What Do You Want From Nintendo In 2021?

[Ronnie]

I just don't think a Switch 2 is coming anytime soon. I'd say easily 4+ years away. It's just too successful to abandon for something new. Furukawa or Kimishimi even suggested they want to extend the life of console generations. Nintendo don't care about processing power, that's why they were still releasing 240p games on the 3DS in 2018, 7 years after the console launched. An iterative step like a Pro model sure, but a brand new thing? Not for a while imo.

16 minutes ago, Goron_3 said:

Switching to Switch 2 development in 2-3 years time is too late,

Sorry I meant once they release BOTW2, Odyssey 2, MP4 etc, they can then spend the following 2-3 years of development time making successors to release around the Switch 2's launch (assuming I'm right about it being 4+ years away)

Edited January 13, 2021 by Ronnie

[Goron_3]

6 minutes ago, Ronnie said:

I just don't think a Switch 2 is coming anytime soon. I'd say easily 4+ years away. It's just too successful to abandon for something new. Furukawa or Kimishimi even suggested they want to extend the life of console generations. Nintendo don't care about processing power, that's why they were still releasing 240p games on the 3DS in 2018, 7 years after the console launched. An iterative step like a Pro model sure, but a brand new thing? Not for a while imo.

Sorry I meant once they release BOTW2, Odyssey 2, MP4 etc, they can then spend the following 2-3 years of development time making successors to release around the Switch 2's launch (assuming I'm right about it being 4+ years away)

The issue with launching a successor in four years time is that the sales of the OG Switch will have really fallen by then. Ideally they'd want to release a successor as Switch sales are still relatively strong as the newer console will target early adopters and not mass market at launch.  I think in two years or so time makes most sense given the current pipeline for the chipsets available to them. Whilst they might not care about 'power', it's worth remembering that the Switch is pretty much the most powerful it could have been (they could have opted for weaker, cheaper hardware but they went for more power + higher price). I imagine the inevitable successor will be fully backwards compatible too, so in the short-term, the successor may not immediately replace the current Switch, but it just becomes the futureproof model. 

Agree with your other points in general though.

[Ronnie]

3 minutes ago, Goron_3 said:

Ideally they'd want to release a successor as Switch sales are still relatively strong as the newer console will target early adopters and not mass market at launch.

I can't see how that would be a good strategy? When sales start to fall like they did with the 3DS and people are hungry for a new Nintendo thing sure, but I don't see the business sense in cannibalising your own strong sales. 

I mean you say sales of the OG Switch will have fallen in 4 years time and of course that'll be the case but we're 4 years in now and there still hasn't been a price drop! I think it'll continue selling for a while and they'll want to nurture that huge instal-base. Unlike the Wii this one is actually full of hardcore gamers.

[Hero-of-Time]

Thanks for the replies everyone. Good to get bit of conversation going on here for a change. I did start thanking all the posts but I ran out. 

[Dcubed]

1 hour ago, darksnowman said:

@Dcubed Just me or is it a bit soon to be looking to a Switch 2? Give us a chance to play the current Switch first man!  

Switch 2 is probably coming out in March 2023 (6 years after the current Switch launched - No Nintendo home console has ever had a longer lifespan than 6 years, and I don’t see this changing here; especially with the inevitable loss of 3rd party support happening when cross gen games stop); that’s only 2 years away now! We’re pretty much almost there! (Hell, the announcement will probably be made in just around a year from now!)

 

It really isn’t that far away now.  I don’t see a point in wasting these games on the current hardware (which is selling like mad by itself, without any big new 1st party games even being needed), when they’d be much better spent on ensuring that the Switch 2 explodes out of the gate and becomes a success.

 

So I’d rather see Nintendo pump out some good ports & localisations of older games on the current Switch and for them to push all their big new games onto the Switch 2 at this point.

Edited January 13, 2021 by Dcubed

[Goron_3]

5 hours ago, bob said:

 

 

Dream a little bigger dude!

