The price increase outside of the US is because Xboxes are assembled in the US using parts from China, so the raw price to make the units in the US has drastically increased.
Microsoft is likely moving very quickly to shut down US factories and move production to India or some other location that is friendly to China where they already have a strong footprint. Hopefully, we'll see prices outside the US drop once they happens. It won't effect the US price as the import tax will still apply to the assembled product based on where the components come from.
Some, but not all, Xboxes are assembled in the USA using parts from China, Japan, Korea and the USA, but all of the components or their raw materials are now subject to tariffs.
All electrons, regardless of where the company is HQed or where they are assembled, are dependent on supply chains from SEA. Intel is the only major chip manufacturer to make most of their chips in the US, but even they are dependent on raw materials that come from China to do so.
That's why we are already seeing US factories shutting down and laying people off; they can only make the things that they make because they have been able to buy cheap electronics from China, and to a lesser degree, cheep steel and rare earth metals from Canada. They can't do that any more.
It's hard to overstate how globally dependent US supply chains are, and how a global disruption in trade has upset these supply chains. Even the White House has changed their tone from "Good for America" to "Actually really awful for America, but hey, it's probably worse for China so we're winning".
The Switch 2 is going to sell out day one, but they made more of them.
Like, don't get me wrong, this is a fantastic start for Nintendo's new entry. But it seems to me the only thing that really factors into launch sales numbers is your stock levels. I mean even the Series X and S sold out.
I'll be the first to defend the decision from publishers, especially smaller publishers, to forgo physical releases. But this is just nonsense. We've been selling download codes as "gift cards" for over a decade now, there is absolutely no reason to switch to codes in boxes other then to trick people into buying your produce thinking it's something it isn't.
Hopefully retailers will push back at this or not carry them after they have to deal with all the pissed off people asking for a refund.
I did. I gave up my place in the Japanese lottery when I read this article because of the aforementioned crippling social obligation, and ended up getting one in Canada. Not really thrilled about paying basically twice what I was planning to ... but what am I going to do?
After giving up my spot in the Japan lottery I wasn't even sure I would try to get one in Canada, given it would be almost twice the price and I'm personally not that excited about the system. But I don't think it's really viable, from a "professional" standpoint to not have the system and miss the opportunities that will come when hype is at it's highest. So I tried to get one ...
And actually got 2. Me and my wife were both able to get one in Canada, although we ended up declining hers. Don't really need a second until the next Splatoon game! So to the latecomer that got her cancelled spot ... Gratz! Enjoy!
Nintendo can't tell NOA or NOE anything. By law, they need to be completely independent in day to day operations. Nintendo can fire the president at any point, so they have control in-so-much as they can make sure a like minded person is in charge, but that's it.
If I was to guess at Nintendo's logic, just based on my limited and bias understanding of Japanese social oblation that comes from living their, they want to make sure Japanese people can get one and are somewhat protected from scalping, but that's all. If you live in Japan and want the multilingual you're like a resident so they don't owe you anything. If you live outside Japan and are willing to buy a Japanese only console, you're likely a citizen living outside Japan, so that's fine too.
NOA and NOE wouldn't consider, even for a heartbeat, the idea of social oblation. Their oblation is to make as much money as possible, to they priced it as high as their marketing people told them they could get away with. That's likely what happened in Latin America, where the insane wage gap and reduced allotment means you really only need to make it affordable for the upper class to sell out, so you lose nothing by pricing the lower and middle class out.
I was lucky and got one in Canada after I decided to give up my spot in the Japanese lottery. Means I'm paying a TON more then I wanted to, hell, nearly double the price ... but it's not really viable for me to NOT get one. My wife got an invite as well, but we decided to only go with a single unit this time around. I'm sure they'll have more stock before the next Splatoon game comes out, mandating a second console!
Gratz to whatever latecomer gets her declined spot!
According to Miyamoto, they are all "actors" playing different roles in the various video games. So this chart might make more sense if you look at it like a break down of what the actors themselves, not the characters in the games, think of each other!
