Topic: The Nintendo Switch Thread

I end up playing on the original switch docked to the tv every now and then, even though most of my playtime is on my Lite.

So I definitely appreciate the hybrid concept.

Hybrid concept is awesome.

It’s not just about handheld play. Handhelds have been around for decades and never got this kind of love. It’s about handheld play, but without sacrificing tv play to get it. Even if a game would look somewhat better on PC, it’s usually worth playing on Switch docked instead, because that means you can undock it into handheld or tabletop at will.

Although nowadays, I just leave my Switch docked, and bounce saves back and forth to Switch Lite, since it fits in my back jeans pocket in the magnetic flip case. But I play the Lite at home too, curled up in the leather recliner. Something about handheld play that feels more personal.

@Grumblevolcano
That’s also partly why I prefer playing most games on Switch. Obviously the gyro, but the fast OS, and also, the fact it automatically turns my tv on and switches the input for me. It’s just so convenient. And while Xbox One can turn the tv on or off, it’s a toggle, meaning if it’s already on, it just turns it off. No good. Plus no gyro. And PS4 never worked properly. I’ve heard others claim it works but it doesn’t work for me. I think it only works with a limited selection of Sony and Samsung TVs. I’ve got a Hisense. Doesn’t turn the TV on and it certainly doesn’t change the input. And, no gyro.

Bought the Outer Worlds on Steam yesterday because, that’s one game that’s just too degraded for me to enjoy on Switch (no offense to anyone who enjoys playing on Switch- everyone has different levels of tolerance). And I come to find out gyro mapped as mouse doesn’t work with a controller input, so you have to switch to a “keyboard and mouse” controller template so it detects all inputs as mouse and keyboard inputs. Then it works great. Unfortunately the game was so new on Steam nobody had made a Gyro controller config for it yet and I didn’t feel like tweaking the default template I was using for Steam Controller. It worked for jumping and shooting and all that, but smaller commands like crouch weren’t properly mapped, and because it was KB/M, I’d have to check the game to see what key crouches (Left Ctrl) then map it to a button, and then do that for a dozen other smaller commands. Will try again in a few weeks and see if anyone’s made a good gyro controller config.

While the pandemic has absolutely reduced the amount of time I play my Switch undocked, handheld mode will always be more attractive to me for certain games. I'm just not going to sit in front of a TV and play something like Super Mario 35, Tetris, or Animal Crossing. Those games just feel like they belong on a handheld. If I could only play them docked, I'd probably just not play them at all.

But yeah, even if docked mode was less popular than it is, the idea that Nintendo should abandon the hybrid concept when all it requires is a hollow plastic shell to connect it to the TV and maintain a presence in the gigantic home console market is absurd. Even if Nintendo thought of it as a handheld, it's a handheld that's selling like hot cakes at the price point of a cheap home console. They couldn't even get away with $249.99 for 3DS.

I'm very much more into docked gaming, in general I tend to prefer console gaming over handheld because I like the larger screen, among other reasons. That being said, our HD TV has had weird issues for a while where after enough use, its likely to black out half the screen, so handheld play has been vital.

@Ralizah
I love the TV, but only when I have the freedom to detach whenever I want.

I loved how The Witcher 3 and Divinity Original Sin 2 offered cross save with Steam. Bouncing saves between Switch Lite and a perma-docked Switch, I’m already accustomed to the save transfer process between handheld and TV. It’s the perfect solution to get the full experience, yet retain the freedom of handheld play.

@kkslider5552000
Have you considered getting a new tv, given that’s your preferred play style? I got a 55” Hisense 4KTV for $500 and that was 3 years ago. Now they’re going for $379.99 at BestBuy. That’s a really low price for a 55” 4KTV from a solid brand.

I'd rather not tbh. If I don't need to, more than 300 bucks is...a lot.

analytis Micheal Patcher state that Nintendo is very stupid for focusing on the hybrid aspect of Switch(since acording to him, only 20% of people play in Docked Mode) and advice Nintendo to get rid of Switch and only focus on the Switch Lite(he is a completely idiot)

@Magician oh yes consoles tend to sell more on the Holiday season, i think Nintendo should at least put 2/3 big/small release in each trimester(this business tactic worked with Animal Crossing)why not continue this?istead of releasing all the big guns during the Holiday season, spread then during the entire year(this will help Switch continue to keep his sales momentum).

@Magician agreed, Micheal Patcher is a completely idiot, let get of the aspect everyone love on Switch(i am a genius) Nintendo is bleeding Money because of that(i am a genius again, that irony),Switch is a amazing console because it can fit perfecty in anyone lifestyle, getting rid of this aspect is complety stupid, Micheal Patcher must be extremely pissed(why people keep playing and buying Nintendo stupid console?they should play real console like Sony e Microsoft make)Micheal Patcher wet/big dream is that Nintendo follow his stupid advice so Nintendo become a third party like Sega or follow the same path Microsoft e Sony do for they console(a hybrid console?!that stupid, please get rid of this and for Arceus sake do a real console like Sony e Microsoft do/make)that Micheal Patcher in a hindsight.

