Its only competition in two fronts. The only two places with exclusive games people actually care about, and because you can emulate just released Switch games on PC and get better performance than on actual hardware.
In the case of the latter, that's an actual problem. Because you might be getting the best form of the game on PC, but the lack of sales will effect the franchises considerably if that method takes off. Especially with Nintendo's hateboner for emulation to begin with.
The Switch's portable is something the PC can't do well though. Even laptops are more cumbersome. The Steam Deck could potentially change that if it continues to evolve. I could see the future of gaming trending toward PC + Steam Deck, but Nintendo's exclusive IPs will keep it going instead. Not enough people are going to emulate.
I think the people who are capable of setting up an emulator and the people who play their switch games handheld probably isn't a huge overlap. Especially with how many Switch games run extremely poorly undocked.
TotK getting leaked early and having a massive amount of people play it to completion before it game even came out through emulation (spoiling it happily for those few who'd care) probably will have ramifications on its own going forward through Nintendo's actions. Even if the sale loss is a drop in the bucket, they've reacted to smaller drops.
I don't mean the tech illiterate. The Switch (and now Steam Deck) allow a less cumbersome portable gaming device while also giving you the ability to continue your games on the bigger screen when you are back home. That doesn't work as well on a PC.
I don't consider the Switch to be in competition against PC. The strengths and weaknesses are too different.
Its only competition in two fronts. The only two places with exclusive games people actually care about, and because you can emulate just released Switch games on PC and get better performance than on actual hardware.
In the case of the latter, that's an actual problem. Because you might be getting the best form of the game on PC, but the lack of sales will effect the franchises considerably if that method takes off. Especially with Nintendo's hateboner for emulation to begin with.
The Switch's portable is something the PC can't do well though. Even laptops are more cumbersome. The Steam Deck could potentially change that if it continues to evolve. I could see the future of gaming trending toward PC + Steam Deck, but Nintendo's exclusive IPs will keep it going instead. Not enough people are going to emulate.
I think the people who are capable of setting up an emulator and the people who play their switch games handheld probably isn't a huge overlap. Especially with how many Switch games run extremely poorly undocked.
TotK getting leaked early and having a massive amount of people play it to completion before it game even came out through emulation (spoiling it happily for those few who'd care) probably will have ramifications on its own going forward through Nintendo's actions. Even if the sale loss is a drop in the bucket, they've reacted to smaller drops.
I don't mean the tech illiterate. The Switch (and now Steam Deck) allow a less cumbersome portable gaming device while also giving you the ability to continue your games on the bigger screen when you are back home. That doesn't work as well on a PC.