Topic: The Nintendo Switch Thread

@Therad: I disagree. I think by having the cross-platform purchasing more developers will want to port from Google/iOS to the NX. Also the micro console can still be the focus while not being their main device. Through it being the companion device to their other two it becomes the unifing device and this the core business, but still providing exclusives to their other two devices to maximize the draw of each platform. Nintendo gamers would be interested in the Micro Console to maximize their enjoyment but it would not required for those that don't want it. Non-Nintendo gamers would be interested because they can still get Nintendo Software without the expensive buy in of a full new system. The Micro Console doesn't just address 1 audience, it can address all, while the dedicated gaming machines (the next home and portable consoles) can address certain individual markets.

Supermetaldave64 on YouTube has some really nice info on the Vulkan API which tbh looks a dead cert for supporting a home console / handheld and mobile phone. I would check him out

@DefHalan: I like how me saying "well under $200US" was responded to with "$200US is too much, it needs to be ~$150US". As if well under $200US and $150US are entirely different numbers. You can get a 2DS in the US for $100US and you'd have to assume it's at a profit. Other than the graphical spec which is constantly dropping in price what does the Wii U have holding up the price that the 2DS doesn't? Other than the general bulk and a few extra wireless radios not whole a lot.

While we're on the topic or pricing lets consider what your micro-console would be up against. The Apple TV is $150-200US without the controller and the Nvidia Shield console is $199US with the controller. Those are the two big players in the market and that's the price they need to fit into. I'd argue that in a few years a Wii U could slide into that price bracket easily. You think its reputation means it's an instant failure, I'd argue that having content is worth far more than having reputation.

..... but hey, maybe you're right. Make a paired back Wii U called the "Nintendo Micro", pretend that the Wii U didn't exist. But base it on the Wii U and have all of that content available on day1. Because pretending your brand doesn't exist as a strategy sure as hell worked well for the Playstation TV.

@skywake: sorry by "under $200" I took that to mean more than $150, because I have been saying $150. That is just a misunderstanding. I also don't think trying to copy another Micro Console is the way to go. I don't think $200 for a micro console while a handheld that plays everything the micro console can play and then some is priced between $200-$250 is smart.

And your last point. I have no idea what you are talking about with the Playstation TV. As far as I know it didn't pretend the Playstation Brand didn't exist. Playstation as a brand wasn't failing at the time. Wii as a brand is currently failing and considered a bad thing.

@DefHalan: The Playstation TV was a Vita. They didn't call it the "Vita TV" outside of Japan, they called it the "Playstation TV". Based on your theory they can't base this hypothetical micro-console on the Wii U because the Wii brand is "bad". What I'm saying is that they could do a Sony and call the thing the "Nintendo TV" if that's the case.

That strategy didn't work well for Sony but it's still better than having another bit of hardware to develop for. Frankly, other than branding I don't see how your idea is any different to a "Wii U mini". So have it your way, remove the Wii branding. Pretend this Wii U is not a Wii U. Hell, removing the branding is probably a good idea if it's digital only if you want to avoid confusion.

@skywake: I don't think the name is why the PSTV failed to take off. Sony doesn't push much with Playstation outside of its main system. (currently the PS4)

I don't think the Micro Console Market is well explored. Some companies have put out products but they are basically smart devices with buttons. I think Nintendo could bring new life to the market and reallt make something special.

@DefHalan: I think you're reading my post sideways. I was just saying that the Playstation TV didn't use the Vita brand even though it was effectively a Vita. If Nintendo is to make a "micro-console" I think it could make sense to do something similar but using the Wii U's hardware. The games are already developed for that hardware which makes it a low-risk strategy.

I'm also not making any comment on why the PSTV failed. Frankly I think it would make far more sense to call this Wii U "micro-console" a Wii U because that's what it is. But if they "need" to get away from the Wii U name? Just do the same thing just give it a different name. Make a digital-only Wii U at a reduced cost and call it the "Nintendo TV". It's a workable strategy despite the fact that the PSTV failed.

@skywake: I guess I just got confused about how you were saying things. Sorry

I consider myself pretty objective regarding consoles. When I was a child my friends were arguing about what console was better while I was happy to play mine and theirs, although Nintendo has been always be my favourite brand. Another reason why I'm not a diehard fan is because I have many other hobbies and I don't consider gaming to be the most important, so I am not obsessed with it nor I'm obsessed with double-edged Internet forums.

