Topic: The Nintendo Switch Thread

I think, for the sake of appearances and "customer loyalty" (which honestly I have always believed is a crock, especially coming from large enterprises), that Microsoft and Sony will stick to their words that ALL games will be playable on both versions of the systems... for a time. A year, maybe two.

But like @DefHalan said, we'll start to see, maybe one game at a time, that they start to go back on that "promise," and we'll have a sort-of Destiny situation: Sure, the game may launch for both versions of the console, but there will be big limitations and, eventually, no support in DLC or patches for the older console. So, theoretically, they didn't LIE when they said the game would be playable on both, but they're also sure as heck not encouraging people to stay with the old system.

Like I said - respect to both companies and both are crucial to our hobby, but I wouldn't put it beyond any of them (including Nintendo) to go that route. It just stinks that if they really want to release new consoles because they figured out their currents ones aren't capable of 4k and VR, that they don't just come out and say, "Look: these boxes just aren't as future-proof as we thought, so we want to move onto something new that we know can stick around with these new technologies."

^^ agreed. I suspect they'll support the older versions through 2017/18, and we'll start seeing Neo/Scorpio exclusives by 2019, with that being the norm by 2020 imo. Might even happen sooner than that

And we all thought it was a fake...

@GrailUK Well it is, that video clearly says 2016

This

To be fair they got one of the technical aspects of it completely wrong. And wrong in the same way a lot of people who liked the hybrid idea always got it wrong. A hybrid was always going to be a portable that plugged in to your TV or docked. It wasn't going to stream to the TV. And short of Nintendo porting their games Wii U BC was never really on the table.

The fact that this current rumour addresses those two points? Along with the fact that it's not being shot down by anyone. That's what makes it believable. That video seriously lacked that sort of credibility. It's just a shame that good artists and people who understand the tech rarely overlap. Though to be fair if I had made a render of the NX at that point? It would have been exactly the same thing... minus the "Wii U mode" at the end.

@skywake @DefHalan The message of 'play everywhere' is very strong. I can't see how Ninty can mess it up.

I can play everywhere. I have a smart phone. I also have a 3DS.

@Gamermole

I'm not sure we will see a physical home console button anymore. They're going to try and make this look and feel like a proper tablet to possibly interest people from that angle too. I expect the thing will therefore be virtually bezelless. Most likely the home button will be a virtual button on the screen that you can access by swiping up from the bottom like you would on your phone etc.

@DefHalan Then you are alright then. As you were.

@dtjive Why would "tablet owners" be interested in this? They already have a tablet that plays free games, and if they want to play quality games, they would've gotten a dedicated gaming system already.

Nintendo can never compete with tablets unless they go for the Android route. Tablets and smartphones are used for so much more than gaming. They simply can't compete with Android or iOS, it isn't enough that it has exclusive games.

And it is not only having the right apps, it is about having a choice that suits me. For example, I listen to podcasts. Would a Nintendo tablet have that? If they do, will they have one that feels better than my current?

How about Media players? Remote controls? Bank apps? Mail, calendar, web? Netflix, YouTube, HBO Nordic, viaplay?

No, I hope they won't even try to appeal to tablet owners, it would be a losing battle. Apple and Google are even harder to topple than the power twins.

I honestly don't think the NX is at all targeting the "tablet market". I think it's more of a 3DS successor that happens to also be a Wii U successor. Those are the two main markets its going after. And if it's cheap enough it's also going to be an attractive second system for people who have a PC/PS4/XBOne.

You buy a tablet for Netflix, Youtube, Facebook, Spotify and so on. You buy it for region specific catch-up TV services. You buy it for high-end remote apps for big and sometimes not so big electronic devices. Yes you also play silly little free to play games and the NX will do a better job of that. But for most of the things you get a tablet for? I don't think a Nintendo console is going to do those things as well. And they shouldn't try to.

edit: what @Therad said

"You buy a tablet for Netflix, Youtube, Spotify, Facebook and so on"

Don't consoles already offer Netflix, Spotify and Youtube? Don't they also already offer some basic ability to do internet searches and browse the internet too? So why wouldn't an NX handheld device offer these too? In fact, the form factor of the NX would make these applications so much better because (when the controllers are detached) it would be a touchscreen tablet!

