The Nintendo Switch has been a runaway success, smashing sales records and bringing Nintendo back from the brink after the Wii U. Even so, the argument of AAA game releases vs. indies is still ongoing, with some saying that the Switch has too many indies and not enough AAA games to be considered competitive with the Xbox and PlayStation.
Speaking more about this matter, two Japanese Nintendo employees that work with indies—Yusuke Soejima and Park Masashi—recently sat down with Entertainment Station to talk about Indies. Here’s what Masashi had to say about the distinction between indies and AAA games, courtesy of a ResetEra translator:
On Nintendo platforms, we don’t really differentiate between AAA titles from established firms and indie games. In actuality, they’re lined up as equals in the Nintendo eShop. We don’t specially promote indie games just because they are indie games, and conversely we don’t prioritize them below AAA titles either.
Speaking about the future of indie games on Nintendo platforms, the pair had this to say:
Soejima: First of all, we just want to get developers on board with developing for our platform when they decide what to develop games for. It’s not really a ‘goal’ per se, but before the Switch really got going, when we would see trailers or posters at events, the platforms that would always be shown at the end were almost always other companies’ machines. There was really nowhere where you would see the 3DS or Wii U supported… It was absolutely a situation where we weren’t even seen as a practical option. It was here that we thought we’d like to have the Switch’s logo up there with the other companies’.
Park: Fortunately, Nintendo Switch has seen international success, and I think the opportunities for us to be a viable platform have increased. Going forward, we’d like to maintain our momentum, and become a platform developers make content for, from the beginning of development and as a matter of course, alongside the others.
Park: Looking at more long-term ideas, it’s not something just the two of us can do on our own, but there’s a cycle we would like to see the entire industry work to support, of indie developers being able to easily produce titles, get a real ROI from them, and then easily move on to the next title, with other (new) developers following their example to enter the industry.
Soejima: If a given title sells really well, then it can be recognised as its own IP, and it would be great if such an IP can go on to last in the industry and be accepted by consumers. The entire game industry, not just Nintendo, needs to think about how to increase the number of titles born from the indie game scene. Lastly, I just want to say that while indie games tend to be associated with the digital world, we’ve learned that as a ‘community’, it is actually incredibly analogue. It’s a scene that emphasises connections between people, and that’s something we want to place importance on as well.
What do you think? Are indies becoming more important than AAA releases? Do you agree with Nintendo’s stance on the matter? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
[source resetera.com]
Comments 112
Well indie games are cool and all but mostly are just like the filler episodes in anime. Good when there's nothing major out. PS Vita is an incredible indie machine and guess what, its still dead. No need to sugarcoat it. It doesn't make up for the lack of AAA 3d party games. Not every indie is Stardew or Minecraft.
I've said it before, if this is all the Switch gets supported with I'm good with that for the life of the system. AAA games are nice and all but all I really want is good quality games to play and the Switch has plenty to offer and many more to come!
I'm sure this will go over well with the "third-party" crowd.
I don't care with AAA 3rd party games (That mostly cursed rated M games).
I just ONLY need Cute, Colorful, Funny, Interesting, Safe for Watch (rated Everyone, Everyone 10+ & a few of Teen games) games to play, doesn't matter 1st or 3rd party or Indies.
Celeste is better than a lot of $60 games I've played. We're long past the days when "it's good, for an Indie game" was a reasonable thing to say.
So for Nintendo gamers, AAA and indie are equally third-party, according to Nintendo themselves. So no more asking where the third parties are, @SLIGEACH_EIRE, unless you wish to assert you're not actually a Nintendo gamer. You may ask for whatever you wish, of course, and if you want Western AAA third-party games to come to Switch, by all means, try to convince publishers to provide them. Just know that "third-party" means Japanese as well as Western, indie as well as AAA, and that implying differently is mere casuistry.
To be honest, I've seen Nintendo promote indie stuff far more than AAA releases (unless it's their own). Especially going off their eShop and YouTube pages.
