@PlatinumSeraph I'd bet that Splatoon, Pokemon, and Mario have a much higher female ratio in the west. A higher ratio of males in the west see Nintendo as "for kids" and won't touch Nintendo games.
@Jhena Nobody in Japan plays Metroid.
j/k
...kinda.
It seems a bit premature to report this as fact. I mean, the only source is the rival shop owner and it isn't clear to me that he is saying the other shop owner is the alleged robber or an accused accomplice. And even if the owner is correct that the other shop owner was arrested, an arrest is not proof of guilt.
I still have one and am waiting on MP4 to see if its included (I bought the pair when XBX came out betting that MP4 would be added to the service too), and then buy the likely $10 upgrade to Switch 2.
If somehow MP4 isn't included, I'll just use it in the same way on Pokemon Legends Z-A, which is already confirmed to be included since you can preorder it now.
As for getting another set before they go off sale, I would use one for Pokemon, but afterwards...I can't see what I would get. I would hope that Rhythm Heaven and Tomadochi Life would already be $50, so that would be a waste of a voucher.
I never understood why $50 games were added to the list of available games. Using a voucher on a $50 game defeats the whole purpose of a voucher and saves no money.
A voucher can only be used for Bayonetta 2, not the digital bundle that includes the first Bayonetta, right? If so, that's a shame since Bayonetta 2 is already $50 and never goes on sale on the eShop.
I'm pretty sure his post is in response to a post that is set not to be displayed on external sites. Andrew Carl's message isn't set not to display, the quoted post is. Bluesky automatically disables the post being viewed externally when that option is set.
@WolfyTn I don't think you're crazy, but I don' think you looked at the video much either. Look at the edges of any object. On the Switch 1 they are jagged, on the Switch 2 they are smooth. Check out the Quaxly in the pool at 1:07 in the video for an obvious example.
As for framerate, you can see the DRASTIC difference at 6:57 for the Switch 1 vs 7:11 for Switch 2. The kids in the classroom were moving in slow motion before. It was a moment I vividly remember when I played the game at release for how bad it was, and now they finally fixed it.
The guy comes across as something of a tool. Instead of considering that maybe HE is responsible for what he types out on Discord, he acts like its ridiculous that what he ACTUALLY wrote is ACCURATELY reported on!
Although, it's pretty clear that he knew what he was doing by clearly stating the company was in danger of closing because of poor reviews. Looking at the number of positive reviews since his post (many with minimal play time), this blatant review manipulation worked as intended.
Ugh! I'm just learning about this for the first time. This was the BEST THING in the Direct for me, and now I find out it is something I have absolutely NO interest in. All Miyazaki reassurances did is assure me that this is something I want no part of. I'm the type of gamer that has never played Demon's Souls or Dark Souls online because I want to avoid this stuff. It not just about not liking PvP. I just want to play an RPG and explore a well-crafted world ALONE! I've been a fan of From since the King's Field days. This is SO disappointing!
@Ralizah Sorry for stalking you between articles, but I just needed to say that your dumpster analogy on the tariff article was one of the best analogies I've ever read! Couldn't tell you there, since the comments got closed, but that was awesome!
@JaxonH Tariffs are not A TAX on the other country. They are a tax on the people that are BUYING the product.
So even if a tariff is retaliatory, you are still only passing higher costs on to your own people.
[EDIT: Also, I just was reading about how the US is determining what "tariffs" other countries are placing on US goods, and they are using the amount of the countries "trade deficit" and saying this represents tariffs which has NOTHING TO DO WITH EACH OTHER. Take for example, small poor countries. Trump is saying they have insanely high tariffs on American goods, but his numbers are based on the trade deficit between the two countries: i.e. the fact that a poor country exports to other countries more goods than it buys from other countries. But OF COURSE they do! The citizen of poor countries can't AFFORD US goods and we are importing large number of goods from them, because we use poor countries to manufacture our goods. That's NOT a TARIFF, that's CAPITALISM!]
@Pat_trick Yep. Corporations will keep pushing to see what they can get away with, and the consumers have made it clear that they are willing to put up with A LOT of anti-consumer choices by these companies.
[EDIT: I thought I had read that the digital price of MKW was going to be lower than $80, but have since been disillusioned of this notion. Suffice to say that I actually care now and am just as outraged as everyone else!]
