
Despite numerous occasions where the company has said otherwise, Nintendo is actively "looking at" and "experimenting" with VR technology for its gaming endeavours.
The news comes from Nintendo of America President and COO Reggie Fils-Aimé, who appeared at Seattle's Geekwire Summit yesterday to talk about the company and its future. Discussion included Nintendo's recent past, with Reggie believing that the lessons learned from Wii U have led onto the Switch's success, and soon arrived at the technologies that Nintendo might utilise in the future.
According to Ars Technica, Fils-Aimé briefly discussed Nintendo's previous dabbles into exciting tech such as the Virtual Boy and the 3DS' AR card functionality, before finally confirming that the company is indeed experimenting with VR.
"This is something we constantly think about, experiment with. For virtual reality, we’ve said: it’s tech that we’re looking at, but in the end it has to be fun. That’s our mission, and that is what we do arguably better than anyone else. We have nothing to announce here on this stage. These are going to be technologies that we’ll continue to experiment with. There are new experiences we want to bring to life."
Of course, Nintendo has always been quick to reiterate that it isn't interested in the likes of VR or 4K gaming, with its thought process being that the concepts aren't "mainstream" enough to be worthwhile as of yet, but we've always found it hard to believe that the company would refuse to experiment to some degree. It would appear that Nintendo is biding its time; if the technology becomes more commonplace in the home, and if Nintendo can provide a truly "fun" experience with it - as mentioned above - then perhaps something could happen after all.
Would you like to one day play Mario and Zelda in VR? Would you rather Nintendo ignored its gaming rivals and continue to do its own thing? Let us know down below.
[source arstechnica.com]
Comments 61
Actually..I could see VR happening with a 3rd revision of the console.. up the screen resolution to prevent the screen door effect, and it could be a higher end version of the google cardboard type stuff.
There's potential for some really cool implementation of Nintendo's IP in VR. Imagine exploring Hyrule or the Mushroom Kingdom from a new perspective! I would imagine if they do go down this route we will probably see some collections to show off some innovative ideas, something not too dissimilar from Wii Play or Nintendoland – I’d be totally up for that!
Switch VR doesn't need to be full games, Nintendo could experiment by adding extra modes to already existing games and sell them as DLC. Like a MK8D VR Cup, a VR tour of Hyrule added to BOTW or an extra VR world added to Odyssey.
I would love to see Nintendo do something with VR. There are many Nintendo games that would work well in VR like Skyward Sword, Metroid Prime, Wii Sports, Pilot Wings, Mario Kart, Star Fox, etc. Personally, I'd kill to play Mario 64 and Ocarina of Time in VR. I hope a VR ready switch is in Nintendo's plans.
Maybe the New Switch coming next year will be fast enough for VR.
Technically current Switch's processor (Tegra X1) is already faster than Oculus Go. John Carmack recently compared the upcoming Oculus Quest as being in the same speed class as Switch... so the problem is that Switch is just too heavy and bulky to go the GearVR route, not to mention the low screen resolution.
@HexagonSun Pilot Wings VR would be superb!
If Oculus and PS4 VR had been a massive success I could see this happening, but the in reality all the things we thought would hamper VR (Cost, Motion Sickness, Weight and comfort, Portability, Reliability, Developer interest, Game depth, Keeping the headset clean, etc) have all come true and were left with nothing but a niche curio like gyroscopic 3D and voice control.
Should Nintendo be developing VR big, or putting their manpower into making Switch games and beyond?
Let me be clear, VR is already amazing fun, so this is just a bit of marketing spiel imo. All Nintendo simply needs to do is make sure it has as comfortable and affordable a VR experience as possible (ideally with a really high res, at least 4K per eye, 90Hz+, as near to 200 degrees field of view as possible, full six degrees of freedom on both the headset and controllers, and fully wireless--but that is very unlikely in the very near future at a truly affordable price, so we almost certainly won't get that from Nintendo). But I'm def very much looking forward to the day Nintendo does finally get on board the VR train, because then I think a whole lot of people are finally also going to get what's so utterly amazing and compelling about it--and that is a very good thing for what I wholeheartedly believe is the most exciting revolution to happen in gaming and indeed all of entertainment since pretty much the beginning of time.