More AAA games are coming, not sure what some people are so worried about. Even after the Wiiu we get Skyrim, Doom, LA Noire, & Mario & Rabbids first year on Switch. Not bad. Dark Souls has been announced this year too. Many more are sure to come. I'm not worried.
Indie games are so plentiful it's ridiculous, but in a good way. Many good ones have risen to the top: Steamworld Dig 2, Stardew Valley, Rocket League, Owlboy, etc. $25 or less. They're a deal at their prices for sure.
We are getting the best of both worlds.
Indies are great but I feel they sometimes are either nostalgic inspiration or just filler games. Games like Axiom Verge, Shovel Knight, Ittle Dew 2, Freedom Planet, Shadow Complex, Celeste, LostWinds, Cloudberry Kingdom, Super Meat Boy, Fez, and the Binding of Isaac Rebirth are great examples of indies done right; however, the thing that bothers me about indies is that sometimes they are too stuck in inspiration mode that they forgot what they would need to do to be special from the rest.
Indie titles and AAA games should absolutely be on equal footing. When you really think about it, the only difference between indie and AAA games is the budget and the size of the team, and recent events have shown that that differentiation has little effect on the game's quality. Battlefront II had a much larger team and budget than Celeste, yet it is certainly not the better game of the two. Those who complain of "indie garbage" or "no big games" should take a step back, and rather than obsess over semantics, just look at the objective quality of the game itself regardless of the size of its developer.
"Switch has too many indies and not enough AAA games to be considered competitive with the Xbox and PlayStation." Yes I am telling the truth. Indies don't sell consoles. Wii u have a lot of indies but nAAAo 3rd party games. It's February and still no new games on the switch
@therealgamer Switch is outselling the Bone, which is a pretty good sign of being competitive with it.
I wish more people had the same mindset as Nintendo on this. Indies can be just as good or even better than AAA games.
@therealgamer
Are you trolling again ?!
Telling Switch has No games was Simply Stupid !
Indies DID SELL the Switch !
Yes, It DID 100% !!
Tell me once again, What the heck is FIFA 18, WWE 2K18, Super Bomberman R, Lost Sphear, Rocket League, LUMO, Portal Knights, etc ?!
Are they Foods or Drinks ??
It annoys me how indie games all seem to be classed as one and the same. To many on here, Indie game = shallow retro platformer
Off the top of my head
Rocket League
Pinball FX3
Layers of Fear
Furi
Disc Jam
Riptide GP
Mantis Burn Racing
Wulverblade
Night in the Woods
Vesta
NBA Playgrounds
Outlast 1&2 on the way
One thing all those games above have in common other than then all being indies? Not one of them are shallow retro 2d platformers. I know many indie games are retro platformers though but even then, so what. If the game is good then why should it matter who it was made by. I'd take 1 Celeste over multiple COD, Battlefront or Assassins Creed anyday.
@JimmySpades The switch selling because of the hype. Nintendo finally understand marketing. But the difference between Xbox one vs Switch is that Xbox one have 10x better 3rd party support. Games like Red dead to call of duty and etc.
@BradC40 Problem is all these games you named are either VERY OLD games or games that failed on the other consoles. Dont sugarcoat it, only reason to have a nintendo switch you are obsessed with zelda and/or super mario nothing else.
@Anti-Matter stop giving this "Are they Foods or Drinks ??" quotation. It makes you look like a real troll.
@therealgamer
So, you just ONLY Measure Great games MUST be like your games mentioned about ?
What the HECK !!
@formulas666
If he thought there were No games at all for Switch, then what are those things being displayed and sold on Game Shop ?
Are they other things (anything but video games) ?
That i was questioning his comment.
@therealgamer I could go ahead and pick apart the logical fallacies and immature attitudes in your comment right now, but instead I choose to marvel at "nAAAo 3rd party games." I am truly blinded by the incredible witticism of that pun.