I just find it funny that 10 years ago, their attempt at this type of anti-physical games move was what damaged Microsoft so badly. People, myself included, were so outraged by their attempts to kill the physical games resale market, that Microsoft had to backtrack and try to damage control, but they never recovered.
Here, if people see that digital games are still in the $60-$70 range (which is what I expect to happen), I don't think this panic about $80 games will last. They might even accept $70 as reasonable (which i still don't think it is).
I just find it funny that 10-years-ago me was SO upset about Microsoft and their attempts to kill the resale games market, and now 10-years-later me doesn't care about high physical game prices, because I buy everything digital now. I think it really has been Steam that caused that change for me. I got use to not owning physical copies of my games.
@Rykdrew That's exactly why I said in my post that you'll be paying less on Steam, because those games go on sale regularly, but the base price still is the same: $59.99.
But this has been true throughout the Switch generation. Multi-platform games are way cheaper on PC because of sales. People still bought plenty of copies on Switch however.
@Pat_trick When Stardew Valley and Undertale came out, the standard was $10-15 though. Games like Sea of Stars seem to still be successful now, and that game is $35. It wasn't that long ago that people thought indie games would never sell at that price.
Square though has been moderately successful with their Insane prices for the Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters, but you're right that their newer IP hasn't sold as well at higher prices, and they're hardly better than Nintendo at doing reasonable sales on their games.
Other games with ridiculously high prices like the Read Dead Redemption remaster and Atlus's remasters, don't seem to sell little enough to make them drop their prices, so I don't think the consumers have really rebelled against higher prices. Most of the time games that are overpriced haven't sold as well it's because it's a new IP. Sadly, people are more and more gravitating towards buying only the same thing that they've played before.
I haven't seen many people noting that digital is confirmed to be cheaper. What this really is, is a move to eliminate physical games and make people buy digital, which is more profitable for them. It just shows the drop in the power of retail chains over the years, The Wal-Marts, Gamestops and such were powerful enough in the past to ensure that game companies didn't attempt things like this. That's obviously changed now.
@Rykdrew You can see in the graphic in the story that Street Fighter is going to be $59.99, the same as Steam (the price for Elden Ring hasn't been released yet, as far as I know, but I doubt it will be $79.99). But you are right that with the regular sales on Steam, you'd likely pay a lot less for a PC game vs. a Switch 2 game. It has been that way throughout the Switch's lifetime for cross-platform games, as well.
@Pat_trick I don't know. 10 years ago, the standard for an indie game was $15, some were $10. Very few indie games were more expensive than that. We've seen a gradual increase in this type of game's prices. As you said, $30 is typical, sometimes $25. That's a pretty good indication that If "AAA" releases increase in price, the smaller budget games will increase as well, so I wouldn't expect $30 to stay that way for long.
@PinderSchloss I ALWAYS thought it was A.I. too and have always called it that. I'd never heard the name pronounced by anyone else. My mind was blown when they called it "ai" as in "eye". It made so much sense, and I should have realized it since the character's name is "Aiba" and is an EYE!
I can't say i wasn't disappointed. I was hoping for something Fire Emblem (but the fact that Rhythm Heaven isn't coming out until 2026 says to me that Intelligent Systems has probably already been hard at work making the next entry for Switch 2). Other than really HOPING for one or two really cool remasters, I EXPECTED a Prime 4 release date. To me, the fact that we didn't get one all but confirms that it is going to be a cross-platform launch title for Switch 2. They didn't want to put a date on MP4 because that will be the release date of the Switch 2 as well.
But hey, it started out well. I loved the first two Sominum games.I hope this new one will bring the same quirky sense of humor.
Love Rhythm Heaven and Tomadachi Life, but 2026 is SO far away.
I've got to set my expectations lower for next week, so I don't feel disappointed again, especially if there is no Fire Emblem news or Prime 4 release date.
@Neph I think we'll get it. Fire Emblems usually have an entry that comes out at the very end of (if not after) a system's life cycle. Echoes came out just after the Switch. Sacred Stones was just before the 3DS. Genealogy of the Holy War was itself a late entry on SNES and Thracia 776 came out 3 YEARS after the N64. And finally Gaiden came out after the SNES.
