References To Virtual Reality Discovered In Switch's Code

VR with a 720p LCD display? Thanks, but no thanks.

Then again, if Nintendo comes out with a new iteration of the Switch at some point (which I'm convinced they will), we could have the exact same chassis, only with a 1080p OLED display and lighter weight. That would be perfect for VR.

To continue on that subject, this is what I love about the Switch. Nintendo can easily bring out a Switch 1.5/Lite/whatever that has the exact same chassis, but a larger/sharper screen and more powerful innards. By using the same chassis though, you can keep on using your controllers, docking station, etc.

??!!

I bet that Nintendo planted that so that they could use it to break the heart of the data miner who so proudly discovered it when they later announce that there will be no VR for the Switch.

Until they announce otherwise, I'm guessing that this is nothing of significance. As it says in the article, code like this is often left over from experimentation.

Virtual Boy Classic Mini confirmed.

720p VR would be very painful.

It could have been planned until Nintendo decided to go with weaker specs.

720p VR I doubt it'll come

Is the VR market even lucrative enough for Nintendo to jump into it?

Ya, Im not seeing it.

VR has failed to take off. After the initial launch of the PSVR interest and sales dropped off a cliff. You see retailers everywhere discounting them now just trying to get rid of units.

I own one, and it's impressive for sure. But if people think the Switch game tax is expensive, you haven't seen nothin til you've seen the PSVR game tax. Because there are so few people who own the system, developers make games that last an hour and sell it for $20, or just make multiplayer only games that don't require nearly as much effort and sell those for $60 (Eve, Battlezone, RIGS, Starblood Arena). Good games, but not $60 good. Still, I paid it because it's high quality VR content, and if paying a little more is what it takes to get good content on the system I'll do it- just like I will for Switch.

Granted, very few developers are still making high quality VR games. There were a few stragglers after launch- Robinson The Journey and Farpoint, and Sony's ridiculous online only Starblood Arena... but that's about it. I don't think any more games are coming, at least not of the physical retail variety.

All that said, I don't regret buying a PSVR. It's an experience that I will never forget. And I think every single gamer out there should at least experience it once in their lifetime

Pass. I have never been and will never be interested in VR.

After playing PSVR I highly doubt the Switch will be capable of delivering a good experience, especially with a 720p screen resolution. I love the Switch, but PSVR could even use more horsepower.

I can't see them making a headset that uses the Switch as a screen. The resolution is way to low (I have an Oculus Rift with 2x 1200x1080 and it still looks blurry and pixelated) and the Switch is too heavy.

But a headset with build in screens that plugs into the USB C port plus some kind of belt to strap the Switch to your body would be interesting (no wires to trip over!).

I want to avoid virtual reality gaming, but if it is only an option and you can decide how you want to play a game then I guess I cannot say anything against it. As long as I'm not forced to use it if I want to try a game I'd let others play in VR mode while I'd play in traditional mode instead.

Nintendo stated already it was going to be very compatible.

@Slim1999 Something else to plug in to your mobile phone then?

The joycons with HD rumble would be far more convenient for VR play than most options currently available. There's just no way getting around that 720p, though

VR at current stage is a failed project...like 3d tv's it doesn't take off with PS VR and Occulus. Who knows, maybe in 10 years there will be demand for it but right now chances are low. It not what Switch miss. We had enough gimmicks from Nintendo in the past, i can safely pass on this one

I saw a video on YouTube by game theorists about it made some interesting points. I know they are just for fun but the idea of augmented reality and the Switch would be a winner in my book!

We could simply say that Nintendo does this a lot: both software and hardware of previous systems have all kinds of unused remnants in them that were ultimately not implemented by Nintendo, such as the infamous 3D chip in the GameCube. But to me, that is a bit too short-sighted, so I'd rather speculate a bit more.

Taking into account Shigeru Miyamoto's initial statements on the subject, I'm not surprised at all that this is embedded in the code, and I would also not be surprised to hear that they have indeed experimented with this.

But I do agree with the comments of others concerning the resolution of the Switch not nearly being good enough to deliver a decent VR experience.

BUT....

Remember that it was the wish of Mr. Iwata to create an architecture, and/or an environment that could be shared across systems? That could very well mean that any future device that Nintendo is going to make, is going to use the exact same software/OS as the Switch is now, albeit in more capable form.

Having that code already embedded, or at least bookmarked in the OS layer, means that they can build upon that whenever needed, so this will not be for the Switch, but it could be for one of the next iterations of Nintendo consoles.

Mario Kart VR soon on Switch. 🚗

I doubt this means much now, but Nintendo has expressed interest in VR before.

1080P is too low for VR, 2160P is the only solution.

VR, what a shame, it should have been VC.

@ZurapiiYohane Heck, launch MP4 with VR and they could be onto something.

@dizzy_boy Yeah, I initially misread the article as "Virtual Console" & got excited lol, although the Virtual Boy image should have made it obvious. xD

No thanks @ VR

Cool. Anyone know the language used?

Don't see VR happening this time around. If the next Switch is 1080p native, quite a bit more powerful e.g. X2 based or similar, and crucially has head tracking built into the console, it could be brilliant.

Nintendo's incorporated these "just in case" things in their systems before, so it's good to see they are keeping their ducks lined up just in case VR continues past niche into standard.

Just bring MK VR to the US for now & we'll be happy.

I hope he is not a licensed developer, as showing off code covered by NDA would likely get him in trouble.

That said, very interesting.

@Akropolon "To continue on that subject, this is what I love about the Switch. Nintendo can easily bring out a Switch 1.5/Lite/whatever that has the exact same chassis, but a larger/sharper screen and more powerful innards. By using the same chassis though, you can keep on using your controllers, docking station, etc."

This is where I'm at. I look at the current Switch as the DS Phat. I'm waiting for the inevitable DS Lite Switch.

Vrmode could be anything, doesn't mean VR or virtual reality just because it used those letters. It could just as easily mean "video recording" mode; does/will switch do video capture like the others?

Mr Kimishima did say Switch is powerful enough for VR.
However, this code doesn't confirm virtual reality in any way.

@Akropolon Are pre-orders open on this yet?

@JaxonH Other than Skyrim, Doom and several other physical releases for PSVR alone

I am still on the fence as to whether VR will success or fail - I think money will be pumped into it as a future investment for the tech as the war for pixels starts to become more fruitless but in terms of this gen, we'll see.

I think this is just a bit of code left in from some tinkering.

@Rudy_Manchego
Ah, right, forgot about those. The Bethesda VR releases, which I actually have preordered. Will be a great sendoff cause I don't see anything else listed for preorder. Not one single game. Not even from Sony themselves.

@Akropolon Even 1080p on the size of the Switch display is too low resolution for VR. It will still look heavily pixelated.

Also, what kind of SoC are they going to replace the X1 with that can actually support decent VR with required 90 fps?
There isn't one available...not without causing severe overheating issues.

@JaxonH Sony announced a few other full releases - there was the one with Mouse and a few more shooters but you are right that we have very little going into 2018. I just want a full Arkham VR game!