheaper (iirc), simpler (as other have said), came out before the others (i think), being a console and being nintendo easily results in a massive audience. and it do have the funny italian man
Because at the time, the idea of a hone console/ portable console hybrid was new and blew everyone's minds. Including myself.
switch is more family based, it’s owned by Nintendo, everyone knows Nintendo, what is the bottom left, switch is cheapish kinda
I have two of these and I play my steam deck way more than i do my switch 😅, But i mean i have 1400 games on steam... So it kinda makes sense
Glossing over the joy-con issue, the Switch was just smart and arrived right on time when we'd all be quarantined. Also the amount of indies and big 'AAA' games that you can just ADHD spam is so wonderful.