Topic: Next Nintendo Direct?

@skywake The double purchasing of hardware will forever remain the same no matter if generations are abolished or not. Eventually, to continue playing the games you'll want to play, you'll have to get rid of the old console, even if it's the "Same" console you're planning to buy. The unnecessary ports are generally to fill out the library when they're working on new games anyways, and for the people who never got to play the older games as they didn't own the hardware at the time. Those won't be going anywhere either, since if they did, then many game companies would have dry periods quite often.

The gamble itself is understandable, but it's also a gamble to buy a console in general, even without generations, given that it'll still be completely outclassed anyways, unless they introduce consoles that are like gaming pc's, where you can customize the innards of the console and freely upgrade them without compromising a warranty.

@VoidofLight
I still keep my Old 3DS XL USA version since from 2013 even when I got New 3DS XL on year 2017. I cannot get rid my first original machine that I bought from my salary.
And some ported games are actually good especially when the games are from Steam version first then ported to consoles.

@VoidofLight
When I said double purchasing I wasn't talking about the hardware specifically. I was talking about games and accessories also. There will always be something new and there will always be wear so it's not avoidable entirely. But specifically cutting off the previous "generation" for no reason other than preserving this artificial and unnecessary idea of "console generations"? That just adds to it and I don't see the point.

I mean you could argue that resetting everything allows them to sell you all the games and accessories again. Which is true. But resetting from their perspective also resets everything. It means no install base and no library of content. It's a risk and risks cost money. Also even if this is your argument and even if the risk somehow wasn't an issue (it is) you're still advocating for something that's not in our interests as consumers. So I'm not on your side in any case

Oh, and ports? You realise that enhanced versions still exist on PC where there is no clear boundary between generations right? Sometimes they even make them available for no extra cost to people who brought the originals. And if you destroyed the boundaries of generations then "people who didn't have the old hardware" would, you know, have access to those games without having to wait for a port. Also with no need to use ports to buff up the library those resources could be freed up to do other things. Like more DLC, the previously mentioned enhanced ports or gasp new content

I think looking at the original XB1 throughout the past 8 years is a good example of the biggest problem that eliminating console generations faces. 2013-2017 generally had performance stable on XB1 but when the XB1X happened it became increasingly common that performance for the original XB1 was rough. Then it got even worse when the Series X|S came along in 2020.

I'm talking really bad, generally not one to care much about performance as perfectly shown by the fact I purchase 3rd party games mostly on Switch instead of Xbox when they come to both platforms but I'm pretty much in the position where I have a large backlog of games I want to play when I get a Series X because they run so bad on my XB1.

At least the vast majority of my favourite XB1 games launched in 2014-2015 so they still run well today.

@VoidofLight The current form factor of the Switch is incredibly modular to the point where Nintendo really shouldn't be moving away from it anytime soon (if ever) and any innovations they could come up with can be added onto the Switch instead of replacing it completely. New controller gimmick? Create new Joycons/controllers that can attach to the screen. Need more horsepower? Upgrade the screen. Want to add more features to Docked Mode? Create a new dock. Future innovations are going to concern one or more of those components, and they've done a good job of breaking the Switch down into those core components so that if any one of them becomes outdated, the others can continue to be supported as needed. They've made the Switch a Ship of Theseus if you will. So the notion of periodic, incremental upgrades holding them back from innovating is false.

Also, I'd like to add to the chorus of voices saying that full generational shifts are not keeping the industry innovative. Next gen games, especially on the non-Nintendo side of things, have done very little to innovate in quite some time, opting primarily to improve the graphical quality instead of gameplay. The PS5's load times are a nice improvement, but that's the exception, not the rule. Most of the innovations in the industry in the last 15 years or so have been from Nintendo tinkering with different controller types, and in fact the rest of the industry is largely pushing back on that. And again, different controller types can simply swap in for the Joy Cons, you don't need to replace the entire Switch to do that.

@Bolt_Strike I guess I just hate the concept of this, due to how I'm not rich, and can barely afford consoles to begin with. If I do get a console, I don't want it to be outclassed in a year, and the games I experience to be lesser than how everyone else experiences it. If a switch game is advertised as a switch game now, then I understand that the game in the trailer, aside from third parties, will look and play like the game in the trailer.

