Topic: The Nintendo Switch Thread

They're not going to jump into the market and release the system. It seems as if they're not in a hurry, and that's a good thing.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-2016-amd-rev... potential GPU for NX?

I don't know much about technology, but didn't the article state that the new GPU is being released Q2 this year? So if the NX were to use this, it wouldn't release for quite some time or am I missing something?

If it's a home console and comes out sometime after late 2017? Then probably yes. If only because that's precisely what console manufacturers have been doing lately. They take PC hardware that's a few years old and churn out cheap hardware based on it. I suspect that the PS5 and XB2 (?) could probably also use this hardware.

The constantly improving power efficiency in particular would be something they'd all be pretty excited about. Particularly Nintendo. So that's something to keep an eye on. Especially all the people who seem to think that "4K consoles" aren't going to be on the cards for next-gen.

People need to get those post 2017 launch idea out of their heads -_-. And rumors suggest NX could be using industry leading chips. Polaris sounds fairly industry leading.

Like seriously come on about this 2018 thing. You people should be sensible enough to know this will be out before then.

@WebHead:
I was talking about a Polaris not the NX. If the NX is a 2016 product then its very unlikely they use this new GPU. There just won't be the volumes for it and it won't be cheap enough.

@skywake: also he said it's a different experience from 3DS and Wii U. So I think unless it's a hybrid it probably isn't a dual screen setup it seems.

Sorry HDS hopefuls, including myself.

While the GPU is definitely what Nintendo would like (the power consumption of the example shown was measured around 35-45 W, so in line with Nintendo's policy about power consumption, and of course it's a small yet powerful chip, probably between XBOne and PS4), I can see it used in the NX only if Nintendo managed to design a custom ARM/x86 14nm/16nm FinFet APU with it (and thus also likely using K12 or Zen as CPU, which will be released even later) and only if the NX will be sold next year (and in this case announcing it two years earlier was a risky move, almost creating an Osborne effect).

The only way Nintendo is going to be able to get away with something at the same power level as the PS4 is if they give us a crazy good unique feature. This needs to be Wii or DS level, and be immediately noticeable and easy to advertise.

@Mister_Wu: We only know its codename, that's not an early reveal. We've known about the Wii, GameCube and N64 years before their release as well. It's nothing unusual at least.

You'd hope that whatever it was it would be a different experience. All of Nintendo's last four platforms have been different experiences. So that effectively tells us nothing, we should have expected that anyway. At the very least we should expect Nintendo to think that's what they're doing even if we end up not seeing it that way. I don't think this at all rules out a conventional portable system.

Dunno man Nintendo seems intent on moving away from the DS and Wii brands.

As much as I would hope it doesn't, there is mounting evidence the NX will launch this year.

http://emilyrogersblog.tumblr.com/post/136726198725/most-rumo...

I predict that the NX is a gaming platform. It can sit anywhere and stream to any screen. Instead of fighting for the time on the devices we spend most our time on (Tablets and iPhones) they are going to use them. The NX can stream games to any screen using an app you download. iPads, iPhones,Android devices, TVS and even PC/Macs. Games are scalable and using the latest patent they can even be streamed from your home via wifi to where where you are via wifi. Think wiiu tech (from 2011) on steroids. Wanna use your iPad to play Mario NX from your bed thats fine. Download the NX app from the app store, it finds your NX and the game is available to stream no problem. Want to play the latest animal crossing on your iPhone from the toilet. Thats fine. You get the idea.

@gizmo998: Sounds nice, but what about controllers? They would need a controller that could also work with all these different platforms. Is it even possible to create an app that would enable the use of a controller on every device with a screen?

@AlliMeadow: I haven't worked that out yet. lol Im thinking a smart empty shell that you drop your screen of choice in? messy but not completely out of what nintendo are like. Or only touch screen games allow any screen play? Yeah you can create an app in any app store that allows you to stream data to. Think VNC software. You don't have to pay apple/google a % either as you only loaning the screen. Either way i think I'm close to the final concept lol

Remote play is here to stay. I struggle to see how it'd work on tablets and phones. For PC though? There's no barrier. Not only would it be fairly easy to get their controllers playing nicely (I.e. dongles) but you also have better hardware. Even the potential for a 100% wired link.

There's a reason why the PS4 and XBone already do (have announced?) streaming to PC.

Sony's been doing it with their flagship mobile devices.

Thu 7th Jan 2016

Option 1
If NX is not a replacement for the Wii u or the 3ds then it has to be something else like a new console format. But that does not make much sense because Nintendo said they are not giving up on the Wii U, so another console would make 3, one to many.

Option 2
If the NX is a new console that combines both a home console and a handheld, the retail cost would put the price above the xbox and PS4. That makes little sense either, because it would be very expensive for some one who is not interested in handheld game playing and just wants a Nintendo home console.

Option 3
It could be a Wii U replacement with a connection point for the 3ds. That would make sense, (maybe a more powerful 3ds would be released in time). But that does not fit in with Nintendo saying that they will continue to support the Wii U.

Option 4
So maybe Nintendo will have the NX as the new more powerful home console (with 3ds attachment) but have the NX and WII U side by side, with most games being released at the same time for both consoles. Similar to the Xbox 1 and the Xbox360.

Option 5
OR MAYBE......... the NX is not a new console at all. It is an 'extra' (Nintendo eXtra) device that can be used with the Wii U. Much like the gamepad, but will work away from the Wii U with some sort of Wi Fi connection or enough memory to load you current game to it. That does sound possible except I'm not sure that the Wii U is powerful enough. But there could always be a Wii u 2 in the pipeline.

As long as we get a good selection of Nintendo Games and some third Party stuff AND Nintendo does not give up on the 3d part of the 3ds anything new will be good.

Post-VR news I thought I'd add another little observation. People seem to be under the impression that VR is the next big thing and that 4K is useless. That somehow because of this the next Nintendo console will "probably" be a VR box. More likely than it'll be 4K ready. I just priced how much it would cost me to do a GPU/Screen upgrade for my PC for both 4K and VR. As it currently stands:

VR: ~$1100AU for the headset (yay, exchange rate), $800AU for a decent enough GPU (980)
4K: ~$600AU for the monitor, ~$500AU for a capable enough GPU for 60fps (970)

Ontop of that? 4K is a thing that you will probably get anyway. If/when your TV breaks you'll be tempted by the idea of replacing it with a 4K set. Is it as big an impact as VR? No, but you'll get it regardless. Also because 4K has value outside of gaming. 4K will be a thing, it's almost a thing already. VR will take quite a while to get going.