Topic: The Nintendo Switch Thread

lol. Guess we now know why the team is in such a hurry to fix the Switch port of Bloodstained.

@HobbitGamer Should be announced tomorrow (early Wednesday for some regions) and released on the 10th as that's what happened in April (announcement on 2nd, release on 10th).

@iKhan Honestly I think the increased presence of Japanese developers at Microsoft E3 the past 2 years was because of Sony's reduced E3 presence (them being at Sony E3 instead if Sony's E3 presence was larger). 2018 was focusing on 4 games with a few small reveals in between and 2019 was skipping E3. That said, I wouldn't be surprised if Sony's recent comments backfire.

@RedderRugfish A big part of the initial PS4 push was "It's not the Xbox One, look at all these consumer and developer friendly things we are doing".

And now look at it. You know it's because they likened themselves to the good guy in comparison, not on the systems own merits.

Also a question. If Sony believes Nintendo isn't competition due to their demographics skewing younger, then why is Sony censoring stuff if their age groups are older?

And that's ignoring the age data Nintendo made Public...

Roland is a reliable renowned leaker and said this is from one of nintendo's official suppliers. The article will need google translate.

It's a combination of both. PS4 is an astonishingly well designed system (much better than the initial XBox One) at a great price and all of the marketing was simple, on point and laser focused to hit a particular demographic. Once Sony got all of those things right the network effect started to kick in and they've had incredible momentum ever since.

As to the PS5 - that might be a different story. Not considering Nintendo competition? Well they're not. Unless you consider the not insignificant overlap in audiences, the competition for shelf space, the competition for play time, the competition for media coverage, the competition for developers attention and (most importantly of all) the competition to determine the future direction of the underlying industry...

I understand the general principle - the industry is big enough for Nintendo and Sony to both be incredibly successful and still not really stepping on each others toes but if I were a Sony investor I'd be very worried about my executives taking such a stance about a company that is most definitely a competitor.

I'd be even more worried about them stating that they see the PS5 as being a "niche" console aimed at hardcore gamers. Console gaming is a "niche" these days relative to the mobile market but Sony is too big to be accepting they will be a "niche" before they've even launched.

Anyone else surprised that the Switch news feed has an item pointing people towards "Metroidvania" games on the eshop? Is this the first time that Nintendo themselves has ever officially used the word?

@RedderRugfish
PS4 did succeed off the back of Wii U and Xbox's failures, at least, for the first few years. After that though, the system earned its success, albeit bolstered by paying off a sizable number of exclusive deals for games to not release elsewhere, either permanently or timed, which turns me off as a consumer who would rather play those games elsewhere, and now either have to wait or miss out entirely because they paid off the devs. Its forceful tactics. Same deal with eliminating cross play, meant to force the consumer's hand.

It's one of the key reasons I don't like Sony. That said, I dont have to like them to enjoy their products. And they do make quality products, and quality games. And the PS4 has absolutely earned its success, even if they kind of won by default the first few years.

@StuTwo very strange that Nintendo themselves are using the word...but thinking about it, it can only do them well. If the genre is called "Metroidvania" and a customer begins to like it...well, they know immediately what the gold standard for the genre is.

That said, we still have no Metroid on the eshop...

Personally I think the PS4 is one of the most uninspired consoles we've seen in a while (and I don't expect much better from the PS5)...but it has an incredible game library. I absolutely agree that it's initial success was due to it's rivals' failures, but Sony themselves have done a good job of supporting the system with some stand-out exclusives.

@Buizel What do you mean by "uninspired"?

For me a console should consist of the following flow:
1. Turn console on.
2. Insert/install game.
3. Play.

Do you mean that it is not revolutionary like being a hybrid for example?

@Zuljaras it just feels like PS4 did the bare minimum that I would expect a new console to do (i.e. Improve power). It's acceptable, but not exciting. Microsoft isn't miles better (and indeed, they're miles behind in terms of software) but I really appreciate Game Pass, Play Anywhere and the backwards compatibility. And Nintendo, of course, tried two very different approaches with the Wii U and Switch.

