The Nintendo Switch has been out in the wild for just over three years now, and you can expect it to remain relevant for a good while yet.
The console first launched on 3rd March 2017, signalling an early and rather abrupt end for its predecessor, the Wii U. Aside from the Wii U, Nintendo's recent consoles have usually stuck around for six or seven years before being replaced by something new - the Wii launched in 2006 before Wii U's arrival in 2012, and the Nintendo DS arrived in 2004, lasting seven years before the 3DS replaced it in 2011.
According to reports from a recent investor Q+A meeting, held just after Nintendo's fiscal year earnings release went live, the Switch will follow suit. David Gibson, an investment advisor who attended the Q+A session, relayed some of the key points of the meeting on social media, explaining that Nintendo's representatives described the Switch as being 'barely in the middle' of its life cycle.
For the current fiscal year spanning from April 2020 to March 2021, Nintendo expects to shift another 19 million Switch units worldwide, despite coronavirus-related concerns.
It's hardly surprising to hear that the Switch still has at least another three or four years left, but it never hurts to get confirmation from Nintendo itself. Is it too early to start thinking about what comes after Switch? We'll let you ponder that one over in the comments.
[source twitter.com, via ign.com]
Comments 130
More three plus years max and they call it a rap.
I suspect the Switch family (assuming there will be an interim 'plus' model launched in the next few years) will stick around for a good while yet.
The switch as a brand yes... But it will be interesting how they move hardware forward.
Of course it's barely in the middle, we haven't even gotten Pikmin 4 yet.
@Octane Or Metroid Prime 4
They will most likely make a better switch, but a whole new system? I don't see that happening anytime soon.
So there is still time for Fallout 3 and NV on it right?!
Just kidding … or not. I want more ports!
Sooner or later will be a Switch aka Pro or 2.0HD coming out that's basic knowledge. A upgraded system will come out if anyone thinks otherwise is the reason they aren't in the business of Nintendo Console making. And sales force of the Switch shows you don't need eye candy games to be top Dog. The longer xbox/psx wait the longer they have to get more developers to come aboard. Remember Developers don't survive doing nothing-the more games they game release with QC the better it is for Switch. Still waiting for the NintenDoomed fandom to try to be revisionist.....
And even if a new model is release they will still sell the previous model as that is how you maintain market share grip. They be unwise to stop the previous just because of a new model as that model would have different internal hardware to upgrade the graphics and GPU power output. It's like a 2DS and New 3DS XL model where the buyer has a choice they can choose. And the sales of the Switch isn't just GPU graphics but game variety for all age of Gamers new, current, and older gamers. This is how you maintain market share and keep growing. 4K is just fake to get that would be cost prohitited and most users would never get that far unless their TV or Monitor is True 4K and that doesn't come cheap. And the xbox, psx are On-Board GPU the worst possible combination to have without any option to upgrade. If they want people to keep their system going they should make GPU slot to upgrade but you know they won't because they would make that UnAffordable and as of now the prices rumor/myth out stretch the Switch prices so one should ask was it really worth that when you can't even upgrade the GPU.
Switch Next is going to blow people away, expect it to be as powerful as the PS4 Pro or more based on their newest chipsets.
If they would upgrade the graphics, get some 4G/5G, and adjusting it here and there to get up to date, I wouldn't mind Nintendo Switch to stay for small 10+ years... love that console
Well, duh. It's only three years old.
And no, I don't think we'll see a Switch Pro but we'll jump straight into Switch 2 (or whatever) in 2023.
I don't get why people are clamoring for a new iteration this soon, honestly, especially one that could split the fanbase.
And if we do get a Switch Pro, it's only going to prolong the Switch's overall life to 8 or so years.
You're welcome to stay at least more 4years. Just focus on amazing exclusive games. No need to join the rat race. Just do your own thing N.
@clvr Problem is this more or less going to be their console going into the future. People want portable and Docked gaming options.
That would be a total of 6 years, which isn't by no means extraordinary, but the usual life cycle (except from the happy Xbox 360 - PS3 generation).
Let's hope they are 6 good years, and that the couple last ones don't overlap with the next system and all Nintendo and third parties' focus is on that new machine instead of giving Switch a great twilight.
Personally I think the only reason Nintendo bring out new hardware is they have a rule that most of their IP can only have one title a generation.
That's good news. I would like to get my money's worth! I do hope they make the next Switch backwards-compatible to protect people's purchases and libraries.