@Anti-Matter Switch have game mostly are trash. Yes indies sell on the console because the switch have no AAA games. No real competition. Its happen to PS Vita. Vita have no 3rd part support but indies support. Many indies make a profit on a console have no real AAA games. Think about this if dude. If the Switch have red dead 2. Who do you think people will buy on the switch red dead 2 or steamworld dig 3?
@formulas666 "only reason to have a nintendo switch you are obsessed with zelda and/or super mario nothing else."
and/or Donkey Kong, Splatoon, ARMS, Xenoblade, Pokken, Warriors games, Bayonetta,Yoshi, Pokémon, Metroid, Fire Emblem, Kirby,as well as several other IP that may get a release in future. So no, your crap generalisation, is just that, crap.
Well this descended into troll territory at almost record pace.
Must be a Tuesday.
@ilikeike "nAAAo 3rd party games. First of all its a typo. I am typing fast. Second Switch have games but lack of AAA games. Nintendo still did not learn from it mistake. Where is the 3rd party devs that Nintendo show at the switch event. Most 3rd party games on the switch are old ports. Remember Activison made on game so far is skylanders. If Call of duty does not come to the switch this year that will be a death sentence for Activison support
@therealgamer Look we all know you're just bitter because you've not been able to upgrade your Wii U for whatever reason so use this "Switch has no games" excuse to try and make yourself feel better. That's fine but when you keep rambling on about the same thing over and over on multiple websites then all you succeed in doing is making yourself look like a complete and utter tool.
@formulas666
That's....not even remotely true. Are we just going to ignore all the rest of the existing and upcoming exclusives for the system? Even if you can play the 3rd parties and indies on other platforms, the Switch has the appeal of portability. I for one don't even own the other systems so a lot of these third parties are new to me.
@likeike lol. Oh, well.
I'm a little bit concerned about momentum with larger third party games right now, but only for the platform, and only for now.
For myself, Celeste and Aegis Defenders are blissful gaming. And I don't have tons of gaming time, so I'm looking forward to going through a bunch of content in Zelda and finishing up Mario still, Mario + Rabbids, and Splatoon are always calling as well. Big games, though mostly not third party.
And there are plenty of games I won't get to. I do play ol' Starcraft 2 from time to time still with my wife and even Warcraft III and a custom WC3 map, and a little bit of Fortnite Battle Royale, dabble in Overwatch and even (the evil EA produced) Battlefront 2.
So, I have my variety and a lengthening list of Switch games to buy in the future that I might not catch up with.
Switch is great, I want the success to continue, but not personally bothered, and expecting the third parties to start catching up with the platform, but it will take time.
@OorWullie " Look we all know you're just bitter because you can't afford to upgrade your precious Wii U and use this pathetic" Dude I have a switch. I beating mario odyssey and I have arms.. I have 7 games on the switch. I have a gaming PC. I have a wii u and mostly a lot of indies are coming to the switch is also on the wii u. Games like axom verge I already have it on my wii u.
Don't know if they're becoming more important. I do think they're going only going to get better overall and their importance may come from keeping the big boys honest and on their toes. While there are and have been indie games that are just as important to the history and growth of the industry, I don't know if we have yet to see that one that will truly shift the paradigm in gaming.
Look I understand the Switch is not that powerful than the base xbox one and base ps4. Yes I understand it cannot run some games like red dead or Anthem. But go back to the wii roots. Give us 3rd party exclusive games. The wii cannot run a lot of xbox 360 and ps3 games but Ubisoft, EA, Activison, Capcom, Square enix, Sega still support the wii. Games like Madworld, House of dead overkill, dead space extraction, resident games, and ect.
I want to make an indie Switch game. I’m have experience with photoshop, illustrator, and marketing. Anyone want to team up and make it happen?
@therealgamer How you enjoying playing Rocket League, Pinball FX 3, Celeste, Enter the Gungeon, Steamworld Dig 2,The Escapists 2, Mantis Racing, Sonic Mania, Wonderboy and many more on your Wii U? Will you be picking up Layers of Fear Outlast 1&2 and Detention on it too?
