Nintendo Switch - Happy Switchmas Everyone!

[Pestneb]

http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2016/07/retro_fresh_nintendo_nx_rumours_indicate_that_history_is_repeating_itself

 

interesting...

[Ashley]

I don't think its too far fetched for a console releasing 5 years after said tech.

 

I feel this is really going to be a gamble, the whole point of attracting third parties was about not making alien tech away from the other two, to alienate developers.

 

This is looking largely like a Nintendo party, which is fine, providing I don't get the usual droughts and strategic stalls to make ends meet.

 

I suppose when it comes to third parties it depends on two things primarily; how similar the 'complete' controller is to others (so buttons don't have to double up) and the tech/architecture allowing for easy porting/simudevelopment.

 

*Waits*

[Pestneb]

http://uk.businessinsider.com/nintendo-nx-unifies-platforms-2016-7?r=US&IR=T

 

so it's getting picked up elsewhere too...

[Julius]

Been pondering this all for a short while now, and I have to say, this could be a genius move by Nintendo. To add to my previous idea, which was...

 

Okay, here's another thing I've been thinking about (sorry, I keep sporadically blurting stuff out; not trying to be rude or anything!): the handheld itself could play the games at 720p (cost and size wise, this would make total sense) and then the dock - I have to definitely assume this has a dock - will contain the extra processing power to make the game play and look stunning, almost as good as - if not more powerful than - other mainstream home consoles such as the PS4 and XBOX ONE.

 

It could also serve as a charging station, too?

 

EDIT: thinking about that, I could see the NX releasing with the dock - meaning it is both a handheld and home console - but further down the line the dock could be sold separately (perhaps even upgraded?!) to the handheld part. I don't know, seems 2/3 handheld, 1/3 console at this point, so it'll definitely be interesting to see how primarily handheld Nintendo franchises - such as Pokémon - make their way over?

 

...imagine Nintendo find themselves wanting to jump into 4K and VR in three years time. Instead of releasing a dedicated console, they could simply release a new docking station - possibly with first party trade-ins, that'd be neat - and a VR headset.

 

There's a lot they could do with this all, that's for sure! Going to be interesting to see the next stage for a lot of first-party properties, such as Pokémon and Metroid, amongst pretty much all of the others.

 

I mean, I don't want to get ahead of myself and get people too excited. The thing could totally bomb.

It's just a theory. A game theory.

[Falcon_BlizZACK]

http://uk.businessinsider.com/nintendo-nx-unifies-platforms-2016-7?r=US&IR=T

 

so it's getting picked up elsewhere too...

 

I'm loving this type of mainstream positive press - all over LinkedIn too.

 

*Waits*

 

[killthenet]

 

Digital Foundry analysis of the Tegra X1 chip in relation to the NX. The presenter makes a good point about the March release date, the X1 chips have been on the market for a while so Nintendo might have had the opportunity to launch the console this year but have delayed it to use X2 chips in the final product, with the X1 in dev kits there as a placeholder.

 

I'd be okay if it was using an X1, as it seems like a step up from the Wii U and the architecture is closer to that of PS4 and Xbox One in how it works, so that alone might be enough to get more third parties on board. Obviously it would be even better if it turns out to utilise an X2 though as developers would more easily be able to port their games to the NX hardware without sacrificing much.

 

It's great to finally be hearing some solid rumours about the console, I hope it means Nintendo unveil it soon.

[Ronnie]

There was also that 900p rumour earlier this year, I could easily imagine both handheld and TV outputting the same resolution.

[Nicktendo]

While this news should definitely be taken with a pinch of salt, I'm feeling pretty confident about these developments and the direction in which Nintendo seems to be headed.

 

For me the biggest news, and undoubtedly the most sensible, is consoildating handheld and console development onto one device. Specs for me personally are not much of a worry because the 3DS is still consistently pumping out great games and the Wii U proves that big hitters needn't be multi-million dollar projects to be original, innovative and engaging. If it's a step above Wii U, great, if not I won't be too fussed, but I do think directing focus towards "mobile" gamers as opposed to the "hardcore" is a battle Nintendo is much more likely to win in terms of both audiences and developers.

