Nintendo Switch - Happy Switchmas Everyone!

[sumo73]

Not overly impressed with this news from Nintendo (Why did I have to read this on St Patrick's Day?) but then again Nintendo didn't give much away so I can't really comment here. Not a fan of micro transactions or mobile phone gaming but until I see it, again I can't comment.

 

The bottom line is it doesn't matter what Nintendo say, they really can't advertise anything properly. Having a good product is nothing if no one knows about it or what it can do.

[Blade]

They knew how to market the Wii so they do know how to market when they want too.

 

I'm so far apathetic but obviously interested. I don't know any details about the next console so can't really form an opinion.

[flameboy]

No. I believe, based on what Iwata has said, that we will have two separate devices. However, they have been developed in unison as one project. They will share OS and have similar architecture. Handheld will be weaker. Console will be stronger.

 

They won't be a hybrid. We'll still have two different devices, they'll just have the most connected relationship of any Nintendo handheld/console. It'll be separate, and merged.

 

I really think this is a mistake, I don't think Nintendo can support two consoles tbh. Imagine if the library of the Wii U and 3DS were on one system it would be a much easier sell to people. Going forward they should concentrate on one platform and make that a success...

[liger05]

They knew how to market the Wii so they do know how to market when they want too.

 

I'm so far apathetic but obviously interested. I don't know any details about the next console so can't really form an opinion.

 

The Wii adverts were very very impressive but at the same time they had such a hot product that word of mouth alone was shifting units.

 

Even though the Wii U marketing has pretty much been horrible I still think the product was the major reason for this. Trying to get across the message of what the Wii U was/is and why it was different to the Wii seemed impossible.

 

Obviously the name and the constant focus on the gamepad alone by Nintendo didn't help but Nintendo employed marketing experts and they couldn't do it so again I think it goes back to the product which was the problem.

[Serebii]

I really think this is a mistake, I don't think Nintendo can support two consoles tbh. Imagine if the library of the Wii U and 3DS were on one system it would be a much easier sell to people. Going forward they should concentrate on one platform and make that a success...

That would be a mistake. It'd be really cutting their revenue streams like crazy.

 

However, with them sharing architectures, then that means that they're not really doing it for two platforms. They don't have to port engines, they already work. They don't have to do much.

 

This way, they have portable and home console, they can easily develop between the two. Crossplatform games like Mario VS Donkey Kong will exist more. It'd be perfect. Ypu have the best of both worlds

[Wii]

If Nintendo do launch a new home console next year, I expect Nintendo to compensate and reward us loyal Wii U owners. How they'd expect us to buy into a new console will be very difficult even if they do give us something like an ambassador programme. Just 3 years on the market by then, sparse quality releases, practically no 3rd party support, online not matching the competition, etc.

 

I've said it before that I 90% most likely won't buy their next console at launch which will be a first. It will require something truly special to knock my socks off for it to be a day 1 purchase. I've had my fingers burnt too many times and I won't believe a single word from Iwata or especially Reggie. I'll probably wait a while to see how things are panning out. And if they keep the specs secret again like they did with the Wii and Wii U right up to launch I'll know that's a bad sign and may just give up on next gen gaming.

[Sheikah]

My concern with it is that we'll see games like Crystal Chronicles Echoes of Time that had a Wii version that appeared to be considerably scaled back, to a level similar to the DS version. I know they're different systems to this with different architecture but that 'let's share' ethic makes it seem like there won't be too much of a gap.

 

There's then the problem that if hardly anyone is buying the Wii U now, who will buy the console to play these games if they can instead just buy the handheld? If the focus is compatibility with each other, maybe playing each other's libraries, it makes the home console kinda redundant in their own market.

Edited March 18, 2015 by Sheikah

[flameboy]

That would be a mistake. It'd be really cutting their revenue streams like crazy.

 

However, with them sharing architectures, then that means that they're not really doing it for two platforms. They don't have to port engines, they already work. They don't have to do much.

 

This way, they have portable and home console, they can easily develop between the two. Crossplatform games like Mario VS Donkey Kong will exist more. It'd be perfect. Ypu have the best of both worlds

 

How would they be cutting their revenue streams like crazy? That makes no sense at all. The pittance they make off hardware sales? Nintendo need to learn getting the consoles out there and perhaps making a bit less makes more sense. The Wii U is last gen tech and it isn't cheap enough as a result of Nintendo insisting on making a sizeable profit on hardware. This isn't the 80s/90s!