So a dev purportedly scoured the Internet for an article dated April 2nd so he could grab an image from the article (did it also need to be an image of cake or could it have been anything?) for their profile as a clue for the community to discover? That seems...a little farfetched.
Comments 75
Re: Gender Split & Average Ages Of Japanese Nintendo Players Revealed Via New Survey
@PlatinumSeraph I'd bet that Splatoon, Pokemon, and Mario have a much higher female ratio in the west. A higher ratio of males in the west see Nintendo as "for kids" and won't touch Nintendo games.
@Jhena Nobody in Japan plays Metroid.
j/k
...kinda.
Re: Random: It's Civil War As One Pokémon Trading Card Store Robs Another
It seems a bit premature to report this as fact. I mean, the only source is the rival shop owner and it isn't clear to me that he is saying the other shop owner is the alleged robber or an accused accomplice. And even if the owner is correct that the other shop owner was arrested, an arrest is not proof of guilt.
Re: Feature: "It Was Hell" - Spike Chunsoft Devs Discuss 'No Sleep For Kaname Date - From AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES'
@Questionable_Duck
I think everyone has collectively decided that addressing those dreams might be better left to mental health professionals.
But, seriously, reading both those were the highlight of the article.
Just ... poor Yamada.
And ... I don't even know what to say about Uchikoshi's dream. Hope he really does use it in a game. That should be interesting. Haha!
Re: Nintendo Will Discontinue Switch Game Vouchers Entirely In 2026
I still have one and am waiting on MP4 to see if its included (I bought the pair when XBX came out betting that MP4 would be added to the service too), and then buy the likely $10 upgrade to Switch 2.
If somehow MP4 isn't included, I'll just use it in the same way on Pokemon Legends Z-A, which is already confirmed to be included since you can preorder it now.
As for getting another set before they go off sale, I would use one for Pokemon, but afterwards...I can't see what I would get. I would hope that Rhythm Heaven and Tomadochi Life would already be $50, so that would be a waste of a voucher.
I never understood why $50 games were added to the list of available games. Using a voucher on a $50 game defeats the whole purpose of a voucher and saves no money.
A voucher can only be used for Bayonetta 2, not the digital bundle that includes the first Bayonetta, right? If so, that's a shame since Bayonetta 2 is already $50 and never goes on sale on the eShop.
Re: "It's Heartbreaking" - The Pokémon Company Tech VP Joins Industry In Criticising Microsoft Layoffs
@turmeric16 @Ryu_Niiyama
I'm pretty sure his post is in response to a post that is set not to be displayed on external sites. Andrew Carl's message isn't set not to display, the quoted post is. Bluesky automatically disables the post being viewed externally when that option is set.
Re: Video: Pokémon Scarlet & Violet Side-By-Side Gameplay Comparison (Switch & Switch 2)
@WolfyTn I don't think you're crazy, but I don' think you looked at the video much either. Look at the edges of any object. On the Switch 1 they are jagged, on the Switch 2 they are smooth. Check out the Quaxly in the pool at 1:07 in the video for an obvious example.
As for framerate, you can see the DRASTIC difference at 6:57 for the Switch 1 vs 7:11 for Switch 2. The kids in the classroom were moving in slow motion before. It was a moment I vividly remember when I played the game at release for how bad it was, and now they finally fixed it.
Re: Don't Worry, 'Ori And The Blind Forest' Dev Probably Isn't Shutting Down
The guy comes across as something of a tool. Instead of considering that maybe HE is responsible for what he types out on Discord, he acts like its ridiculous that what he ACTUALLY wrote is ACCURATELY reported on!
Although, it's pretty clear that he knew what he was doing by clearly stating the company was in danger of closing because of poor reviews. Looking at the number of positive reviews since his post (many with minimal play time), this blatant review manipulation worked as intended.
Re: Where To Pre-Order Nintendo Switch 2
@J_C Just want to say thanks for mentioning the Best Buy app. You scored me a pre-order (hopefully it doesn't get cancelled). Much appreciation.
Re: Where To Pre-Order Nintendo Switch 2
Took @J_C advice and downloaded the Best Buy app. It went through for me! I waited for over an hour on PC but the app went through in under 15 minutes
Re: Where To Pre-Order Nintendo Switch 2
Yep. Same here. Almost an hour of waiting and Best Buy sent me to an empty cart. And it STILL is letting you queue up.