All them years of my parents telling me to move away from the television. Now companies want to ram a screen in front of my eyes!
Awaiting future stories of how the business we love is destroying everyone's eyes!
@MrGawain You, sir, are very ignorant of where VR is at right now. Modern VR is actually a relative success at this early stage in its life, whether you can grasp that or not, and it's only getting better and better at a pretty quick pace.
Now, don't get me wrong: VR right now isn't perfect, but it is far beyond any point where it needs to be to provide truly compelling experiences already. And, again, it's just getting better and better all the time.
Within a gen or two we're going to have VR headsets with 8K+ resolution, 90Hz+ display rate, near 200 degrees filed of view, 6 degrees of freedom on both the headset and motion controllers, all fully wireless, and at a relatively affordable price (or at least no more expensive than current-gen headsets). We're almost there in most of those aspects already, but just not with them all on a single headset or at a truly mass-market price--but that's just a matter of [not too much] time.
Simply put, you don't really know what you're talking about. You are basically being a negative ninny about something that is the most exciting thing to happen in gaming and indeed all of entertainment since pretty much the beginning of time. I expect very much that you don't even own a VR headset, and possibly haven't even really tried current-gen VR.
As Pierce Brosnan says in The Lawnmower Man, "This is the future, and you're afraid of it."
And it really is.
From my point of view they should focus more on the "anytime, anywhere"-thing and less on VR gimmicks.
Happily they seem to think the same.
Be on the switch might be slightly bad due to the screen door effect, but if Nintendo could find a way around the, a switch be would be amazing. It also would be cool if nintendo released mkgpvr on steam be, but that will never happen. I’d gladly pay $10-$30 for that.
*Vr not be *
friggin autocorrect
@impurekind I totally agree that VR is the future. Mobile VR is, in my opinion, what's really going to make it take off with the masses. Most people just don't want to spend the amount of money it takes to do pc vr right. It looks like a pain to set up as well. Oculus has the right idea and is releasing a scaled down mobile version of the rift next spring (Oculus Quest). It has 6 dof for both headset and controllers, is wireless, and doesn't need to connect to a pc. It will get scaled down ports of rift games. If they get the immersion right you don't need cutting edge graphics to enjoy VR.
If Nintendo does VR for a future Switch model, they could always use older less demanding games, like N64 and GameCube, which are already being emulated in VR on pc.
VR really is a lot of fun. I know Nintendo could do it justice with really fun and engaging software. It's too bad so many people seem to write it off as a fad.
VR will not be mainstream until it can get rid of the motion sickness feeling. And that will only happen when we can trick our perception of motion and balance as well as receiving the vision and audio. And that’ll be more like the effing matrix which is a scary thought.
I think this is just a matter of time! As long as it's not a gimmick that only works with 1-3 games. On a side note, every time I've given VR a try, I walked away saying it's not there yet.
@Mew Unfortunately, I don't think that is possible with the Switch. It would need to be a completely new device. First, the Switch is currently a 720p screen - we'd need to see a ridiculously massive upgrade to the screen to have an acceptable resolution for VR. Even upgrading to 1080p would be insufficient, as that image is split between your eyes. The Vive & Rift still have a very prominent screen door effect with 1080p per eye, so splitting a 1080p image would be a very poor experience. Then of course, driving 2 x 1080p images at a comfortable framerate would require far more power than the Switch, and presumably any revision of the Switch, would reasonably be able to provide. And to be clear, I'm not saying Nintendo never does VR - I just don't think they'll do it on the Switch platform.
@HexagonSun Totally agree with everything you said there.
My recent experience playing Eternal Darkness in VR via Dolphin was brilliant. I can only imagine what Nintendo could do if it actually jumped into VR properly with some of its biggest and best first party titles.
It's coming at some point though, for sure, and VR's future is only going to get brighter and brighter because of it.
