Topic: The Nintendo Switch Thread

Who has been saying all these games were being held back? No one believes that.

There will probably be a couple big games we don't know about, and those couple big games have a very good chance of being revealed at E3, and if not at E3 then in a future Nintendo Direct, as we can clearly see Nintendo is desperate to cling on to any big game coming to make the most of its announcements, but I can promise you this is not one of them. It's EA.

There is a shortlist of likely candidates, and Madden isn't on it. But Ubisoft, THQ Nordic, Square Enix... these are the ones to watch. Publishers with a history of supporting Nintendo last generation and/or evidence of a current desire to support Nintendo with Switch. Games from these are the ones to watch for. Doesn't mean it's guaranteed, but it does mean it's possible and if there are a few games coming we don't know about, the statistical chance of Nintendo not making it a part of one of their e3 or Direct presentations is slim to none (since practically every other big Switch game was announced when Nintendo said jump, and not before)

@Frosty_09 Ohhhhh man! I want! **drool** Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!

So, thinking about e3, I think Nintendo has pretty much settled on an approach of selling fans on the games coming in the next 6 months, rather than showing all their cards for games that won't release for another 2-3 years. They made that mistake with the January 2013 Direct, and by the time Xenoblade was releasing, by the time Tokyo Mirage Sessions was releasing, the e3 hype was gone because we'd seen or heard about those games for years. Everyone is constantly looking to see what's next, to see what's new. You could have a great game releasing in a month, but show a shiny new game releasing after that and suddenly the focus shifts away from what's right in front of you.

This is why I think we won't see Smash Bros reveal until fall. We already have a very robust and full lineup for the 6 months post e3- Arms, Splatoon 2, Fire Emblem Warriors, Xenoblade Chronicles 2, Super Mario Odyssey, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, NBA 2K18, FIFA 18, Sonic Forces, and plenty of unknowns from 3rd parties we don't yet know about (doesn't have to be mega AAA, but just look how many TBA games are already announced like Tales and Project Octopath Traveller and Dragon Quest, etc... more will come between now and year's end). A Smash reveal would really hurt the Arms hype. Nintendo has a habit of revealing a few new games at e3, and a few new games in Nov/Dec as the final holiday release approaches, not only to build some final hype for that holiday release (in this case Mario Odyssey) but to set the stage for the following year.

And I think there's not really much room left for 1st party games this year. Arms in June, Splatoon 2 in July, lets say August is skipped and left for 3rd parties, FE Warriors in September, Xenoblade 2 in October, Mario Odyssey in November... that's a game a month for the rest of 2017. So I do expect maybe one more release for this year- a smaller release, and maybe a Fire Emblem Switch reveal (TBA 2018) and Pikmin 4 reveal (Spring 2018) to give us some excitement, but not too much. Then before Odyssey drops they air a Direct with more info and release months for those two 2018 games, and a couple new announcements for 2018 to set the stage for the first 6 months (since they're aiming for no major gaps between releases, we can expect at least 4 big releases between Jan 1st and e3 18. Maybe Feb, Mar, May and June.

And after much thought, I've decided the odds of seeing Metroid or Retro Studios game this e3 is slim. Whatever is coming it won't have room to release this year, therefore they'll probably hold back for a November Direct or, if it's a really big game for Holiday 2018, maybe they'll save it for e3 2018 (like a Metroid). As much as I'd like to believe there will be tons of new Switch announcements, the fact is we have a full plate for the next 6 months, and Nintendo typically doesn't show us more than what's coming for the next 6-9 months, at least, not anymore. Not since that blunder with Wii U (Zelda being another mistake- I'm sure they truly intended to release in Holiday 2015, but Switch version pushed it back a year + the 3 month delay into March for Switch release).

All that said, that doesn't change what's coming... just when we find out about it. If, let's say, 9 major 1st party releases are going to land on Switch each year for the next 5 years, then nothing is going to change that. We'll have 9 major releases in 2018 regardless, so whether Nintendo reveals 4 of them at e3 2017, and 5 later, or whether they reveal 1 of them at e3 2017, and save 8 for later... one way or another we've got 9 reveals to look forward to. Be it now or later, they're gonna come. So not seeing a bunch of new 2018 releases shown at e3 only means we'll have more to look forward to in the Fall Direct, or even next year's e3. The more they burn through now, the less they'll have later. And since, as I said, the next 6 months already has a robust lineup, there's really not much room for new announcements without eating into future presentations. Switch is hot, and they'll want to stagger their announcements throughout the year just as they're staggering their releases. So that, at the very least, e3 2017 ensures we know the lineup for the rest of the year, and Fall Direct 2017 ensures we know the lineup for first half of 2018, then e3 2018 tells us the lineup through the holidays, then Fall Direct reveals the first 6 months of 2019, etc.

