Topic: The Nintendo Switch Thread

@link3710 Nintendo will probably investigate it but the success of consoles like the Wii and Switch have probably made them way too comfortable with the prospect that they don't need to equate themselves in terms of power or feature sets to the competing consoles. I don't expect 4K of any kind on anything related to the Switch with the way Nintendo is going in terms of trying to be as far removed as possible from how aggressively competitive Sony and Microsoft are. Nintendo are basically doing their own thing and that includes using their outer hardware and gimmicks like detachable motion controllers to distinguish themselves as a console offering as opposed to beefing up their internals to great extents.

Just look how long it took them to actually make an HD console. I would rule out them doing anything 4K related with the Switch, but it'll probably become more of a possiblity with either their next console or even the console after that.

Well, that was due to quite a few different things, @TheFrenchiestFry .... Whereas they had the DS, then 3DS & New 3DS, so look how well those worked, as well

@Giancarlothomaz FYI, please don't only post links. It's OK to list them as a source, but at least copy the interesting bit in your comment. Thank you.

@BruceCM Yeah but that's always worked with their handhelds

Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, Game Boy Micro, like four different DS' a 3DS, a 3DS XL, a 2DS, a New 3DS, a New 3DS XL and a New 2DS XL

It definitely causes more confusion with home consoles given those are their flagship gaming systems, while handhelds were considered more entry level, as alternatives or companion devices with their home systems.

@Giancarlothomaz When in the world did Nintendo say they'd reach 100 million by then? They're only at 62 million now (as of June that is), and I think their estimates were around another 15 million right? That's put them at 75 million. Are you just making numbers up?

@TheFrenchiestFry Given the Switch is moving consoles at a # that could potentially outdo all other consoles by end of life, I think they'll keep the branding. Don't forget, it worked for them with Gameboy -> GBA, DS->3DS, NES->SNES. Yes there was a failure with that model, but that doesn't mean it should be abandoned for all time.

@TheFrenchiestFry You're looking at it from a power perspective. But something like this? It could save them tons of money if they don't have to waste time continually increasing development costs on future consoles. They can avoid the power chase entirely if they stick to AI upscaling, while getting most of the benefits. And it would make sense to experiment with the feature in a half-gen refresh prior to risking an actual console on the idea.

@link3710 Yeah it worked with the Game Boy line but at the end of the day the Switch is the flagship console they're pushing. Handhelds were seen as either alternatives or companions to whatever Nintendo was putting out in terms of home systems. If they adopt that naming strategy, it'll work more effectively for a mid-cycle hardware refresh like the PS4 Pro or Xbox One X, but it would be extremely detrimental for them to apply it to a new Nintendo console again like they did with the Wii U.

@Giancarlothomaz

The Switch will surpass the lifetime sales of the 3DS before March (75 million), in fewer than four years on the market, and roughly halfway through the Switch's lifecycle. The Switch will "win" this Holiday season because there won't be enough Xbox SX, Xbox SS, PS5 physical, or PS5 digital consoles available for people who want one. Do you not realize how molten-hot the Switch is at retail?

@TheFrenchiestFry Yet, the Playstation and Xbox have been keeping the same core name since they entered the market. That hasn't proven to be a problem yet, has it?

@link3710 PlayStation is a brand onto itself. Nintendo doesn't make consoles like that. If they did literally every console would be called the NES 1 or NES 4 Pro.

PlayStation is Sony's Gaming division and Sony is the company. It's not like they call it the Sony or the Super Sony.

Nintendo is a game developer and that's all they know. That's why they have more freedom with their console naming schemes. It's not like the Wii is the name of their entire gaming division and encompasses their entire business.

Naming your next console after the Wii, the Wii U created confusion that it was an add on to that specific console because literally no other Nintendo console has ever been named in that fashion. Sony and Microsoft wouldn't name their consoles the Xperia Z12 or the Windows 360 without causing similar confusion. But they don't have to because Xbox and PlayStation are just part of their brand, not their entire business.