@roadrunner343 Technically, even the current Switch is capable of a workable VR solution--albeit a very low-end one. It has a resolution roughly the same as the original Rift DK1, and even at that low resolution it was still fully playable. And it already has a processor more powerful than the likes of Gear VR, Daydream and even Oculus Go. It also has controllers that are actually better than those on the likes of Gear VR, Daydream and Go too, and two of them at that. And, obviously, it's portable and relatively affordable and stuff like that out the gate. So, it's possible to do a version of VR on Switch. It wouldn't be amazing, but I think it would likely still impress quite a few casuals out there who were seeing VR like this for the very first time. But, ultimately, I think it would still make sense for Nintendo to maybe wait for a Switch 2.0 to really push VR, or else they could just end up souring the well if they give people something that isn't quite as good as it deserves to be and should be at this point in time--and no one who cares about gaming or VR wants that to happen.
I think Nintendo is doing the right move. While I anticipate VR taking off in some fields (art, 3D modeling, medecine, to name a few), I don't see entertainment being one of those. At least not in the foreseeable future.
People tend to forget that yes, many established technologies we had today initially required tons of investment in the beginning, but the difference is that in most cases, adoption of those technologies showed a progression that those investors could bank on.
The "problem" with VR right now, is that the only ones making money out of it and those doing small, independant productions for it with a small budget that are easy to recoup. There is a userbase somewhat large enough to support those, but that userbase isn't large enough to support big-budget productions in VR right now, and many studios are slowing down (when not stopping) their investment in VR content. Most of the "big" titles that are out in VR right now (or soon to be) are projects that were started mostly when VR was supposed to take the world by storm. Right now, good, convincing VR is a money pit with no sign of it breaking even anytime soon. And I see most big companies these days investing in VR as a tool, than investing in it as an entertainment platform.
So while VR will continue to grow and be more and more useful as high-tech tools, entertainment uses for it gives no indication right now that it's going to be more than a niche market. Unless some drastic evolution in technology makes VR almost "natural" (and we're very far from that), it won't get the traction required to become mainstream. Think that many people didn't invest in 3DTVs because wearing simple glasses bugged them. Think that the whole "motion controls" in gaming fad also kind of died in the eyes of the public too. While die hard VR fans will continue to buy into VR, the general public probably won't.
Nintendo, since some time already, usually tries to make profits off their consoles from day one, meaning that they don't go out of their way to make hyper expensive boxes that they have to sell at zero profit, in the hope game and accessory sales will compensate. Maybe when VR will be more performant (resolution and refresh roughly in the same ballpark as the human eye, and we're still far from that) and at a cost that makes it viable commercially, in a package that will be very attractive for the common folk (simple plug and play with no fuss whatsoever), THEN you may see Nintendo invest in it. Maybe. Which is, from a business perspective, pretty understandable.
@impurekind One of the specific issues @mew mentioned was the screen door effect - which would definitely be a major issue on a 720p screen. Also, having something "work" does not mean it would be a pleasant experience in any way. Far too low resolution, and far too low frame rate, would ultimately lead to a very poor experience. There's plenty of people dissatisfied with the higher resolution screens of the current Rift, Vive, PSVR, etc... and it's difficult enough to get comfortable frame rates with power PC hardware at times. Couple that with drastically less powerful hardware of the Switch, and there's no way VR will be happening on the Switch, in my opinion. I also disagree that such a sub par experience would "impress quite a few people." Sure, there may be some that are impressed by it, but I think there will be just as many if not more that are extremely disappointed by such a solution. We also know Nintendo does not like to release half-baked ideas, so I don't think we'll be seeing any sort of Nintendo branded VR until the technology is quite a bit more mature.
Nintendo's always researching some tech... nothing new to report here.
Prime 4 in VR could be pretty neat.
I would also very much like to test the VR Mario Kart Arcade game.
Too bad it's never coming here.
Someone tell these jokers to play Astro Boy Robot Rescue and let's get on with it!
VR is plenty fun as is.
@impurekind Lucky you! I would love to try the dolphin emulator in VR. My wife would never let me spend what it would take right now to set that up. I haven't even tired proper pc vr yet. My friend has a ps4 pro and psvr and I just recently picked up an oculus go. These are obviously way scaled down from a pc experience, but it's still so much fun. Skyrim and Doom feel pretty amazing in VR. My oculus go is sort of comparable to a Wii in VR. It only has 3dof, but it really works great with certain types of games (table tennis, flight sims, on rails shooters etc). It's enough to really make me see the potential. I can't wait for the 6dof oculus quest next year.