 

As for the device itself, I have no objection to anything demonstarted in the tech video above or in Eurogamer's article, but I would prefer to make more solid judgements once Nintendo reveal it for themselves. The idea does have tonnes of potential though. As someone who regularly games on a 3DS at home and uses off-TV play, I don't see this as a huge deviation from what I've already been used to for the last 2-3 years, but the thought of one Fire Emblem, one Animal Crossing, Mario Kart or Pokemon that can be played on the small screen or on the TV is awesome and the end of splitting time between console and handheld is something I'd definitely welcome! It seems to be the ultimate system for those who love to game alone, but also want the big-screen multiplayer experience every once in a while, or even vice versa.

 

I really hope Nintendo really nail the OS though. This is my biggest worry. I want an end to the rebuying of VC titles every generation and the need to "empty the fridge" every so often. Give us a decent OS, cloud saving and a decent amount of HDD space, please! I have absolutely no objection to an Android or iOS style system which is often updated and heavily integrated with things like My Nintendo, the E-Shop and promotional discounts. Even something along the lines of badges or acheivements would be fantastic, didn't they say something at E3 about rewards for playing? If it were something so simple as themes or background music, I'd be all over it. Smoothness and real personalisation are what I'd like to see in the OS.

 

It may not be popular with all gamers, but I want them to completely do away with the console generation cycle system in favour of a more smartphone oriented one. For those of us that want to adopt to a more powerful device every 18 months / couple of years, give us the option. Give the market a choice and, where appropriate, scale games appropriately to each device (Pokemon Go is advertised as iPhone 5 and up, but Miitomo or Pokemon Shuffle are compatible with older ones, for example). If a device is 4-5 years old, maybe it can't play the very latest releases, but would appeal to younger or casual gamers at a much lower price point as a way in to the ecosystem. This would hopefully end the droughts, end the endless waits (especially for new console news) and allow the company to grow steadily as opposed to taking a huge risk every four or five years. Imagine and brand new and updated Nintendo every two years :awesome: Just call it a "Nintendo" as well, please. No nonsense.

-"Wanna come to my house and play Nintendo?"

-"No need, I have my Nintendo right here!" Nostalgia speaking.

 

Whatever NX ends up being this is all pretty f-n exciting and I can't wait for September, at least until they inevitably delay any announcments until November.

[Julius]

 

Digital Foundry analysis of the Tegra X1 chip in relation to the NX. The presenter makes a good point about the March release date, the X1 chips have been on the market for a while so Nintendo might have had the opportunity to launch the console this year but have delayed it to use X2 chips in the final product, with the X1 in dev kits there as a placeholder.

 

I'd be okay if it was using an X1, as it seems like a step up from the Wii U and the architecture is closer to that of PS4 and Xbox One in how it works, so that alone might be enough to get more third parties on board. Obviously it would be even better if it turns out to utilise an X2 though as developers would more easily be able to port their games to the NX hardware without sacrificing much.

 

It's great to finally be hearing some solid rumours about the console, I hope it means Nintendo unveil it soon.

 

If I recall correctly, it was rumoured a while ago that Nintendo and Nvidia had worked up a deal on the NX to keep the price point low, and it was assumed that this was through some sort of chip exclusivity deal to help both parties (Nintendo need to keep their price point low, and, likewise, Nvidia had just been dropped by Sony and Microsoft's current consoles). I definitely see it being the X2, though of course if it was the X1 at launch I wouldn't mind at all - so long as they don't bring out an X2 variant by Christmas 2017?

 

Seen a going point elsewhere that i think is worth bringing up too (sorry in advance if they've already been mentioned): if this is a handheld/home console hybrid which at least replaces the current 3DS lineup, are we seriously leaving dual screens?