Of course you will not be as none of those are coming to Wii U. So for every Axiom Verge there are 10 to 20 indie games that were never released on Wii U.
@justin233 Hey I am making game right now. Now you cannot make a switch game.
@therealgamer Well at least that typo left us with an amusing little pun XD
Aside from that, though, I'll be shocked if this year's Call of Duty doesn't come to Switch. I could understand WWII skipping the Switch since it was still fairly risky supporting Nintendo coming off the Wii U, but with the Switch being so successful now there's no reason Activision can't get the game on Switch. CoD appeared on Wii, surely they can work out a Switch port.
Additionally, we already have some great third-party exclusives coming in the future. Project Octopath Traveler, Travis Strikes Back, and Shin Megami Tensei 5 come to mind. Again, the Switch has proven itself with its sales. I think it's reasonable to expect Wii/DS levels of third-party support here in terms of multiplats and exclusives, with most announcements coming later this year as developers scramble to cash in.
@formulas666 I can't disagree that most AAA 3rd party games were old ports but I think that was the best we could do first year after Wiiu. All were new games to me so I had a great time with them but if you played them before then yeah, not much reason to double dip.
I disagree though with the "nothing else" comment. Splatoon 2, Arms, & Xenoblade 2 have all done well in sales. Bayonetta 1 & 2 were just ported & if you didn't play 2 on Wiiu there's another great first party game. New Kirby & Yoshi around the corner & they're trying to complete 2 brand new Pokémon games for holiday 2018. There were more titles than Mario & Zelda in 2017 & much more to come.
@OorWullie Okay yes Rocket League, Pinball FX 3, Celeste, Enter the Gungeon, Steamworld Dig 2,The Escapists 2, Mantis Racing, Sonic Mania, Wonderboy is not on the wii u but many indies are. They still making wii u games like world to the west and battle princess madelyn. I have a PC and I have rocket league, celeste and sonic Mania. How do you tell me I don't have a switch.
@ilikeike I will be shock also if Call of duty don't come this year. Also if they announce a new cod for the PS4, Xbox one and PC don't get mad. Activison will announce the switch version later down the road like 2 or 3 months. Call of duty easily can run on the switch. Yes the switch getting 3rd party exclusive but it need more from Activison, EA, Ubisoft and etc.
With where the AAA industry is headed (microtransactionz + lootboxes galore), I'm glad Nintendo is placing emphasis on the indie scene as none of that crap is present there.
I do think Nintendo needs to better pursue AAA support (and from what I've heard things are improving as we speak), but indies are becoming increasingly critical in an increasingly predatory gaming landscape.
@therealgamer Dude, at this point you're trolling yourself. Take a few years, graduate high school, and come back when you can: spell, capitalize, use verbs that agree with the subject, understand that "and etc" literally means "and and so forth", ...
@therealgamer Most western devs have been very cautious with the switch so far (and for good reason) so I'm a bit more understanding of our current lack of western AAA exclusives. However if we don't start getting some announcements from western devs like Activision EA etc. after this year's e3 or around that time I'll be greatly disappointed and surprised. Before long 3rd parties won't be able to ignore switch anymore without significant controversy.
I don't know about you but I have a huge backlog to even care about this topic.
I find it distasteful to say the least that as soon as anyone disagrees with anything Nintendo says that certain people on this board attack the dissenting voices with posts on how they are a troll or not a ‘Nintendo gamer’ if they think differently. Posting abusive replies saying they should go back to school and learn grammar is also not on. I personally buy Nintendo consoles for the first party games. Always have done, always will. Couldn’t care less what else comes out on the machine as that’s not why I bought it but not everyone is the same and that’s ok. If Nintendo wants to do numbers up there with the PS4 I don’t think it’s unreasonable for someone to post that they will need to rely on more than indie and 1st party support. For mass market numbers you need mass market games that is the way of things. I personally think it’s wrong to be in February talking about there being no support for the switch after one of the best years Nintendo has ever done. Why not wait till the end of the year to see where support for the system is?