I don't think the current model switch is right for VR. Not without a high resolution separate head set at least. The oculus go, for example has a resolution of 2560×1440. That's higher than psvr and it's noticeable. It would be better if Nintendo waited for the next model. They could even make a VR optimized tablet for those that are interested and willing to spend a little extra. They could bundle it with a headset and joycon attachments so they could be tracked for 6dof. However they end up doing it, I know Nintendo has the expertise to really make an impact with how VR is perceived.
I'll tell you what's fun: looking at goofballs with VR headsets on, waving their arms, looking around, and stumbling while playing
@HexagonSun Yeah, I also think it would make more sense for Nintendo to maybe get into VR properly with their next console, Switch 2 or whatever it will be, but I'd still be happy to see them dabble in it even on the current Switch--so long as everyone is made to understand that it would be a very low-end version of what VR is actually truly capable of right now.
@roadrunner343 I think too many people are taking too literally the words of some tech nerds. Yes, there is a "screen door" effect on even current VR headsets, and it would be even more noticeable on Switch VR, but it's honestly not something that's really that big a deal once you just get in there and start playing a good game in VR. It's like saying we simply couldn't play a 480p game because of how low-res it is--but we managed just fine for like 30 years doing precisely not. Switch VR would definitely be a very cut-down version of what VR is truly capable of, but I honestly wouldn't mind if Nintendo dabbled in it right now. So long as everyone is made to understand that this really isn't reflective of what the top-end VR is actually capable of right now.
I think you underestimate how impacting VR can be when done well, even at a really low resolution. If Nintendo could let all its customers play stuff like Mario Kart, Zelda, Mario, etc in VR right now on Switch, even with all those limitations, I have no doubt many people would then be talking about how amazing the potential of VR is and just how excited they would be to see what Nintendo can do with going forward.
I honestly think good VR experiences are just that compelling.
I mean, here's someone playing early VR games on Rift dev kits, and look at how impressed he still absolutely is:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPI_gNUFPVs&list=PLgzzAlT_CcFfyTE2R8dnHKns8-9IUzzO2&t=0s&index=16
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWVRXukjKUw&list=PLgzzAlT_CcFfyTE2R8dnHKns8-9IUzzO2&t=19s&index=17
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9qghITvZYE&list=PLgzzAlT_CcFfyTE2R8dnHKns8-9IUzzO2&t=292s&index=18
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoL1uLS1HQ4&list=PLgzzAlT_CcFfyTE2R8dnHKns8-9IUzzO2&t=0s&index=19
Note: What we're seeing in the footage is actually displayed at a higher resolution than how it appeared to him in the headset at that time, and he was still very much blown away--as was I.
@impurekind I disagree very strongly. And that's fine - the screen door effect bothers people to varying degrees. Despite loving my Rift, the resolution is absolutely one of my chief complaints. It definitely prevented me from being truly immersed. It also makes reading text a pretty extreme chore. Cut the resolution down further, and drastically lower frame rates due to Switch's limited hardware, and the effect is even more pronounced. Considering the screen door effect was the main concern to the person I initially responded to, I don't think I'm taking anything too literally. If the screen door effect doesn't bother you on top-end headsets, great! It's a pretty severe bother to me though, and it's going to be much worse on switch.
It's also not even a remotely relevant comparison between old low-res sources, like my huge collection of retro systems that output 240p/480p. I love them. I play on old handhelds, I play on a Sony BVM CRT, and I play my SuperNT on a modern TV. That has no bearing on how resolution and frame rate impact you once strapped directly to your face.
EDIT: I know we talked about this in another thread, but to re-iterate for others who missed it: I love VR, I had a blast with my Rift. It's just not without its fair share of problems. Considering I believe there to be pretty major issues with high end sets at the moment, it's obvious those issues would be exacerbated even further on a lower resolution, lower powered machine.
@impurekind Actually, we dealt with 480i for a decade or so before progressive scan even became mainstream, which reinforces your point.
I think Switch is the perfect device for VR once it receives a couple revisions. 1) High screen res, and it doesn't need to be that high - I think 2160p (1080 x 2) would work just fine. 2) Add gyro detection to the screen portion of the system for head tracking.