[Pestneb]

Thinking about battery life... I have my procontroller in front of me, and I was just thinking, if the console slots into the controller, presumably the controllers can slot into a traditionally shaped controller housing complete with battery? While the console is in the docking station it is charged completely ready for mobile play... Also if this is accurate, I do think having the screen work while docked should be an option. My TV is fairly old, so it pumps a lot of heat out, so when I can I use the gamepad screen, simply because it helps keep my room cooler.... now I know buying a newer tv would sort a lot of the problem out for me, but we already have the screen, we have paid for it so it makes sense to me to allow it to be used while docked as well.

 

I'm coming round to this idea, but the console needs to be more powerful than the Wii U and to have something extra.

 

If this can essentially take the slot for my 3ds and my Wii U then it's about £500 worth of console to me, I think a large % of Nintendo gamers own both handheld and home console so...

 

Having said that, I got my 3ds late in the day, and my Wii U too, December 2018 for my Wii U and February 2019 is my replacement date for my 3ds.. and I will be sticking to those dates. So I have plenty of time to assess the NX before deciding if it is for me or not!

[Glen-i]

BTW, the console portion doesn't necessarily have to come out at the same time as the handheld...

 

Just sayin'

 

Go on, dude! Move those goalposts! Move them HARD!

 

If this is a Home console/Handheld, the only thing that excites me is the thought of all the games development being consolidated into one easy to manage loan into one single console. It would definitely help with the droughts this generation has had, that's for sure.

 

Still, gonna wait until something a tad more concrete before going too overboard with hype.

[Pestneb]

If I recall correctly, it was rumoured a while ago that Nintendo and Nvidia had worked up a deal on the NX to keep the price point low, and it was assumed that this was through some sort of chip exclusivity deal to help both parties (Nintendo need to keep their price point low, and, likewise, Nvidia had just been dropped by Sony and Microsoft's current consoles). I definitely see it being the X2, though of course if it was the X1 at launch I wouldn't mind at all - so long as they don't bring out an X2 variant by Christmas 2017?

 

Seen a going point elsewhere that i think is worth bringing up too (sorry in advance if they've already been mentioned): if this is a handheld/home console hybrid which at least replaces the current 3DS lineup, are we seriously leaving dual screens?

 

there is the possibility of having a 3ds setup at home and having a form factor that enables dual screen gaming on the go as well.

[Julius]

there is the possibility of having a 3ds setup at home and having a form factor that enables dual screen gaming on the go as well.

 

Yeah, it just...sounds weird at this point.

 

As hyped as I am for this, I don't think this is the only part of NX. I mean, Nintendo has been pushing a family of brother systems for a while now, so I think it's totally possible that we could see a handheld-only system, a handheld/home console hybrid and a dedicated home console. Would definitely make it easier to sell two consoles as one to parents of kids, by any rate.

[Ashley]

Just call it a "Nintendo" as well, please. No nonsense.

-"Wanna come to my house and play Nintendo?"

-"No need, I have my Nintendo right here!" Nostalgia speaking.

 

Let's not gloss over the fact it was called that by most people because of their extreme market share and they were synonymous with the gaming industry which isn't the case any more (they are still part of that synonymity* but so are others now) and I think trying a linguistic determinism approach isn't going to do them any favours.

 

Plus I just don't want to have to write stuff like "Nintendo is releasing the Nintendo..." and "Nintendo says the Nintendo will..." or even "Nintendo's Nintendo"

 

 

 

*made up word

[Julius]

Let's not gloss over the fact it was called that by most people because of their extreme market share and they were synonymous with the gaming industry which isn't the case any more (they are still part of that synonymity* but so are others now) and I think trying a linguistic determinism approach isn't going to do them any favours.

 

Plus I just don't want to have to write stuff like "Nintendo is releasing the Nintendo..." and "Nintendo says the Nintendo will..." or even "Nintendo's Nintendo"

 

 

 

*made up word

 

Or Nintendo the Nintendo. It's Ferrari the Ferrari LaFerrari all over again!

[Kav]

[tweet]758207806642253825[/tweet]

[Julius]

[tweet]758207806642253825[/tweet]

 

Great mockup (even if it does just look like a fusion of the Wii U game pad and the bottom half of the New 3DS). See, I still have a weird problem with the left gaming pad; wouldn't the D-Pad/circle pad setup feel unnatural as opposed to the ABXY buttons and D-Pad? I mean, I know it's just a mockup, but that's something I've seen in pretty much every mockup.

