Topic: Do you think nintendo should make a successor to the nintendo switch or should they make a "standard" console to catch up to the competition?

Seeing rumors of nintendo's follow up to the switch fly around have made me wonder If anyone has considered them not making a successor for to (at least not right away).

What if their next system is a console and not a hybrid-handheld? Because the way I see it, the only way to improve the switch is to make it more powerful so more developers can port their games to it and so they can run without major framerate problems. But doing so could increase the price to a point where people may not want to buy it.

Making the follow-up to the switch a console may seem stupid, but it would give nintendo the technological jump they need to sway developers to make their future games on nintendo platforms and would give them enough time to make a possible switch successor that isn't too expensive for most consumers.

But that's just my opinion. What do you think?

I see your point but I personally really don't see that happening, it would be very Nintendo do drop this new idea that everyone has fallen in love with but everything they've done over the last 7 years has indicated that the Hybrid style consoles are here to stay, most prominently them merging their studios together so that they aren't split making handheld games and console games, but to entertain your idea, they could just make their studios focus on high performing games instead of games built for hybrid gaming so it certainly could happen.

Nintendo haven't cared about matching the specs of the competition since the Gamecube and they've done just fine doing so (to wildly understate the performance of the wii and the switch to just fine LOL). I don't see them suddenly switching (pun intended) gears and caring again. in the last 7 years the technology budget that they used on the OG model switch goes a lot further than it did when they were developing that system in lets say 2014/15. so using the same budget they did back then would already raise that ceiling that the devs are currently bumping their heads against. Raising the costs of Switch 2 even just to 115% would make a dramatic difference to the specs and capability of the device in 2023/24, and wouldn't affect the RRP very much for players.

if they were to go home console what would be their gimmick to get the initial sales going to the average consumer, i wonder? cause there's no way it would match performance with PS5/Series X so what would the hook be, simply "this is where to play the new Mario" I cant help but wonder if thats enough for your average Joe, its enough for me, im buying it whatever it is, day 1.

I work in a gaming store and the vast majority of Switch Purchasers I see aren't buying it for Nintendo IPs, more so because they are intrigued with the ability to play on the go or as a family or in bed/toilet, etc. they are more excited to have their crash bandicoots, fifas, GTA collection, etc on the go and the Nintendo IPs are supplementary.
All the new console has to do is attract them with more of those games, get GTA V on the next thing and we know COD is coming to Nintendo consoles going forward so the new console doesn't have to perform the best.
Its ultimately possible, but personally I think it unlikely, im curious, would you prefer it if they did favour a console rather than a hybrid, if so why? (not snarky, just generally curious, its a fun topic to ponder)

What makes Nintendo successful is its unique ideas with consoles. They don't really need to catch up with the competition, they seem to have better success standing out. Of course the next console needs to be more powerful if its to succeed but it shouldn't be the main focus.
I can see Nintendo making a more powerful Switch with a second screen more than I can see them making a "Super Switch" or whatever.

@Tanookduke I would love a tv-only console. I loath the fact that the switch is built around a rechargeable battery with no access panel to change the battery - it's ridiculous. And, I'm not fond of paying more for parts & guts needed to make it a handheld console, when I don't care for the handheld mode. They could probably sell a tv-only version of the switch for closer to $200.

I'm also in the camp that's tired of missing out on modern games because the switch is so underpowered. I like both Nintendo AND modern games. Why is that so crazy?

I'm sure I would get it eventually because it's Nintendo and they always do awesome things and I would eventually need to get the newest Zelda, but I can't see myself going back to having to play on the TV. I currently own my most wanted to play series that I never have (Mass Effect Trilogy), but I've never played it because I just don't want to deal with being tied to the TV. It was Wii U and the Gamepad that did it for me, not even the Switch, so even something like that is fine. Not that they'll ever try to copy the Wii U again.

If they go state of the art with anything, it needs to be a hybrid system. It's a no brainer at this point. The only cause for concern is when to release it! I'm sure Sony and Microsoft are both looking at the space and waiting to trump the next console, which needs to be able to fend off any competition (and this point is often overlooked.) MS and Sony are vultures and will pounce if Nintendo's system is lacking in some regard. So it can't release until they have a few years of software lined up for it (software sells consoles - not specs.) Is that next year? Who knows. Maybe Nintendo waits to see if Sony or MS have anything planned in this space so they can make sure their console is competitive. No idea what goes on behind the scenes. At the moment, I think everyone is happy with how well games are performing.

