The Modern/Current Era · 2012–today

Nintendo Switch

CompanyNintendo

Lifespan2017–present (successor already launched, but original Switch remains in production as a budget option)

LibraryOver 12,000 games (including a huge indie library), one of the largest of any platform

Sought After?

Actively collected, especially limited-edition hardware (Zelda, Pokémon, Animal Crossing themed units) and rare physical carts of low-print indie games.

Downsides

"Joy-Con drift" — a hardware defect causing analog sticks to register phantom input — became so widespread it triggered class-action lawsuits against Nintendo in multiple countries.

Why It Faded

It hasn't faded — the original Switch is still sold today as a budget option even after the Switch 2's 2025 launch, an unusually long and graceful life for Nintendo hardware.

Trivia

The Switch became Nintendo's best-selling console of all time, surpassing even the DS, largely by successfully merging the "console" and "handheld" categories Nintendo had kept separate for over 30 years.