PW

UX Strategy • Team Project

Nintendo Switch

Project summary

Our team was tasked with analysing the UX strategy of the Nintendo Switch and situating it within its competitive landscape. We selected the Xbox Series X|S as a representative traditional home console and the Steam Deck as a handheld counterpart, letting us evaluate how Nintendo's design decisions hold up against two very different competitor philosophies.

We examined each platform's strengths, weaknesses, subscription model, online infrastructure and target audience, built personas and scenarios to test the positioning against real user situations, then synthesised the findings into recommendations Nintendo could act on without abandoning what makes the Switch distinctive.

  • Team of 3
  • Competitive analysis
  • Personas & scenarios
  • Market research
  • Strategy report

The platform

A hybrid home and portable gaming console supporting both digital and physical Nintendo games. Nintendo's stated value propositions are exclusive titles, innovative and unique gaming experiences, and collaborative play — aimed at two customer segments at once: families, and gamers and casual gamers.

  • Primary strength

    Portability paired with an exclusive first-party catalogue.

  • Target user

    Family-friendly and on-the-go, spanning younger kids to older adults.

  • Key weakness

    Online infrastructure and raw hardware performance.

Key features

  • Hybrid design — handheld, tabletop kickstand, and TV dock
  • Exclusive titles including Zelda, Mario and Pokémon
  • Detachable Joy-Con controllers for handheld or instant multiplayer
  • Local and online multiplayer support

Competitive analysis

We chose two competitors that pull in opposite directions — one a traditional living-room console, the other a handheld PC — so the Switch could be judged against both of the philosophies it sits between.

  • Nintendo Switch

    Versatility-first console with an exclusive first-party library.

    Strengths

    • Deep exclusive catalogue (Mario, Zelda, Pokémon)
    • Three play modes: handheld, tabletop, docked
    • Detachable Joy-Con for couch co-op
    • Family-friendly brand reputation

    Weaknesses

    • Underpowered against competing hardware
    • Online subscription lacks modern titles
    • Peer-to-peer networking causes lag
    • Voice chat requires a separate smartphone app
    • Friend system is cumbersome to use

    UX strategy: Nintendo doesn't compete on specs or subscription breadth — it competes on exclusive experiences and a versatile form factor. The Switch is the only way to play Nintendo games, which frees the platform from cross-compatibility pressure.

  • Xbox Series X|S

    Traditional console focused on value and Game Pass breadth.

    Strengths

    • Game Pass: hundreds of games for $10–$20 a month
    • Strong online infrastructure (parties, Discord, servers)
    • Series S offers a budget-friendly entry point
    • Cross-device connectivity with PC, phone and TV
    • Exclusives including Halo, Forza and Starfield

    Weaknesses

    • Weaker exclusives than Nintendo or Sony
    • Not portable — must be connected to a TV
    • Limited onboard storage
    • Inferior performance to most gaming PCs

    UX strategy: Xbox revolves around Game Pass — the widest catalogue for the lowest monthly cost. Best for users who prioritise variety, solid performance and seamless online play over mobility or first-party prestige.

  • Steam Deck

    Handheld PC gaming with the depth of the Steam library.

    Strengths

    • Access to the full Steam library
    • Superior performance among handheld devices
    • Linux-based OS allows deep customisation, including dual-booting Windows
    • Expandable storage via micro SD
    • Free online play through Steam

    Weaknesses

    • Heavier and bulkier than the Switch
    • OLED models are expensive with no budget tier
    • Digital only — no cartridge slot or disk drive
    • Game compatibility varies widely

    UX strategy: the Steam Deck targets tech-savvy handheld gamers who want PC-level library access in a portable form. SteamOS keeps a console-like environment friendly to casual users while still supporting a catalogue comparable to PC.

Head-to-head comparison

Seven dimensions, scored across all three platforms. The pattern that emerges is the argument of the whole report: the Switch wins decisively on portability, exclusives and local play, and loses on everything the other two are built for.