This might be unpopular, and many will probably disagree, but whenever they do make a new console, (i. My opinion I just want a switch 2) I really want it to bring back the charm to its menu screen, for as great as the switch is the menu screen and Eshop are a downgrade in terms of style, No Eshop music, and no little jingles are anything when hovering over a select game, the Wii, wiiu, and 3ds did this, so it kinda sucked when the switch didn’t, and we don’t even have any wallpapers or themes! Honestly if the switch 2 had that, it would already be miles better for me! As I already am pretty content with the switch, and I just want more of that, but with better graphic quality and speed so on and so on.

@Snatcher
Yeah i feel like the concept of the switch is pretty much perfect (hope the "switch 2" has analogue triggers though) so i would be happy with the basic idea being a switch but more powerful.

The idea of adding more charm to the menus and whatnot is also something i would be happy with so long as they are snappy and easy to navigate .

@GrailUK
Yeah im definitely hoping its still a hybrid system, though in regards to specs and software i imagine the better specs could maybe bring some games which missed out on the original switch, plus even some upcoming games like the new armoured core are coming to ps4/xbox-one so would hopefully be viable.

I hear if you say "Powerful Nintendo Home Console" three times into a mirror you awaken the ghost of SuperMetalDave

Seriously though, it's been 7 years. Mobile tech has advanced enough that they could significantly bump the spec without significantly raising the price. We don't need to sacrifice the one thing that makes the Switch a unique product for more performance. We can have both

I can't see Nintendo ever returning to dedicated home consoles. With technology plateauing with regard to what humans can reasonably perceive, hybrids are here to stay, and somebody here had hypothesised that Sony/Microsoft will inevitably go in that direction come next generation or the generation after that.

VR and PC gaming aside, I think dedicated home consoles are on the way out.

However, it is a little surprising that Nintendo have not had the foresight to produce a TV-only Switch, which would be a LOT cheaper to produce (no screen, nor will the form factor need to be so slim) and would make a great entry-level home console. The only major difference between such a console and the standard Switch is that it could use hard drives rather than microSD cards for storage, and Nintendo could probaly throw in a little more on-board storage for good measure. But that aside, it will function identically to the standard console.

Something to consider for the Switch's successor, perhaps.

Thanks to cloud saves, I rarely take the OG Switch out of the dock these days, as it's easy enough to pick up where I left off with a game on the Lite. If the former ever died, I'd be happy enough with a TV-only model to replace it.

That said, I doubt that's typical and if their market research still suggests that the vast majority of Switches see hybrid or exclusively handheld use, they'd probably not want to pull the trigger on it.

I feel like even if it isn’t a switch 2, it HAS to be a hybrid console, as Nintendo merged their console and handheld departments iirc

@skywake 😆

@skywake
Yeah the switch very much fits in its own category and the nearest things to it are more like portable PCs.

i do hope that they keep the hybrid model since it offers the most options in "how" you play the games where's something like the wii (and wiiu to lesser extent) was a lot more restrictive.

im hoping they expand upon that idea, maybe including things like button remapping on a game-by-game basis.

Switch successor is the preferred option out of those 2 given backwards compatibility and while I don't use handheld mode much, I still very much prefer the hybrid nature of Switch over dedicated home console or dedicated handheld. That said, the state of PS/Xbox makes me think the best option is just continuing on with the current Switch being the most powerful Nintendo hardware for a lot longer (e.g. Switch successor in 2030).

@Mgalens Right? I think Nintendo found its Xbox playstation and whatnot, it’s an already great console! Just imagine what it can be like with more power!

I bought a Switch because of the hybrid nature of the platform. I didn't purchase a Switch for Nintendo's first party games. If Nintendo attempted to be an 8k display platform to compete with PS5 and XSX, they'd slip from being a market leader to being back in third place. Like the GC, like the Wii U, if Nintendo doesn't lean on a gimmick to pitch their platform...only the Nintendo-faithful will be buying.

Which is good for about 10m-20m sales lifetime.

Why leave the sofa to dock your Switch for some Big Screen play if you can just press a ('Switch') button on your Switch and the game starts seamlessly streaming to the dock?

I don't need a "standard" console from Nintendo, because I'll always prefer PlayStation as home console. But I want a nice handheld console from them. More powerful then Switch, with normal D-Pad and without that stupid problems with analog sticks.

Yeah no the Nintendo Switch is on track to becoming the best selling console in history, Nintendo would be stupid to drop this concept.