Topic: The Nintendo Switch Thread

@DefHalan It's somewhat playable, you'd be able to beat Legend mode but harder adventure map squares would be virtually impossible. Take for example the top left corner of the first one (1,000 KOs in 10 minutes where the Imprisoned appears after 100, 300, 500 and 700 KOs).

@Grumblevolcano I don't think something like that will be considered acceptable for VR.

@Lzeon EA have also closed servers on games before in less than a year. That's hardly engaging with online either.

@erv I hope they make a big splash and it has the most recent components available.

Maybe they wanted micro-transactions and Nintendo snubbed them?

this was intended as a joke, but it feels like something EA would do...

Three reasons this thread has gone off track:
1. An interest in when they should announce NX and what impact Scropio/Neo have on it
2. A concern by some that Nintendo may be going down the same path
3. A general lack of things to talk about in regards to the NX itself... which is an ongoing thing

If we are to assume the eurogamer rumour is true then I think the biggest issue that the NX will face is deciding between the Tegra X1 and Tegra X2 (it doesn't matter if the NX doesn't use either- the purpose here is the X1 would make it underpowered in relation to Xbox/Ps4, whilst the X2 would be comparably powered).

The X2 is definitely going to come at a considerable increased cost to the consumer. You'd have to think putting a PS4/Xbox inside a handheld isn't going to be cheap. A realistic pricing would minimum $299- possibly even $349. At that price point you have to think that it might be too expensive to be placed as a 'secondary console' and is too much for a handheld (even if it is a hybrid). The Xbox currently is $279 and is expected to have another price cut soon isn't it? On the upside is that realistically they'd have a better chance of securing third-party support with having parity with the XboxOne/Ps4 assuming the NX secures a decent install base. The X2 would also mean that the console would fare better in the long-term with its higher end specs so may have more long-term sale value.

In contrast the X1 would make much more sense in terms of keep costs down that the pricing could reflect previous handhelds and the idea of a secondary console at $199 (max $249). However, it'd be hard to see how they could convince lots of third parties support it when it would be relatively underpowered. You also wonder how consumers might view the console in two/three years time when the PS4/XboxOne become obsolete. It wouldn't be the case that Nintendo are a generation behind in specs, they would now be 1.5 generations behind! It'd be hard to see Nintendo to continue having good sales on this thing when the specs would already be viewed as old and will look ancient in halfway through it's cycle.

So what should Nintendo do? Option 1 feels like a strategy that is risky because the pricing won't match the ideal placement of the console although I guess the idea of playing games anywhere could be highly appealing that people would pay more money despite having the option of PS4/Xbox as cheaper alternatives. I suppose also that Nintendo can do possible clever pricing gimmicks that get the perceived costs down. For example by selling a handheld only version (no SCD included) at $50 cheaper. Alternatively is that Nintendo take this strategy and accept they may need to make a price cut after 6 months for the holiday season to boost sales.

The second option feels like it would fare better from the get go but the concern would be that sales of the NX stagnate after the initial release and the specs begin to look very old very early on. Nintendo plausibly could mitigate this with releasing it's own mid-gen upgrade (e.g. NX with an X2 but at the same cost now as it did to sell the X1 version). Or if there is something serious to the patent they could end up selling SCDs mid-gen that ramp up the power of the home console aspect. How that affects development of games however isn't clear. Would they have to develop two versions of the same game or could each game have settings that changes the fps/resolution depending on whether the NX is connected to the SCD or not? I guess similar to how games currently run on different computers I guess?

Anyway, what do you think?

@DefHalan From what I've heard, VR isn't unplayable on the PS4; so I think that comparing it to Hyrule Warriors Legends is a bit of a stretch; it works on PS4 and the ''new'' factor alone will be enough to satisfy people. Remember, PSVR is also a lot cheaper than the Vive or Rift, so if you want a premium experience you shouldn't really be buying PSVR anyway. It'll probably a device that works and does what it should do, but will offer an affordable option to what the competition does.

@dtjive
There are two things you said I'd disagree with. The first one is whether or not the power of this thing even matters. Would it have mattered if this was a home console? Sure. But if it's Tegra based then it's not really a home console. Even if you plug it into your TV it's going to be such a different system anyways. I don't expect to see big AAA multi-platform releases on this thing. That's not what it's about. If that's what you wanted to see? Prepare to be disappointed.

On a more positive note, I think you've overestimated the cost of the thing. And the reason why I think that is fairly simple. NVidia has released three devices based on their Tegra line. They launched at $199US, $299US and $199US for the base models. The most expensive SKU was the 32GB, 8", 1080p tablet with 4G that launched in 2014. The most recent SKU was the X1 based screen-less console device which had a $199US base model that came out in early 2015. Two years before the NX is scheduled to launch.

So in terms of price? I think a more realistic estimate would be $199US if it's based on the X1 with screen and all the other gizmos. Maybe $250US or so if it's based on the X2. Which would be pretty competitive. Not as a home console competitor so much as a gaming device that's not tied to your house/TV.

@Octane
They would never call it "unplayable," of course, because they're trying to get people to buy their stuff. But yea, my "professional" (ha) opinion is that VR stuff on the original PS4 is going to be bare-bones, and not really a great experience on anything with graphics qualities beyond the simplest of shapes moving around in your field of vision.

So yea, I totally agree that it won't be anything near a "premium" experience, like you say, but I also struggle to understand how anybody, even someone looking for an entry-level VR experience (even though you're still talking multiple hundreds of dollars), will get much satisfaction out of what it will be able to offer. I'd go a step further and say it won't be long after release before we're flooded with reports of sickness due to jaggy frame rates and general under performance on the original console (rectified by buying the all-NEW Sony NEO for the low low price of $499!!!)

@rallydefault I'm not quoting Sony's words, but just the opinion of the general press. It works and an art style can take a game a long way, and that's fine, just don't expect to play the next AAA-game in 1080p with 60fps on VR, that's not going to happen. That doesn't mean VR won't be impressive, games like Farpoint actually look pretty good:

nintendo usually jas an annual info dump during the last 10 days of august. perhaps reveal plans will be announced next week...

@WebHead It'll be "We will talk about NX in 2017" and then drop the mic to a stunned and quickly angering audience.

@FragRed wouodnt surprise me at this rate lol. i mean i know nintendo likes having all the attention on them but i think its too late for that now. gamescom was really the last shot for all attention lol.

@WebHead Wait what? Did I miss a meeting? Have we all stopped caring about the NX now? Oh thank god. Sanity!

@GrailUK He's right though; at least people are paying attention to events like E3 and Gamescom (free advertisement essentially); although it was pretty obvious that they weren't going to show anything at Gamescom.

Maybe they'll do something at Paris Games Week; Sony had a great presence last year and that event is growing each year too.

@Octane Are either Sony or Microsoft at Paris week in any big way? Because the way Nintendo seems to talk it's like they'll only reveal the NX when there's no one else saying or doing something to steal their limelight.

@FragRed Sony likely will be, it's very soon after PSVR launch (and the rumoured NEO launch date of same day as PSVR).

@Octane Except...the people watching Gamescon are not the blue ocean Nintendo are chasing. They are the existing red ocean. We love playing games so of course we are going to check out the NX no matter what, irrespective of where it is revealed. I don't think it is as damaging as feared. I suppose going to E3 with 1 playable game was suicide as well hmm? Putting the NX in the same confined space as Sony and Microsoft for a launch will inevitably make people assume it is competing with them, which Nintendo are making pretty sure the distance themselves from that. Their own event will be more focused and controllable (which is paramount to communicating what the NX is.).

@FragRed What have they said?