Re: Don't Worry, Duskbloods Will Be "Satisfying" For People Who Dislike PvP, Says Hidetaka Miyazaki
Ugh! I'm just learning about this for the first time. This was the BEST THING in the Direct for me, and now I find out it is something I have absolutely NO interest in. All Miyazaki reassurances did is assure me that this is something I want no part of. I'm the type of gamer that has never played Demon's Souls or Dark Souls online because I want to avoid this stuff. It not just about not liking PvP. I just want to play an RPG and explore a well-crafted world ALONE! I've been a fan of From since the King's Field days. This is SO disappointing!
Re: Digital Foundry Says Switch 2 Running Switch Games At 4K Is "Quite The Thing" In Performance Breakdown
@Ralizah Sorry for stalking you between articles, but I just needed to say that your dumpster analogy on the tariff article was one of the best analogies I've ever read! Couldn't tell you there, since the comments got closed, but that was awesome!
Re: "Don't Let Nintendo Ruin The Entire Industry" - Is $80 For Mario Kart World A Bridge Too Far?
@JaxonH Tariffs are not A TAX on the other country. They are a tax on the people that are BUYING the product.
So even if a tariff is retaliatory, you are still only passing higher costs on to your own people.
[EDIT: Also, I just was reading about how the US is determining what "tariffs" other countries are placing on US goods, and they are using the amount of the countries "trade deficit" and saying this represents tariffs which has NOTHING TO DO WITH EACH OTHER. Take for example, small poor countries. Trump is saying they have insanely high tariffs on American goods, but his numbers are based on the trade deficit between the two countries: i.e. the fact that a poor country exports to other countries more goods than it buys from other countries. But OF COURSE they do! The citizen of poor countries can't AFFORD US goods and we are importing large number of goods from them, because we use poor countries to manufacture our goods. That's NOT a TARIFF, that's CAPITALISM!]
Re: "Don't Let Nintendo Ruin The Entire Industry" - Is $80 For Mario Kart World A Bridge Too Far?
@Pat_trick Yep. Corporations will keep pushing to see what they can get away with, and the consumers have made it clear that they are willing to put up with A LOT of anti-consumer choices by these companies.
Re: "Don't Let Nintendo Ruin The Entire Industry" - Is $80 For Mario Kart World A Bridge Too Far?
[EDIT: I thought I had read that the digital price of MKW was going to be lower than $80, but have since been disillusioned of this notion. Suffice to say that I actually care now and am just as outraged as everyone else!]
I just find it funny that 10 years ago, their attempt at this type of anti-physical games move was what damaged Microsoft so badly. People, myself included, were so outraged by their attempts to kill the physical games resale market, that Microsoft had to backtrack and try to damage control, but they never recovered.
Here, if people see that digital games are still in the $60-$70 range (which is what I expect to happen), I don't think this panic about $80 games will last. They might even accept $70 as reasonable (which i still don't think it is).
I just find it funny that 10-years-ago me was SO upset about Microsoft and their attempts to kill the resale games market, and now 10-years-later me doesn't care about high physical game prices, because I buy everything digital now. I think it really has been Steam that caused that change for me. I got use to not owning physical copies of my games.
Re: "Don't Let Nintendo Ruin The Entire Industry" - Is $80 For Mario Kart World A Bridge Too Far?
@Rykdrew That's exactly why I said in my post that you'll be paying less on Steam, because those games go on sale regularly, but the base price still is the same: $59.99.
But this has been true throughout the Switch generation. Multi-platform games are way cheaper on PC because of sales. People still bought plenty of copies on Switch however.
Re: "Don't Let Nintendo Ruin The Entire Industry" - Is $80 For Mario Kart World A Bridge Too Far?
@Pat_trick When Stardew Valley and Undertale came out, the standard was $10-15 though. Games like Sea of Stars seem to still be successful now, and that game is $35. It wasn't that long ago that people thought indie games would never sell at that price.
Square though has been moderately successful with their Insane prices for the Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters, but you're right that their newer IP hasn't sold as well at higher prices, and they're hardly better than Nintendo at doing reasonable sales on their games.
