Nintendo Switch Is Southeast Asia's Bet During Lockdown

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GAMING | May 13, 2020

iPrice's analysis on which gaming consoles are the most popular in several Southeast Asian countries during their respective lockdown periods, including the Philippines and Hong Kong. (Image Source: Yugatech/iPrice Group)

Many countries around the world, including those in Southeast Asia especially the Philippines, have mandatedly urged their citizens to stay inside their homes for their safety and well-being due to the continuing threat of the COVID-19 pandemic and implemented their own lockdown periods slated to minimize the spread of the virus. Since the start of the lockdown periods within their respective countries, many residents in Southeast Asia have began turning to going online and gaming within the comforts of their own home. Believe it or not, most of them are enjoying their favorite games at home on their Nintendo Switch and literally thinking of purchasing more games for the system.

In fact, with many gamers practicing social distancing, Nintendo's most recent hybrid gaming system happens to be the most popular gaming console in the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Hong Kong according to iPrice Group's report based on more than 1.5 million searches made on online shopping platforms spanning across seven different countries in Southeast Asia. On the other hand, the PlayStation 4 came second behind the Switch in the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong and third in Thailand next to the Switch and Xbox One, but is the most searched in Vietnam and Indonesia with the Switch falling behind.

Interestingly enough, it is intriguing to see that the PlayStation 3 remains active even at the end of its lifespan and became the third most sought-after console in the Philippines and Indonesia making these countries the lands of the Sony PlayStation in Southeast Asia. Meanwhile, Microsoft's Xbox One may not be as impactful as the Switch and the PS4 but it managed to inch ahead of the ladder in Thailand to come in second place and became the third most searched system in Vietnam. However, interests for the Nintendo Switch and the PS4 on online shopping platforms in the region are ultimately higher than we thought with the former having 1.6 times higher than the 135% increased interest rate of the PS4.

iPrice's analysis on interests of consumers in Southeast Asian countries for gaming consoles during their respective lockdown periods (Image Source: Yugatech/iPrice Group)

When it comes to countries having the largest increase in shopping for gaming consoles online from mid-March to mid-April, Vietnam is at the top of their game followed by Singapore and Thailand while the Philippines lands on the very bottom due to the country's strict restrictions on the delivery of goods. Considered to be fortunate during their respective lockdown periods, the Philippines' neighbors did not limit the use of e-commerce to essential goods and are already way ahead in terms of e-commerce even before the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Nevertheless, Filipinos are still keen in going online and gaming inside their own homes just to keep themselves entertained during quarantine.