Judging by the latest charts, the same could be said about GTA V
@SwitchForce "you don't need eye candy games to be top Dog"
Or rather, you don't need top dog hardware to have eye candy games. Some of the switch's games are absolutely gorgeous (looking at botw and luigi's mansion 3), and Nintendo constantly shows just how much can be done with weaker hardware. Even though, I'm still looking forward to a more powerful revision.
That’s good , no need to keep bring out new consoles , the switch has shown it’s not about graphics it’s about game play , my first console was a nes and snes and they are amazing to this day
Well yeah, I ain't doing playing switch. We still need N64 and GameCube online services.
I expect it to be around for a while, but I don't trust Nintendo's expected lifespans. They have said they would support consoles for certain amounts of time in the past and they lied.
Don't trust whatever comes from investor briefings.
I think Switch sales will decide the Switch's future. If Series X and PS5 reduce interest in Switch, I'd guess Switch's successor will launch in like early 2022 but if the reverse I'd guess the Switch's successor could be as late as say early 2025 for example.
@Lagster_YT Thinking about future consoles, would they want to risk changing the design? I love how the Switch is portable and sleek. I would guess just make a stronger version for Switch 2. I wonder what those developers are thinking right now (other than the pandemic)?
Just more four years is really a pessimist expectation to the level of popularity Switch is reaching. Will be more.
@sikthvash I suspect a backward comparable Switch 2 will come after a theoretical Switch Pro in a few years
so, does this all mean that we might get a Nintendo Switch Pro or a Nintendo Super Switch. at least we never got a "Super Wii"..lol
@N8tiveT3ch if the Nintendo Switch stays around as a brand; than we will at least get two or three major versions of it just as Sony did with the PlayStation and Microsoft with the Xbox... if Nintendo releases a Nintendo Switch 2, it will be at least on par with the PlayStation 5. it has to be the world has no other choice...
@JSDude1 Yesh please! Followed by Switch 3 with holographic, foldable screens =0p
2023 Switch 2 then?
I'm down if its backwards compatible!
I'm honestly ok with 1080p, just need a more powerful processor for new gen games
@Jokerwolf If you are going to troll at least put in some effort.
Good. It needs more BIG games for itself not ports
If it WERE in the midst of it's mid-life, would you expect Nintendo to admit it? When is the last time you saw someone having a mid-life crisis and acknowledging that they were in fact a sad sack of tripe?
I love the Switch but dag nabbit, they need some stronger hardware even now. The next gen systems are going to wipe the floor- you can forget about current gen ports to Switch when they release.
Tbh Nintendo need to be careful there next console don't flop like the wiiu, they have found the perfect console in the nintendo switch being both handheld and console is attracting two different user bases. They need to keep this hybrid theme going forward into future consoles
@Kalmaro Don't you mean Metroid 5? We have Metroid for the NES, Metroid ll: Return of Samus, Super Metroid and Metroid Fusion, the 4th one.
@aznable Exactly
@stevenw45 God I wish they made a Super Wii! The marketing on that would have been amazing!
@Kalmaro @Octane Or Bayonetta 3. Or a port of Animal Crossing: amiibo Festival. Or any game release dates after this month's 10 year old (2010 in Japan, thank you Operation Rainfall) XC port. Yeah yeah, "definitive edition", it's a port.
Hopefully the end of Switch's life is better than this gameless middle.
Not surprising when considering the life cycles of previous Nintendo systems. The Switch is doing just fine; there's no need for a new system just yet. Besides, I just picked up my own a few months ago and have a TON of games I want to play on it yet. XD
@MimoDX2 Nope, meant metroid 4, or rather, Metroid Prime 4. That's the official title from Nintendo.
it damn better be! I want my themes Nintendo!
I'm hoping the next console will be a revised, upgraded Switch, similar to how the DS became the 3DS. So if I got the new "Switch NX" then I could still play the old Switch games on it; also similar to how the Wii could play GC games or the WiiU could play Wii games. Nintendo are good like that, but I don't see myself investing in a brand new console otherwise.
Of course I'm just holding out for a new Mario Kart and/or Pikmin entry.
Literally, at this point I can only see the console just getting more powerful over the years if they keep with the DS style of upgrades. Maybe adding a gimmick or two along the road. The DS family is over 15 years old, but never really changed much outside of internal hardware.