@JaxonH totally agree. Holy words, buddy!! Was thinking about ARMS-Smash the other day and we may not see a Smash port because of it. And honestly i would he really happy

@FGPackers
Ya, I do think Smash will come- after the amazing response of consumers to Mario Kart 8 it's a no brainer, but I think they'll wait until the post-e3 Direct to announce it so as to not steal any thunder from Arms.

It would be a perfect spring release next year to help pad the lineup, maybe between Pikmin 4 and Fire Emblem, and maybe Dragon Quest XI (if the Switch version isn't too far behind PS4/3DS). Square Enix is backing Switch and I'm excited to see what they have in store, particularly with Final Fantasy or Kingdom Hearts. Cause you know both those franchises are a good fit for Switch. Not super realistic or gritty- although that's not to say realistic games can't be a good fit- they just need to be chosen carefully. Rise of the Tomb Raider is a perfect choice I think, not only for it's Zelda like gameplay approach but also the fact it already came to 360 which shows the game can be scaled down just fine and look incredible.

Also a lot of games that need localizing such as Nobanugas Ambition, Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIII, Nights of Azure 2, we have yet to hear what Tales game is coming, etc. Those could all be late 2017 and early 2018 releases in the west.

checks all nearby stores
Yup, still nonexistent...

@JasonH Heh, pretty much a plausable reason they'll be holding back (a maybely smash or so reveals) somewhat till the months close in, as not to overshadow the other games.

Hot dog! Nintendo is certainly coming back in a way.

@Frosty_09 Blimey, an ad campaign around Fifa will send Nintendo Europe in to meltdown. No way they could handle the demand!

@Frosty_09 Kimishima certainly knows how to steer a ship.

They should have got Messi in that shot and told them all to hold a piece of paper with their friend code on it.

EA'S Full comments about the Switch

http://nintendoeverything.com/eas-full-comments-about-switch/

“So we feel really good about it. Again, we came out early and said that we’ll be supporting the Nintendo Switch with our biggest title in FIFA. We have a tremendous relationship with Nintendo and have done for many, many years and are excited by the fact that they have come out very strong and are bringing in a whole new player base into the ecosystem. We continue to be bullish on it and are looking at other titles that we might bring to the Switch.”

"bringing in a whole new player base into the ecosystem."

Why do EA insist on saying things like this when it comes to Nintendo.Do they think the Switch's good start is because the casuals are back on board?So casuals pre-ordered the Switch to play Zelda,they searched relentlessly online looking for any available stock,they paid way over RRP from scalpers because they were so desperate to get one.Comments like this just raises more doubt that we're going to get a proper FIFA from them.FIFA Soccer All-Play 18 is probably more likely.

@OorWullie
Ya I'd pretty much write off EA entirely. FIFA will be a valuable addition, don't get me wrong, and that is appreciated... and hopefully, maybe, they'll bring more in the future. But I'm not counting on it and am perfectly content with a Switch whose future lies in a separate path from EA.

I think Switch will kind of be like PC, inasmuch that not all games will be ported to it, but certain ones that make sense. It'll have its own flavor of support (not near as much as PC, obviously, but the comparison lies with the fact if you look at Steam, for example, there are a ton of major games missing, but there's also a ton of games only on PC as well).

I think EA support would be great, and would definitely help, but I also think a lack of EA support is a very plausible reality. Thankfully, I believe Switch can do just fine without EA and for the most part, without major western AAA support in general (just look at 3DS, or even Wii which was missing 99% of the games PS3/360 got). Not that that's something to strive for, but rather something that can be overcome in spite of.

Succeeds breeds profit though, and if momentum holds strong 3rd parties will want a piece of the pie. And there's enough Japanese games out there alone to keep the lineup packed alongside Nintendo's own releases which, at the rate they're going, can almost singlehandhedly carry the entire platform. Vita lived for years off nothing more than Japanese bread and water, and those games are already starting to pour in (and even rival sales of Vita and their respective PS4 ports, like Disgaea's 110k preorders which is almost half of the ex-PS4 exclusive's sales to date).