DK seems to be the superstar, with everyone on set wanting to be his friend but thinking himself to good for that, while Monty Mole is played by the Mushroom Kingdoms equivent of Jared Leto and he's been mailing used fire flowers to all the other cast.
I have no unique or insider knowledge of why they did that.
But if you believe the press release, an honest attempt to provide Japanese families, impacted by inflation and a weak Yen, the opportunity to buy a Switch 2 at a lower markup out of social obligation to the fans that made Nintendo what it is today.
Keep in mind that the price of the consoles are set by the local distributor. So Nintendo of America and Nintendo UK could have done the same, but Nintendo couldn't force them to.
I actually believe them. This is the same board of directors who paid 40 million (US) out of pocket rather then fire anyone over the failure of the Wii U. The ide that they taking a huge hit to profit to ensure families and children actually get to use their product is not unthinkable.
I would argue you're looking at the wrong comparison.
In the US, one choice you might consider is if you should buy a Steam Deck for $399 or a Switch 2 for $450. A lot of people make strong arguments that the Switch 2 is worth the extra $50. Others say it isn't. It's really a matter of opinon.
In Japan, that choice becomes the Steam Deck at 60,000 Yen or the Switch 2 at 50,000 Yen. That's a no brainer. The Switch 2, in all but a few usage cases, is a much better value.
You might also argue that at $399, the PS5 is a better deal then the Switch 2 at $449 in the US. It really comes down to how much you love Nintendo games and if you use it portable. Again, I can see both sides, and it's a clear matter of opinion.
But In Japan, the 50,000 Yen Switch 2 vs. the 60,000 Yen PS5 slim digital is, again, a no brainer ... and that's before you factor in that on the go gaming or a gaming console with built in screen in a one TV household has way more value in Japan that it does in the US.
My point wasn't about the cost relative to other countries, but relative to other options available to Japanese customers. The bottom line being that the Japanese only Switch 2 is a fantastic value. The Multilanguage Switch 2, regardless of where you buy it, has a much more subjective level of value.
At the price it costs in Japan, it's a non-brainer. Unbelievable value for 50,000 Yen. Not to mention a much higher percentage of people in Japan use the Switch primarily or exclusively handheld, so I'm not shocked at all that it's going to dominate in Japan.
The digital standard includes all of the original games DLC and expansions. Remember when that was a word? Good times. You get Knights of the Nine and Shimmering isles as part of the base game, as well as Fighter’s Stronghold, Spell Tomes, Vile Lair, Mehrune’s Razor, The Thieves Den, Wizard’s Tower, The Orrery, and Horse Armor Pack.
The Deluxe includes 3 new quests that were not part of the original game and an art book.
Any Microsoft game will run on Switch 2, because any Microsoft game will run on the lower speced Series S.
I think the thing that hasn't been talked about enough is that Nintendo didn't send out dev kits. Only developers who were invited to make launch games got one as part of "phase 1", and "Phase 2", which delivered kits to most AAA developers and publishers, was 2 weeks ago. Everyone else has to wait until launch day.
So a lot of games will be unable to confirm a Switch 2 port simply because the people making the games don't have the hardware yet.
Edit: Looks like it's not just the Steam Deck. The game seems to run poorly across all platforms atm.
That's what I said. I will run on Switch 2 because it runs on the Series S with less RAM. The RAM requirement is why it's not on original recipe Switch, as no amount of wizardry is going to make it run with that system's 3GB of available RAM ... even if the Switch conceivably meets both the processing and graphics requirements.
The min specs are LIGHT, needing only a 1070ti. It's the RAM requirements keeping this off Switch. The good news for Switch 2 is that it's running on the Xbox Series S with only 10GB, so it's definitely possible to run this on Switch 2.
Honestly? I all but guaranty that Virtuous don't have dev key (Heck, Obsidian likely don't have one, and if they do, they got it a few weeks ago in phase 2), making working on the Switch 2 port impossible until launch. They will likely decide if it's possible once they get one as part of Nintendo's "3rd wave".