@aznable I disagree... consoles today are already selling at a loss and there's still relatively little support for true 4K. Most games are just upscale. Eventually these so-called giants of the gaming industry are going to out-price themselves this coming generation, or next.
I’m glad to hear they are not fracturing their install base...use that install base to get games out of devs!
We will see! I stand by my point that if the public doesn't see it as "new and cool" anymore they move on. PS5 and SeriousX will be the new kids on the block so Nintendo really has to keep people's interest. If to many people move on there will be a new console. User-base doesn't mean anything: If that would be the base, the Wii would be still around.
@Averagewriter I hear what you're saying, Nintendo is still calling it the fourth one since it comes after metroid prime 3
@aznable
“ The next gen systems are going to wipe the floor- you can forget about current gen ports to Switch when they release.”
Current Gen systems are more powerful and there are hardly any Current Gen ports to the Switch. And it hasn’t made any difference to how well it’s done.
After seeing people’s reactions to the PS5/XSX games, it got me thinking that I’m glad we have Nintendo in the game industry. I like the completion, but if Nintendo also joined in the teraflop race, it would be much less interesting.
Just a few points here, and I absolutely don’t mean any of this to offend nor am I posting this to incite anything before I go any further. I’ve seen more than a few comments along the lines of “as long as Nintendo release games on the Switch I don’t care about anything else”, and I respectfully disagree.
The Switch is my first Nintendo console. I have no background or interest in the majority of Nintendo’s IP (Astral Chain aside, that does look pretty awesome). Given where I am, with limited free time for games balancing a job and children who have free rein over the other consoles.
The Switch attracted me because it offered me something that the other consoles could not - the ability to play proper AA and in some cases AAA games on the go in the limited free time I have. It’s been a godsend for me and I’m certain I’m not the only one in the same category.
I have none of the recently published best selling Switch games to date and I have no intention of getting any of them, they don’t appeal to me. I’m here for the third party ports and the indie games.
For me, I would hate to see the Switch become a first party games console only and I can only hope that when the new consoles release that isn’t the case. I’d have loved the Switch to have a bit of extra processing and graphics power so that it’s not a possibility that I have to worry about, but them’s the breaks I guess.
@outsider83 true. I love 1-2 switch, Labo, and links awakenings less than 30fps frame rate. My god who would want 60fps 4k Zelda Mario, Metroid when we can play 1-2 switch at a party, build labo where we can talk to people face to face versus native voice chat and fram rate only matters in Mario Kart anyways.
Longer the better, always exciting to know what Nintendo will bring us next.
@Kalmaro Oh sorry, i misread the comment above yours as "Metroid Prime 4" instead of "Pikimin 4", and you said Metroid 4 (unless i misread that too), so i got it all confused.
@superpotion
how so?
Other than making a new console more powerful, I don't really see where nintendo go from here.
They've absolutely nailed it with the Switch
@Marios-love-child nothing wrong with more power. That's been PlayStations successful business model. Plus the snes was more powerful and to me a better system than the nes. I preferred the more powerful GameCube to the 64. And the switch is a more powerful and better version of the Wii u. Nothing wrong with that.
@stevenw45 the media already had a good enough time with the fact that it was called a wii to start with, calling the successor a super wii would have given them a field day. I can already hear the late night talk hosts slapping their tables and churning out jokes
@Averagewriter Interesting, thanks for bringing that to my attention, I went ahead and edited the comment to be more accurate.
@MimoDX2 No you're fine, I edited it to properly say Metroid Prime 4 to clear up any confusion.
@sixrings
Not suggesting it isn't. As a Ps4 Pro owner I'm all for a bit of extra power.
Power aside though, the whole Switch concept is simply perfect in my opinion
@StevenG Go look up how advanced the current gen terga is and I think you may rephrase that.
@Marios-love-child it's perfect to me. Just add some extra horsepower. I don't want gimmicks. We had 30 years of gaming to perfect controllers. Please don't reinvent the wheel.
Eagerly anticipating the next console to be honest.
Now that all the big ips are here time for switch U.
Well I hope so, but that means they're really going to have to support it fully for at least a few more years and also do even more to make it continue to be a worthy choice when sat next to the competition in the coming few years, especially as VR also gets more and more popular alongside the obvious releases of the new Xbox and PlayStation consoles.
Agreed with the report, I'm sure this is here to stay for a while
@MrGawain your right and the cycle will probably reset sooner than later
@clvr It is about keeping the third party momentum in this next generation of consoles. That's why I support a Switch Pro.
