Topic: The Nintendo Switch Thread

@Therad:
The benefit of releasing the Micro Console forst is that they can start moving some of their development and services onto the new line of systems. They can start outting VC on the Micro Console and Indies can start supporting the new system. It gives them a new piece of hardware with a promise of future hardware while still being able to finish the Wii U's lifespan in an appropriate amount of time without giving the feelig that they will drop a system early if it isn't doing well.

A key point is they have to hit betweek $99 and $149, any higher and it does become pointless. The price needs to be low so people are willing to give it a try.

If you don't think a Micro Console with Nintendo games will be worth it compared to a Micro Console without Nintendo games, then you probably won't think a Console with Nintendo games is worth it compared to a Console without Nontendo games. The Micro Console offers people interested in Nintendo but not willing to drop several hundred for a system, an easy way into the Nintendo market. Those people might purchase the Micro Console, enjoy their experience, want more or richer experiences and go out to buy one of the other systems. Plus, thanks to the companion device features, the Micro Console wouldn't feel like a wasted purchase after they upgrade.

Replacing the Wii U in 2016 is going to be difficult. Trying to get people excited for a mid-gen upgrade console, especially when they haven't had price cuts on their current system. People will see Nintendo's willingness to replace a failing console quickly as a weakness. Why purchase a product when the company selling it doesn't support it? The most logical hardware to replace in 2016 would be the 3DS, but a lot of people think the 3DS should continue since it seems to be doing well. So my guess is a micro console. It would actually make a fair amount of sense. Since it wouldn't be replacing either system, people would see Nintendo stands by its products. It also gives people a great jumping on point, into the Nintendo Market. Having the companion console features gives the hardware purpose even if people are planning on buying the next portable and home consoles. Putting multiplatform indies/smaller titles and Virtual Console games on the Micro Console gives developers an easy system to develop for that has a wide audience. The only downside is that smaller titles will stop releasing on current gen systems earlier than before but that is what happens when any new hardware is released.

The Micro Console gives Nintendo the ability to cast a wide net while the portable console and home console will allow them to target more dedicated gamers. Rather than having to release their "casual" experiences on each systems to try to get people interested in them, they can release 1 game for the Micro Console (and then it would work on the other two) to draw in the crowed. However, they could still deliver their "hardcore" experiences on their other systems to satisfy the more dedicated fans. It would save both development time, and marketing since each hardware can then play to particular audiences while offering overlap to entice those audinces to get other systems in the Nintendo family.

It is early and I hope that made sense. Key ideas for a Micro Console are: low price point; companion device features; casting a wide net; letting other consoles focus on particular audiences; Micro Console doesn't replace Wii U or 3DS, those are replaced later.

@DefHalan: I could see that along with a tablet. The tablet and microconsole act as side devices for newcomers. the dedicated portable and console for dedicated audiences. NX Player and NX Tablet for 2016. NX Console and NX Portable for 2017.

Look at it this way, when the Wii launched in Australia the RRP was $400AU. Four years into its lifespan it was selling for $300AU new with a copy of Mario Kart. By the time the Wii U launched at ~$400AU for the Wii was down to $180AU including Mario Kart. The same is going to happen to the Wii U.

The problem with the micro-console theory is that the previous generation system is already the "cheaper" option. I don't understand the point of a cheap home console if in a couple of years time the Wii U is that cheap home console. And the Wii U will fill that niche as long as there is still demand for a cheaper SKU. Just as the Wii did before it.

I still like the portable wii u idea. a hybrid, but a hybrid of 3DS and Wii U.

http://orig05.deviantart.net/ea6e/f/2014/285/c/4/revised_wii_...

Soemthing like that. A standalone gamepad that plays 3DS, Wii U, eShop, VC games.

I can buy a Wii U with smash bros for 200 euro. The launch price for the basic was 300 euro, without a game. Granted this is the basic model, but a micro console will probably be around 150 euro. Why would people chose it over Wii U?