 

The shared architecture won't work like your saying. It's not going to be like the indie games etc... on Vita/PS4 and PS3 that take advantage of crossboy where they are essentially the same game. I'd imagine it will only work with those lower tier titles (Donkey Kong vs Mario) or as others have worse versions of said home console versions. What's the point?

 

To my mind I'm one of the many who owns a 3DS and didn't make the jump to Wii U. There are some Wii U games I want but nowhere near enough to warrant buying one so Nintendo are losing those potential game sales every single time one of those titles passes me by. Before you moan that I am in the minority that doesn't count, look how many Wiis sold. Now look how many Wii Us have sold the difference for a machine now into it's 3rd year is staggering. All of those sales cannot be attributed to the casual gamers, the families, the retirement homes that picked up Wiis, there is a very sizeable fraction of gamers who cannot warrant the purchase of a Wii U. So everytime that's lost sales....

Edited March 18, 2015 by flameboy

[Blade]

I'm going to buy their next home console.

 

There is no way I am going to go without an opportunity to play a main Zelda game. That is the series for me.

[Wii]

Is Nintendo's New Console Plan A Good Idea? - The Lobby(Gamespot)

 

 

[dazzybee]

I know should watch the video before making this judgment, but I'm going to make it anyway. Firstly, Gamespot are the biggest, most unbearable cunts in the gaming media, their stuff is unbearable. And here they're making a video about whether nintendo's new console, which no one knows ANYTHING about, is a good idea or not?! Is trying to be as sensationalist/controversial as possible really the new journalism?!

[Hero-of-Time]

I'm going to buy their next home console.

 

There is no way I am going to go without an opportunity to play a main Zelda game. That is the series for me.

 

Yet you still haven't finished Link to the Past. Get to it, man!

[Serebii]

I know should watch the video before making this judgment, but I'm going to make it anyway. Firstly, Gamespot are the biggest, most unbearable cunts in the gaming media, their stuff is unbearable. And here they're making a video about whether nintendo's new console, which no one knows ANYTHING about, is a good idea or not?! Is trying to be as sensationalist/controversial as possible really the new journalism?!

There's so much of this going around. People saying in articles that it's evidence Nintendo has "given up" with the Wii U, despite the fact this machine is over 2 years out.

 

It reminds me as to why Nintendo made Nintendo Directs, so they can pump news out to the fans directly and stop this media bullshit. With all the misinformation that has been spread, it reminds me of the Wii U situation (yes, Nintendo messed up a bit with that, but let me finish). Nintendo said ahead of E3 2011 that they were going to reveal their new console there. In the E3 presentation itself, Reggie said it's the controller for their new system, yet much of the media went off saying how it was a peripheral, spreading crap that wasn't true.

 

It's happening yet again with how much of the media is reporting the smartphone news and NX. It's disgusting, it actually seems like the media is out to kick Nintendo down all the time. They choose not to read, and they assume. I've seen it happen across the net with people too, thinking the NX is a phone, or the account system. It's ridiculous.

Edited March 19, 2015 by Serebii

[david.dakota]

It reminds me as to why Nintendo made Nintendo Directs, so they can pump news out to the fans directly and stop this media bullshit.

 

With all the misinformation that has been spread, it reminds me of the Wii U situation (yes, Nintendo messed up a bit with that, but let me finish). Nintendo said ahead of E3 2011 that they were going to reveal their new console there. In the E3 presentation itself, Reggie said it's the controller for their new system, yet much of the media went off saying how it was a peripheral, spreading crap that wasn't true.

 

It's happening yet again with how much of the media is reporting the smartphone news and NX. It's disgusting, it actually seems like the media is out to kick Nintendo down all the time. They choose not to read, and they assume. I've seen it happen across the net with people too, thinking the NX is a phone, or the account system. It's ridiculous.

 

It's no good blaming the press, Nintendo offered no clear message when launching Wii U. The press (as far as I can remember) did report this thing as a new console but the general public missed the point - because nothing seemed new. Same characters, same games, same name, same logo, same design language. Its hardly a surprise its bombed at retail.