I say screw EA. There's money to be made; let those who want it claim it. EA can sit from the sidelines and observe other companies profiting as far as I'm concerned. And observe what their lack of faith has cost them.

@JaxonH It almost feels like they're mocking us at times.Yes their last few releases on Wii U and Wii sold poorly but anyone with any knowledge of those releases and when they came out can easily explain why they performed poorly.The Gamecube received plenty support from them and FIFA and various other sport titles must have sold well enough for them to continue releasing them each year.Perhaps they sold well because they were versions that were actually on par with the other consoles.The Wii also received plenty support from them and I bought loads of their titles.Again the sports titles must have sold well enough initially for them to keep releasing more but then it soon became clear how much they lagged behind the other consoles versions so sales dropped off.EA's answer,release Legacy editions which are reskinned versions of the previous seasons which sold poorly but obviously not poorly enough for them release them again.With Wii U FIFA it was already known before release that it was going to be an outdated port so unsurprisingly it sold poorly.The same can be said about their other attempts at support too.Even Need for Speed,while a good game,it was late to arrive,overpriced and never had any discount and released with zero promotion.Maybe this suggests that the majority of the Nintendo fanbase are not casuals and are actually knowledgeable gamers and that's the reason their games aren't selling.If not then the surely the casuals would have lapped FIFA up as they would have no clue about it been an old and dodgy port.There's no doubt that Nintendo consoles attract casuals and family gamers but they are not the majority.I would hazard a guess that there as much casuals that play Nintendo as there are on Playstation.

I've said it in the past that a company like them that has so much influence in the industry has a role to play in ensuring any new consoles success whether it fully pays off for them or not.Surely having a healthy industry with 3 main players is good for them in the long run.Funnily after I made the comment saying the same thing under a past article, a day or 2 later Damian wrote an article saying it's all on Nintendo to ensure the consoles success,not 3rd party's.I don't agree with this,for sure they have a role to play in helping it succeed.If the next Xbox or Playstation got off to a bad start would EA just drop support?No chance as EA would be no more.They help make sure that doesn't happen though by bringing plenty of games to them.

I could rant for hours on this but I'll spare ye haha.It's morning time and that comment from them triggered me.

@OorWullie
Their support is definitely important, and lack of it is a serious blow... but not fatal, as I'm sure Nintendo will prove yet again with Switch.

And that will be so satisfying, seeing Switch succeed in spite of EA's uncommitment.

I'm sure EA will be perfectly fine without the Switch.

The majority of their income stems from their Origin service, the 'Ultimate Team' bobbins, 'free' mobile games with a focus on IAPs and their annual sports franchise such as FIFA and Madden, the latter of which isn't coming to the Switch.

The graph below shows that the Electronic Arts stock only just broke $100 recently, and the company is now worth $33.75 billion in market cap. For comparisons sake, Nintendo's market cap is worth a tiny little bit less at $33.63 billion as of the 1st of May.

And that was without barely releasing anything on the Wii U or 3DS for a very long time!

No doubt EA is enjoying their flagrant money grab, also know as 'Ultimate Team' on all their franchises, at the expense of modes such as Carreer, etc.

Barcelona players playing the Switch.

They were probably given them for free to get some promotion, but still, it's an improvement over this guy and the multitude of naff videos he was in.

@OorWullie here, here! EA are everything wrong with modern video games. The worst thing (aside from the fact they hold some great historic IPs that they occasionally exhume to desecrate) is that continue to collude behind the scenes to engineer a market place that's big on exploitation, violence and the lowest common denominator and small on innovation, charm and intelligence.

The other big Western publishers I can take or leave but EA have basically no redeeming features.

Hopefully the exit of the toxic Peter Moore will mean they change course but I fear the dreadful culture he leaves in his wake will forever taint the company.

@Peek-a-boo Perhaps there's a correlation between the decline of Nintendo & the rise of EA?

The two companies have almost diametrically opposite philosophies when it comes to game design, marketing and culture. Within the industry there are no two large companies with whom you could draw such a sharp contrast.

Nintendo consoles becoming less relevant therefore suggests EAs model has been vindicated. Which would influence some investors.