Nintendo Switch Successor Announced

[Ike]

1 hour ago, Cube said:

Some renders that are being claimed to be the real design:

 

 

This looks nice, which probably means it's not real.

I like the colour accents though.

[Julius]

It's all starting to be let loose now. 

First up is FNAC France reportedly updating their catalog with Switch 2 products, and namely, a game listed as being from Take-Two. 

Quote

FNAC France is updating its product catalog with the first products related to Nintendo Switch 2

According to one of the photos, the first game listed would be from Take-Two Interactive

Felipe is also claiming that there will be no more changes or [internal] delays:

Quote

No, Nintendo is strictly following a schedule it has had planned for ages. No more delays. No changing of plans.

So then, you're thinking, well, it could be a lot of things from Take-Two, right? But Rockstar and GTA V or Red Dead Redemption II seem obvious big choices that jump to mind...

Some people then took a closer look at the FNAC stuff and, apparently, Tekken 8 (seems reasonable I guess), FIFA (seems very safe), and Red Dead Redemption II (seems like it would need quite a bit done and is probably the hardest to believe of the three) were found to be games listed for the Switch 2. 

Also found were the potential dimensions for the Switch 2's game cases, which seem to be considerably larger than the Switch's? 

Weirdly this is the one I take issue with, I thought the Switch game cases were a nice enough size while reducing plastic use vs standard case sizes (especially considering the cartridge size), but this seems to go against that, if it's accurate. 

Grain of salt and all that, goes without saying...but a hypothetical launch of a 3D Mario + Red Dead Redemption II would be kind of insane, I know that's not what the "leak" is explicitly stating, but man, assuming it runs well enough, I'd be well jealous of the amount of people who haven't played Red Dead II getting the chance to play it on a hybrid console and as part of a console launch/launch window. I feel like between this and other big third party offerings of yesteryear coming over in force, the idea of just being able to return to talking about some of the best games of the last decade because they've found a new audience - and on a Nintendo console of all places - would be super exciting! 

[Jonnas]

Gotta be honest: Tekken 8 sounds like a far more impressive get than RDR2. A fighting game like that HAS to run well, always. Would be a guarantee that there's no stuttering issues with the new console.

6 minutes ago, Julius said:

Felipe is also claiming that there will be no more changes or [internal] delays:

Right, the reason I posted here, despite not liking to discuss rumours or alleged leaks, is that this translation from Portuguese is quite incorrect. He's responding to a tweet that asked whether Nintendo was meant to announce it this week, but delayed the event for some reason. Felipe responded: "No, Nintendo is still following a timetable they set a long time ago. No changes. No delays."

Also, we are mostly taking Felipe's word for it when it comes to this FNAC leak. The photo is using a codename of sorts, and classifying it internally as a "Nintendo Switch videogame". The photo itself does not confirm Switch 2, only that Take Two has some unknown videogame coming out for a Switch.

[Julius]

Nintendo have apparently issued a statement to Japanese newspaper The Sankei Shimbun on some of the recent images (basic Google translation), stating the obvious: that these images are "not official". 

Quote

A game peripheral manufacturer unveiled a model of the successor to the Nintendo Switch, a home video game console that Nintendo plans to announce within this fiscal year, at a US consumer electronics trade fair. In response to the spread of images and videos, Nintendo commented on the 9th that it was "not official." There have been a series of cases of design and performance information being leaked by component and peripheral manufacturers, who have access to information before the announcement of popular electronic devices such as game consoles and smartphones, highlighting the difficulty of information management.

Elsewhere, there's more to the apparent FNAC stuff, with multiple games cropping up now for several publishers. More grains of salt and all that. 

Quote

x3 Bethesda
x4 Electronic Arts
x2 Bandai Namco
x5 Square Enix
x2 Take-Two Interactive
x2 Warner Bros. Games

Interesting if there's any truth to it, going to imagine a few of those S-E titles could be Final Fantasy related considering what they've had going on recently. Get Remake on there at launch, Rebirth by the end of the year, potentially the IX Remake if it's still kicking about as I feel like that makes sense as a big "look forward to this" title. XIV also seems very possible. A native version of the Kingdom Hearts collection...