It's always exciting and interesting to see Nintendo announce an new console. Because they are the only one, bringing something new to the table every time. So I hope Switch isn't staying too long (6 years or so would be good).
Pointless comparing Switch lifecycle with consoles, better to compare with handhelds. And thanks to Nintendo's policy of backwards compatibility (apart from Switch release!) the lifecycle will be at least 10 years. I expect a future Switch 2 or Switch Pro to be fully compatible with all Switch games. So by my reckoning we've still got at least a couple of years until mid cycle!
People keep talking about the Switch as if it's a second 8th Generation console from Nintendo, and not an early-bird 9th Gen.
This is not like Atari 2600 and Atari 5200 back in 2nd Gen. This is not like Xbox One X and PS4 Pro in 8th Gen. This is Playstation competing against Super Nintendo, or Dreamcast competing against Nintendo 64 and Playstation, years ahead of the rest of the generation switch.
The reason people don't realise this more is because Nintendo is playing in a different court from Sony and Microsoft. They're not obsessed over the next best graphics chips and power drivers and game cart formats. We've seen that with the N64, we've seen it with the Wii, we've now seen it with the Switch. Those are all important, but they're not the most important thing. Is the game fun? Do I need a Switch to play it? Or if not, will playing it on Switch vastly increase the QoL/playability of the game? Portable HD gaming that can switch to at-home HD monitor gaming changed the game.
Will there be a more powerful version of the Switch? Sure, but I doubt it will be a Switch 2. It'll be more like the new Nintendo 3DS - a more powerful model that gives access to games that otherwise would not be possible on the Switch or Switch lite. But that's not their main business plan. It's all about the exclusives, and the exclusives cannot, and will not, need the more powerful Tegra chip. Animal Crossing: New Horizons shows you don't need power to vastly exceed expectations - you need timing. The fact that over 50% of the sales of that game are from the Nintendo eShop also shows another point that Nintendo is moving in: the future is in digital, direct to consumer games. Sony and Microsoft know this too, but Nintendo is poised to go all in on this. That's why they're not doing individual downloads of NES and SNES virtual console titles; it's far easier to future-proof a cloud-based subscription model from console to console. They want subscribers, and they want digital purchases.
We're heading to a world where ginormous micro SD cards are getting cheaper every year, so people can afford to download games. But when they can't, that's okay too, because Nintendo can offer them to you on a streaming basis instead. Nintendo's rivals aren't Sony and Microsoft; they're GameStop and Best Buy and Target and most of all, Amazon.
@superpotion
super Wii is fine with me, but what about the super switch? lol one that is backwards compatible with some (downloadable) Wii U games, like Wii Fit and Wii Sports Club.
just imagine having an animal crossing edition of Wii Fit U on the Nintendo switch... or we can go easy on them and have an animal crossing version of Ring Fit Adventure.
The Switch is the best handheld I have owned since the GBA. The DS/3DS never really appealed to me much and I consider that whole era to be a decline as far as Nintendo handhelds were concerned, especially the 3DS which lacked the 3'rd party that made the DS a decent console. The Switch is just an all around better console and the Switch Lite is pretty much the ideal handheld of my dreams. If the 3DS managed to last as long as it did I imagine this could do even better, especially considering the hybrid nature of the standard console.
I am glad that Nintendo has decided to keep the Nintendo Switch's life cycle longer.
No problem for me. My backlog is huge, and more games are coming. Love the switch ❤️ (But cmon Nintendo, give us accsess to more of the old Nintendo games from snes,n64,gc)
I agree with several comments above, the form factor is pretty much perfect in my opinion. Future versions can just increase the power.
Actually, the Switch isn't even close to the middle of its lifespan. I expect its lifespan to be indefinite, because the next console generation is going to crash. No one will buy the PS-5 and Xbox-X, because, as the former president of Nintendo pointed out, "we are about to reach the point in which our eyes won't be capable of distinguishing the new generation from the old one". The Switch will continue to sell while the new consoles sit on store shelves, making the current console generation the last, eternal one.
@Savino exactly 🙂..
3 - 4 years are PERFECT. Its true at the end of this year (maybe) we will see the "next gen" consoles...but for actually see some "next gen" games we have probably to wait another 2-3 years. For that time the Swwitch will be at the end of its life circle and Nintendo have just to present the "new" Switch with Ray Tracing. Checkmate Sony.
I hope the Switch will last as long as the Wii. Even when the Wii U is dead, the Wii still got new games til 2019.
