Topic: The Nintendo Switch Thread

Welcome to console launches lol

I'm STILL trying to get an NES Classic. Holy cow. So frustrated about that.

Xbox One I managed to get the week of launch without a preorder, also Wii U. I had to wait a bit until I could find a 360.

@FGPackers
Out of those 3, the only thing I would appreciate hearing about before launch would be possible achievements. I say that because, well, I really want them, and because I think it would be a nice little piece of bait for the Xbox/PS faithful who nearly literally live for gaining achievements and trophies. Sounds kinda stupid, but Nintendo could probably snag some fence sitters by announcing an addicting achievement system. Just imagine some of those dudes that we see speedrunning all the old Nintendo games and stuff - they'd go nuts for getting 100% on all the old Nintendo games AND being able to show it off in an online profile.

11 for sale right here.
get em while im hot.
i mean get em while theyre hot.

@rallydefault I think Microsoft under estimated how much they screwed up with the Xbox One prior to it's launch, and never assumed the PS4 would sell so many out the gate so there were still plenty of stock going around. Kinda haunted them ever since, and I am not convinced the Scorpio will change things.

Anyway, all I want to know from Nintendo prior to launch is how the bloody hell does this voice chat thing work!? We are getting mixed signals with Splatoon apparently needing the app on your phone but yet your Switch console appears to allow for a headset with microphone. Just for the love of all things explain these things Nintendo. Anyone else would have done so by now.

I'm actually not expecting any type of direct for the switch. I think it's just gonna launch with what we know and whatever little bits are revealed in upcoming interviews

I am expecting a Direct in the next couple of weeks.I think the reason they've been so quiet on VC is because it's going to be different from before.We already know online modes are being added to NES/SNES games and I doubt that will only become a thing once the subscription starts.What are the online modes though?Is it just basic multiplayer or is there more to it?There's not exactly scores of NES and SNES games they can add online multi too so there has to be more to it.Plus they said before we will be able to earn MyNintendo points from just playing our games.Their mobile titles are already integrated into MyNintendo so I think it's fair to assume VC and retail releases could be too.What are the VC games that will be there for launch and what consoles are going to be supported?

This is the kind of info that the fans care about so I think they'll address this with a Direct.It doesn't make sense to tell us all this after launch so I think we'll be finding this out soon.They could just do press releases with all this info but it seems more suited to a Direct.They know well how much hype Directs create with the fans so it would be daft not to have one prior to launch.

As for the details about the online subscription I think we'll need to wait till nearer the time it arrives to know all the ins and outs about it.

@OorWullie Online multiplayer and leaderboards along with sharing should help to create a great retro community

@FragRed Yeah, it's weird. I know that people said that some peripherals hinted at voice chat through the Switch itself, but I believe that was just for audio output. Nintendo, however, hasn't even mentioned regular voice chat, all they've been talking about is the app. I think that there's a good chance that the app is the only way to do voice chat.

@GrailUK Yep for sure. I think online retro games are going to become a core part of the Switch experience. With that and games like USF 2,Bomberman and Puyo Puyo, this old guy is excited and feeling all 90's like.

@OorWullie Me too

@Octane And that is a problem. There are too many concerns I have with the idea of your phone essentially acting as your online world for the Nintendo Switch which seems to be what is getting hinted at with other areas such as the eShop, multiplayer friends, voice chat etc. This will all be a drain on the battery, and when using it for voice chat, will likely render the phone useless for other purposes such as taking phone calls etc.

To me this all seems kinda hobbled together. I assume they didn't want to run into the same problems they did with the Wii U OS, being slow and clunky and taking up half the available RAM, thus moved it over to a phone app.

I really hope there are some Switch related My Nintendo rewards early on. Looking at my point expiry I'm just barely keeping up with the Platinum coins. Mostly because of various 3DS themes that come out. But my first lot of Gold coins expire in April. I don't want to spend them on 3DS/Wii U software, I certainly don't want to spend them on discounts for 3DS/Wii U. So there better be something you can get on the Switch early on.

@FragRed The original Xbox could do online voice chat, so I doubt it has anything to do with the "less" powerful hardware.

But yeah, I'm not a big fan either, I can't imagine not using my phone for an hour or two because I want to use the voice chat app. I mean, what happens if someone calls you? It doesn't sound very convenient.

If someone calls you via your phone when doing voice chat normally, you still need to stop. No doubt since its an app itll do what normally happens, phone will override and push it to the background disabling key features.

No different than having to take a headset off at the end if the day.

I think we need to wait for official word on the voice chat stuff. We're just an echo chamber that will keep tossing worries back and forth.

I expect more information to be released not this week, but the next (around Valentine's day). I don't know if it will be a Direct, but I do expect Nintendo to come out and establish more.

I also think game announcements will continue to trickle out at the pace they have been, which has been a nice bonus. (I saw Tumbleseed footage yesterday, and although it doesn't seem like my kind of game, it is yet another game for the Switch being announced.)

I don't have a problem if voice chat is via smart app: i'm the type of player that plays "competitive" at home, relaxed, without anyone or anything disturbing me, and most of all not on the go (perfect situation to play alone in singleplayer). So the Switch will be docked and charging, the phone can be attached to a power bank or to the wall so battery will not die at the worst moment, and if someone calls i can answer later. So on my point of view it's not that potential kind of problem. Instead i have to admit i love it: think about it, you're returning home and you want to see if you can plug in your Splatoon 2 to make some ranked, and you can call your friends while returning home to prepare the lobby. That sounds awesome to me

Am i an optimistic guy? Yes. Do i always watch the half full glass? Surely, why should i do the opposite? That's how i feel about voice chat app

The problem I have with it, is that I'm on a phone anyway, why should I have to pay for something that my phone has countless apps to do for free anyway? Half of me thinks Nintendo will allow it through the Switch itself, if not at launch then somewhere down the line. The other half knows this is Nintendo and they're just as likely to leave it as a feature exclusive to their app for some reason.

It will be very frustrating if I need to have two devices to play online with friends like on the Wii U. The difference being I used Skype for free while my phone sat in my lap.

It'll be interesting to see how Japan responds to 1-2-Switch. Wii Sports actually was not a pack-in there.

I'll enable facetime to communicate. To be honest, the lack of a sim card confuses me.

So if I'm online, via phone, I can't chat because I already need to bridge it? The switch needs a sim card slot.

@FGPackers The app is a great addition. However, if voice chat is exclusive to the app, then it's definitely not as convenient as regular voice chat. They're creating unnecessary issues that should've have been there in the first place. Might as well use Skype at that point.

I think voice chat will be possible through the console itself.

If not at launch, then maybe after that free online trial period ends in Fall 2017.