Also I gotta shout out to Game Pass, which is absolutely delivering in 2025.
I mean, yes and no. They are still very reasonably priced. You just have to pay a 140% tax on them right now if you import them to the US, which sucks. But it's not like the baseline MSRP or the cost of manufacturing has increased. You can still get them at the same affordable price in most countries. Heck, after exchange, they are like $14USD in Japan right now.
Hopefully this is just a temporary increase in the US.
The Switch 2 is not effected because the tariffs impacting it (Vietnam, Japan) are currently on hold. Almost nothing in the Switch 2 comes from or is manufactured in China. Accessories and Amiibos are effected because they are manufactured in China.
The idea that this is just a random price increase of 33% that is ONLY happening in the US on a product manufactured in China just doesn't hold water, even before you consider the fact that Amiibos are NEVER mass produced or stockpiled as artificial scarcity is part of their marketing appeal. Ockham's razor means you should accept the far more likely explanation and reject the far less likely one, until there is overwhelming evidence that says otherwise.
The price is not increasing in countries that are not imposing tariffs on China (and do not rely on US as a shipping hub). Natural inflation is generally around 5 to 7% A YEAR. A 33% price hike is not "natural inflation".
It's also important to note when talking about tariffs that the point of a tariff is to cause runaway inflation. That's it's single goal. If you impose a tariff and inflation doesn't go way up, you failed.
The whole point is to make it too expensive for people to buy goods from the country you impose tariffs on. You do this by imposing an import tax on your own citizens, to make it so people are priced out of buying products manufactured or produced in the countries you are targeting. They are then forced to buy domestically produced products sold at a much higher price by eliminating lower priced options. The whole point is to make everything more expensive.
The point of a tariff on Chinese goods is to make it too expensive for the average person to buy goods from China, in the hope that higher priced alternative "toys" manufactured domestically are more attractive. This is an example of them working as intended.
If Nintendo is being upfront about their new variable pricing strategy, it's unlikely we'll see this on the Switch 2. They would need to price them high enough that you only saw a discount if you bought two of the highest priced games ($80 USD) ... but Nintendo has ensured us that games at this price point will be rare. So unless their actual plane it to price all first party games at $80, or they plan to exclude some high priced games from the promotion, this two for one deal makes little sense.
Right now on Switch there is some variability, you save between $10 and $20 depending on what you pick. But that variability would be much higher if (again, like they have ensured us) they plan to release some games at $80, while still releasing others at $50.
I mean, power to ya! While I certainty can't understand your desire to pay 3, maybe 4 times as much as you can get the older games on sale on the platforms you currently own so that you can play them at inferior quality on Nintendo's hardware ... I'm happy you're getting the chance to do that if it's what you want.
I'm trying to yuk on your yum, I think it's great people are happy about the system! But I think we can agree that your usage case is extremely rare, and that MOST PEOPLE wont see that opportunity with the same positivity you do.
My comment isn't that no one will like the lineup or that anyone who does is "wrong". It's simply that I think it's pretty bad for most people with normal usage cases. I absolutely love the Resident Evil movies! But that doesn't' make them good movies.
So if Nintendo released a $300 Switch 2 that COULDN"T play first party games, and a $449 Switch 2 that could, you would not only buy the $449 version, you would argue that it's fair and reasonable for Nintendo to charge $150 for access to it's first party games?
Don't get me wrong, there is nothing invalid about your argument. But what you are arguing is that you, personally, would pay whatever price Nintendo forced you to in order to play Nintendo exclusive games. That's a a much different argument then "it's objectively worth paying a premium to buy this console"
Also both the PlayStation and Xbox have dozens of exclusives. At this point in time, unless you personal option is that ONLY Nintendo exclusives have values and all other exclaves games have no value, both Xbox and PlayStation offer far more value then Nintendo when it comes to "this console can play exclusives titles".