@therealgamer
Hey, Dude !
I buy Switch for the games i NEED and i WANT.
My needs are Cute, Colorful, Funny, Creative, Safe for Watch games. And Nintendo Switch has a lot games that i WANT and NEED.
Just take a look my games.
My games are EXIST & REAL !
I don't buy garbage rated M games like you said above because i hate them all.
And saying Switch games are mostly trash, that's also insulting my games also.
How Dare You !!
I personally see 3rd parties and Indies as one in the same. Their scope may be different in terms of the production of their end products, but that no less means their isn't genuine quality to be found on either side. I like good games, period. If Team Meat and Yacht Games entertain me more than Capcom this generation, then so be it-- It's all about playing fun games in the end. But to each their own. Switch has fun games, so I'm satisfied, but hey, the more the merrier.
@Mr_Pepperami
Yesterday, i heard about Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles will be on Switch this year. I was so shocked and excited, despite i have owned the PS4 version. But since i have very Big Loyalty to Nintendo, i will "eliminate" (not playing the games anymore) my Yonder PS4 to stay inside my cabinet as Art display.
So.... i play Nintendo machines for 1st, 3rd party & some Indies.
@Anti-Matter and that’s great mate. Just try to be more tolerant for peoples choices. M rated games aren’t ‘garbage’. You took offence to someone else calling switch games ‘trash’ but you are doing the same thing about other people’s like of M rated games. Something for everyone ok
@therealgamer I would definitely get SteamWorld Dig 3 and might get red dead.
@Mr_Pepperami
Eh...
I see ...
All game companies started off as indies, it's important to support them so they have the potential to grow.
@shaneoh
I see...
I remembered when SquareEnix (Used to be Squaresoft) was a Small company that about to bankrupt and they released their last game Final Fantasy, that considered as their Finale game.
As we see Squaresoft growing from small company to become Gigantic company, it felt so unreal.
30 years ago felt like yesterday....
Well, I like that they don't differentiate between them on the eShop. It's always cool to see an indie-game alongside some high budget AAA game.
But I hope they don't start slacking off with this mentality. Indie-games, to me, are not system sellers but rather a really nice complement to the overall library. Nintendo still need to push hard for devs to keep releasing games like DOOM, Skyrim and Dark Souls.
AAA game is about quality, not who created it. The correct expression for major studio releases is blockbuster games.
@therealgamer I severely doubt you have the intellect for such an endeavor.
As someone who plays indie games almost exclusively, I adore how Nintendo is treating them.
I've been disillusioned a couple times too many by 3rd party AAA game developers with their onslaught of DLC and micro transactions for me to care about them anymore.
I want Nintendo Switch successful as much as you do. I love handheld concept but third parties are not supporting this console! The switch itself is selling good but there's no future here, unless there is third party support and AAA games! What's the point of having the switch when there are NO GOOD MEANINGFUL games for it?
@therealgamer I suggest you sell you switch, which you hate so much so you can go and buy two of your precious AAA games with their stupid add ins. Then you can play with all the other spotty teenage boys on Call of Crap. Move yourself to Pushsquare.
For some reason I keep thinking with all the delays for Red Dead 2 we will see a switch version releasing along side PS4 and Xbox.... I’m more then likely dreaming though.
One game I’d like to see on the switch although it did not live up to the hype at all would be No Mans Sky. Seems like a perfect fit wandering around in space while watching Netflix.
Plus it’s not even been a year... I’d say E3 will be huge for AAA game announcements on the switch.
It takes time to build. The strong move quiet, the weak start riots... and developers don’t want to write checks with there mouths that there butts can’t cash.
Their entire approach to Nindies says otherwise. It’s not a bad thing, but they market them this way, give them space in presentations under this banner etc etc.