Microsoft and Sony are giving away current generation games with their online subscription! I realise that Nintendo's is a fraction of the price, but you could still wish for something a teensy bit more recent.

 

You're right. BRING ON THE VIRTUAL BOY GAMES.

[Dcubed]

4 minutes ago, Goron_3 said:

You're right. BRING ON THE VIRTUAL BOY GAMES.

Still gutted that we never got them on 3DS.  So bloody stupid that never happened!

[Dcubed]

1 hour ago, Ronnie said:

I can't see how that would be a good strategy? When sales start to fall like they did with the 3DS and people are hungry for a new Nintendo thing sure, but I don't see the business sense in cannibalising your own strong sales. 

I mean you say sales of the OG Switch will have fallen in 4 years time and of course that'll be the case but we're 4 years in now and there still hasn't been a price drop! I think it'll continue selling for a while and they'll want to nurture that huge instal-base. Unlike the Wii this one is actually full of hardcore gamers.

You don’t wait until your console dies before putting out a successor.  You strike while the iron is hot and keep the momentum going.

This industry is entirely momentum driven.  Once you lose momentum, it’s incredibly hard to get it back (Wii U is a great example; which was launched too late, after Wii was allowed to fizzle out without any major releases and Nintendo’s mindshare was lost.  Even when the big Wii U releases came, it just couldn’t manage the release cadence of smaller titles needed to keep up a consistent schedule; thus the likes of Mario Kart 8 could only ever manage temporary hardware sales bumps).

Switch 2 needs to launch before Switch 1 runs out of steam; and Nintendo’s internal developers HAVE to make the transition at some point.  Better it happen now, while 3rd party support is strong enough to prop up the system in Nintendo’s absence; and while Switch is still healthy.

Edited January 13, 2021 by Dcubed

[Goron_3]

1 minute ago, Dcubed said:

You don’t wait until your console dies before putting out a successor.  You strike while the iron is hot and keep the momentum going.

This industry is entirely momentum driven.  Once you lose momentum, it’s incredibly hard to get it back (Wii U is a great example; which was launched too late, after Wii was allowed to fizzle out without any major releases.  Even when the big Wii U releases came, it just couldn’t manage the release cadence of smaller titles needed to keep up a consistent schedule; thus the likes of Mario Kart 8 could only ever manage temporary hardware sales bumps).

Switch 2 needs to launch before Switch 1 runs out of steam; and Nintendo’s internal developers HAVE to make the transition at some point.  Better it happen now, while 3rd party support is strong enough to prop up the system in Nintendo’s absence; and while Switch is still healthy.

Sony do this very well with the playstation. Usually the previous console still sells reasonably well for a couple of years at a low price.

Back on topic - Assuming Retro are still a couple of years away from releasing Metroid Prime 4, I'm interested to see if they end up releasing anything this year, even if it's a smaller project. A 2D Metroid would be excellent but I still find it weird that in the past decade they've basically released two 2D Donkey Kong games and nothing else.

Also, I completely forgot that it's also a big Pokemon anniversary this year. Hopefully we'll see more of Pokemon Snap.

[Cube]

19 minutes ago, Dcubed said:

It really isn’t that far away now.  I don’t see a point in wasting these games on the current hardware (which is selling like mad by itself, without any big new 1st party games even being needed), when they’d be much better spent on ensuring that the Switch 2 explodes out of the gate and becomes a success.

If they do that, then the trust of supplying a large amount of great games across console lifespan would be gone.  

I would probably wait until the end of the Switch 2's cycle and get a second hand one. 

[Ronnie]

39 minutes ago, Dcubed said:

Switch 2 is probably coming out in March 2023 (6 years after the current Switch launched - No Nintendo home console has ever had a longer lifespan than 6 years

You think they're going to abandon their wildly successful console that's still selling through the roof, and announce the successor in 12 months time, for release in two? Come on. 

