The Nintendo Switch changed what I want from video games

Photo by James Bareham / The Verge

There were two types of video games, those you played at home and those you played on a handheld. There was a difference. You could always tell the difference between games based on the platform, even when a powerful device came along. The GameCube game was very different from the Game Boy Advance game. The Nintendo Switch launched five years ago.

I stumbled upon the power of Nintendo's tablets. I was tasked with reviewing The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, a huge open-world game that changed the formula of the classic game. I started playing it in my living room, like I've done before in the series. It felt right. I had to cover the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, which meant spending hours on airplanes, in hotel rooms, and waiting in long lines inside the Moscone Center. The fact that I was able to pick up from where I started at home proved to be significant. I was able to chat with the game's directors for an hour on the day I wrote the review.

Most people won't find themselves in that situation. Even if you have a weird job like I do, the Switch is a device designed to fit into your life. In a world where games are more demanding of your time than ever, this was a big deal. After Breath of the Wild, whenever I played a big game, I wanted it to be on the Switch. How is it possible that Persona 5 hasn't been updated yet?

I'm not the only one. Fans begging for Switch versions of their favorites has become a meme at this point, and the Switch version of the game, which initially wasn't compatible with the PS4 version, helped ushered in our current era where cross- platform play is.

Photo by Cameron Faulkner / The Verge

The freedom of the Switch has fundamentally changed how I view video games. The distinction between portable and console is no longer present. When a game comes out, I think about how I'm going to play it. If it's a live-service game like Genshin Impact or Fortnite, I want to know that I can progress with me on the Switch or a phone. I might just wait for a Switch version, even if the graphics take a hit, if it is a lengthy role-playing game. I want my video games to follow me around from device to device the same way I follow my Netflix experience. I regret playing the excellent skateboarding game on the PS5 since it would be perfect for short sessions on the Switch.

I want to take video game worlds with me. There are cross- platform games that support mobile; Xbox games that work across PC, console, and the cloud; subscription services like Apple Arcade and Game Pass that work on multiple devices; and a brand-new device in the Steam.

We have lost something notable as the lines between console and handheld have disappeared. There is something special about games designed around the limitations of a handheld device that now mostly doesn't exist. The DS era was a great time for Nintendo and its partners, with many inventive takes on games like Nintendogs and Electroplankton. If it weren't for its predecessor, the title would probably not exist on a switch. Thankfully, that spirit is still alive and well through products like the Analogue Pocket and PlayDate.

Things are messy when it comes to playing games. Sometimes platform exclusives and cross-progression restrictions mean you don't have that kind of freedom, and sometimes things aren't as seamless as plucking a Switch from its dock and bringing a game with you. Thanks to the Switch, the last five years have seen a dramatic improvement in how accessible games can be. I'm too embarrassed to tell you how many devices I have installed on, but it's a lot.

This has improved my relationship with the game, just like having the game on the Switch did. The platform has made me appreciate games in a whole new way.