Topic: The Nintendo Switch Rumor and Speculation Thread

I mean it's possible that could be a semantic difference and the "Pro" could get exclusive games. I'm flip-flopping back and forth between whether or not Nintendo will actually do that (and the pandemic causing a chip shortage and weird scheduling isn't helping matters in terms of predicting how and when we'll move on). I think they should, but will they? That's another story.

There's definitely some legitimate concerns in the way of communicating which games are compatible with which models. Say you have an OG Switch, a Switch Pro, a Switch 2, and a Switch 2 Pro. How do you communicate that a game will be compatible with OG Switch and Switch Pro? Exclusive to Switch Pro? Switch Pro and Switch 2? Switch 2 and Switch 2 Pro? And more importantly, how do you do that while still making it clear and easy for consumers to understand? That might give Nintendo some pause on this idea.

Whatever the case, I think the OG Switch is still going to see a healthy amount of support for the next 3 years, I think this Direct made at least that much clear. And they might not even be as eager to utilize stronger hardware for their higher end games like you think if they're not willing to make them exclusive to a Pro model of some sorts.

@Bolt_Strike
For digital purchases it's not an issue. You just make those games not available to purchase on the eShop for the OG Switch. Retail is trickier but they have done it before and it's something happening right now with the PS5. You just need to make the media physically incompatible and have strong enough branding and messaging that people know what the deal is

With the GBC we had the original cartridges with the notch for the power switch. The new cartridges lacked the notch and were clear. Cross compatible cartridges had the notch but were black. And on the package GBC only said Only For GBC, cross compatible had the GBC branding without the Only For, non enhanced games just said Gameboy

So it's doable, I mean it's technically no more complicated for consumers than going from DS to 3DS or Wii to Wii U. Just hopefully with better branding than the Wii U had......

While the Direct hasn't changed my stance on thinking the next hardware is launching Fall/Holiday 2024 at the earliest (could easily be later), it has however changed my opinion on what type of transition I think it'll be.

Before the Direct I thought it would be a soft transition like PS4 -> PS5 in 2020 - 2022 where there's crossgen releases for a few years but now I think it'll be mostly a hard transition where there's no upcoming Switch games but existing multiplayer Switch games still get DLC/free updates. If a single player game like TotK gets DLC though, I think it'll be exclusive to the new hardware much like how Burning Shores is exclusive to PS5 (HFW was a crossgen release).

https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2022/12/horizon-forbidden-wes...

As for Prime 4, I still think it'll be an early 2024 release just for the current Switch but with a September general Direct re-reveal alongside a shadow drop of Prime 2+3.

@Grumblevolcano Definitely agree with you on the fact Nintendo are going to hard transition into the Switch successor. Most of what we seem to be getting are remasters and remakes with the odd smaller budget game. Keeps the games coming while most of the resources are readying up the launch of the next console.

@Grumblevolcano I've gone in the opposite direction. I thought perhaps it might be a hard transition last year, but I don't think it will anymore. They announced some pretty big games that if they were going for that would've been better saved for next gen launch titles (especially Super Mario Bros. Wonder, that is way too fresh and system selling to be a swan song title). I think if new hardware is next year, it'll only be a soft transition, if they want a hard transition we're probably going to be waiting until 2025-2027.

Interesting. This was expected, but a Nintendo console with PS4 power would be great! It could run much more powerful games and there may even be room for NSO applications for consoles that have larger file sized games like Dreamcast and GameCube. (Dreamcast NSO would be incredible, imagine SA2 on a Nintendo console after so long)

@TheBigBlue Don’t get excited about the prospect of GameCube games when Nintendo seem pretty happy remastering them and releasing them. Also don’t see Dreamcast games coming either.

Definitely on the home stretch now. Nintendo actively talking about how they'll handle the transition and third parties outlining what the spec will be. Hasn't changed my view, infact it's making me more confident. Release in the first half of next year. Lock it in!

@skywake I have family employed at NoA in WA. Obviously they don’t let on to specifics (and i don’t pry at my age) but I have a feeling something is pretty darn close from their telling smile on the topic.. ha!

@FragRed eh those were just examples. Nintendo makes more money rereleasing those games anyways

My uncle works for Nintendo. He says an announcement is coming in Septemberish

@ZeldaFan83 for sure the uncle meme makes having a connection to a Nintendo employee seem like a big deal!

@ZeldaFan83 @NinChocolate My uncle also works at Nintendo. His name is Brian and he told me to always look on the bright side of life.

My debit card was lost in front of Nintendo’s headquarters, and 7 days later, a Nintendo employee mailed it back to me with a written note attached to the card saying that the new console will arrive in 20XX. If you read this spoiler, I’m so sorry but these my uncle works at Nintendo jokes are too easy to capitalize on.

@TheBigBlue ah, you lost yours too, I was there when they had the sale. The funniest thing happened, I was looking at buying one game then I ended up buying 7 games 4 of which I might never play, then I saw a sign saying "spoiler" I clicked it and before long I remembered that my uncle jokes are still funny.

I know it's a meme as old as time but I'm sure my nieces talked about me at school as if I actually was the uncle who worked at Nintendo. Given I'm a developer and seem to have all the Nintendo things. I'm sure if I told them I worked at Nintendo they would've believed it

@skywake works at Nintendo confirmed.

@skywake By 'Release' do you just mean a reveal/launch announcement, or do you expect an actual launch/on sale 1H 2024?

@TSR3
By release I mean release

@skywake 😏 ok yeah, re-reading my own question it kinda mangles the terminology
I really was having a bad day yesterday! A better way of asking would have been - Do you think they’ll announce this year?

Since their last financial report I’ve been expecting they’ll keep 2024 to be the year of the new model, and will avoid any marketing for it at all this year. So I’d be assuming a release later next year, late Q2/early Q3