Yeah, there's a lot that could come from them. Haven't even mentioned the possibility of native Switch 2 versions of current gen games already on Switch, could see DQIII HD-2D getting re-released purely because of how big it is over in Japan. 

13 hours ago, Jonnas said:

Gotta be honest: Tekken 8 sounds like a far more impressive get than RDR2. A fighting game like that HAS to run well, always. Would be a guarantee that there's no stuttering issues with the new console.

Definitely two sides to it, I think. 

Tekken 8 is arguably impressive more because it's a current gen exclusive title - not cross- or last gen - and because it implies that the console will actually run it decently, like you say. But then, I wonder what the state of the online is going to be like? 

On the other hand, Red Dead Redemption II will be pretty much nailed on to sell 10+ million units on Switch 2 (so long as it runs natively and there's no weirdness to it, like cloud stuff) and no-one will bat an eyelid. It's probably one of the most ambitious gaming narratives of the last decade and, if it managed to run decently, would be perfect to take on the go, just like the first Red Dead Redemption is – but I'd argue that RDR2 fills a gap of third-party, narrative-heavy, open world prestige that nothing else really gets close to on Switch, at least that immediately springs to mind. 

I'd be more surprised if they just skip another opportunity to sell GTA V to people again, though, especially given the likelihood of a GTA VI delay. Maybe those are the two hypothetical Rockstar games. 

14 hours ago, Jonnas said:

is that this translation from Portuguese is quite incorrect. He's responding to a tweet that asked whether Nintendo was meant to announce it this week, but delayed the event for some reason. Felipe responded: "No, Nintendo is still following a timetable they set a long time ago. No changes. No delays."

Eh, that's less the translation being incorrect and more my interpretation of it being off with me not reading the message beforehand for the context of what he was responding to. 

So that's very much my bad 

14 hours ago, Jonnas said:

Also, we are mostly taking Felipe's word for it when it comes to this FNAC leak. The photo is using a codename of sorts, and classifying it internally as a "Nintendo Switch videogame". The photo itself does not confirm Switch 2, only that Take Two has some unknown videogame coming out for a Switch.

Like I said, grain of salt and all that. I'm not sure I really buy it but at this point it feels like we're going to end up with an entire alternative reality line-up and design for the console before Nintendo shows it off themselves  I'm more just gathering what's going on as we inch ourselves closer to Switch 2 (or our deaths, jury's out on what comes first at this point)

Good catch on the second part, but with what's come out since along with it (the other listings we'll also take with a lot of salt), unless there's a Partner Showcase only pertaining to the Switch coming up - which, let's be real, would be freaking hilarious - with how many listings there apparently are, it'd probably be more odd if they were for the Switch and not Switch 2, I guess? 

But I do secretly really, really want a Partner Showcase announcement now, just to really make everyone go a bit crazier 

[Dcubed]

Tekken 8 would be a miracle get, not because of any technical accomplishment, but for the political coup it would represent.

I can't see Harada and Namco ending their feud with Nintendo any time soon, no matter how good the underlying hardware is in Switch 2.  If Nintendo could pull that off? That'd be the most impressive political stunt since the Tories got BTFO in 1997.

Edited Friday at 12:56 PM by Dcubed

[Ashley]

By the way as an admin note what I'm thinking going forward is when a direct is announced there will inevitably be a thread about that.

From experience those then usually die off after a few days and I'm guessing pre-launch chat will move back here. 

Then a few days before the release I think I'll create a new thread to start from scratch so we can have a thread about the actual console, rather than having to wade through at least 10 pages before getting to any conversation about the actual console. 

If anyone strongly disagrees let me know. 

[Julius]

Sounds good @Ashley  is it safe to assume it's the same for if it's not a Direct/presentation but just anything which is an official reveal/announcement, along the lines of what they did with that first video of the Switch? 

Elsewhere! Genki have admitted that their model of the Switch 2 at CES was based on leaks and not a device they had in hand, as they had previously claimed: 

Wild, but also not totally unexpected I guess. Remember, they were the ones saying they expected an April launch, so erase that from your mind too. 

It is worth noting, though, that the renders shared by Cube on the previous page from onleaks...