 

Nintendo just reveal this thing so that you can then shut up for 6 months and take my money!

[Fierce_LiNk]

[tweet]758207806642253825[/tweet]

 

The real thing will look very similar to that, imo.

 

I'm still at the "I dunno..." stage. Desperately want more information from Nintendo. Whilst speculating is fun, I think the time for that has gone and we just need the facts now.

[Londragon]

If you disconnect both controllers and turn them on their sides they share the same form ( great for SNES games if R and L are included), but the XY AB buttons will be rotated out of axis and in the wrong places ( that will be a massive head fuck to get around control set-ups). One way to deal with this is that free form screen idea Ninty patented, what if it extends to the controllers and lets games designers choose what goes where (ignoring cost of course, I dream).

[MindFreak]

I'm quite happy with this generally. I mainly play off-TV and 3DS so it's perfect for me. However, I do have some concerns:

 

- Power: If it's not powerful enough to match XONE then forget it, it won't be selling. I do hope, like some others suggested, that the docking station could provide it with a power boost, and I think that's quite likely. The X1 / X2-talk makes sense in this regard as well. This should ensure, along with some more standard architecture, that third party comes along.

 

- Battery life: It needs to be able to hold the charge for at least 6 hours of gameplay with wi-fi on.

 

- Size: iPhone 6S+-size is quite fitting, I think. But how will the detachable controller alter the size? Will we be able to play it without the controller?

 

- Controller: We need two, one Pro-ish controller for the home screen setup, and one slimmer version suited for traveling.

[Daft]

I think the double controller thing is really unnecessary. However, everything else is sounding great. I have thought for quite some time now that Nintendo would be much better suited supporting one platform, not two completely different ones. I'm excited.

 

Right now it all comes down to form factor, which I don't really have much faith in Nintendo with. Their first iterations aren't always the best, but really that's a detail. I can't wait for the reveal.

[Dcubed]

I'm quite happy with this generally. I mainly play off-TV and 3DS so it's perfect for me. However, I do have some concerns:

 

- Power: If it's not powerful enough to match XONE then forget it, it won't be selling. I do hope, like some others suggested, that the docking station could provide it with a power boost, and I think that's quite likely. The X1 / X2-talk makes sense in this regard as well. This should ensure, along with some more standard architecture, that third party comes along.

 

- Battery life: It needs to be able to hold the charge for at least 6 hours of gameplay with wi-fi on.

 

- Size: iPhone 6S+-size is quite fitting, I think. But how will the detachable controller alter the size? Will we be able to play it without the controller?

 

- Controller: We need two, one Pro-ish controller for the home screen setup, and one slimmer version suited for traveling.

 

Not in your wildest dreams. Not even the New3DS lasts that long!

 

Even the highest end phones and tablets barely last 3 hours while playing games and those things are physically around 90% pure battery!

 

Expect 3 hours at best and that's if we're lucky.

[Serebii]

I'm still firmly against a handheld being single screen. It just doesn't add anything while takes a way from a lot of the QoL benefits of dualscreen

[Ronnie]

It adds size and quality over two smaller, cheaper screens

[dazzybee]

The more I think about it, the more worried I'm becoming. Ultimately I love Nintendo games, so unless they change their software development I won't have a problem, and having all their teams making games for one device would be just incredible - look at 3ds and Wii u line ups and add them together, but then think about extra games when you take away the doubles? (Tennis, kart, smash, Mario games etc). THat's a great line up.

 

I do however think it will be a disappointing console in many regards - I just can't see it having all the features many want - party chat, extensive multimedia services, game streaming etc. I almost think, with most of us wanting them to develop these services, a bit of me thinks they may even scale back further, simplify the console, and target the mass market/mobile players.

 

And I think the strategy is a terrible one. I'll love it, but I can't see it being a huge success...

 

Obviously they may not at all and try and nail the mobile and home console markets in one perfect device. Just doesn't sound like nintendo.