With the Wii U, that was bad marketing .... In the same way they probably won't call the mid-gen refresh a 'pro', they might well not call the next one a Switch 2! We just need something to make it easier to talk about them here, until they're either revealed or we know for sure what is happening instead

@link3710 i expect Switch could reach this sales numbers with Switch still selling well with no sign of slowing down, even with PS5 e Xbox Series X potencially selling more then Switch in this holiday season, who know Switch might reach 100 consoles sold, with even people believing it gonna sell only 70-80 milions console sold with PS5 e Xbox Series X treating Switch.

@BruceCM New Nintendo Switch U

@Magician well that could happen, don't you think Sony e Microsoft will do everything to make PS5 e Xbox Series X/S they most sucefull consoles launch?with Xbox Series S with 4K capacity and the same price of Switch, it could prove a huge treat to Switch, Switch is already a 3 and a half console, already reaching the halfpoint of it lifecycle acording to Shuntaro Furukawa, people now seens to care more what the PS5 e Xbox Series X will offer then what Switch did now do you really think Switch could sell well in this Holiday season?with Nintendo Holiday title of Switch for this year be a spin-off, if Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild 2 actually was the Holiday title of Switch for this year, maybe Nintendo would win this Holiday season.

@Giancarlothomaz

Nintendo doesn't need a big game like BotW 2 to win this Holiday season. Nintendo doesn't care about 4k-gaming, even though rumors suggest otherwise. Xbox's SX first party launch lineup is weak and PS5's isn't much better, so I feel the hype for both of the new consoles is slightly overblown. The Switch won't even get a price cut for the Holiday and it will still outsell both of them.

@Giancarlothomaz Alot of folks seem to forget in these hypothetical console war ideas that Nintendo has something the fancy boxes don't; Mario. Zelda. Pokemon. History and brand recognition.
Nintendo doesn't need to 'win' any season. It sells because to the average gaming consumer, the brand has become as much a staple as breathing

Is anyone having troubles logging into their Nintendo Account? When I try to log in on any device with my username and password I always get a blank page with "403 Forbidden" at the top. Anyone else experiencing these issues as well? I can't log in to even pre-order Age of Calamity or 3D World + Bowser's Fury if I wanted to.

@TheFrenchiestFry I do agree with you in a way. I don't think they want anything to do with 4k development. But if there was a solution that would allow them to reach the 4k crowd, but without increasing development costs or overhead, I think they might investigate it. It's very much not chasing raw power to look at things like AI upscaling, it's a way that they can continue with their low power approach for even longer.

Basically, I'm saying the 4K AI Upscaling would be in agreement with their plan so far (which is to focus on making games over graphics), not in contradiction. If an external chip can handle the upscaling, that lets them spend more development time on the game itself, and less on optimizing graphics.

@Giancarlothomaz Think for a moment. They started this year at 50 million sales after 3 years. You're saying they'll reach 100 million in just one additional year. That's a 300% increase for a system that's already been selling really well.

Will they outsell their predictions? Almost certainly. But I don't think they'll double their install base in a year.

OK, since you're not getting this, @Giancarlothomaz .... The main reason for anyone to buy a Switch is for the Nintendo games, that they can't get on XBox, PS or PC. There's other exclusives, like I Am Setsuna & Lost Sphear & all the Nindies, etc, too. But nobody got a Switch primarily for multi-platform games!
People that get those games on Switch usually do so either because that's their only console or because they want to play it portably. Anyone who hasn't got a PS4, XB1 or PC now is unlikely to be suddenly interested in getting any of them.
A lot of people here have said the same things

@BruceCM As an addendum to what you said, there's another major reason people buy the Switch. For people who can't get TV time, portable systems are what they need. And it being a hybrid that lets you play on the TV when you can only improves that matter. As someone who's always traveling, an XB/PC/PS system could never replace my Switch, because most of my time gaming is spent in portable mode.

Which... only proves to reinforce your point that the Switch occupies it's own bubble.