The modular nature of the Switch means cost of entry for VR is ridiculously reasonable. The Joy-Con are already perfect for most VR experiences, so they could essentially put out a VR upgrade SKU for those who already own dock and Joy-Con for far less an asking price than a whole system set. Launch with Mario Kart VRoom!(even a remake of MK7 would work! The 1st person view was brilliant!) and watch VR take off. Guaranteed.
@roadrunner343 I genuinely don't believe anyone other than tech geeks specifically focusing on it really care about the screen door effect that much at all.
Christ, there's people still mentioning it on the likes of Pimax 8K, and I know for a fact the games are looking so good on this headset's screen at this point in time--given that my Rift is already totally great and this headset's resolution and field of view is waaay beyond my Rift--that it really is just nerds getting carried away on specs.
Honestly, it's real enthusiasts on hardcore VR sites that keep bringing it up like it is make or break (even now, when we're clearly beyond the point of it mattering imo), but most people I've demoed my Rift too have been sucked right into it and had a blast within a few second. The screen door "issue" simply isn't an issue to them. And pretty much every headset on the market is already beyond Rift in terms of resolution.
Yes, on a Switch VR headset it really would be noticeable. But as someone who was there when people played DK1 for the first time, I can tell you that the experience of just being inside a fully immersive world in VR pretty much always overcomes any of the limitations of resolution and the like--that's just how compelling VR is.
THIS is how most normal people react to VR (even lower-res VR):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZ8Xj_I3aNU
And they were mostly trying out kinda rubbish demos on it too--we're so far beyond that already, in just a few years, that it's not even funny.
@onex Exactly.
@impurekind Which is an incredibly stupid and arrogant thing to say, when I'm telling you, it actively bothers me. I love VR. Yes, I'm a tech nerd. I would LOVE for the screen door effect to not bother me. Just as I'm sure other would love to not be bothered by motion sickness, or sensitivity to frame rate while in VR. To say that I'm making up an issue simply because I'm into tech is ridiculous.
You sound like nothing more than a fanboy/salesperson for VR. Stop trying to sell me on VR. I'm sold! I love it. The experience is super compelling. Most of my friends I've shown it to loved it as well. It's not perfect though. Screen door effect, even on higher resolutions, bother people. Frame rates, even on more powerful machines, bother people. This isn't something unique to me or techies, and considering it is the one issue the original poster commented on, I provided my personal experience with it. If you can play VR just fine on lower resolutions, fine, have at it! But don't pretend that it isn't an issue at all.
@onex You bring up a lot of good points, in that the Switch could have been the perfect device for VR. The modular nature, the joy-con, etc... I don't disagree there. I don't think we're going to get a system that is capable of driving 2x1080p images anytime soon from Nintendo.
@impurekind I can attest to this as well. My cousin brought his PSVR to a party I had once, and everyone got to try out Until Dawn Rush Of Blood. We all had a fun time playing it. I noticed the screen's res being low, but that didn't take away from my enjoyment.
If you're too busy being concerned with technicalities to have a good time, you're doing it wrong.
..Unless it's causing motion sickness, then that's a bummer. Or you can just take some Dramamine.
@roadrunner343 And I'm telling you that you are in the minority and one of those tech geeks I'm referring to. The fact you're in here arguing with me about it is already testament to that fact--how many non-geeks do you see visiting a Nintendo-specific fan site every day--and it's funny you can't see what you, and me too, are. We are the geeks. 99.99% of everyone else isn't. So, step out of the geek bubble for just a second, and look through the eyes of someone else that isn't you. . . .
This is precisely why I posted the link above showing how non-tech-geeks react to VR for the first time.
You and me would be sitting there going on about the screen door effect and field of view and the room-scale tracking, and blah, blah, blah, and they're just blown way. One of them is on the verge of tears at the end of the video. That's geeks vs non-geeks for you.
VR, even on a Switch, would still blow most people away--although I still think Nintendo will do it far more justice in a gen or two.
@onex Yeah, motion sickness, now that IS a GENUINE issue that still needs a lot more work to fully resolve. Screen door effect, kinda arguing over pixels--literally--at this point as far as I'm concerned.
@impurekind Of course we're in the minority - that has no bearing on whether or not resolution bothers some people. It's like saying "only tech geeks are bothers by motion sickness in VR" - it is an absurd unrealistic, and totally irrelevant claim. Given the original post I responded to specifically called out resolution, of course that's where my response focused. Perhaps take posts into context, rather than trying to sell everyone on VR? I'm fully capable of loving VR, really enjoying my time with my Rift, and simultaneously criticizing its shortcomings.