I don't see how you can say that something is 'probably' coming out, without any actual evidence or reasoning beyond 'Nintendo has never had a console lifespan longer than 6 years'. 

And if they put out an iterative Pro model in the next 12 months, that would extend the lifecycle even further.

Switch Will Have A Longer Life Cycle Than Previous Consoles, Says Nintendo President

25 minutes ago, Dcubed said:

You don’t wait until your console dies before putting out a successor.  You strike while the iron is hot and keep the momentum going.

Really? Is that what happened with the PS5 or Xbox Series X? No, they waited seven years, once sales had dwindled. Do Apple announce the iPhone 13 a couple of months after the iPhone 12 was released? I'm not saying wait until a console dies to announce the next one, I'm saying ride that hot streak as long as possible and when sales start to really fall heavily then move onto the next thing. There's absolutely ZERO need to bring out a new console so soon, especially for a famously conservative and risk-averse company like Nintendo.

Edited January 13, 2021 by Ronnie

[Jimbob]

I understand WiiU ports coming to Switch, the console itself only sold 13 million units and there's a lot of excellent software that only a small number of players experienced.  So porting some games over to the Switch is easy money (plus 2020 being as it was, ports like Pikmin 3 was easy to get across), but they really ought to add some new stuff to the games.  The Mario 3D Collection, as much as it's a good representation of classic Mario, i felt it lacked overall.

We've got the anniversaries of some big franchises this year in the forms of Zelda, Metroid and Donkey Kong.  I'd hopefully expect something similar to how they delivered Mario's 35th last year.  I'd like them to add to the NSO gaming library with a new console or two, they're sitting on a gold mine of gaming history with the Gameboy, N64 and GameCube which as we know, can be ported to the Switch.  Mario's 3D collection proves that.

Releasing Animal Crossing around lockdown proved profitable, and Ring Fit certainly keeps selling.

[Dcubed]

2 hours ago, Ronnie said:

You think they're going to abandon their wildly successful console that's still selling through the roof, and announce the successor in 12 months time, for release in two? Come on. 

I don't see how you can say that something is 'probably' coming out, without any actual evidence or reasoning beyond 'Nintendo has never had a console lifespan longer than 6 years'. 

And if they put out an iterative Pro model in the next 12 months, that would extend the lifecycle even further.

Switch Will Have A Longer Life Cycle Than Previous Consoles, Says Nintendo President

Really? Is that what happened with the PS5 or Xbox Series X? No, they waited seven years, once sales had dwindled. Do Apple announce the iPhone 13 a couple of months after the iPhone 12 was released? I'm not saying wait until a console dies to announce the next one, I'm saying ride that hot streak as long as possible and when sales start to really fall heavily then move onto the next thing. There's absolutely ZERO need to bring out a new console so soon, especially for a famously conservative and risk-averse company like Nintendo.

They HAVE to abandon their successful console because they don’t have a second pillar to fall back on anymore.

Before, they had their consoles & handhelds on slightly different cycles; so one could pick up the slack while the other was winding down.

Now? There’s just Switch.  Nothing else.  They have no choice but to make the jump and to leave the current Switch behind while doing so.

They are not going to wait until 2025 to do this, that would be absurd.  The console would be dead & buried by then!

2023 is the obvious, natural end for the platform.  A very respectable 6 year run; and also around the time where crossgen games on PS5/Series X will be coming to an end, and PS4/Xbone get left behind.  Launching in 2023 is the right time, allowing Nintendo to carry on receiving 3rd party support & ports from PS5/Series X.

And Nintendo can’t afford to not have an absolute banger of a first year for Switch 2, because they’ve put all their eggs in one basket and their continued business relies on its success (And, unlike with the first Switch, they can’t rely on easy & quick Wii U port up jobs this time around! That trick only works once!).  Nintendo needs to start developing Switch 2 games now, not in 2 year’s time!

