Topic: The Nintendo Switch Thread

@Nincompoop @StuTwo @Therad The thing that makes me think that we might be getting some kind of GPU expansion in the future is that there's a USB 3.0, super-fast HMDI port and quite a lot of unused space in the back of the Dock...just a guess, obviously, but it seems to me that the Switch Dock was designed in such a way to at least give themselves the option for expansion in the future.

It'd have a lot of benefits too - a bit like the N64's Expansion Pak...if they could up the docked output to something akin to the PS4/X1, it could encourage more third-parties to port their 'current gen' games over...and it'd mean that we wouldn't have to upgrade our whole console to a new 'Switch 2' either - just buy a GPU add-on, saving us money. To me, it'd be an attractive and worthwhile investment.

I can totally see Nintendo's first-party games all being made with hybrid-gaming in mind - ensuring that there's a strong core of 'anywhere, anytime' games on the platform...but also adding a 'Switch Expansion Pak' to encourage more third-party AAA's to the platform. They already allow handheld-only games - so I see no reason why they wouldn't also allow docked-only game in the future - so long as they keep hyrbid-gaming at its core...and they can easily achieve this by developing the bulk of the hybrid games themselves - first-party Nintendo games are always the best sellers on any given system, so as long as they continue to develop true-hybrid games, the Switch won't lose its identity...it'd just be there to give third-party developers the flexibility (and additional power) they crave.

@Ralizah It's not just the bloated UI that's the problem. The Xbox One has one of the worst digital shops I've seen. It's terrible. There's no real way of categorising what you are looking for. It all just seems to be one big mess. At least the PS4 has some kind of way of doing this. The Switch is new so I can't really complain about the shop just yet, but they will soon need to start looking to address this issue.

@NaviAndMii Handheld only games exist only because they're entirely reliant on the touchscreen. I REALLY hope we don't get any dock-only games, as that would set a very bad precedent for future Switch titles.

@Ralizah I disagree - it'd just add extra flexibility to an already super-flexible console. I can see Nintendo developing exclusively hybrid games - and they'll be the best sellers, so the Switch will be hybrid at its core. A GPU expansion would just be there to make it easier for third-parties to bring their bigger AAA games to the system as well...

It'd just be an option - but an option that I think would be very attractive to a lot of people...would I spend an extra, say, £100 on an Expansion Pak that'd boost docked performance and attract, potentially, the likes of Overwatch, DOOM, Fallout 4 etc to the system as docked-only, third-party, home gaming options? Hell yeah I would! ..and I'd still have Breath of the Wild, Splatoon 2, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe etc for 'anytime, anywhere' gaming - I'd be all for it, personally.

@NaviAndMii Making the Switch into a console where half the library can only be played on a TV is a terrible idea. "Anytime, anywhere, with anyone. " Dock-only games run completely counter to the central concept of the Switch.

@Ralizah Not really - the central concept of the Switch is that it's a home console that you can take with you on the go...allowing touchscreen, handheld only, hybrid and home only games would open the Switch up even further - and help to bring even greater diversity to the console.

Say Overwatch came, docked (w/ Expansion Pak) only - that wouldn't mean that I couldn't take my Switch with me on the go - it'd just mean that I couldn't play Overwatch on the go....no big deal, I can't play touchscreen games docked either. It's no different. ..but I'd have a console that I could play the best handheld games on, the best touchscreen games on, the best home console games on and some hybrid games that I can play any which way I choose - It'd be, in my eyes, even better...

So long as they made it clear that you'd need an Expansion Pak to play those 'docked only' games (like they did with Perfect Dark, Donkey Kong etc in the N64 days), I don't think there'd be any confusion. In fact, I think people would be delighted to see the scope of the Switch opened up yet further...I know I would.

@NaviAndMii I'd much rather see developers go to the effort of making their games work in handheld mode. Allowing them the easy route of docked-only with a power boost would discourage that. And obviously docked-only is a much bigger hit to convenience than handheld-only. It'd greatly decrease the chance of me buying the game, I can tell you that much.

If there were docked only games, Nintendo would've been better off releasing a home console with specs around PS4 Pro and another 3DS type handheld. The special thing about Switch is its hybrid nature, take that away with docked only games and the system is rendered pointless.

