Topic: The Nintendo Switch Thread

@GrailUK
Zendo ?
I found this board game called Zendo from Google image.

@Rambler I'm nervous that I won't be able to answer that in a succinct manner so let me think on my answer.

@JaxonH When did we get chip info? Are these Switch pro rumors or a leak?

@Anti-Matter Yes, that's it! Was pretty cool.

@Ryu_Niiyama
The Nvidia leaker kopite was the source, and they're never wrong. They've basically got a 100% track record in the Nvidia PC community. When they say something you can take it to the bank. They don't normally deal in Switch leaks but because it's an Nvidia chip they came across info.

Leak was later confirmed by other sources as well.

Tegra 239 Orin chip using ampere architecture, 8 core CPU. Will be downclocked to preserve battery life, obviously. Expect PS4 docked performance, base X1 handheld performance. Has potential to use DLSS though its yet unknown whether it will.

https://wccftech.com/nintendo-switch-pro-successor-rumored-nv...

@kaisu
Nobody's talking about copying MS/Sony with a power console. We're simply talking about Switch 2 being more powerful than Switch. Which obviously needs to happen, and will happen.

@Rambler you are correct PS3 was a hardware extremely hard to program/develop, only on the late lifecycle of the console, Sony own subsidiaries and third party has started figer out how to make games on the console and @JaxonH for the Switch sucessor, Nintendo need to find the right balance between a powerful hybrid afordable console, maybe the Switch sucessor will have similar techinal/graphical power equivalent to a PS4 Pro or a SteamDeck, so the Switch sucessor can easily get ports for games designed for PS4/PS5 or games around this techinal aspect.

@kaisu I suppose the argument could be made that a system lives and dies by its library (not sure how much I agree since two of my favorite systems WiiU and N64 had smaller libraries than most) and that library size/breadth/diversity is dependent on dev and publisher buy in. Nintendo is not going to float the money the way MS (Gamepass) or Sony (exclusive content and timed exclusives) do so all they have is the hardware buy in and ecosystem (their own first party production and the perception of Nintendo as a partner and viable platform) to work with. For better or worse. Nintendo imo takes the long view after their more aggressive approach in the 80's and 90's and the tortoise usually wins, but there are few pink elephants in the room to deal with.

Game consoles function as status/social symbols just as much as entertainment. Consumers (the vocal ones anyway) often want bigger better, cooler...even if those people tend to have a very myopic software attach rate.
Devs want ease of programing and portability and a sure thing for sales (usually) as being on the popular platforms (depending on the genre of course...and dev reputation) can be a instant boost to sales.
Shareholders want profit profit profit. They see people scalping and fighting over 600 dollar fun bricks and they want a piece of that pie.
Manufacturers want homogeneous products (or at least the parts list) for ease of manufacturing while maximizing profit.
Games are considered a luxury item so very little consideration is given to people that fall outside of the market demographics (I mean they will take your money but they aren't usually making systems with those people in mind).
Marketing bias. Companies spend a fortune telling you what you should want to buy and why. So some of that is just internalizing that mantra.

Throw all that in a pot and you get people applying the same standards to every system.

All that said. Nintendo since the 80's has always had a gaming is for everyone approach. If Nintendo could have come up with a mobile phone when the iron was hot they would have done that because similar to MS they want their product everywhere (difference is for MS the ecosystem/windows/xbox os is the product). Sony feels like the only one that doesn't currently have the blue ocean hook (they count on brand loyalty for that now that the dvd player (Ps2) and blu ray (Ps3) have done their jobs) because they have mindshare saturation. People seem to buy PS the way they used to buy Nintendo in the 80's as in the brand is synonymous with gaming (with variations by region).

@JaxonH You know me, I am a skeptic until Nintendo makes an announcement but I may toss an extra few hundo onto my TotK OLED hope fund. As long as the system is BC I'm happy.

Granted, I have no solid idea of Switch customer base demographics, but my suspicion is that the crowd that is asking for more power on Reddit etc. is not the sector of the market that turns Nintendo hardware into a runaway success. Some of those people have been griping about Switch's lack of power since Breath of The Wild and probably spend more time riding the PS/XB/PC train than they do with their Switch (if they even own one).

How do you price a new Switch model without the previous one getting discounted? It would have to be more expensive. But if it's a new console, that 279 quid price point was sweet. Do they discount the Switch whlst it's still selling 20 million units a year? Do they make the new Switch more expensive and prohibit the same sales growth? Do they release a pro model that might be more acceptable to be more expensive. Gah, so glad I'm not in that job!

@gcunit
Its not just about them, it's the overwhelming hunger for a more powerful Switch. We've seen more anticipation for it than we ever saw for a new PS, new Xbox, or even other Nintendo system.

Ppl love the hybrid concept, and are super hungry for the next gen Switch. "The masses" may not be writing reddit posts, but the enthusiasts sure as heck are. More than we've ever seen for any other system. The hunger is real.

The masses will follow because that's where the games will be. Ppl go where the games are. Switch is popular because it has tons of great games that are hybrid. New system is also hybrid, and when the games come ppl will want one.

Unlike Wii, Switch has a very engaged user base. People who habitually buy and play games. Those ppl care about good games on a hybrid system. New Switch releases with more games, new games, games Switch isn't getting/can't run, those ppl will buy one.

It's not some elaborate conspiracy or anything. Switch is super popular, and ppl are extremely excited for the next one. The boom/bust cycle is over for Nintendo. From this generation forward, expect consistency of success like we see with PS/Xbox.