The argument you presented makes no sense. Prior consoles already offer those sort of apps. The NX will too but will likely use its touchscreen abilities in being able to use them hence making it have some sort of tablet-functionality.

Does that mean I think (or Nintendo for that matter) that they can topple Android or Apple? No but for some consumers the fact that they could consider this device both as having the ability to offer tablet-like browsing/viewing and some basic apps, but also as a dedicated console might interest them. It will offer consumers another possible reason to purchase that might give some the little push they are looking for.

In fact, I use my tablet for nothing else but chrome and a few basic apps (facebook, netflix). An NX tablet would be perfect for my needs because I could ditch my other one and have one device that caters to both my needs.

There's a complete difference between "targeting" the tablet market and having the ability to "function as a tablet".

Well consider how many bits of technology people need nowadays. Most people would probably have a mobile phone, laptop (for work/school), tablet/chromebook (for light browsing/some apps), xbox/ps4 (for major 3rd party titles). It's plausible to think that a lot of people have all of these at home and perhaps consider spending another $200-300 on another device is too far. Maybe they simply can't afford it. Maybe, their parents refuse to spend more money on more tech gear for them. Maybe, they can afford it but feel a fifth tech product is too much given how much they might use it for.

However, if an NX can cater to both the aspect of being a games console and also have some basic tablet functionality then perhaps people might give it more of a go as they could see this as one device that caters to two of their needs thus making it affordable to some, or just more of a worthwhile purchase to others.

And again that isn't to say that the NX can compete with Samsung/Apple, nor is the intention to. But I believe there is a market there for Nintendo to target. Parents who don't want to keep shelling out hundreds of dollars on various tech for their kids. Instead they can just get them this as it offers both. Those who would ideally like both but can't afford both. Those who are interested in a games console (or second games console) but as a console alone they don't think they would get much use out of so never invest.

By offering the NX to have some tablet functionality, they might convince some consumers who are interested in Nintendo games but nonetheless have skipped out on prior generations (for whatever reason) to return or take another chance. People can consider it as an option that gives the ability to play games but also doubles up as a tablet too. The idea of having a games console or a tablet would no longer be an either/or for some consumers. They have the option to have both and that can't be a bad thing.

Edit: just to add, I speak from personal and vicarious experience of some of those above issues. For me, and many of my friends, a gaming console is just a little bit of a luxury item that comes after the need for a mobile, tablet and laptop. In part it then becomes a case of needing to part with an additional £200-250 to buy a console, but also a question of how much time I could realistically put into given my lifestyle. Of course a handheld that doubles up as a tablet suddenly makes the choice much simpler. I can either play games on my commute or surf the net. Same at home when I get an hour or two to put my feet up. And do I know I'm going to get a lot out of my NX now? Hell yes, because I use my tablet everyday- so even without the games aspect and how much of that I'd play, I know I'm getting good use out it for my money.

You ignored entirely what I said next. So just to make it simpler I'll put it in list form. Here are just some basic media apps that I might want to use on a tablet (remember, all of these are on Android and iOS). Pretty much all of them I have installed one or more of my devices currently. And next to those apps I'll list which consoles they're on:

Video Streaming
Netflix: 360, XBOne, PS3, PS4, Wii, Wii U, 3DS, Vita
Stan: PS3, PS4, XBOne
ABC iView: PS3, 360, XBOne
SBSOnDemand: 360, PS3, PS4
TenPlay: 360, XBOne
Plus7: XBone, PS3, PS4
9Now: ....

Music:
Google Play Music: ....
Apple Music: ....
Spotify: PS3, PS4
Pandora: ....
Sonos: ....
last.fm: PSP & 360 (kinda)

And this is ignoring entirely various utilities, social media apps and whatever else. So no, I wouldn't buy a Nintendo branded tablet instead of an Android or iOS one. It's a waste of time them trying to compete. It's no contest. But I would buy it as a gaming machine because as a gaming machine they can do a lot better than a traditional tablet.