It was severely outdated when it released and struggles with some of the earlier PS4/XBO games. They should move on to the next, more powerful system sooner rather than later. This isn't just about getting third party support going forward, Nintendo's own first party games are being held back so needlessly. "GaMEplaY OVer GraPHIcs". Games looking and running better in every way will certainly not hinder gameplay. It only makes it better.
However, Nintendo does well in its own club It may be too late for Nintendo to start directly competing and I don't necessarily want them to since they are my fav game company and want to see them succeed, but barely hitting 720p and 30fps for major 3rd party releases or 900p/25-45 fps for first party games should not be given a pass when we have the PS5 and Series X releasing this year.
@ROB_64 how about folders and themes?
Great news for me. I'm so glad Nintendo does their own thing with the Switch and in turn, offering something different. Nintendo would probably struggle if they just came out with PS/Xbox clone. And my God, do we really want all three console manufactures to come out with basically the same system??
I'm happy with Nintendo's direction, and as primarily a portable gamer, the Switch is quickly becoming my favorite system of all-time.
I just hope they bring out a beefed up Switch for the release of BotW2.
I love the Switch. The SNES and PlayStation 2 were my favorite consoles, and the Switch has eclipsed them. Great variety of first party exclusives, a robust amount of indie releases and a growing number of third party AAA ports. The ability to play great games anywhere is truly remarkable.
Favorite feature of the Switch besides the ability to "switch" is how you can turn it on and get into a game immediately. I love it.
@Eddster I'm like you. I only have time, money and the desire to play one game console. I picked the Switch for the portability to play on my TV or elsewhere. I LOVE all the third party ports coming and want even more. I do enjoy Nintendo first party as well, but seeing games like Witcher 3, DOOM 2016, Saints Row 4 and soon Outer Worlds, among others, coming to a Nintendo console after years of not is amazing. That's why I hate the complaining by some fans of third party ports coming to the console. More games from more developers results in more choices, which is a great thing.
I've been looking at early screens of XBOX Series X games, like the Gollum game, and what I'm seeing doesn't look like a massive leap beyond what we're getting right now. Some of that comes from the fact that developing hyper-realistic games is expensive and very time-consuming.
I think that as time goes on, the visuals produced by future generations of the Switch and the other systems will converge. Not that CPUs and GPUs won't get immensely more powerful, but rather that the balance between realism and the need to put product on shelves will converge, leading to smaller and smaller real-world differences.
I love my Switch as it is. It's all I need in a console and it could go on another five years with high-quality titles and I'd be happy. BOTW is, in my long lifetime, the best and most amazing game I've ever played. As long as Nintendo remains devoted to producing games like that, we've nothing to worry about.
Sounds about right.
@clvr
Bluetooth for wireless headphones
SIM port for 4/5g connectivity
Brighter screen w/ corresponding improved battery
These are all good reasons for an updated model before Switch 2
@Eddy9000 what about joy cons without drift
@Jokerwolf Go look it up yourself. It's not going to compare favorably to a PS4 much less the pro.
@MrBlacky I couldn't agree more! I've always said for years as much as they can be a very stubborn company they also have the biggest pair of nuts. They always try new things and challenge "normal" of the industry. All the other companies generally play it safe and just focus on having the biggest engine under the hood. That can only take you so far.
Just got a Switch Lite as I already game mainly on PC and a bit on PS4 Pro and the idea of it's portability sold me. Have to say I am impressed at some of the games on this portable gaming device.
The icing on the cake for me as I love video golf games is PGA TOUR 2K21 is coming to the Switch.
@StevenG If they make a gaming oriented version of any of those new chip sets it will be about 3 times more powerful than the current switch which will easily be powerful enough to get the Series X and PS5 3rd party ports.
@hammers1man It's an older golf game, but I'd recommend Neo Turf Masters through the Hamster Neo Geo offering. If you are looking for a fun golf game, it's a great pick up for only $8.
Instead of getting a marginally improved Switch in the near future, I would rather wait until we could get a major upgrade.
At this point, nothing is going to bring me back to tethered console gaming. I skipped the PS4 and I'm set to do the same with PS5. It doesn't matter how much power a console has when I don't have the time to game nearly as much on my living room TV alone. I never would have been able to get through BotW or DQXI on a tethered console.