It is distasteful to say the least to relate to the Switch as a non-appealing console, considering it is at the absolute peak of sales rates within its first real year on the market. From what we have seen so far, many AAA companies wish to release games and follow up on adjusting new teams to the console.
As many teams have claimed recently, the Switch is a very new concept which means nobody would have been prepared to develop new games for it prior to its launch thanks to the scepticism after the Wii U's failure to appeal and the new architecture of the Switch.
This explains a lot about the delay in announcements and releases when it comes to third parties.
To add on more, if anything, the handheld hybrid functionality of the console will appeal even more teams to produce higher budget titles than before - look at the Pokemon and Shin Megami Tensei teams.
I will disregard the fallacy statements in these comments because it seems for the most part people are just having a laugh, but from my standpoint and view I see that so far we have every reason to believe that this new console is increasing with popularity with third party AAA titles, whether they be exclusive or multiplatform.
For those worrying about sales dropping off after the first year - wait until E3, or better yet wait until the new Pokemon game comes out. I guarantee you those worries will be nowhere to be found. As we learned with the 3DS (even though it is exclusively a handheld device), sales seem to rock up by a visible mile once the games of high caliber start releasing from Nintendo. So far it seems they are doing a fantastic job, as this system is internationally breaking big records and making a lot of money and room for more games to come.
@ilikeike I totally agree. Looking at the GAME ‘Switch games coming soon’ page, it’s good see more indie games getting physical retail releases. Sometimes with cool instruction manuals.
@Anti-Matter Your game collection looks great, but I would throw lost sphere away or maybe use it as a paperweight. I heard you can even throw it in a landfill somewhere in New Mexico.
@darthstuey
Do you mind with my game collections ?
@River3636
I bought Lost Sphear Switch on 4 February 2017.
Still at Beginning of storyline.
I saw some potential from that game.
Honestly, I rather have Indie support than third party support. Games like Stardew Valley and Rocket League are games that I don't want to miss out on.
This comment section is pure gold. What a way to start the day!
PuRe BS.
"We don’t specially promote indie games just because they are indie games"
Not entirely true, they've done all those Nindies reels and Wii U eShop categories and highlights for indie games.
Mostly because those were all the games they had for Wii U at the time, of course.
I remember when this all used to be civil and people didn't get so worked up about stuff. I like my Switch. It has games that I enjoy playing. I also enjoy my PS4 for the same reason. See also X1.
Personally speaking, I think the Switch has a nice spread of stuff coming out. The multi-format stuff is acquitting itself well enough, and the exclusives have been fun. Indie is a fairly nebulous term these days. Good games are good games.
The mantra that "indie games = retro sidescrollers" needs to stop.
@Anti-Matter - "So, you just ONLY Measure Great games MUST be like your games mentioned about ?"
Pot calling the kettle black. You are guilty of that exact same thing.
@therealgamer - "If the Switch have red dead 2. Who do you think people will buy on the switch red dead 2 or steamworld dig 3?"
How about both of them? Why would RDR2 prevent anyone buying the next Steamworld game? That logic is nonsensical.
@JaxxDuffer
He was trolling about no AAA 3rd games.
The eShop definitely needs a bit more organisation, but I agree with keeping Indie vs AAA as a none-thing, alongside all those "Not quite Virtual Console, but still emulated older games"
They all belong together. They're all "Games available for Switch".
But it does definitely need cleaning up a bit!
Maybe, some day, there'll even be a special button for AGameAWeek games...?
''Nintendo On How It Views Indie and AAA Games''
''Hmm, this will go over well in the comment section...''
You guys never disappoint.
@Octane Wouldn't have it any other way.
@gortsi I was already thinking to myself that you were going to have a field day with this...
Nintendo are absolutely right
I've never played an indie game unless minecraft counts. I don't have anything against them I've just never really been interested enough to pick one up.