 

Its the same thing today, we've picked up on news not aimed at us. This conference was aimed squarely at investors, not gamers (and we're just filling in the blanks). If Nintendo want to stop this, they need to stop releasing tidbits of information within these investor conferences, or at least provide the information in a timely manner to its consumer base.

 

How Apple works would be perfect, an event where products are announced which is directed at press, public and investors. I say Apple, but don't all companies make product announcements this way?

[flameboy]

I'm going to buy their next home console.

 

There is no way I am going to go without an opportunity to play a main Zelda game. That is the series for me.

 

See this is why no matter what I have to buy a Wii U at some point. Used to be same with Mario but now given up on that.

 

There's so much of this going around. People saying in articles that it's evidence Nintendo has "given up" with the Wii U, despite the fact this machine is over 2 years out.

 

It reminds me as to why Nintendo made Nintendo Directs, so they can pump news out to the fans directly and stop this media bullshit. With all the misinformation that has been spread, it reminds me of the Wii U situation (yes, Nintendo messed up a bit with that, but let me finish). Nintendo said ahead of E3 2011 that they were going to reveal their new console there. In the E3 presentation itself, Reggie said it's the controller for their new system, yet much of the media went off saying how it was a peripheral, spreading crap that wasn't true.

 

It's happening yet again with how much of the media is reporting the smartphone news and NX. It's disgusting, it actually seems like the media is out to kick Nintendo down all the time. They choose not to read, and they assume. I've seen it happen across the net with people too, thinking the NX is a phone, or the account system. It's ridiculous.

 

God angry much? You can't blame the media and whether you choose to accept Nintendo Direct does not reach everyone so Nintendo need the mainstream media to cover them as much as any company does. I'd love to know misinformation was spread about the Wii U?!

 

Also in terms of killing the system. It totally has in terms of sales. There will be no further new sales (or very minimal) as people aren't going to buy a system they know won't be support for much longer. I want one bad for Zelda when that comes out but the way that franchise has been perhaps their next console will have a version of it on as well.....

[Jonnas]

I'd love to know misinformation was spread about the Wii U?!

 

I actually remember multiple articles saying that the Wii U was a peripheral shortly after the conference. I don't quite recall which sites did it, but I do remember thinking about how shoddy videogame journalism was as a whole.

 

Now, I wouldn't get as mad as Serebii over this, but he is not without reason. I can understand this being a pet peeve for him.

[Serebii]

I actually remember multiple articles saying that the Wii U was a peripheral shortly after the conference. I don't quite recall which sites did it, but I do remember thinking about how shoddy videogame journalism was as a whole.

 

Now, I wouldn't get as mad as Serebii over this, but he is not without reason. I can understand this being a pet peeve for him.

Not just small outlets, big ones including CNN.

 

Reggie said in the damn conference that the GamePad was the controller for their brand new system. I'm not saying Nintendo didn't mess up here. I'm just saying that the media and people spreading BS is a large part of what happened. Mistranslations and constant Nintendo bashing articles are why they made Nintendo Directs, and this crap is happening all over again even when they revealed the NX to make it clear they're not abandoning hardware (Iwata even said that in the conference), and yet despite it being clear, some people are saying otherwise.

[flameboy]

I actually remember multiple articles saying that the Wii U was a peripheral shortly after the conference. I don't quite recall which sites did it, but I do remember thinking about how shoddy videogame journalism was as a whole.

 

Now, I wouldn't get as mad as Serebii over this, but he is not without reason. I can understand this being a pet peeve for him.

 

I very much doubt any of the major outlets were reporting that as they will have received press releases either just before or very soon after outlining everything.

 

Granted I do remember text livestreams remarking at the time whether it was an add on. Sure some mainstream regular press did and for me this points to poor initial reveal of the console from what I remember many sites remarked on how they showed very little of the system in the initial videos. The familiar white colour as well to be honest made it seem like part of the Wii family. I even would as far to say the only shots of the console it was in a tv cabinet and to an untrained eye looked very much like a Wii.