That said, I am neglecting PSVR (which, tbh, I haven't used because its not up my alley), the excellent Dualshock 4, and some cool OS features like game suspension and improved party chat.

I'd say it's also a word that contains a word that Nintendo owns. Even though the general public and the games media use it no other publisher can really use it in formal marketing.

I'm very surprised that Nintendo are using it though. It's not the kind of thing that Nintendo would traditionally do. Next thing we'll be having snakes hatching out of hens eggs, dogs & cats living together in harmony and frogs raining from the skies...

@Buizel
But in my honest opinion (no fanboyism), PS4 blue game box case color looks more beautiful in term of aesthetic than Xbox One green game box case. 😛
And PS4 U/I looks simpler than Xbox One U/I. 😉

You know what else i can do from my PS4 Slim ?
Watching my Original DVD movies (as long they are matched with my PS4 Asia region) 😉

I wish consoles would do something more exciting than just upgrade the power. If I want power I can get a gaming computer (which I already have)

That's why Nintendo is so great. They almost always have a gimmick with their consoles and handhelds, that makes them interesting. (Plus it's the only place to play Mario, Zelda, Pokémon etc.)

Yea, in retrospect the PS4 launch success was kinda crazy due to the lack of almost any original (good) games. I think they had Knack and a new Killzone game? Stuff like Last of Us Remastered didn't even come until later, I think.

I don't know. The previous gen solidified Xbox/PS brands as GAMING machines and Nintendo as your little brother's console, you know? That reputation really carried into the One/PS4 generation. Was also the point that internet culture/memes/whatever was REALLY starting to take off and put perceptions into concrete. So, it was almost like the PS4 was going to succeed no matter what, even if it had no games. The One could have done the same, but they decided to shoot themselves in the foot with the terrible E3 reveal focused on TV and the Kinect and sharing games blahblah. If they would've just said "here's our next system," it would have sold just as well even with no games, too.

It's that same frustrating perception that Nintendo continues to work against. I'm really glad the Switch succeeded and has taken a little chip out of the stereotype, but there's still a ways to go.

@NorseGamerTommy Sometimes just a more powerful version of the last system can be the best option and looking at the future of Nintendo is the perfect example. Searching for a new gimmick may lead to Nintendo bringing back the pre-Switch era approach of 2 separate devices (a home only system and a handheld only system) with split library and no hybrid option.

@NorseGamerTommy your right , if you play games for the power you should get a gaming pc.
I dont have that need I yust want to play games, fun games.
I like nintendo's approach a lot more they focus on the gaming community as a whole, and not only the *hardcore players *
Nintendo takes risks the other yust play it safe

@Grumblevolcano
Agreed. Sometimes the boring approach is the best. However, it's only best after you've discovered a concept that works and everyone wants more of. Power consoles found their concept a long time ago. Nintendo is only just now finding theirs. And while it may not be as exciting, iterating on a proven concept people love is preferable to just blowing with the wind of experimentation.

That said, they should still drive innovation in other ways without changing the core concept, once the core concept people love has been found. Gyro controls, for example. Game changing evolution only found on Nintendo and PC. It's a perfect example of the kinds of things I want to see. Not mouse pads used as a giant clicky button to pull up your map.

Sony should put a little screen where that mouse pad is. THAT'S the innovation I want to see. Not Wii U gamepad, just a little LCD for maps and inventory and any other reference info, without blocking screen real estate. Also PS/Xbox should add gyro and actually implement it properly like Nintendo.

PS has gyro, just barely uses it outside of Gran Turismo Sport as far as I know. Just fyi.

@gcunit
I know. They just don't use it. That's why I said PS/Xbox should add it and actually implement it properly.

Waste having it and not using it. Ironically, it is used when typing on the on-screen keyboard, and it works fantastic. It's always a reminder of how much smoother things could be if it were implemented system wide and on the software side.