Other games with ridiculously high prices like the Read Dead Redemption remaster and Atlus's remasters, don't seem to sell little enough to make them drop their prices, so I don't think the consumers have really rebelled against higher prices. Most of the time games that are overpriced haven't sold as well it's because it's a new IP. Sadly, people are more and more gravitating towards buying only the same thing that they've played before.
Re: "Don't Let Nintendo Ruin The Entire Industry" - Is $80 For Mario Kart World A Bridge Too Far?
I haven't seen many people noting that digital is confirmed to be cheaper. What this really is, is a move to eliminate physical games and make people buy digital, which is more profitable for them. It just shows the drop in the power of retail chains over the years, The Wal-Marts, Gamestops and such were powerful enough in the past to ensure that game companies didn't attempt things like this. That's obviously changed now.
Re: "Don't Let Nintendo Ruin The Entire Industry" - Is $80 For Mario Kart World A Bridge Too Far?
@Rykdrew You can see in the graphic in the story that Street Fighter is going to be $59.99, the same as Steam (the price for Elden Ring hasn't been released yet, as far as I know, but I doubt it will be $79.99). But you are right that with the regular sales on Steam, you'd likely pay a lot less for a PC game vs. a Switch 2 game. It has been that way throughout the Switch's lifetime for cross-platform games, as well.
Re: "Don't Let Nintendo Ruin The Entire Industry" - Is $80 For Mario Kart World A Bridge Too Far?
@Pat_trick I don't know. 10 years ago, the standard for an indie game was $15, some were $10. Very few indie games were more expensive than that. We've seen a gradual increase in this type of game's prices. As you said, $30 is typical, sometimes $25. That's a pretty good indication that If "AAA" releases increase in price, the smaller budget games will increase as well, so I wouldn't expect $30 to stay that way for long.
Re: Poll: So, How Would You Rate The Nintendo Direct For March 2025?
@PinderSchloss I ALWAYS thought it was A.I. too and have always called it that. I'd never heard the name pronounced by anyone else. My mind was blown when they called it "ai" as in "eye". It made so much sense, and I should have realized it since the character's name is "Aiba" and is an EYE!
Re: Poll: So, How Would You Rate The Nintendo Direct For March 2025?
I can't say i wasn't disappointed. I was hoping for something Fire Emblem (but the fact that Rhythm Heaven isn't coming out until 2026 says to me that Intelligent Systems has probably already been hard at work making the next entry for Switch 2). Other than really HOPING for one or two really cool remasters, I EXPECTED a Prime 4 release date. To me, the fact that we didn't get one all but confirms that it is going to be a cross-platform launch title for Switch 2. They didn't want to put a date on MP4 because that will be the release date of the Switch 2 as well.
But hey, it started out well. I loved the first two Sominum games.I hope this new one will bring the same quirky sense of humor.
Love Rhythm Heaven and Tomadachi Life, but 2026 is SO far away.
I've got to set my expectations lower for next week, so I don't feel disappointed again, especially if there is no Fire Emblem news or Prime 4 release date.
Re: Talking Point: Nintendo Direct Predictions - What Do You Want To See?
@Neph I think we'll get it. Fire Emblems usually have an entry that comes out at the very end of (if not after) a system's life cycle. Echoes came out just after the Switch. Sacred Stones was just before the 3DS. Genealogy of the Holy War was itself a late entry on SNES and Thracia 776 came out 3 YEARS after the N64. And finally Gaiden came out after the SNES.
Re: Talking Point: What We Expect From The Switch 2 Direct
@jolteon23 This was the first thought I had as well. I love Fire Emblem and it's around the time we should be getting a new one announced.
I really hope the next game goes in a different direction than Engage (At least as far as character design and writing is concerned).
If not a new game, I'll take a Path of Radiance/Radiant Dawn remaster, Nintendo!
...
Please!
...
Pretty please!
...
Well, screw you then, Nintendo!
Re: Silksong Fans Think They've Narrowed Down The Big Announcement
So a dev purportedly scoured the Internet for an article dated April 2nd so he could grab an image from the article (did it also need to be an image of cake or could it have been anything?) for their profile as a clue for the community to discover? That seems...a little farfetched.