That's true, but using older, less expensive hardware had almost always been part of Nintendo's business model. A cheaper console allows them to invest in game development--time, talent, and just money. If they used cutting-edge tech, they would have thinner margins (or even lose money on the console at first as Sony and Microsoft have done in the past), which would give them less to invest into game development. Nintendo spent an entire (extra) year just tweaking and polishing TotK; if they had thinner margins from the Switch, there would probably have been more pressure to release it earlier, which would have given us a less refined game.

I'd love it if we could have both great games and cutting-edge graphics, but at the end of the day, I'll still take good games every time.

[–] Marsupial@quokk.au 1 points 1 year ago

If they used cutting edge, you’d be able to not just play all 5 great Nintendo first party releases but the hundreds of other AAA and great titles that release each year on every other platform but which no one wants to back port to the Switch.