The problem with a nintendo produced micro console is that their apps would be abysmal in comparison with their android based rivals. The only place they beat them on is nintendo-games. If you were someone looking for a media player, with some gaming aside, would you buy the one with all the streaming services, or the one with youtube, netflix, crunchyroll and nintendo games? The only people I see buying it would be xbox/ps owners that want some nintendo gaming at the side. And then it probably would be a replacement for their main console.

Stand by their consoles? I own 3 nintendo consoles right now they don't release anything on anymore! Outrage! If you don't like "planned obsolescence", then console gaming isn't for you. PC gaming is the the one place where this isn't true (yet, for most titles).

If anything, they haven't stand by their current console, by driving up the price thanks to the gamepad and then not using it. This is the most annoying with the Wii U, I have an extra screen that isn't really utilized even by nintendo themselves. Without it, they could probably have been "the second console" in more homes. And 4 or 5 years isn't really that much of a difference. Most people that will buy a Wii U or 3DS, have already bought it.

@WebHead: Sure, it would be nice to have Wii U games on the go, but how much are you willing to pay for it?

@Therad: Yeah i admit there are 3 problems: Cost, storage, and battery life.

You could always make this hypothetical "hybrid" system just a little bit less powerful than the Wii U. Just enough that you can make it reasonably possible in terms of cost and battery life. Of course if you were to do that you'd have to re-code the games for the new hardware but that's not a huge deal. It wasn't going to be able to read Wii U disks anyways. While you're at it why not use an architecture that is easier to deliver in a portable device? Maybe even drop the screen resolution a bit because you don't need full 1080p for a screen that small.

..... oh wait, now we're just talking about a 3DS successor. It's a hybrid only in the same way that the 3DS was a "hybrid". A portable system that replaces the existing portable console by doing things that could only be done on a home console before it. The line between a "hybrid" and "doing what they've always done" is a very, very thin one.

@skywake: And you could also design this new portable so that it can be used as Wii U GamePad and call it a day.

@skywake: tbh whatever the next portable, I expect the resolution to be the same as the Wii U gamepad.

@skywake: The Wii U won't be getting new games by the time it is as cheap as a micro console. The point of the cheaper console is to get people into the Nintendo Market and them buying used systems and used games doesn't get them into the Nintendo Market. I am not saying the Micro Console is 100% guaranteed to happen but I think it is more likely than a Wii U replacement next year. A portable system is also likely but isn't exactly anything new. The Micro Console, in my opinion, is a great way to expand their hardware market and reach new customers. If people are buying old tech for the cheaper price, would they be interested in a new device getting new games for roughly the same price? Since the Micro Console doesn't replace the Wii U they could stand side by side and offer different experiences.

@Mister_Wu: Sure, why not I guess. Though I'm not sure what the point would be given that their next portable is not going to live alongside the Wii U for long. Regardless of whether it comes out first or not.

@WebHead: The GamePad screen is a huge resolution drop. Wii U games are built with the intention of running at 720p - 1080p despite the GamePad only being 480p. You'd want to re-optimise the game, just one of the many reasons this "hybrid" would be more like just every other portable console that has ever existed.

@DefHalan: There's a reason why they don't tend to make games for the older platform once the new one is out. It's quite simple, people don't buy new games for old platforms. Which I'd argue kinda screws up your entire model. The people who want the newest games and the people who want cheaper hardware don't really overlap. So why make a new platform specifically for the bargain market?

IMO the solution is pretty easy. This Micro-console would be digital only right? Full cross-buy? Why not just make a cut-price digital-only version of the Wii U before its successor is out? Really, why can't they just sell a version of the Wii U to this market. Throw Zelda U and Super Mario Maker in the box pre-downloaded, $150US, call it a day.

@skywake: The problem with that is the GamePad being so expensive. The GamePad alone would keep the digital only Wii U price high. A new Micro-Console wouldn't have the GamePad but might be compatible with the GamePad. Also the architecture of the Wii U is going to prevent unified development between the Wii U, next Portable, and next Home Console. Like you said, people don't buy new games for old platforms meaning a Micro Console would would be a new platform that gets new game releases. The system just isn't required to have in order to play its software as the Portable and Home consoles would have all the Micro Console games. The Micro Console would be a companion console and a cheap entry point into the Nintendo Market.