21 hours ago, Cube said:

Some renders that are being claimed to be the real design:

...are potentially accurate, as they also leak Samsung smartphone models, amongst other things - and these renders are based on their own info rather than leaks as was the case with Genki. 

I'd love a white model with red accents and a red Switch 2 logo on the back...

[Ike]

Ah, the ninjas got 'em. 

[Glen-i]

1 hour ago, Ashley said:

Then a few days before the release I think I'll create a new thread to start from scratch so we can have a thread about the actual console, rather than having to wade through at least 10 pages before getting to any conversation about the actual console. 

Yes, absolutely. Agree wholeheartedly.

[Ashley]

53 minutes ago, Julius said:

Sounds good @Ashley  is it safe to assume it's the same for if it's not a Direct/presentation but just anything which is an official reveal/announcement, along the lines of what they did with that first video of the Switch? 

I guess if they just randomly release an announcement video with no pomp it will probably end up in here and I may spin it out, but I'm going to assume they will announce they will announce something and that will end up as it's own thread. 

[Dcubed]

1 hour ago, Ashley said:

By the way as an admin note what I'm thinking going forward is when a direct is announced there will inevitably be a thread about that.

From experience those then usually die off after a few days and I'm guessing pre-launch chat will move back here. 

Then a few days before the release I think I'll create a new thread to start from scratch so we can have a thread about the actual console, rather than having to wade through at least 10 pages before getting to any conversation about the actual console. 

If anyone strongly disagrees let me know. 

Makes perfect sense to me

[Julius]

According to NateDrake, the long-rumoured Oblivion remake (by Virtuos), Flight Simulator, and Halo: The Master Chief Collection will all be coming to Switch 2 (and PS5) in 2025. 

Final Fantasy VII Remake and Rebirth will also apparently be coming to Switch 2, though it's not clear if the timeframe will be the same as the planned Xbox releases in 2025 and 2026, respectively – I would assume so, it's just not very clear from the audio. 

Reckons it might be too late to see Forza Horizon 5 land on Switch 2 (and PS5) just given how long the licensing agreements last for in those games, and so Xbox might just wait until 6 before bringing the series to more platforms. 

Edited Friday at 03:41 PM by Julius

[bob]

All these port rumours sound like bullshit to me.

I remember hearing the same for when the Switch 1 was released, and they all turned out to be false.

Who knows though, maybe I'll be proven wrong this time!

[killthenet]

It is a bit different this time around though because of how long the cross gen period from PS4 to PS5 was and the fact that most developers have scalability in mind from the beginning these days. There will definitely be a glut of PS4 ports, more than there were 360 or PS3 conversions on the original Switch, but the rise of the PC handhelds in the last few years means that there will be a higher likelihood of current gen games being ported to the new Switch too. 

[Hero-of-Time]

This is no doubt completely fake but it does have me thinking about the price of games. Current Switch retail titles usually go for £40-£45. Do we think this will go up, just like what Microsoft and Sony have done?

Needing to pay £60 to play a game at launch is something I've refused to budge on when it comes to the PS5. What would your stance be if Nintendo start charging the same for their games? It's not as if they drop in price much either.

[Ashley]

I too am "REALLY FOR SOON"

12 minutes ago, Hero-of-Time said:

Needing to pay £60 to play a game at launch is something I've refused to budge on when it comes to the PS5. What would your stance be if Nintendo start charging the same for their games? It's not as if they drop in price much either.

I wonder how much of Sony and Microsoft's pricing is factoring in the inevitable reductions that Nintendo don't do?  

[Hero-of-Time]

8 minutes ago, Ashley said:

I too am "REALLY FOR SOON"

I wonder how much of Sony and Microsoft's pricing is factoring in the inevitable reductions that Nintendo don't do?  

Probably a factor. A lot of their game sales are front loaded and then fall off a cliff.

[Julius]

1 hour ago, Hero-of-Time said:

Current Switch retail titles usually go for £40-£45. Do we think this will go up, just like what Microsoft and Sony have done?

I think so, I think we'll see them stick much harder to the £49.99/£59.99 lines and more titles will be the latter than has been the case on the Switch. This year I can imagine that being the case for Metroid Prime 4, Pokémon Legends Z-A (perhaps even just factoring in the extra year it feels like this game has had to cook, because it's not like it's kicking off a new gen of Pokémon for them), and then potential titles like a new 3D Mario, a new Mario Kart, and whatever else they're positioning as being a tentpole release. 