Dimension Switch Xbox X|S Steam Deck
PortabilityPlay anywhere Best in class TV-only Handheld only
ExclusivesMust-have titles Strong (Nintendo IP) Weak None
Game libraryBreadth of titles Limited Best, via Game Pass Large (Steam)
PerformanceGraphics & speed Lowest Best Mid (handheld)
Online experienceMultiplayer quality Poor Best Acceptable
Couch co-opLocal play ease Best (Joy-Con) Extra controllers needed Limited
Price / valueEntry cost Mid range Series S affordable Expensive (OLED)

Personas

Two personas were built to cover the two segments Nintendo targets at once — a lapsed PC gamer who needs portability, and a returning player coming back through nostalgia. They pull the product in different directions, which is exactly why both were worth writing.

  • John

    Teacher, 24 — Pittsburgh

    Income
    $40,000
    Technical
    Average proficiency for his age group, familiar with a variety of interfaces
    Devices
    iPhone, personal and work laptops, smart TV, Apple Watch, gaming PC
    Background
    Regularly plays video games on PC in his free time
    Context
    Single, lives alone, friends mostly within his profession

    I've loved playing games since I got a PC a few years ago, but I want an option I can take on the go.

  • Sally

    Stay-at-home parent, mid-40s — suburbs

    Income
    $120,000 household
    Technical
    Comfortable with technology but not an expert
    Devices
    Phone, TV, laptop, iPad
    Background
    Grew up playing retro games on Sega and older Nintendo consoles
    Context
    Husband, two sons and a family dog, in a house in the suburbs

    I have been struggling to find things to do, since my youngest child started school.

Scenarios

Each persona was walked through a scenario demonstrating the product's value proposition — from the moment the need appears to the outcome after purchase.

John — finding a way to play during a lunch break

  1. What he wants

    John has been getting back into gaming recently and wants to figure out a way to play during his lunch break.

  2. How he gets started

    He knows older portable consoles like the PSP and DS but hasn't kept up with newer models, so he starts researching options online.

  3. What happens next

    Research turns up everything from gaming laptops to portable consoles. Ideally he'd buy a laptop — that's what he knows — but on a teacher's salary he can't justify the cost, and he walks and buses to work daily, so the extra weight is too much.

  4. What he chooses

    He narrows to portable consoles and picks the Switch, a brand he already trusts. Current models are cheaper than rival handhelds and far cheaper than a gaming PC.

  5. The outcome

    John can carry his hobby through the day with the option that actually fits his budget and his commute.

Sally — coming back to games after the kids start school

  1. What she wants

    Always busy with her kids, Sally suddenly has free time now that her youngest has started school — and no idea what to do with it.

  2. How she gets started

    She remembers how much she loved video games as a child and is tempted to get back into them.

  3. What happens next

    She researches consoles to see which suits her. Most modern games look nothing like the ones she grew up with, but she still wants to try.

  4. What she chooses

    She finds the Switch and recognises games that look like the ones she played when she was younger. She buys it and downloads Super Mario, Mario Kart and Zelda.

  5. The outcome

    She reignites her love of video games — and gets to share it with her children.

Both scenarios land on the same insight from opposite ends. Neither persona was won by specifications: John chose on price and portability, Sally on familiarity and nostalgia. Nothing in either journey depended on the things the Switch measurably loses at, which is the strongest evidence that the niche positioning is deliberate rather than a compromise.

Recommendations for Nintendo

Four changes that would widen the Switch's reach without eroding what already works.

  • Upgrade hardware performance

    Improve graphics, loading speeds, storage and processing to attract more tech-savvy users and support resource-intensive third-party titles.

  • Expand the online subscription library

    The current catalogue skews heavily retro. Adding modern and third-party titles would raise the subscription's perceived value significantly.

  • Modernise online infrastructure

    Move away from peer-to-peer networking, build native voice chat into the console, and streamline the friend system to compete with Xbox and Steam.

  • Add PC and cloud connectivity

    Explore cloud gaming support and Discord integration to appeal to users who also own a PC and want a connected ecosystem.

What I learned

  • Niche positioning is a valid strategy

    Nintendo's decision not to compete on raw specs or subscription breadth is intentional — owning a niche can be more durable than chasing a crowded middle ground.

  • UX extends beyond the screen

    The Switch's controller flexibility and play modes show that hardware design is as much a part of UX as software — form factor shapes the entire experience.

  • Exclusivity works as a moat

    Exclusive content removes the need for cross-platform parity. It was useful to see how that shapes both product decisions and user expectations.

  • Online is a weak point worth studying

    Comparing Nintendo's peer-to-peer approach to Xbox Live showed how much infrastructure investment shapes perceived quality in modern gaming.