I would love to see a Switch model that could competently pull off VR, but I think we're at least a few years off from Nintendo being able to pull that off at a decent price point. Until then I'm happy with my Switch and Oculus Quest that can go with me anywhere.
I'm sure by Christmas 2022 a successor will have been released, so that's 2 years six month's if it were to release in November 2022. Another 3 years would mean no new console/Handheld till 2023...
The Switch is doing amazing but I'm sure we will get a new version by then. PS5 and Series X will have been out for 2 years by that point....
Some people think the Switch is going to reach Game Boy or Ps2 levels of lifespan. I kinda doubt it. People were saying the same thing about the Wii around 2009 or 2010 and look at how that went.
@Rpg-lover youre cute https://metro.co.uk/2018/02/02/nintendo-plans-support-switch-7-10-years-7281632/
@Goat_FromBOTW nintendo HAS NEVER EVER TRIED TO BE #1 who cares by your logic, nintendo should of quit in 2006.
@Vriess they wont we just got the LITE a CHEAPER VERSION which was the main reason it wasnt selling 8 months ago and here you are whining for more power? nintendo has never ever been about power these comments smh
@kingbk i also love my JRPGS which PS4 is a house for i have two systems. i dont need one
@SwitchForce dude go run your youtube channel
@nimnio I don't mean that I mean how long the ps2 keep getting games. It got games all the way until 2013, although major releases ended around 2009.
@N8tiveT3ch
nice gif
I thought at the last investor's call, they said the system would last longer than most Nintendo consoles. Switch being at the middle of its life is weird phrasing within that context since most last 5 to 6 years. Maybe it's like the Game Boy, where it's in the middle of a 9 year lifespan, lol.
Due to a number of factors, I wouldn’t be surprised if this becomes an 8+ year console. Those factors include:
Of course, we’ll see more variations along the way, just like we now have the Lite.
@Marios-love-child switch3d
Of course! We still haven't gotten a new Donkey Kong game!
@Zuljaras if we can get shelter, I WOULD KILL for any fallout title (except 76) to the switch!
“Is it too early to start thinking about what comes after Switch?“
Nintendo has likely started looking at their next-gen console 3 years ago, like they do every time they release a new console.
@NintendoPok uhm thank you! However, we know it's impossible to support a console or handheld for 10years, if history has thought us anything games lifespan before moving over to a completely new hardware is 6yrs plus at maximum.
@sixrings When I play Mario Odyssey (docked or handheld), I find myself thinking, who needs 4K and teraflops. Especially the first time I saw the moon level. I always use that level as a showcase for the power of the Switch. It’s never failed to wow! Or revisiting the beach level later on and it’s sunset. BEAUTIFUL!!!!
@LavaTwilight I imagine that much of the draw for the next generation isn’t really about 4K- it’s about quality of experience. Texture, animation, general graphical fidelity- the tiny details that require a lot of memory and a lot of computing power. Load times, too. I mean, the main draw for me with the PS5 (aside from being able to play most of my PS4 digital games ie ALL of my PS4 games) is the SSD to effectively eliminate load times. Damn, I cut my FFXV load times on my PS4 slim from 87 seconds to 32 seconds by putting an SSD in there, and that thing is bottle necked by the SATA 2 connection. Imagine if it were actually up to spec? Quality of life is what people are looking at- quality, and immersive experiences. The Switch will not be able to deliver on a lot of these fronts, so what we’ll see is Nintendo becoming (or continuing?) to be the only author of truly masterful experiences for the system.
@aznable 32 seconds? But I want it nooow!
I get what you're saying and I hope you're wrong, in that Nintendo's next system is at least up to par with the PS4 in capabilities and is thus able to have 3rd party games easier to develop and run on it's system.
Ultimately, Nintendo games is the reason people buy a Nintendo console. Can you imagine a Nintendo system with PS5 hardware? Goodbye competition lol.
"Ultimately, Nintendo games is the reason people buy a Nintendo console".
Not really. I bought the console to have a portable experience capable of playing full console experiences on the go, like the Witcher 3. Nintendo games really don't interest me at all.
Its really not true this time round to say people are buying the console for Nintendo games only.
