Nintendo NX / Switch Discussion

[Kelthaz]

Yeah, I'm a bit annoyed by people who are freaking out that the video didn't answer all their questions. It wasn't supposed to. Nintendo isn't saying, "PLUNK DOWN YOUR MONEY BASED ON THIS INFORMATION-FREE SIZZLE REEL!" They're just building hype. We'll get info about price, specs, features, and launch titles over the next few months, I'm sure.

Yeah, I'm not sure what people were expecting. Nintendo will focus on Pokemon Sun And Moon, Super Mario Run, and whatever scraps they can scavenge up for the Wii U for the Christmas season. Next year will be all out coverage on the Switch. I'm expecting a big Direct in mid to late January. I'm fine with that

 

[BillJ]

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/an...a-processor/1100-6444670/?ftag=GSS-05-10aaa0a

 

[Robert Maxwell]

Yeah, from what I've heard, Nintendo is going to keep pretty mum for the rest of this year regarding the Switch, then push out full specs, game release schedule, and pricing info in January.

Relatively reliable (but certainly unconfirmed/unofficial!) details I have gathered, though:

• Screen will be touch but games can't require it since touch won't work when it's docked.
• Battery life of roughly 3 hours for the slate.
• Motion and rumble features in the detachable controllers (Joy-Cons).

 

[Mr. Adventure]

As for the name... I'm still undecided on it. I can understand the reasoning behind the name, but it's kinda... I dunno... not something that an electronic device would be called.

Yeah, whoever heard of an electronic device called a switch?

 

[bigdaddy]

Yeah, I'm not sure what people were expecting. Nintendo will focus on Pokemon Sun And Moon, Super Mario Run, and whatever scraps they can scavenge up for the Wii U for the Christmas season. Next year will be all out coverage on the Switch. I'm expecting a big Direct in mid to late January. I'm fine with that

Animal Crossing New Leaf gets a big update this year too.

Yeah, from what I've heard, Nintendo is going to keep pretty mum for the rest of this year regarding the Switch, then push out full specs, game release schedule, and pricing info in January.

Relatively reliable (but certainly unconfirmed/unofficial!) details I have gathered, though:

• Screen will be touch but games can't require it since touch won't work when it's docked.
• Battery life of roughly 3 hours for the slate.
• Motion and rumble features in the detachable controllers (Joy-Cons).

The 3DS isn't dead, the Wii U is and I think that's why they aren't going to show the Switch (ugh) until after Christmas. My guess is that the system will have Pokemon Moon and Sun ported over and Nintendo doesn't want that news taking away from sales this year.

 

[Aldo]

The only games that have been confirmed are the first two, the rest are just pure speculation based on the launch video.

 

[eastman23]

Yeah, whoever heard of an electronic device called a switch?

Yeah, yeah.

It's kinda a generic name to give it. Compare with other consoles with more unique names like XBox, Playstation, Gamecube, Dreamcast, and yes, even Wii. Although it occurs to me as I type that out, that most of the examples I gave are themselves generic words combined together, but it makes them stand out a lot more.

But then again, what do I know. I suck at naming things. One look at my username here should tell you that.

In other rumoured news, the battery life is sounding not that great. Only about 3 hours or so says a source, but that is based on a dev kit and who knows what is turned on or off, screen brightness, etc. I don't think it's entirely unexpected given what the system has to do when not docked though. It's mentioned near the end of this article from Laura Dale about her sources and the information that she had been given about the NX/Switch leading up to the reveal that largely turned out to be right on the money:

http://letsplayvideogames.com/2016/10/a-deep-dive-on-lpvgs-nintendo-switch-reports-and-info/

 

[Aldo]

I don't see a scenario where I'll be using this as a portable a lot (that could change though, I admit), so this news isn't really too worrying to me right now.

I've seen people complaining about the grip controllers that come packaged (we assume, at this point) with the system and say they look bad. I actually really like the idea, and especially like that they can be pulled apart to allow two players on the go.

 

[bigdaddy]

People just like to bitch and complain about change. It's why there will be 100 Playstations with pretty much the same exact controller.

The system probably will have 3 or so hours of life without the dock. Think of this more of a home console with portability than dual system. Two years after release they will probably release "The New Super Duper Nintendo Switch-a-roo" (Because Nintendo is horrible at naming things.) with a better battery and more memory, just like how MS and Sony currently are with their systems.

The video got my attention. Nintendo finally is doing what they have watched to do for years, have an all in one system. You could see that with the Gamecube handle and the Wii U tablet.

I could see future ones working with your phones or tablets and then you just need to buy the controllers if you want. There were rumors of that this time around.