@Zyrac See, my argument would be this - at the moment, a lot of the larger 'AAA' games seem to be off the table - too little power, too many compromises...if a Switch owner wants to play those games, they'll need to buy a PS4/X1. If Nintendo release an Expansion Pak, those game could come to the Switch (docked only) - the Switch owner no longer has to buy a whole new £250 console to play those games - just a, say, £100 Expansion Pak instead...a far more attractive proposition. Plus, from Nintendo's point of view, the more third-parties they can get on board, the more Sony & Microsoft would have to rely on their exclusives...which they'll never win vs. Nintendo.

Of course, if (to use the same example) Overwatch could play docked and undocked, all the better - it'd probably sell better too - but an Expansion Pak allowing those games that flat-out can't run on the vanilla Switch to still come over, I think would be great...and so long as Nintendo's first-party titles are built with hybrid-gaming in mind, I don't think the Switch would lose its identity - Nintendo games will outsell all others, so the perception will always be that the core games are hybrid - but with an option to boost and expand if you wish too...

@StuTwo I would say it's best for Nintendo to stay in the middle, use both modes equally.

@Therad @NaviAndMii @StuTwo PS4/PS4 Pro or 3DS/New 3DS. It will happen to Switch down the road: all Nintendo needs to do is release an add-on GPU for the dock or release a new dock with Nvidia GPU built-in. This reduces the need for current Switch owner to buy the handheld unit: makes it cheaper! Maybe just like the New 3DS, Nintendo will only make one game (Xenoblade 3D) that required docked-mode.

By using an external GPU, Switch will be powerful enough to drive a VR headset. Next version of Vive and Rift will be wireless. In fact all the new VR units coming out from now on will be wireless. You already can make the Vive wireless with an add-on device, latency is less than 2ms. Next year, PSVR and current VR headsets will look silly with all the connected wires.

Before Switch was unveiled last year, factory workers in China were leaking news about the Switch's dock having a cube-shape processing unit. I think they saw some of the prototypes Nintendo were testing with external GPU. Sooner or later Nintendo will release an upgraded Switch, personally I rather have an external GPU add-on for the Switch than having to buy a New Switch with upgraded mobile GPU. The GPU for the dock is desktop class Nvidia chip, it's what Switch needs... for portable, the current GPU is more than enough.

@Grumblevolcano And so is it if you do handheld only, save of course for the quirky touch-screen games.

@UmniKnight Exactly, the only purpose of handheld only should be touch screen games.

@Zyrac At the same time, I'd happily buy such games because I'm a more home-console oriented gamer (as in 100%) And so we arrive at the camp handheld vs camp home-console argument yet again.

My thoughts exactly! If Nintendo released a GPU expansion in, say, 2 years time - it'd help the Switch to keep pace (or at least stay in touch) with the PS4/X1 - then, perhaps in 4 years time, they might consider bringing out a beefier 'Switch 2' capable of, say, 1080p undocked/4K docked....the Switch is essentially a tablet - and tablet tech keeps advancing year-on-year...but I don't think people would want to buy a new 'home console' every year or two - this would just allow Nintendo to keep with the times without rinsing customers...

That's the beauty of this GPU expansion idea though - it'd mean the Switch is the best of both all worlds -
handheld, hybrid, portable, touchscreen, home, docked, undocked - all rolled in to one! ..the place where you can do all of your gaming! ..offering even greater flexibility that before!

Would be great to see a proper Nintendo home console (for those that want it) with crossbuy for Switch. I know people wont like this idea, but it appeals to me.

If Nintendo ever offers an enhanced dock, I agree with those who believe Nintendo needs to be careful not to split their user base or dilute the expectations users have that their games will "just work" in both docked and portable modes. If an enhanced GPU were offered in the dock, I would hope for it to be primarily in support of additional display devices and modes (4K, VR, 3D, HD at guaranteed 60FPS, etc.) rather than to produce games that are "dock-only".

If there can be touch-screen handheld only games, I don't see why there wouldn't be docked only games, given that improved GPU so a game can run docked, but wouldn't be able to without said dock.

@gildahl But that's already the case with some indie games (Voez and Severed). I'm guessing it's a matter of time before there's a handheld-only AAA game popping up, unless Nintendo has strict rules on those, and last I checked with them, they said it's up to the developer, aka any kind of developer.

Gotouchi Tetsudou is coming to Nintendo Switch
http://nintendoeverything.com/bandai-namco-bringing-gotouchi-...
one of the few Japanese only switch games, that i'm looking forward to. (other than MHXX and DQX)