[Jonnas]

Granted I do remember text livestreams remarking at the time whether it was an add on. Sure some mainstream regular press did and for me this points to poor initial reveal of the console from what I remember many sites remarked on how they showed very little of the system in the initial videos. The familiar white colour as well to be honest made it seem like part of the Wii family. I even would as far to say the only shots of the console it was in a tv cabinet and to an untrained eye looked very much like a Wii.

 

I saw the reveal, and I thought they were pretty clear. Journalists may have their excuses, but they're no justifications. Any press that honestly thought that was an add-on was doing their own job poorly.

[Serebii]

That's the thing, in the presentation, Reggie clearly said it was the controller for their new console, and there was a heads up previously. There was no excuse for any media reporting it, even in live text blogs.

[flameboy]

I saw the reveal, and I thought they were pretty clear. Journalists may have their excuses, but they're no justifications. Any press that honestly thought that was an add-on was doing their own job poorly.

 

The thing is though watch this first reveal trailer:

 

 

Save from a couple of shots of the Wii U under a TV (looking very similar to the Wii at a casual glance) all it says is "with the new controller" to a myriad of things "new views" "new ways" etc.... the use of Wii Sports to illustrate some of these makes it appear to be the Wii even more. There is nothing in their to suggest it's a new console, they concentrate way more on just marketing the controller and nothing about the console.

 

What you got to remember as well this reveal did come hot on the heels of for example Kinect being bought by millions as an add on to a console for a new way to control. Also it's something Nintendo have done for years themselves...the power glove, the super scope so it's really not too much of a leap.

[Jonnas]

The thing is though watch this first reveal trailer:

 

(...)

 

What you got to remember as well this reveal did come hot on the heels of for example Kinect being bought by millions as an add on to a console for a new way to control. Also it's something Nintendo have done for years themselves...the power glove, the super scope so it's really not too much of a leap.

 

If the presentation had been just that HD trailer, sure, it would be reasonable to think that the U was some sort of HD add-on. But the actual, full presentation included people talking and making it clear what it was (really, how many console trailers actually go out of their way to reiterate "This is a new console"?)

 

And sure, a person that was paying half-attention throughout the presentation and ignoring what the spokespeople were saying would misunderstand what the Wii U was, extrapolating the device with Nintendo's past attempts, or even the Kinect. but if the journalists were, in fact, paying half-attention and ignoring what the spokespeople were saying, then they done goofed at what they were paid to do.

 

And that's what I'm saying, some random person can easily be excused for getting the wrong impression. A person whose job was to absorb as much information as they could, cannot be excused for doing so badly.

[Sheikah]

Realistically you can't blame the journalists for Nintendo getting their message across so poorly. You said "sure, if they just watched that trailer, they could have got the wrong end of the stick". Well then, the onus lies with Nintendo. It should be crystal clear throughout their presentation, especially when they've called it the Wii U and not Wii 2. You can't expect everyone to do an amazing job and listen throughout the entirety of something, you've got to leave no room for doubt. Which you could argue they failed at the moment they named it.

 

Put it another way, do you think it matters to the journalist if they report that detail wrong? No, it matters to Nintendo. That's why the onus is on them to get the message across very clearly.

[Happenstance]

I rewatched the announcement over the weekend and while I can notice now that they used the term "new system" a few times during the event, I remember still being confused during the actual announcement as I watched that live so I dont blame the journalists at all. Nintendo did a poor job of it and focused just that bit too much on the pad.

[Serebii]

Realistically you can't blame the journalists for Nintendo getting their message across so poorly. You said "sure, if they just watched that trailer, they could have got the wrong end of the stick". Well then, the onus lies with Nintendo. It should be crystal clear throughout their presentation, especially when they've called it the Wii U and not Wii 2. You can't expect everyone to do an amazing job and listen throughout the entirety of something, you've got to leave no room for doubt. Which you could argue they failed at the moment they named it.

 

Put it another way, do you think it matters to the journalist if they report that detail wrong? No, it matters to Nintendo. That's why the onus is on them to get the message across very clearly.

Yes you can blame the journalists. Ahead of time, all journalists got a heads up that Nintendo were revealing their new system that E3, and as @Happenstance said, the term "new system" was said multiple times within it.

 

General public, sure, misconception was possible due to how much they focused on the pad, but the media hell no.