1 hour ago, Hero-of-Time said:

Needing to pay £60 to play a game at launch is something I've refused to budge on when it comes to the PS5. What would your stance be if Nintendo start charging the same for their games? It's not as if they drop in price much either.

I think the RRP for Tears of the Kingdom (and maybe some other games?) has been £59.99, but very few of us have found ourselves paying that amount due to ordering from a third-party or thanks to things like the digital voucher programme or the points system. For as high as Nintendo games stay after launch, you kind of need to go out of your way to pay full price for them, I feel, at least at the moment. 

Similar to this gen, speaking I guess about the Switch and my time with the PS5, I think it would really vary from game to game for me, and how interested I am in the game.

Unless they somehow manage to drop the ball with the launch line-up this will be the first time I look to enter a new generation with Nintendo on Day 1, and they've earned that for me with the great experiences I've had on the Switch - while I've probably played fewer games on the Switch than many here (didn't get it until 2019 and it's only my secondary console at the best of times) it's rare that there's a question of quality, and I think they've got a higher hit rate than most other developers out there. I'd likely allow myself to splurge at launch, even on games I'm not foaming at the mouth for, and so I think I'd be paying full price for a few titles then – but after? Really depends on the title, my confidence in it matching up to what they show, and I guess my familiarity with the IP.

I just think with the potential increase in price, the sales of games like Zelda or Mario or Pokémon aren't up for grabs - they'll sell regardless - but rather, smaller, more experimental, or niche IP could suffer, just because people aren't as familiar with them and will be less likely to throw their cash at something they can't be confident about enjoying. I'm thinking, for example, if they were to come out at some point with a new Advance Wars given that they've reintroduced the IP – I'm not sure if be dropping £60 on that, and the fact that their prices very rarely go down means I probably wouldn't ever get around to checking it out unless it had an impossible-to-avoid word of mouth which had it as a shoe-in for being a GOTY contender. It's for that reason that I don't think they'll take a complete blanket approach still with how they price their games, and I think they're actually pretty good with how they price their games – only exception, arguably, would be the various Wii and Wii U HD remasters, but for people new to them like me, I've not really had a problem with those prices, personally. 

Not to mention, with Nintendo, there are some games they release of such high quality that I'd gladly pay much more for them...but don't go telling them that 

 

Great questions to ask, H-o-T; it's not really something I'd given much thought to, even with the Switch 2 being the only thing on everyone's mind these days  

Along similar lines, I wonder how much third-party titles are going to go for, especially those of critical claim getting re-releases? Would Switch 2 versions of Baldur's Gate III, Elden Ring, Final Fantasy VII Remake/Rebirth be at that top band of pricing alongside Nintendo's best? Or because they're older games on sale elsewhere are they going to be priced more in line with what you'd expect to see, i.e. Elden Ring – Definitive Edition for £49.99 rather than £59.99(+)? EDIT: considering this would probably include Shadow of the Erdtree, maybe Elden Ring at that price was a bad example, it kind of begs to be £59.99 for how much game you'd be getting. 

Edited 4 hours ago by Julius

[Dcubed]

Nintendo will stick with the same variable pricing model that they currently have.

Some games will be £40 (Like Mario VS DK), some will be £50, some will be £60 (Like TOTK) and some will even be £20 (Like Brain Training Switch).

They will simply price their games according to their scope and budget.

3rd parties though? Nah, probably £70 across the board.

[Julius]

14 minutes ago, Dcubed said:

3rd parties though? Nah, probably £70 across the board.

You think there'll be a £10+ bump to what I assume you mean to be every AAA third-party game? 

Considering just how few third-party and first-party titles are £60 on Switch to begin with, I'd be shocked if that were to happen, especially seeing as pretty much anything over £60 on the eShop right now is some sort of bundle or "deluxe" edition. With how late on with the Switch this £59.99 price standard was introduced while I think we'll see more games match that, I struggle to see everyone making the jump to £69.99 on par with prices for the biggest AAA games on PlayStation, Xbox, etc.