@clvr of course there will be a Switch "Pro". Why would that split the fanbase? Nintendo has always done multiple versions of their handhelds. We already have the Lite, no doubt there will at some point be a premium version once Nintendo is ready to do price drops so that people who want a new and shiny fanciest version of the Switch can pay extra for that. It's not like it would run different games, no fanbase splitting there, just the same thing Nintendo always does with its portable systems. I don't know why some people all of a sudden think different version of the same system (which Nintendo has always done) means different systems that plays different games. Premium version of Switch would be something like bigger better screen, more storage, slightly faster or optimized chipset to run games more smoothly, perhaps longer battery and bluetooth support. Those to me would be the obvious upgrades. Just like Gameboy, GBA, DS, 3DS, we should fully expect Switch to have different versions, which is obvious since they already came out with Switch Lite.
As far as Switch 2, I expect it could come out in 2023 but I'm hoping for a March 2024. That way they could get a Switch 2 chipset perhaps with a bit smaller gap in relation to PS5/XBS than Switch currently has with PS4/XBO. That way it'd be easier and more likely third parties would port AAA games to the Switch easier and with less compromises. Besides the Switch is super hot and an amazing system and sales probably won't even slow down from the current phenomenal pace until like 2022 so 2024 launch seems reasonable.
@Averagewriter you fail to mention that almost all of the Wii's games in the past 5 years have just been Just Dance games, which are super easy to make. In 2008, the ps2 was still getting pretty major releases like Cod:World at War,Star Wars:The Force Unleashed and Sonic Unleashed.
@Averagewriter no it's not because I don't like Just Dance. I have no issues with it. All I'm saying is that it's easy to make a new one.
Good, because I'm still waiting for those Senran Kagura games to be ported over.
@Slownenberg they're all fair points, but why make a Pro if it just runs the same games?
New 3DS had its exclusives, and so did the DSi: they were a few, but they existed and split the fanbase, if only so much.
What I'm saying is Nintendo usually doesn't do incremental PS4 Pro-style upgrades, they create overhauls in either form factor (DS Lite, DSi XL, 3DS XL, 2DS, Switch Lite), functionality (GBC, DSi, New 3DS), or both (GBA SP, New 2DS).
@Jokerwolf gonna have to call bs on that, not it might be true that a switch pro revision could be PS4 pro level, but that "their newest chipests" bit. Whose? Nvidia has moved away from the tegra platform and towards Jetson which is neural net and ai focused, not good for any kind of general purpose computing or raster rendering. It's likely we'll see a revision based on other arm chipsets, possibly a Samsung exynos with amd gpu tech. It's also largely hinted at by update digging the device will be tv mode only, this means better thermal design but zero portability. That's all that is rumored right now, nothing is know, no one has any new chipests. The tegra x1+ turned out to just be a die shrink with battery life improvements. Everyone was claiming 25%+ performance gains and ai upscaling. Nope. And since then all has been quiet in terms of any new tegra or nintendo switch chipset, aside from the rumors of them switching to a new soc for upcoming units.
@Prapper Orion for example could easily be adapted for gaming, it will almost definitely be a custom chipset next time. Mobile tech is getting very advanced very quickly now which is also a bonus.
@clvr yeah New 3DS had like 5 exclusives. Nintendo has never split the fanbase. Occasionally they've released a version of a system that ends up having like 5 or less unique games, that ain't splitting any fanbase.
You ask what would the point be? What is the point of it every time they've done it!? They've always released different versions of GB, GBA, DS, 3DS, and Switch. Switch already has the Lite, with your logic you'd ask what was the point of that? Of course there is a point. This is what Nintendo has always done with their portables. Why would we expect them to suddenly NOT release an updated version of the Switch when they've always done that with their portables.
I don't get why some people think making different versions of Nintendo portables suddenly somehow means that they will be different systems with different libraries. Literally has never happened before. By "Pro" I think most people mean (and certainly I mean) just what Nintendo always done, which is release new and upgraded versions of their current handheld system.
We already have the Lite, I have no doubt we'll get a Premium version as well. Sometimes its just a different form factor (GBA SP), sometimes it is an upgraded model for a premium experience (GBC, New 3DS), and sometimes it is a downgraded or just smaller model (GB Pocket, DS Lite, 2DS, Switch Lite). Just like the 3DS had the 2DS and the New 3DS. The Lite and a premium Switch will fill the those roles. If people want a cheaper version without all the features of the original they get a Lite, if people want the best experience playing Switch games they get the Pro or Premium or XL or New or whatever it will be called. The point of doing that is there is a market for it, if there wasn't Nintendo wouldn't do it literally every generation!