Edited January 13, 2021 by Dcubed

[Ronnie]

22 minutes ago, Dcubed said:

They HAVE to abandon their successful console

They, a famously conservative and risk-averse company, certainly don't. They literally said the Switch will have a longer lifecycle than previous Nintendo consoles. You might have your own ideas on how they should do business but it's hard to ignore a direct quote how they want the Switch to last a long time. 

23 minutes ago, Dcubed said:

The console would be dead & buried by then!

You mean like the Wii U? That didn't stop the Switch being introduced and fly off the shelves.

And there's no need for hyperbole. The Switch won't be dead and buried in 4 years time, just as the PS4 wasn't dead and buried after its seven years.

[Ashley]

9 minutes ago, Ronnie said:

They literally said the Switch will have a longer lifecycle than previous Nintendo consoles. 

They also talked about a third pillar to the GameCube/GBA years back that never happened. It may be true at the time but it doesn't mean it's true in perpetuity.

[Nicktendo]

I'm going to give this thread a proper response because H-o-T made it and I want to contribute to his discussion starters.

I think Jan-Mar are looking good, with 3 big games dropping. I, ashamedly, want them all. That trailer we saw yesterday was fantastic. As SM3DW is the BEST Mario game since Sunshine, I will be double dipping. The extra content looks like a fantastic amalgamation of 3D Land, World and Odyssey. I am very hyped, maybe too hyped. I'll pick up that and Bravely Default 2 with a voucher most likely. Monster Hunter is gonna be day one because it's better with friends and I'm sure most will be getting it on or close to launch. 

As for a new Switch model. I'm sticking to my guns and saying it's coming at the end of March. I remember reading somewhere that Nintendo were aiming for an 8 year life cycle for the Switch. There are plenty of convincing cases above for that meaning a new model in 2023 with 2 years of lag during the transition, but I'm sticking to my original prediction. Before the end of the FY. The model itself will not be a massive upgrade. Slightly faster clocks, a new CPU and maybe GPU, slightly more ram. DLSS enabled. 4K home menu, some games in 4K, the vast, vast majority slightly more stable FR and resolution. Model will still be 720p with thicc bezels. I still remember this "family of systems" - OG and lite does not a family make. We need some offspring. 

In terms of content, I think we'll see Monolith's new game revealed at E3, launching 2022. A remaster of Xenoblade X (I was serious about that one) with a proper ending coming in Summer 2021. No More Heroes will drop in Autumn (September) and Bayonetta 3 will come in early Winter (November). Both will be a big part of E3 2021. Nintendo will go blowout + playable demo of BOTW2 at E3 also, it's launching in early December. We know Pokemon Snap is coming (FYQ1) and Nintendo will release a YouTube trailer for Camelot's next game (probably Golf), which will launch in May/June. The anticipated Zelda collection will drop in October but will be disappointing for those who want a lot done with the remasters. We'll see a first (very early) CGI trailer for Prime 4, just to remind us all it still exists. Holiday 2022. Nintendo will have one more game which is currently unknown dropping in July/August a la Paper Mario. I have no idea what it is, but it's an old franchise and was developed by Next Level Games. 

There will be an expansion to NSO. Another console, maybe, not sure. There might be a "platinum" tier added which is required to access that new console. I do think they'll increase their offering, but only for a higher price. A split is coming with Gold and Platinum tiers as the names. Platinum will be £29.99 a year. NSO games will be made available to purchase and we'll see some removed from the service before the end of the year. Of course it's a ploy to get more money and not a licensing issue. The Platinum tier will allow you to retain access. 

[Ronnie]

2 hours ago, Ashley said:

They also talked about a third pillar to the GameCube/GBA years back that never happened. It may be true at the time but it doesn't mean it's true in perpetuity.