Last generation I only had a Wii and a DS. Both were "casual" somehow, but Wii was absolutely dead since 2011, only five years after its record-breaking successful launch. Only three years have passed since Wii U launch now. This year is full of low budget and weak spin-offs, so I don't expect 2016 to have any mind-blowing Wii U release, except for Zelda which most probably will launch for NX too. Even the eShop is just a mean handful of retro games, only one remaster has been released and at the same price as a new Wii U release. I don't regret having a Wii U at all, there are some exclusive games that I could not miss, but Nintendo could not have disappointed their followers more.

Am I excited about NX? Not very much. Will I buy it? Well, I own all Nintendo home consoles since the SNES which was the first one that my father gave to me, I think it was a birthday present. Wii U was the first console I was not that excited for, but then I enjoyed some -not many- exclusive games. What I think the NX is I have already said, but what I'm sure about is that since the Wii era Nintendo has changed for the worse, from a user's point of view. I believe NIntendo was the best brand since the SNES to the GameCube, and perhaps the worst since then. Even though I don't spend so much time playing games and I only had the Wii and the Nintendo DS last generation, now I feel like many Wii owners that wanted to get another system (PS3 or 360) back then. I got a PS4 and I'll get an XOne, and this is also a way to have some games from the present and from the past that I have missed. If some weeks I only have a few hours for playing, then I want to make the best of them.

Wii U's failure must mean something. If Wii U had the same controller, the same hardware, the same games and the same eShop library but 100 millions sales, then diehard fans would say that the Wii U and its games library is totally perfect and that there's nothing in the world that Nintendo could do to satisfy more Wii U users. Nintendo itself would say it, so I'm happy that Wii U is a failure because this is not the way I want Nintendo to satisfy me.

I think tomorrow may give us a hint at NX launch window. They said No NX info in it, but that's the thing. They keep mentioning NX. And the direct, according to japan, will go over titles all the way until the end of Spring 2016.

If Nintendo announces a handful of Wii U and/or 3DS games tomorrow and really fills up the first half of 2016, then it could indicate that NX may launch in holiday 2016.

Regardless of what is said tomorrow in the Direct, people are going to assume a whole lot of things.

And that's not bad, don't get me wrong! I enjoy the build up and theorizing that goes on. I'm really hoping Nintendo cranks it out of the park with the NX. Fingers are still crossed!

Well outside of game specific Directs and one for Japan in May the only public event Nintendo has had was E3. Pretty much everything else has been Q&A style media or investor contact. They only keep mentioning the NX because people keep asking them about it. And saying they "mention" it might be a stretch, their answers are usually non-answers that tell us nothing.

Or it could indicate nothing. That said, it will be interesting to see what platform gets most of the big titles. Though I'm sure whatever is in the Direct we will all use it as confirmation of each of our particular theories about the NX.

What I would like the NX to be is a successor to the 3DS. Handheld/micro Console hybrid basically a handheld console with TV output. So we can play games out and about (or in another room) but when we get home you can connected to a docking station which will supplied power and HDMI output, pick up a controller and play away. Similar to the Nvidia shield portable and it's Console mode.

As 2015 is coming to a close and the big 2016 comes up in the horizon, I am keen, with the evidence provided, that the NX is the first two consoles in a family of devices, being a handheld and console. Won't be hybrid, but i'm sure Nintendo will provide hybrid-like features when you have both devices.

I think I've said this before 1000 times but I do like this theory, it's not to dissimilar to what I'm thinking. I don't see what the big issue with the current portable/non-portable setup is that they can't solve it by just improving the software and services. IMO all of the hybrid theories are a solution in search of a problem. The entire computing industry has landed on that sort of hardware split for every function, not just gaming. There are obvious technical reasons why it exists.

The only problem I have with your theory is that the general convention is to give one codename to each piece of hardware. So either the handheld or the home console is "codename NX" and its companion device is something else. Like with the DS generation it was "Nitro" & "Revolution" or how this generation it was whatever the 3DS codename was and "Cafe". The NX will be one of them, the other will have a different codename.

I definitely think the Vulkan API is a given. It makes so much sense. Plus I think NX is launching in 2016, they don't have a choice. I think the hype would die by the time it'd launch in 2017. It must launch next year or the Wii U and 3DS will suffer greatly. Plus, idk what Nintendo would release for Wii U and 3DS until then. It can't wait. And the price must not exceed $299 USD.

I predict NX is going to have a CPU that runs at 2.69 Giggity gigaherz and 2 Tittybytes of on board stoarage. With industry leading chips like that, the future is looking very bright indeed

@DefHalan: http://davesgeekyideas.com/2015/11/10/nintendo-nx-concept/ Looks like someone had the same idea.

@WebHead: I love the design. But I can't wait and see what Nintendo come up with. Iv always been a sucker for nintendo

@WebHead: Seems like he got the basics down, my version went into more detail.