Why make a GB Pocket / GBC / GB Micro / GBA SP / DS Lite / DSi / DSi XL / 3DS XL / 2DS / New 3DS / New 2DS XL / Switch Lite if it just runs the same games. Hopefully just showing that list of how many times they've done this before should make it obvious what the point of doing it again is.
@Slownenberg my point definitely flew over your head.
It's pretty obvious I wasn't asking "what's the point of having revisions?" since I then go on to list all of them; I was asking "what's the point of a more powerful revision?", and then pointed out how every single revision in Nintendo history is exactly NOT that.
Only the New 3DS was slightly more powerful and kept better frame rates on select games, but that's it.
I mean, a Switch Pro might happen, but I just don't see the point if it's just gonna run the same games as the base one.
Not all games are optimized for even the PS4 Pro, imagine how few would take advantage of a Switch Pro. That'd be pretty much Nintendo games only, and even then I wouldn't expect significant upgrades.
So, again, what would be the point in having a more powerful, 1080p Switch if no game is gonna support it?
@Rpg-lover let nintendo do their thing. you clearly are not nintendo.
Instead of a Switch Pro mid-tier upgrade, I would much prefer a DS Lite/PS4 Slim redesign to the flagship.
I love the Switch but it feels more Apple than Nintendo. The shape is too thin for its heavy weight, and feels too fragile to transport comfortably. I want a Switch redesign to be fatter, studier: the sensibility to be more Game Boy than iPad.
Breath of the Wild proves that you can build beautiful and complex games even with Wii U-level power, so instead, a new processor should be focused on overhauling the OS.
No more outsourcing everything to smartphones: themes, friend messaging... ever thought how fun it would be to send screenshots you take on the Switch to your friends? "Check out this photo I took in BOTW!"
Better battery, an overhauled OS, a sturdier, cozier, more comfortable structure, and much lighter weight, are the only things I need from a new Switch.
One word of caution for everyone with their hearts set on a "Switch Pro..." Remember what happened with the New Nintendo 3DS?" I bought one thinking I would be opening up my game library to a bunch of more impressive games that went beyond what the original 3DS could run. But then they only released a handful of games that made use of the new chip, none of which appealed to me. So in the end, I spend $200 for an Amiibo reader and admittedly, Monster Hunter was much easier to play with the N3DS's camera stick. But anyway, mid generation refreshes can end up being much to do about nothing.
@Jokerwolf Orion? As in Samsung Orion from 2010-2011 that become their first exynos? Dude, please just stop parroting stuff you read once on Google. Orion is a 45nm soc and absolutely ancient. Far more likely we'll see something in the 5-10nm range and likely exynos (modern, not orion) or mediatek. Qualcomm has too high of a name cost and mediatek has been catching up very quickly lately, but the mediatek name is tainted by budget mentality and unlikely to be in a switch pro unless they just straight up avoid mentioning it's a mediatek chip. Custom Samsung with AMD rdna based graphics core is what the rumor mill says right now, and I also doubt we will see any kind of switch pro for at least a year. Makes more sense to focus all production on budget switch lite and get them sold via covid19 increased demand, which is what Nintendo is doing. With a likely second spike in covid cases by August due to states lifting stay at home, we will be looking at more stay at home orders in a few months time, and thus increased demand yet again before supply have even really relaxed.
@Prapper they have an exclusivity deal with nvidia so AMD is out of the picture, Orin is their new mobile chipset, has nothing to do with an old model of phone. Please stop arguing about it since you didn't even know what I was talking about.
@Jokerwolf there is no new mobile chipset called orion. the closest thing i can find to what you MIGHT be talking about is nvidia drive OGX Orin, but it's automotive only, and aimed at self driving cars or automation of driving tasks just like the X2 was. it's too big, too high wattage for a mobile device, and again, it's made for automotive so it's not aimed at pushing pixels but instead taking in visual and sensor data and processing it to determine the surroundings of the vehicle. this is not a gaming chipset.
and no, there is no exclusivity deal as far as has been publicly documented. nvidia is considered a hardware partner for development, but there's no known legal side of enforcement for nvidia being the only hardware partner.
so what are you talking about?
@Prapper Orin lol. I think my phone made an auto correct lmao. Ya I know it is for automotive but I can almost garauntee they are working on a 7-12nm gaming related chipset. My guess is they are co-developing a beefier replacement model for the switch and their Switch Next with a much faster processor than we know about. Power consumption will always be an issue but as we know the switch could easily have been made a tiny bit thicker or wider and had a bigger battery, plus battery technology is getting far better each year.
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