@roadrunner343 Don't be a troll moron now. I didn't say it didn't bother anyone ever. And that's not what I'm arguing here.
I'm saying that even on the Switch as is Nintendo could still do VR that would be compelling enough it would leave many, many people impressed. And, sure, their first thoughts might be "I can't wait to see what this is like in a generation or two!" but that's where the hype starts--just like it did for me and a whole lot of other people with DK1.
Switch on VR right now wouldn't be perfect (not even close), and I'm not entirely convinced it wouldn't be better just to wait for its next console or whatever, but Nintendo could absolutely make something compelling in VR on the Switch right now if it really wanted too--"screen door" effect and all.
That's all I'm saying. I'm arguing against the incorrect notion that it's basically impossible to do meaningful VR on Switch right now, which is basically what was asserted above, because that's just completely and utterly wrong and born out of pure ignorance and geekism as far as I'm concerned.
@impurekind I'm a troll moron for stating I have issues with VR, that apparently you don't? And for directly responding to someone else's concern, with experience of my own? Yeah, I'm trolling alright.
First, you throw out completely irrelevant comparisons, using standard 240p/480p image sources as a comparison, which is completely irrelevant to VR experiences. Then, you completely ignore the context of my posts, which included things like the OP's concerns and Nintendo's behavior as a company, and go off on a sales pitch for VR like a zealot. I love VR - no need to sell me on it.
Of course VR "could" happen on switch in it's current state. It happened on Virtual Boy 23 years ago. Does that mean it should happen? I don't think so, and I don't see Nintendo releasing a sub par VR experience whenever there are much better solutions out there, also still with their fair share of problems.
EDIT: Go on with the baseless assumption that I've never shared my rift with anyone. I have friends and family that loved my rift - you know, just like I did, by the way. You seem to think I hate it. So now that we've got that out of the way - can we drop the stupidity of saying I'm bothered by resolution simply because I'm into tech? Can we stop using the example of initial reaction of people being "Blown away" by VR as a sales pitch for all VR? I was one of those people blown away. So were my friends and family, gamers and non-gamers both. Whether I am the minority, or a techie, has no bearing on what I believe the shortcomings are of VR in its current state.
I also found my rift a bit uncomfortable after long periods of time, something that no one would complain about if they just demo it for 10-15 minutes at a party. My friend with glasses had issues with it fitting correctly. I think the headset gets warm after a while. I don't get motion sickness, but others do. It's difficult to drive VR at comfortable frame rates. You're really going to try to tell me these are only concerns because I'm into tech? Of course not. The majority simply haven't had these negative experiences yet, because they haven't owned a VR headset for any period of time. They don't ruin the experience, but that doesn't mean we have to completely ignore them and write off everyone's concerns that happen to differ from our own opinions. The OP specifically called out resolution/screen door effect, which is one of my personal chief complaints, so of course I focused my attention there. Had he called out comfort, fit, frame rate, immersion, game library, etc... we'd be having a different discussion. Couple that with the actual topic at hand (Nintendo) and I don't see Nintendo releasing a VR device for Switch anytime soon. Could they? Perhaps. Could they release an acceptable quality solution? I don't think so.
@roadrunner343 Wow, you're real good a twisting things. Good luck with that.
@impurekind I'm the one twisting things, when you resort to insults and calling people trolls when you consistently ignore my original response, in its original context, to the original poster? Because my main concern (Resolution) differs from yours (Motion sickness) it is somehow not genuine? That's not twisting, that's exactly what you said. But please, continue with the baseless accusations/insults, like you have done to multiple people throughout this thread and the other VR related article. Everyone that disagrees with you is "Ignorant" or "Knows nothing of VR" or some other such rubbish. I love VR, and I want to see more people get into it too - but you come off as a total VR zealot, and everyone that disagrees with you about VR or it's current/future state are short-sighted or ignorant.