 

[Aldo]

That just reminded me, and I'm sure you were thinking that when you mentioned it. But remember the PS3's (I think) Boomerang controller? People went into a frenzy over that until Sony changed it back.

 

[bigdaddy]

That just reminded me, and I'm sure you were thinking that when you mentioned it. But remember the PS3's (I think) Boomerang controller? People went into a frenzy over that until Sony changed it back.

Yes, that's exactly what I was thinking about. It looked really stupid, but no one even held it before Sony, who clearly had no back bone, changed it back to the same ol' shit. I mean the Wii consoles were really weird to, but still really easy to figure out.

I'll give them the benefit of the doubt as it is Nintendo we are talking about. Their only downfalls I think they learned from. (besides not being able to name things.)

 

[StarMan]

I must be old fashioned; I'm quite content with a console and controller at home.

 

[Mr Soak]

Besides that, I don't think preorders actually collect your money up front, so no one's out anything yet. A preorder is basically a promise to pay in exchange for them reserving a unit for you.

EB takes a $50 deposit, which is taken off the final sale price. And yeah, I wouldn't expect it to cost more that the PS4/XONE did at lauch ($550-560); being Nintendo, I'd be looking more at $400.

 

[Kelthaz]

It'll be $249-299. Nintendo's design philosophy for nearly three decades has been, to put it in Nintendo's own words, "Lateral Thinking of Withered Technology". They use older technology to reduce the cost to consumers and do something really cool with those limited resources instead of trying to push the technological envelope. The Wii U and 3DS have been the only exceptions to this rule by utilizing expensive gimmicks (3D and the Gamepad) and they both suffered badly for it. The Nintendo Switch, from what we've seen so far, is eschewing all gimmicks and additional features (no more camera, possibly no touchscreen, no additional processing power in the docking station, etc.) to make a very cheap and reliable system. To be honest, I wouldn't be too surprised if Nintendo prices it at $199.

 

[Mr Soak]

It'll be $249-299.

Which is $400 here.

(EDIT - it's not entirely clear if you were responding directly to my post or just commenting generally.)

 

[Amaris]

I really like the idea behind this. I'm not much of a next-gen console gamer (while I played my Xbox 360 to death, my Xbox One gathers dust), but a device designed to let me play my big TV console game as a handheld, even saving progress and taking it where I go? I love that idea. I think it's neat Nintendo wants to bring back the whole multi-player party, though the tiny controllers when playing with four people seems a bit rough. My hands would have trouble playing one of those.

Still, I think the idea has a lot of merit. I'll be watching this. I mean, why not? Nintendo's already getting my money when the mini-NES comes out. Who knows?

 

[Jax]

I have to admit the more I think about the Switch (great name btw) the more I am excited by it though of course I have reservations about any such device...

* Battery Life - Wii U battery life sucks to be frank.

* Price - I am hoping for around £300 bundles but I bet it will be higher

* 3rd Party Support - If sales are slow will it get left behind and will new games come out for it off the bat like on XB1/PS4

* Hardware being inferior in terms of XB1/PS4 and future proofing since they are coming in again midway through a generation

* The controllers look a little flimsy when taken off the tablet screen and way too small so I need to know more about what controllers I can use and how much they cost.

* Strong 1st party games including new IP's within the first 12-24 months of launch.

* I have always found handheld devices to hurt my thumbs/fingers after a short play, don't know why but sometimes the layout of the buttons seem to make this worse so I may end up only using it as a home console and then is it worth adding to my collection if it's the same as what I already have.

 

[Gingerbread Demon]

I think my number one concern with a device like this is battery life, 2nd is frame rates. How well will this device keep up with lots of things on screen at once?

 

[Reverend]

Yeah, it's a safe bet the battery life on that thing is going to suck and those slide-off controllers don't look very durable, or for that matter very comfortable for adult 2P play. Kids would probably cope better though.

It's certainly an interesting concept, though I don't think it'll quite do what they seem to want in the mobile market. That screen looks a bit big to be really "on the go" portable. Long car/train journeys and camping sure, but I can't see many people just walking around with it.

 

[Amaris]

Yeah, it's a safe bet the battery life on that thing is going to suck and those slide-off controllers don't look very durable, or for that matter very comfortable for adult 2P play. Kids would probably cope better though.

It's certainly an interesting concept, though I don't think it'll quite do what they seem to want in the mobile market. That screen looks a bit big to be really "on the go" portable. Long car/train journeys and camping sure, but I can't see many people just walking around with it.

It looks about the size of an iPad Mini, and I see those in a lot of places.