Yeah, but when the only real evidence put forth as to why they'll probably be announcing a brand new console in 12 months and releasing in 24 is "no Nintendo console has ever lasted longer than 6 years" then I think it's relevant to point to Nintendo themselves saying they want the Switch to last longer. Whether they end up course correcting on that or not, it's a fair counterpoint I think.

Anyway, we'll see I guess! 

Edited January 13, 2021 by Ronnie

[Sheikah]

I do think if they've already abandoned Switch in the sense of bringing (non-remaster) new games to the system that that would be kind of crazy. That'd be about 3 and a half years of support.

[Jonnas]

I gave some predictions in the N-E Café thread a couple of weeks back, but it might be good to expand:

• I think Nintendo will milk the Zelda anniversary this year. Maybe a Zelda collection, or a rerelease... BOTW2 will likely come out this year, too. But my bet is on a new, smaller 2D Zelda game, and while I don't want to say they'll release it this year (Covid has a way to delay things), they'll announce it, at least.
• Metroid Prime 4 isn't coming... but something Metroid is coming. I have a feeling in my bones. Might just be a release of the Prime Trilogy on Switch, but I think they'll do something with that franchise.
• Three Kirby games. Just think the pink puff hasn't had too strong a presence on Switch yet, so it'll be time to poyo the heck out of it.
• IS ought to tease the next Fire Emblem project.
• An obscure and/or dead Nintendo franchise will return in 2021

That's what I realistically expect. What I actually want is way more specific and outlandish than that:

• F-Zero GX on Switch. 30-player online multiplayer. I needs it!
• Return of Advance Wars! Should resemble Days of Ruin in tone. Do it, baby!
• N64 for the subscription service, including Pokémon Snap, Tetrisphere, and Goemon. Hubba Wubba!
• The next Fire Emblem is actually a 20-year-or-so prequel to Three Houses, starring Claude's parents. Inject that into my veins.

[Hero-of-Time]

Thanks again for all the replies. It's been fun reading what everyone wants from Nintendo and the Switch.

I suppose I better say what I would like but before that I just want to give a shout out to @Aneres11. I swear you and I are the only ones in the world who want a sequel to Super Princess Peach. The original is one of my favourite DS games and Mario spinoffs. I love that after all these years you keep randomly bringing it up.  

To be honest, i'm not really sure what I want from Nintendo anymore. Last year seen me pretty much fall out of love with the company and their hybrid. I've been playing their games ever since the NES days and this is the first time I've become so jaded by the company. I think the Switch just doesn't really resonate with me as a product. I've got games such as Xenoblade, Mystery Dungeon, Astral Chain and a few others just waiting to be played but I have trouble getting enthusiastic about playing any of them. 

I suppose new and exciting software would help the situation. Everything just seemed a little stale last year and although I adored Paper Mario, at the end of the day it was still a game from a franchise that we've come to expect from the company. Nintendo have so many dormant franchises but they seem to keep going back to the same pool over and over again. It's a bit like how Sega keeps constantly re-releasing Mega Drive games when people are fed up of them and instead want them to move on to the other consoles that they released.

I guess it's really on me to get more out of the Switch. As I said, I've got games I can play on it and I just need to make more of an effort in 2021 to sit down and play them. By the time I'm done with those, hopefully we will have a clearer picture of what's going to be on offer this year. 

I know we've had a lot of Wii U ports but at this point they may as well finish off the library. I would love a version of Star Fox 0 that doesn't require you to have 2 heads and four arms to play!  

[Aneres11]

28 minutes ago, Hero-of-Time said:

Thanks again for all the replies. It's been fun reading what everyone wants from Nintendo and the Switch.

I suppose I better say what I would like but before that I just want to give a shout out to @Aneres11. I swear you and I are the only ones in the world who want a sequel to Super Princess Peach. The original is one of my favourite DS games and Mario spinoffs. I love that after all these years you keep randomly bringing it up.  