I have no intentions to try VR, so Switch having VR or not isn’t important to me. Its easy for a developer to throw together a series of mini games like Valve does and just do that but I think Nintendo is above the level that Valve has stooped to. Yeah there’s other VR ports of preexisting games like Skyrim and Fallout 4 but I think a lot of developers aren’t even sure what to do with VR. Imo I think VR will either exist as a slightly popular niche as it does now, or will fade away.
@roadrunner343 My apologies.
@impurekind
Glad you like it.
But the reality is it hasn't sold in numbers to the average Joe on the street.
Called it this morning, Switch VR on the new Switch coming next year post.
Here's a documentary produced by Channel Newsasia on Nintendo, on how it makes a comeback from some of its failures (including the Virtual Boy). It does state at the end of the video that it is researching on VR technologies, which is in line with what Reggie says. Though its not all correct in its facts, its quite an informative video with insightful interviews with ex-employee of Nintendo.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/video-on-demand/inside-the-storm-s2/nintendo-7824414
Give me Starfox VR and I will die happy. Imagine sitting in the cockpit of an Arwing in the middle of a massive dogfight. Imagine swooping through the ruins of Andross's fortress on Venom and looking all around as you shoot down bogeys and "do a barrel roll". That would be amazing.
@roadrunner343 It would have to be a HUGE upgrade, yes. This is very theoretical
@impurekind I'm going to download Dolphin VR and play the first Xenoblade on Oculus soon. Thank you for telling me about that. I bet it'll be neat.
VR is already fun. It just hasnt had very compelling games for me other than some neat stuff. Full fledged RPGs would be neat though.
@MrGawain Not yet. But it's still early days, and it's sold enough for there to be a next gen. And it will continue to get better and better, and it will sell enough in the next gen for there to be another one after that. And so on. And in 30 years time (and well before that in fact) it will be selling in the kinds of numbers where we'll all be talking about VR just like both people who first played video games back in the day and people who only recently experienced video games for the first time talk about them now. Of that I have no doubt whatsoever.
@Trajan I've had a lot of cool experiences personally but there's still a load of room for bigger and full games for sure.
"...in the end it has to be fun"
Yes, please.
@Frendo If you think PSVR is gimmicky you have not played Astro Bot, clearly. It takes the platformer genre to the next level. As great as Mario Odyssey is, I've had more fun with Astro Bot because it's the first platformer in more than 15 years that has felt truly magical, and that's an understatement.
Honestly any fan of 3D Mario games is going to lose their mind playing Astro Bot. The game is too much fun.
@Spectra Almost everyone finds VR fun. If you don't, then either you've not even given it a proper try or you're in a tiny minority.
@RazorThin I'd actually say Valve are the single most important developers in the industry right now. Well, on one condition: They release their in-development games. If they do release them, then they will be pushing the envelop further than anyone else: Releasing 3 AAA VR games is a huge undertaking.
The only fun VR games last 5 minutes and you can try the entirety of them at mall demos
Nintendo has a point. If the technology isn't yet ready for quality mass production, then you'll just wind up with another mistake like the Power Glove or Virtual Boy rather than the successes found with the Wii, 3DS, and Switch.
@I_Am_A_Geek You've never even seen the actual library of VR games then. This is like me saying every Switch game is a tech demo because all I've seen is 1-2 Switch. I already mentioned Astro Bot which is 8 hours and is extremely fun - so fun in fact that I challenge anyone who has played Mario Odyssey to see which gives them a more enjoyable time. I'd put my bets on Astro Bot.
Mall demos never demo any truly good VR games, aside from Beat Saber. 99% of the good VR stuff is only found with an actual purchase.
Maybe that's what the new SKU is.
The "Switch ON".
They analyze carefully what's missing from VR now, and from the Switch in particular to do that, and put it all together for a 2019 holiday blowout. A new fully backwards compatible Switch. That also does VR.
Fun, but unlikely.
@Frendo everything was fine (it's an opinion after all) UNTIL you said VR has stubborn fans.
Well, Nintendo has very stubborn fans. Sony has stubborn fans, Microsoft, Apple, Trump have very stubborn fans. Vegetables have stubborn fans. I think I made my point.
Just purchased Astro Bot for PSVR it's absolutely incredible. Until you play in VR you won't understand. If Nintendo have played this amazing game then they surely must be thinking about VR in some shape or form. Mario in VR would be mind blowing stuff.
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