Key ideas for a Micro Console are: low price point; companion device features; casting a wide net; letting other consoles focus on particular audiences; Micro Console doesn't replace Wii U or 3DS, those are replaced later.

@DefHalan: Two points I would make

1. The cost of the GamePad has been seriously overestimated by a lot of people on these forums
2. The cost of developing new titles for new a platform is far greater than you think it is

Definitely, considering we can get our hands on AU$50 tablets which use capacitive screens, which I believe are more expensive than the resistive touch screens used in the gamepad.

@skywake:
1. True but it is still more expensive than a Pro Controller or even Wii Remote and Nunchuck.
2. Yes and releasing a Micro Console with Cross-Purchase games for the next Handheld and Home Consoles would allow for smaller developers to ease into a new console cycle and give the new systems a larger library to begin with.

Once upon a time capacative screens was more expensive than resistive, but I am not sure if that is true anymore, since capacative screens are a mass market product.

@skywake: 480p is 4 times the resolution on the 3ds. On the other hand, they should probably aim for a mass market display, to reduce cost.

@defhalan you keep saying casting a wider net, but who are going to buy the micro console? What is the selling point for the wider public? Why wouldn't the wider public just as well buy a 2ds, 3ds or an wii u instead, since they are almost as cheap or cheaper than the micro console?

Why wouldn't you just have backwards compatibility and some kind of cross-buy with the Wii U? Let those developers start working on the games for the next generation of system. I can't see any logistical advantage to having yet another Nintendo platform to develop for. I can't see what you are trying to solve that can't be done by just tinkering with the current two-tier + legacy platform model. Why build a lower spec machine and develop software for it when they already have a lower spec machine with a decent amount of software?

And quickly on the cost argument. There's a lot of stuff you can scale back or take out of the Wii U as it is. You can take out the optical drive and make it a digital only SKU, you could remove Wii backwards compatibility for games (not accessories). You could also remove the camera from the GamePad and reduce the screen size to something the size of the 3DS XL top screen. All of that and a tighter manufacturing process? I see no reason why they couldn't sell it for well under $200US.

Tbh my idea is basically that Nintendo XDS video a few months back, but with a gamepad type device instead of a DS. It's like Wii U getting a new name, new job.

@Therad: the selling point would be new Nintendo games would be releasing on a pretty cheap system. Also a lot of smaller indies would be releasing on it. It is not a machine that will replace the next Home or Portable console, so it could be enticing to both people who will own the next systems and those who don't.

@skywake: The main reason not to repackage the Wii U is honestly because it is the Wii U. The Wii U doesn't have a good reputation with most of the market. Also the Wii U will be replaced, which will mean less interest in it. A Micro Console won't be replacing the Home Console which means they could live side by side. The main price goal for a Micro Console should be $100 but with some of the features I would like to see it might stretch to $150. It needs to be super cheap compared to other systems. The price being $200 is too much and would be too close to the next portable system or the PS4 or XB1.

It is ok if you guys disagree with me. I can understand ways that this idea won't work. I just think it would be interesting and I would like to see it happen. After I moved I noticed how I can't take my GamePad very far and sometimes I would like to play Wii U in another room but without having to buy another Wii U. Steam Link is interesting to me since I would like to play Steam games while not at my computer. I would just like to see this happen and I think it is actually pretty likely. I understand if you disagree, just like some people disagree with your ideas of what the NX could be

@DefHalan: Now you are assuming that Nintendo games have more value to most people than the entire google play store. Or amazons alternative. Unless it becomes a really, really big seller, people will not port their apps and games to it. I think we are talking about very few who would actually buy it for nintendo games.

Nintendo gamers would wait for the console or handheld (since you said all games would be on those too), and non-nintendo gamers will give this a pass. Nintendo would also have to not have to many heavyhitters on the console (so they don't cannibalize their sales of console9), while at the same time trying to sell as many as possible of the micro console.

I understand that you want a steam link solution for Wii U, but it will probably be impossible to make that seem more affordable than buying a second Wii U.

Besides, your belief that it is an companion device goes against Kimishimas word that NX will be their core business, since a companion device could never be that.