Nintendo Switch: it's a handheld first, not a console

Analysts are worrying about how Nintendo's new machine will replace the Wii U, but we should be thinking of it as the new 3DS

The 3DS, Nintendo's current handheld console, is six years old this year. Since its debut in 2011, over 60 million have been sold worldwide - sneaking it into the top ten highest-selling games devices of all time. In stark contrast, the Wii U has lifetime sales of just over 13m. The machine has, by most metrics, been an abject failure. Nintendo is an extremely rich company, but it won't want to repeat that experience. It has shareholders to think about.

The company's next product, the Switch, is being described as a hybrid of console and handheld. It's a concept the Wii U attempted to tap into, via its GamePad controller with built-in screen; most games could be played on this device alone, meaning that as long as you had power, you could theoretically play on the go. Of course, that wasn't ever part of Nintendo's marketing for the Wii U, and besides, it wasn't exactly ideal for portability - you had to lug the console, the GamePad and the power cable around with you.