@ThanosReXXX I do indeed, it's just that I can't comment on someone who uses "therealgamer" as his/her tag. It feels like addressing a 12 year old.
@gortsi Man, am I glad that I changed my name from "TheRealThanos" to ThanosReXXX...
InDiEs Ar E aWfUl!!!!!!!1!
In all seriousness, I think a console should have a good mix of Indies and AAA games. I'm not saying "The Switch should be an indie machine and forget about AAA's all together!" but I'm not saying "The Switch should ditch these garbage indie games and only focus on big budget AAA games!" I will admit, I am using my Switch for Indies more than my PS4, and my PS4 more for AAAs than my Switch, but if I end up getting older and traveling more, and if these AAA games get better ports on Switch, I may find myself using my Switch as my only console that I really use.
Indie games are far more interesting to me as they have a stricter budget and arent overblown graphically. The best ones think outside the box to see what they can do to make up for being less shiny.
I think Nintendo are more akin to indie devs than other AAA publishers only with actual budget so you get the best of both worlds. Games like BotW that look beautiful but have a ton of thought and ideas put in so their games are more thsn just lookers.
@ThanosReXXX that's my dad's name, you're all good in my book!
Although I'm not interested in ALL indie efforts, I do often find them more interesting than triple A titles, because they still have that creative freedom, and seem way more inventive at times, as opposed to the same old tired formulas of triple A titles, only adding a new coat of paint and a higher dose of "realism" and anti-aliasing, but the gameplay is essentially still the same as those same titles 2 console generations ago.
Not to say that there aren't any good triple A efforts, because there certainly are, but in that respect, indies do have a few good points that speak to their benefit, in my opinion.
@gortsi Your dad's name is Thanos? If so, then he is actually TheRealThanos...
Even better that I changed my name to the current one, then...
@MitchVogel Well 'bringing Nintendo back from the brink' is an exaggeration, Nintendo were never even remotely close to bankrupcy. As shown several times in the past, despite the Wii U's commercial failure they were still 'rich'.
@ThanosReXXX ahaha, yes it is! Thanos is a shorter version of another name, Athanasius, but people tend to use the shorter version more often.
I love indies and think that Nintendo has done a great job of attracting some really good titles to the platform.
I would, however, say that indies are predominantly the domain of a smaller subset of gamers who are actively interested in playing lots of titles or new experiences. This probably isn't true of the majority of gamers. Big AAA games are important because with that big AAA budget comes the big AAA marketing budget which lets people know that the game exists on the Switch and will be on store shelves for those people that don't go looking for the best games.
I think if Nintendo can get the balance right then they are on to a winner.
Seems like there is daily news on Nintendo Life about indie games announced for Switch. It gives me the impression that the eshop is over croweded.
I’m not particularly fond of indies. For like every 100 indie titles I may find 1 I like. So I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t want more AAA exclusives. I say exclusives because I have no reason of buying a multiplat game on Switch.
Switch was on fire last year. This year’s been a little quiet so far. Feels like a Wii U retread.
@Anti-Matter I know buddy, just playing.
@Anti-Matter I have no feelings about it at all. Unlike you and your constant insane preaching about M rated games. Can it preacher.
@formulas666 I bought a Switch day one and have neither Zelda nor Mario. You don't speak for all of us.
@darthstuey
That was my statement, being ANTI Mature games (18+)
That's also inspired me to give my username Anti-Matter due to similar pronounce.
Call me crazy, insane, whatever.
That's me with my statement.
@formulas666
"there are NO GOOD MEANINGFUL games for it?"
Pro tip-putting something in capitals doesn't make it true.
Nintendo are going down the right lines. The Switch was designed from day one to sell to Nintendo fans, people looking for a second console or a console to complement a gaming pc, and Vita owners. There's no mileage in competing with PS4 and XB1 when it comes to AAA support as that market is saturated.