@Ryu_Niiyama
It's always good to be prepared

There's a significant chance we're not getting a new system next year, due to Switch momentum still exceeding 20m/yr. It's possible we just get a Zelda OLED. If we don't get Switch 2, we'll at least get one last revision. Maybe a Lite OLED, or maybe a $149 TV only version. And if that's the case... cool. We buckle up and ride out the last 2 yrs.

But if we do get a new Switch, it would be good to have some dry powder on deck, just in case. I'll be setting aside a bit from tax returns. And if it's not needed, no harm done.

@kaisu no, this clamoring for a more powerful hardware has intensify, since the release of Xbox Series X-S e PS5, we dont know how Nintendo is gonna respond to this situation, the longer they take to release the Switch sucessor, the harder it will be for ports to come to Switch, since in the most time most games will be designed around next-gen hardware, making it harder to port to Switch( unless demading huge optamization on the console, a risk, few companies is wiling to take) and @GrailUK, maybe lower the price of the others Switch models to $50 they are prevoisly priced.

@Giancarlothomaz Hurts my brain lol. Price cutting is usually to maintain sales ande certainly not something they do for no reason.. So if they want to maintain 25 million units a year...then why release a new console? Honestly, it doesn't make sense (to me anyhoo.)

@Eagly
That would actually be kinda cool. However, I don’t think Nintendo would ever do it.

@GrailUK a price cut could benefit Nintendo, if Switch sales start droping substancialy, @Eagly a Bowser vs Donkey Kong, 2D or 3D beat up plataform would be intereting to see.

@Giancarlothomaz @GrailUK
On the one hand, Switch is still on track to push 20m by the end of this Fiscal Year in March. How much will they forecast for FY7? I'm guessing 17 million. Maybe it's higher, but there are some slight signs of momentum slowing a bit.

Now.

On the one hand, you have at least 17m at the current price. On the other hand, waiting until momentum slows to 10-12m could be a bad move, and the same mistake they've made the past Idk how many generations. Trying to leverage the golden goose too long leads to disinterest from consumers. And once you lose a consumer's interest, in can be difficult regaining it.

I believe Nintendo made a statement about their regret in not releasing a Wii HD sooner, when the iron was still hot. If we are to believe they still feel that way, I imagine they won't be keen on repeating that mistake. If that's the case, a new Switch in the midst of Fiscal Year 7 might be the approach they opt for. Yes, there's still milk to be squeezed. But milk too long and not only do you drain the cow dry, you bork your opportune chance to carry momentum forward into the next generation.

So while a price cut may not be "needed" as of May 2023, 6.2 yrs into Switch's lifespan, the alternative may be forfeiting their golden opportunity. Release the next Switch at $399, keep the Switch family at its current price to make the new Switch seem to have more value by comparison, then ride that train as long as possible until Switch sales hit 10m/yr. At that point, make a $50 cut across the board. Switch 2 $399. Switch OLED $299. Switch v2 $249. Switch Lite $149.

@JaxonH yes and given Shuntaro Furukawa recent statment in regards to the next Nintendo hardware(Switch sucessor), they are thinking very carefuly how to make a smooth transtion between Switch and it sucessor, how to sucefuly migrate the 125+ milions hardware playebase of Switch to it sucessor.(i know Switch still has not sold 125+milions hardware).

@JaxonH By not raising the price of the Switch, it could be that it actually is having a price cut, even though the average consumer won't see it. Maybe.

Apologies if this has been raised before, but I'm interested in this:

These power consumption figures are for when the Switch is being used in TV mode.

What is different about the OLED model that makes it consume less power than the standard model in TV mode?

Sonic frontiers, is really good, it’s far from perfect, I’m not going to act like it is, but I’m really enjoying my time, played here hours and did the first island, which btw, the music for the final boss, is a bop!

Without getting into detail sonic controls fine but the mini stages, er the controls are he issue other then that I’m enjoying them as well.

Can’t remember the name but the big chunky boss things we were seeing in trailers I broken as idk what, half the time I glitch through that things body, other then that the other ones are a blast to play.

Already from the start you can tell the story is much more mature, and wile some of the dialogue can be a little scuffed, there really trying and it’s doing so well, they also fixed the problem with Amy, she isn’t just all sonic anymore, also spoilers ahead so if your reading this better stop now, [Spoiler]Amy even says after everything is over she is going to adventure out and do her own thing,[Spoiler/] which is really different for the series, forces try’d to be serious but failed in every way, this, does not, it’s doing great so far.

The combat wile mashy can be really fun! Don’t have to much to say on this matter, all that it just doesn’t suck.

Yes everything is just in the sky, and I hope they can improve on it later down the line, I don’t care but some might, which I understand, it can look really off.

So overall, I love it, I’m enjoying it, tho it’s just three hours in, and my opinion can change, as of now, I’m just having a blast, Like I said it isn’t perfect and there is a lot to improve on, so I really want them to keep this style, this style of story telling, and gameplay, keep it, and just improve on it, I think sonic really found his place here, which is something I didn’t think I would be saying, ever.

Can’t score yet. Oh also, the piano music, actually, fits? I know I said it wasn’t his style but the way you move about and run around, just goes so well with the awesome piano and violins, music also changes to that rock you know and love whenever your in a fight, haven’t noticed a lot of pop in but then again, I’m not just looking at the sky.

Big con, there’s no sonic drawing music! 😢😩

@Snatcher
Just curious since you have played Sonic Frontiers, was there any Game Over screen ?
If there was, dang....
I knew I will never able to play Sonic games with very high speed run.