Which, again, is a completely valid argument. It's just not a very objective one.
I'm talking about common usage cases and value. Obviously if your usage case is "I will give Nintendo all the money because I NEED to play Zelda", then the Switch 2 has a ton of value for you. Buy it and enjoy it! But that usage case is rare, and we shouldn't be trying to "up sell" the system to people who don't fit that usage case.
I think I agree with you on every point. The Switch 2 isn't a game changer in handheld space, more of a new option. At the same price, you can get a much better screen, better battery and a next level game eco system with the Steam Deck OLED, or you can go with the far more powerful (even before tensor cores) Switch 2. I think either choice could be easily justified by peroneal preference.
But in docked mode, if that's your primary usage case, it's just a bad option. I think a lot of the "argument" around it goes away as soon as you just ... say that outload.
The Switch was a hybrid, with value in both configurations. The Switch 2 is a handheld, with no value as a console. We shouldn't be talking about it like a "new Switch". We should be talking about it like a new Steam Deck with a packaged in DVI dock.
I mean, power to ya, but I personally don't see how.
No judgement, but I would be interested in hearing exactly what you think the system offers, in dock mode only, that justifies it's price. Using US prices, the 10.5 Tflop PS5 is the same price as this 4Tflop unit, and the 4Tflop Xbox S is almost half the price.
I would say it's even easier then that. It's not a relatively well priced "console'. It's a extremely overpriced and underpowered console.
It's a well priced HANDHELD.
If you look at Nintendo's telemetry, only 50% of people use the Switch in handheld mode primarily. About 20% don't use it in handheld at all.
So what we have here is the 50% of people who use it as a handheld arguing it's a great deal (and being right) while the 50% that use it as a console are arguing it's an overpriced brick with 12 year old specs (while also being right).
This is the internet. That idea that two different perspectives are both valid at the same time just is never going to cut it.
While this is true (as Phil will take any chance to remind you), it's important to understand how Microsoft's accounting factors in. Microsoft factors in development costs to the "cost" of the system. So if it cost $20 billion to develop the Xbox One, they are not "making a profit" off Xbox One sales until they recoup that cost. This is how Phil came up with the "we loss $200 every unit we sell" number.
If you pop open a Xbox S or X and do a part by part breakdown, it's actually being sold above cost. The models with larger hard drives or other pack-ins are generally sold at an even higher profit.
Now to be clear, the Switch 2 is marked up almost 100% in the UK and 80% in the US, so Nintendo profit margins are MUCH higher. But I think details are important.
The cyberpunk example you are using is the same level of performance you get from the Xbox S, which is (in some places) LESS THEN HALF THE PRICE.
The Xbox S is also a system that is, in theory, capable of 4k/120 output. But just like the Switch, most games use dynamic resolution and never hit anything close to that. No one would call the Xbox S a "4k/120" system, and no one should call the Switch 2 that either.
Calling it a "powerhouse at the price" is propaganda to the point where it's insulting out intelligence. DF has already done several detailed breakdowns that compare the system to a slightly worse PS4, a 12 year old system. It's not powerful. It's underpowered to an extreme. You simply can't argue otherwise.
What you CAN argue is that that's it's a great handheld, more powerful then the Steam Deck (but still objectively underpowered as a console) at around the same price point. But it's a handheld that locks you to a extremely small ecosystem of games compared to Valves offering, and those games are going to cost you so much that owning and using a Switch 2 is going to outprice the Steam Deck fairly quickly.
The Switch 2 isn't "bad". It's not "over priced". But what it isn't is a great value, by any matrix. It has a premium price tag, costing as much as a system with more then twice the raw power, that justifies that with function people don't NEED from a console, the great screen and it's handheld nature.
Remember though, by Nintendo's owns telemetry, less the half of the people who own a Switch use it primarily in handheld, and close to 20% NEVER take it from the dock. So for a good 50% of people who own a Switch ... this is a last gen unit at next gen price.