The more it sells the more likely the occasional Western AAA will get ported. However it won't be anywhere near all of them. Some of them simply aren't possible and the effort required to squeeze others onto Switch won't be worth it because the market is restricted. Anybody who bought the switch for portability accepts the systems technical inferiority which restricts them. Anybody really bothered about them already has a system to play them on with better graphics.
@gortsi Aha, interesting. The Thanos in the comics is derived from another name, though: Thanatos, the Greek personification of Death.
You wouldn't believe the amount of messages I've gotten from Greek people on various sites over time, simply because they thought that I was one of their fellow countrymen, while the only inspiration for me to take up this name was a comics character...
@ThanosReXXX ah I didn't know that! And yeah it makes sense they'd think of you as one of them, it's a really common Greek name
While I agree with the "Indies = AAA" theory, I'm not sure that this should always apply to Nintendo's QA department. Some games like SteamWorld Dig 2, Celeste, etc. are on par with or better than some AAA efforts; games like Meme Run or most of Skunk Software's titles, however, deserve to be on the cutting room floor.
Why so many here have gone to the trouble of creating an account, password, and adding a photo on a Nintendo fan-site just to tell others how much they don't like Nintendo never ceases to baffle me.
For my part, indies are every bit as important to the history and future of gaming as AAA "tentpole" titles. Even Mario was more akin to today's "indie" productions back in the 70s/80s. I'm terribly excited to play Wolfenstein on my Switch, but I'm equally excited to play Celeste or Night in the Woods, or even (gasp) Old Man's Journey.
Downloads should never be the main-course. But it is on Switch.
It's weird to hear any company be so candid about problems it faces, specifically with Nintendo's visibility compared to other competition in regards to the previous generation. It can be hard to imagine at times with the PR talk, but the efforts made by companies to save face and put on a good image are a necessity I'm use to.
In terms of the equality of indies and AAA games, I see no problem with valuing them equally, but it should be mainly focused on quality. In terms of budget, graphical fidelity, and marketing, AAA titles tend to have that in the bag, but that doesn't automatically denote quality. Things like art direction, gameplay, bug testing, and so on are what determine how good a game is, and those are solely determined by the game itself, not how much money or spotlights are shined on it. Perhaps paying high profile talent would help, but I consider that connected to the team assembled for a job, rather than a budget itself.
That's actually a pretty cool fair statement. Well said..
@JimmySpades Well said. Comment of the day, right there.
I'm a firm believer that indies and certain games would sell better on Switch than their console counterpart.
But business wise releasing on PS4 is less risky.
I just want more mid-tier games to make a resurgence. Original ideas well planned out and executed, that won't bankrupt a software company. More Wonderful 101s and less first person shooters or cutscene heavy cover based shootouts with rubbery mannequins.
The eshop is getting cluttered with indie games. Lots off low scoring indie games confirm this. Let this go on for another year and it will have an adverse effect. Gamers will look to the PS for AAA games.
Indie developers seem to look to the Switch as a way to make a quick buck rather than showcase their talent.
Indie games should be in a different section, and let us gamers have a demo before we part with hard earned cash.
Celeste scored a 10 and will be listed higher than most AAA games. Value for money alone Celeste should lose 2 points off the score and another for poor graphics and a short amount of game play time.
@LUIGITORNADO I agree.
@Deathwalka
What ?!
Excuse me if i play Kiddie games like LEGO CITY UNDERCOVER, Mario, etc.
That's up to me.
Your comment was Terrible, not my games collection. How Dare You !!
@Anti-Matter hehe I was only joking I just wanted to wind you up as you always get so angry 😂
@Deathwalka
Oh, gosh... !
Well...
A good game is a good game. Be it an indie like Stardew Valley or a AAA title like Mario and Rabbids.
@GlutenFreeGamer "Why so many here have gone to the trouble of creating an account, password, and adding a photo on a Nintendo fan-site just to tell others how much they don't like Nintendo never ceases to baffle me."
Bizarre isn't it? All under the guise of "opinions".
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