Your line of argument here is pointless because I never said that all tablet owners would see a more restricted tablet as a viable option to them. It isn't suitable for you? Fair enough. I'll even be as nice to say that 90% of tablet owners might view the restricted offering of the NX as a tablet device as not enough for their needs. That would be mighty generous given that the things you have listed seem a) to mostly be offered anyway and b) haven't outlined why the NX couldn't offer them (or a viable alternative) if it tried to take itself somewhat seriously as a tablet.

But let's just assume that 90% of tablet consumers would just say "interesting, but no thanks as it's too limiting as a tablet". That still leaves 10% of owners who might view the NX as a tablet that is more than suitable for their needs. According to estimates 10%, whilst a small proportion of the tablet market, would still be quite a large figure of consumers (http://www.emarketer.com/Article/Tablet-Users-Surpass-1-Billion-Worldwide-2015/1011806).

Of course it would still be contingent that that 10% would both a) be interested in a console (or more specifically Nintendo gaming) and b) not already have a Nintendo console. But even a small percentage of that 10% would equate to a reasonably sized ( ~ 5-10m) chunk of consumers that Nintendo could attract to their install base.

And again let me make it clear that I am not advocating that the NX should market itself primarily as a tablet. Nor am I advocating that the NX should "topple" the tablet giants by offering tablet functionality in the NX. Both of those suggestions are ludicrous. Nonetheless, I personally see a niche in the market for more unifying of technology (hence why we already see laptop/tablet hybrids) that would appeal to a reasonable size of consumers (whether parents for their kids or people for themselves personally) who find themselves unable to purchase all this technology or feel put off by being asked to have so much of it that could help the NX have a healthy install base.

This whole issue isn't really a case of whether they "should" because in an ideal world, allowing your product to attack the gaming and tablet industry just makes a lot of sense. The more form factors it has, the larger install base it can attract. The questions we should be asking ourselves really are: a) what functions of a tablet would the NX be completely, without question, unable to offer?; b) at what cost would designing the NX with tablet features drive up the manufacturing cost that it makes no sense appealing towards that market?

Those questions are much more difficult to answer, especially the second one, without knowing what Nintendo had generally in store for gaming. If they already had decided they wanted some touchscreen functionality in the games and user interface then basically there is very little additional cost to consider when making it a something like a proper-tablet device.

In defense of the "who the heck are they targeting?" arguments, I think much the same could have been said for the Wii's concept of getting EVERYONE (uninterested hipsters, grandparents, your pet turtle, etc.) to play games - people that, historically, DID NOT play games.

Much can be said for the NX right now - "Why would tablet owners bother with something like this?" Well, that's something the hardware and software will (hopefully) prove to us over time. It's the nature of any sort of competition. "Why would you buy a Game Gear if Game Boy exists?" and so on. Yet it happens. So we just have to wait and see. And make no mistake, it WILL be competing against both tablets and home consoles due to its format.

Despite all of this, I have hope for it. I don't know. I think Nintendo's franchises still hold allure for a lot of people, and if they create hardware that runs "full experience" console games AND their smartphone games for a reasonable price (cheaper than a brand-new smartphone, as a matter of fact), the results may be pretty awesome.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-2016-inside-...

I guess amd's 3 semi custom design wins are One S, Scorpio, and Neo.

@rallydefault I think people are looking way too much into the whole idea of the NX playing smartphone games. I don't think it will play the smartphone games themselves but instead require you to play them on your phone in order to say unlock hidden items or caves etc in the main NX release games. If that makes sense.

And I am one who thinks Nintendo are going to fail if they think the NX will appeal to the type of people who only play trending free to play 5 minute experiences on their phones and tablets at the bus stop or while on a work break etc.

Nintendo need to focus its efforts on keeping those who own a 3DS and getting them to make the jump over to the NX

Right now, Nintendo have a lot to prove and it's going to be a real big uphill battle. The Internet as a whole seems very much mixed to negative on the NX, and that's not a good start and the longer it takes to reveal the system the worse it's going to be for them.