Between changing jobs in the last year and other life changes, I use the Switch undocked a lot less now. So much so, that in the last year, I've returned my focus to that anything I can get on PC, I'm getting there instead. I'm playing on a TV either way with PC or Switch and it's all cheaper on PC (either a bit cheaper new like DQXI S, or massively cheaper like anything on Steam sale). Plus, in the last year we also got a 60" 4K TV, so.....yeah, I want things to look super pretty on it, lol . There's some non-exclusive games on Switch I want to have on it, and I like playing stuff like Mario35 on it undocked, but it's been relegated to a secondary gaming device. In this digital age too, I feel far more comfortable with PC purchases as I know they will come with me to a new system, as they have thru 4 systems, whereas Switch 2 backward compatibility is a big gray area (especially with digital).
Not putting down Switch or agreeing with that moron 'analyst' that said Nintendo should drop the hybrid feature as it has huge appeal and fit my lifestyle for a good long while. It's obviously an amazing idea that worked out well for Nintendo as it seems to appeal to many a gamer. I don't know where that guy got his ideas from, or why any news outlet would even publish that as 'news'. He's clearly uninformed and just making stats up about how many people use it both ways.
But, all that being said......I may not use the Switch much undocked anymore, but my kids are using it far more now that I am not, and they use it on the TV as well.

@Giancarlothomaz please stop posting multiple times in a row. This will be your last warning on that subject.

Nintendo posted a new advert today and it's... Actually pretty good? And it covers a huge breadth of what's available, from FE to Zelda to Mario to Hollow Knight to Ori even. Not sure what to say on it other than I'm impressed.

So Namco recently posted a picture of all Tales of main characters for the 25th anniversary of the franchise and it made me think with Vesperia selling the best on switch it’s really plausible to see ports of the ps3 games (Xilia, Graces f, symphonia Chronicles) or even the vita one maybe ? (This one’s getting expensive)

Bandai Namco is too skittish about Switch.

The producer of Hack.G.U. Keeps asking them if he can port the game to Switch, and they keep making excuses like, “too hard to predict sales, sorry”. Even though the risk is probably equivalent to PS4.

Tales of Vesperia sold best on Switch and they immediately put a Tales of Vesperia costume in God Eater 3, but nobody bought God Eater 3. In fact, I think that was the definitive turning point where BN decided Switch was too risky. God Eater 3 bombed mega hard. Don’t even think it broke the #200 spot in the best sellers list on the eShop during its opening week. And while I understand this to an extent, it was selling to a new audience as a late port, and without any real marketing. Countless other games they’ve released have outsold other versions or at least done respectably enough to warrant full support.

The fact they still haven’t brought Dragonball Z Kakarot despite the overwhelming success of Xenoverse 2 and Fighter Z is telling enough. Not that I particularly care about that game because I’m not into DB and it apparently wasn’t that great anyways, but it’s still telling.

Maybe they’ll surprise us with an exclusive Tales game (or more likely, another remake), but I’ve pretty much written off Bandai Namco doing anything meaningful at this point. They’re just like everyone else. They want to treat Switch like a 5 year fad that will die off like Wii, instead of a vibrant platform that’s laying the foundation for an incredibly profitable platform worth investing in for decades to come, every bit as much as the other platforms.

To which I say, their loss. I’m done buying games on other platforms that should be on Switch. If they think they can ignore the platform and everyone will just buy their games elsewhere then they’re never going to change. That’s not something I will support in good conscience. So if they want to sell a Tales game to me, then it needs to be on Switch. Otherwise I’m just not interested.

@JaxonH I thought it was weird that the G.U. trilogy wasn't already on Switch, considering it probably wouldn't require a tremendous amount of optimization.

I don't think your approach is relevant to the Tales series at this point, though, considering how much more technologically advanced Arise looks than previous games. Arise just doesn't look like something that'd run well on Switch, and I doubt subsequent mainline games will be going back to the PS3-era design of previous games.

At this point, other than possible remasters of older games ala Vesperia, all we'd be able to hope for is an exclusive game developed for the system, like Capcom is doing with Monster Hunter.

But yeah, with that said, I try to reward developers who create games for my preferred platform, with limited exceptions. Less money for B-N is more money for K-T, Atlus, Capcom, Square-Enix, and other companies that are actively supporting the platform. Bullish support for your preferred platform, collectively, is partially how you convince companies to invest in it.

@Ralizah
Maybe not. It’s hard to say because we’ve seen some really good Switch versions (and some really bad ones). It just depends on the developer, really.

But if they forego Switch, I would expect a separate release like MH Rise, as you said. I would then probably buy both. But ignoring Switch just makes me disinterested in supporting the series. They released exclusive entries on PS for years, so I’m not really open to the idea they couldn’t do the same for Switch, especially when in a pound for pound comparison, Switch outperforms.