To be honest, i'm not really sure what I want from Nintendo anymore. Last year seen me pretty much fall out of love with the company and their hybrid. I've been playing their games ever since the NES days and this is the first time I've become so jaded by the company. I think the Switch just doesn't really resonate with me as a product. I've got games such as Xenoblade, Mystery Dungeon, Astral Chain and a few others just waiting to be played but I have trouble getting enthusiastic about playing any of them. 

I suppose new and exciting software would help the situation. Everything just seemed a little stale last year and although I adored Paper Mario, at the end of the day it was still a game from a franchise that we've come to expect from the company. Nintendo have so many dormant franchises but they seem to keep going back to the same pool over and over again. It's a bit like how Sega keeps constantly re-releasing Mega Drive games when people are fed up of them and instead want them to move on to the other consoles that they released.

I guess it's really on me to get more out of the Switch. As I said, I've got games I can play on it and I just need to make more of an effort in 2021 to sit down and play them. By the time I'm done with those, hopefully we will have a clearer picture of what's going to be on offer this year. 

I know we've had a lot of Wii U ports but at this point they may as well finish off the library. I would love a version of Star Fox 0 that doesn't require you to have 2 heads and four arms to play!  

Yesssss! Give me the Princess Peach goodness!

[lostmario]

For me, in 2021, I need Nintendo to give me a reason to buy the Switch.

At the moment there's only 2 games I want to play on it. Super Mario Odyssey & Luigi's Mansion 3

Unfortunately they aren't enough for me to justify buying one. Now if one of those titles was Mario Kart 9, that'd be different but that's clearly being saved for the successor to the Switch.

I think Nintendo have become incredibly lazy due to the success of the Switch and relied way too much on Wii U Ports to fill up the release schedule.

I get that not many people played those games but still, what about your hardcore fan base who stuck with you during the Wii U years

It's been weird sitting out on the Switch so far, as going back to the NES and Gameboy, I've always bought Nintendo's consoles and handhelds at launch or just after.

 

[Hero-of-Time]

25 minutes ago, lostmario said:

For me, in 2021, I need Nintendo to give me a reason to buy the Switch.

At the moment there's only 2 games I want to play on it. Super Mario Odyssey & Luigi's Mansion 3

Unfortunately they aren't enough for me to justify buying one. Now if one of those titles was Mario Kart 9, that'd be different but that's clearly being saved for the successor to the Switch.

I think Nintendo have become incredibly lazy due to the success of the Switch and relied way too much on Wii U Ports to fill up the release schedule.

I get that not many people played those games but still, what about your hardcore fan base who stuck with you during the Wii U years

It's been weird sitting out on the Switch so far, as going back to the NES and Gameboy, I've always bought Nintendo's consoles and handhelds at launch or just after.

 

I'm surprised you've held off for this long but given the lineup of games I don't suppose I should be that shocked.

Not tempted for Monster Hunter?

[Mandalore]

I'd be okay with nothing, Monster Hunter Rise will keep my Switch busy. I've still got so many PS4 games to play as well and intend on getting a PS5 at some point this year.

 

There are games that Nintendo could release that'd drag me away from that though (all new, no ports/remasters) -

Advance Wars. 

Golden Sun. 

F-Zero, 1080, Wave Race, Excitebike/truck/bots, Diddy Kong Racing, Beetle Adventure Racing, Snowboard Kids etc. Anything that isn't Mario Kart!

 

There's a common theme with all of these, Nintendo's reliance on a single franchise per genre/developer at the expense of the variety they once had. Mario Kart and Fire Emblem might sell ridiculous numbers, but how many people aren't going to bother buying Nintendo consoles anymore if that's all they can get on them?

 

[lostmario]

9 hours ago, Hero-of-Time said:

I'm surprised you've held off for this long but given the lineup of games I don't suppose I should be that shocked.

Not tempted for Monster Hunter?

Tempted but lack of voice chat is a big factor.

I'm not using the PS4 party chat to communicate on another console's game in 2021.