If they did abandon generations, then the line would be bleeding, and it'll give them more leeway in showing a game that looks better than it actually plays, as it's running on the higher power version of the console, and not the model that I had to get since I'm not made of money.

I keep bringing this up, but imagine if BotW 2 gets more trailers, and they announce a new switch model, only showing gameplay recorded off that build, and not off the base model. It'd give people a false impression that the game runs way better than it actually does, unless you buy the higher priced console upgrade. Now imagine getting the game on launch, with it barely even running on the base switch as is, being 10 FPS and low resolution. You'd feel cheated right?

And yes, you could say "Well, it happens anyways, because CGI trailers exist!", but most Nintendo games don't have CGI trailers, and rather go for the approach of gameplay trailers, unless they're trying to reveal a game without showing the game off.

You could also say "Well, games on switch already run poorly", and while that is true, it's not every game that runs like that.

But IF this incremental increase happened every year, @VoidofLight .... Just about nobody would get a new Switch each time! Did most of us get the Mariko revision, for instance? You'd almost certainly find it'd be several revisions before there'd be enough difference between how most games were playing on them for it to become worth replacing your Switch
Just like how most people don't have to replace their phone every year (&, really, most people don't need top end devices at all but a lot still do get them)

@BruceCM True, but it's still just not a thing I'm excited for if it happens. I like generations more than I like the idea of a system that stays the same forever, barely changing.. and when it does change, then the system you have is worthless, and you'll never make your money back for it, as no one will want it either. Just like phones, where unless someone's a collector, reselling your phone barely gets you back the money that was put into it.

@VoidofLight There's no need to upgrade frequently with an incremental upgrade system though. You could hold onto an "outclassed" console for 4-5 years before it becomes too outdated to run the newest games. So it really it'd be like having cross gen titles all generation.

As for developers using false advertising with newer models, that would be a valid concern, but that's more of a marketing issue than a sales model issue.

Has there been any rumblings of a Direct soon?

@GrailUK No it’s all based on past years always having something during September.

@FragRed I'm too busy waiting for October 5th! Hmm...a Direct would certainly make the wait much easier...

...rumble...rumble...(actually, I think that's my stomach.)

@GrailUK I wish there was but part of me thinks there isn't gonna be a direct in September. A lot of the recent trailers that have been posted to their youtube channel just seem like they could've been used in a direct. But then again I could be wrong and I hope I am

@Vortexeo I hope you are wrong too heheh

@Vortexeo @GrailUK That recent trailer of World War Z port is the exact type of third party reveal you’d normally expect to find in a Direct.

@FragRed Yeah, I have to agree with you there. Together with Dying LIght, the leaked Resident Evil Switch game and GTA collection there was enough there for a mature rated Direct which would have been a nice change of vibe (especially with Metroid on the horizon) from the wholesome chic they have been nurturing thanks to Animal Crossing's success.

@GrailUK The GTA remasters haven't been officially announced and are just rumours right now - unless there was some age rating listing where it was leaked as often seems to happen. But that would be something I was expecting Sony to reveal alongside the GTA V remaster of a remaster of a PS3 game. I forgot all about Dying Light, have they shown anything of that game for the Switch? Yeah that should have been a Direct reveal but again I just assume it's because there is no Direct. Nintendo's entire marketing campaign is seemingly around Metroid Dread.

@FragRed I honestly would have thought that GTA collection would have more impact being revealed in a Direct (first time on a Nintendo console is quite the headline) but the Direct would have to have been 18 rated maybe (which would have been a great Direct to show all the zombie stuff too!) But yeah, what with Monkey Ball and Metroid, I'm already have stuff to look forwad to lol.

If there isn't one this month we have to get one next month right? I mean we don't have to but they normally do one around this time, Part of me kind wants them to push it back a little bit or not have the final smash fighter in it, Because once its done its done, a bonus fighter would be sick tho.

@VoidofLight I get what you mean, I kinda wish it was like Sony's consoles in a way, you get a playstation system and you don't have to worry about the upgrades version, Plus your going to have said console for like ten to 5 years at the most, before the next console, I have no idea what nintendos Console upgrade pattern is but if we are going to get a switch pro I could see it happening in the next 3 years.

The OLED, just looks like it meant to be another option, so maybe we could see a switch pro next year, All in all, I just think waiting is good, as long as your sure you want to stick with that console for a bit.

And I agree on what you said, You could wait it out...Wait out for something that might never happen.