But ya, every time someone buys another version of a game because it releases there first, or they just didn’t bother making a Switch version, they’re voting, “yes, please continue to treat Switch as second rate or ignore it entirely”. And every time someone skips other versions of a game to wait for a Switch version, or skips it outright because there should be a Switch version, they’re voting, “no, I will not reward you and financially incentivize you to treat Switch as second rate or ignore it entirely”. I can’t speak for anyone else, but I know how I’m voting.

You’re exactly right, though. More money to support Koei Tecmo with Atelier Ryza 2 and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, Altus with Shin Megami Tensei III HD, Shin Megami Tensei V and Persona 5 Striker, Capcom with Monster Hunter Rise and Monster Hunter Stories 2, Square Enix with Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memories and Bravely Default 2, and other companies which are actively supporting the platform, and with exclusive titles built ground up for Switch to offset the fact many of the other games cannot be ported with satisfactory results.

@JaxonH I think early next year is where we find out the true situation regarding 3rd parties because we don't know yet whether 3rd parties are just avoiding Switch because of next gen or whether they're just crowding around the release of the rumoured new Switch and we have a situation where March/April 2021 is as insane for 3rd party support as September 2019 or November 2017. For 1st party I'd imagine if anything, another one of those limited time "removed after March 31st 2021" releases.

@Grumblevolcano I have a feeling third parties are avoiding Switch right now because of their commitment to next gen systems, and should this hypothetical mid-cycle refresh not be that much more powerful than the current Switch I can even see them deemphasizing Switch support altogether in favor of PS5 and Series X in regards to the larger AAA multiplatform stuff

@Grumblevolcano
That’s a fair analysis.

I suspect they will just ignore Switch even more and put all their effort into PS5/XSX/XSS and PS4P/PS4/X1X/X1 and PC multi platform releases. That’s 8 different platform configurations to develop for. They’ll use that excuse to say “we can do 8, but 9 is too much”.

But at the same time, I think we will see at least some continued 3rd party support, enough to fill the gaps at least. And Nintendo will be releasing a second round of their big titles for the 2nd half of the generation, but alongside some of their more niche titles like Pikmin 3, Metroid, Mario Golf, etc. which means we should have another solid 3 years to look forward to.

Nintendo’s exclusives (Pikmin 3, Hyrule Warriors Age of Calamity, Mario 3D World, Pokemon Snap, Zelda Breath of the Wild 2, Metroid Prime 4, etc) and 3rd party exclusives (Shin Megami Tensei V, Bravely Default 2, Monster Hunter Rise, Monster Hunter Stories 2, Bayonetta 3, etc), that alone is enough to keep a controller in my hand. Throw in a few select, key 3rd party titles (YS IX Monstrum Nox, Trails of Cold Steel 4, DOOM Eternal, Persona 5 Strikers, etc) and we’ve got plenty to look forward to.

But I do hope we see renewed 3rd party interest once the revised Switch releases. Personally I’d like to see a permanent platform where every 5 years they release an upgraded, more powerful model, where certain games that can’t run on the old model are exclusive, but games that can run on both release on both. And then 5 years after that, same deal. The fact some less demanding games would still release on the previous version means people wouldn’t be forced to upgrade every 5 years- some people could skip a revision and just upgrade every 10 years. So the people who like the latest tech don’t have to wait quite as long (5 yrs vs 7-8 yrs), and the people who don’t like to spend money upgrading can wait a little longer than normal (10 yrs vs 7-8 yrs).

2021 will see a dip in third-party support but not a total drop-off as it's gonna take some time for everyone to truly move on to the new consoles. But if Nintendo doesn't have something more powerful to announce by E3 time next year, then we could be in for some rough times in third-party support continuum.

I keep wondering how important the massive, technologically cutting-edge third-party games are, though. Call of Duty sells insane numbers and we're obviously not gonna see that, but otherwise the best-selling games that simply can't run on Switch are few and far between (Red Dead 2 comes to mind). Otherwise, almost every other "huge" game like Stardew, Minecraft, etc. can run on Switch comfortably, and Nintendo's own first-party games are giving everyone else a run for their money.

You don't want to rely only on first-party; we know where that eventually lands us. But I think a year or two before the next Switch should be fine in terms of support continuing without massive holes, but no longer than that.

@rallydefault Keep in mind, we're just entering the launch window phase of these next gen platforms, so naturally there will be overlap between the kinds of games this current generation receives in addition to the new consoles, but after about a year, maybe even as early as late next year we're probably going to start seeing more multiplatform titles that are actually designed with next-gen consoles in mind, so if Nintendo doesn't come out with a more powerful variant of the Switch and persist with business as usual, I expect major third party support from the larger companies to nosedive in comparison to these last three years. We might even be looking at Wii U levels of third party support again if that happens.

Man, I feel like Japanese publishers and devs. should be focusing a lot on Switch, at least making their "B" teams make Switch titles(ala MH Rise, BD 2, Octopath etc.)

I understand making games like RE Village, MH World 2(eventually), Tales Arise etc., but with the strong Western influence of the PS5, the Switch is still going to dominate over there.