If your usage case is a handheld and you're not price sensitive, the Switch 2 is a great system for you. But if you want a powerful system, or handheld isn't your usage case, or you are ANY level of value conscious ... it's the worst option out there by far.
There is no reason to over or undersell it. A great choice for some people, an absolutely horrible choice for others. Trying to "sell it up" to that second group is doing them a great disservice.
It released in Japan about a month after the Game Cube. In the EU, the delay was only 3 weeks, and in AU and the US it was around 2 weeks ... but in no region was the game available at the same time as the console's launch.
I mean, it really depends on if you have a PC or another console. An extremely underpowered port of a 5 year old game like Cyberpunk or 3 year old game Hitman has zero value to people who have already played the games on better hardware, but potentially a lot of value to anyone who only owns a Switch and hasn't had access to them previously.
To me, that's what makes the Switch 2 line up very weak ... it's schizophrenic. There are some games that are great if your usage case is someone who is budget sensitive and only buys one console, but if that's you ... I can't see the system itself having a lot of appeal to you. And if you're not budget sensitive and have a lot of disposable income to spend on video games ... you've likely played most of the games on that list already, or could play them on better hardware if you wanted to.
I don't know who Nintendo is targeting. If you think of one usage case, most of the titles are useless to them. But when you look at a different usage case, it's the same thing, only different games. No ONE usage case gets a ton of value our of the offerings, and most usage cases only have a few games to look forward to, none of which where the Switch 2 is the ideal place to play them.
A kart game and a new take on DK64, as good as every preview says they are, isn't that heavy hitting as a first party line up either.
It's really hard to say what lineup was the best, but I can confidently say the Switch 2 has the most confusing, and arguably, one of the worst.
The last time I didn't get a Nintendo console on launch day was the virtual boy. I was excited about it, but not enough that I "needed" to have it.
The more I hear about the Switch 2, it's features, it's design philosophy, it's pricing, and how Nintendo is trying to sell it ... the more I'm starting to realize ...
I don't think "political" is the right word. There is no US or UK political party that is currently anti-capitalism, and there is no Japanize political party that is pushing for to the social traditions that lead to Japan's much less "Laissez-faire" flavor to change.
It's just the decision of a few people. CEOs in the West are motivated only by greed and oblation to shareholders, while in Japan CEOs are beholden to social obligations that say you owe a debt to the people who made you successful and must do everything you can to deliver them a great product at a reasonable price, even if that means lower profit.
It's really that simple. Cultural differences as to what a corporation and it's CEO are "supposed" to do. In Japan, the "right" call was selling at cost to ensure everyone can buy it and no fan is left behind. In the West, the "right" call was charging the absolute maximum possible, even if that prices people out of the product.
As I always bring up, it's super important to remember that NINTENDO, a Japanese game developer and publisher, is not trying to make a ton of money with the Switch 2. THEY are selling it almost at cost, $340. Anyone who is lucky enough to live in a country where they are the local distributor will also see a console with almost no mark up.
Nintendo of UK, a wholly owned but completely independent entity, has chosen to go a different direction, marking the system up almost 100% when you account for the exchange rate with the Yen. Nintendo of America has done the same in every area they distribute to other then the US, but the US faces price pressure from tariffs.
Nintendo wants to get this console into the hands of as many people as possible, and have priced it as such. It's the world wide subsidiaries who have decided to price gouge. I mean, you're free to blame Nintendo ... legally they can't just force a price on the other distributors, but they could have fired the president until they got one who priced it lower if they really wanted to make an issue of it.
But I think the narrative that Nintendo is TRYING to sell this console cheap, but that effort was hijacked by ultra-capitalistic nations who can't see past the bottom line is an important one.
While looking "almost as good" is obviously subjective, by the numbers, the Switch 2 is a much, much less powerful system. It can push 3.9 Tflops docked, and less in handheld mode. The PS5 pushes 10 TFlops and the Xbox X pushes 12, while both having more RAM.
The tensor cores in the Switch 2 are not magic. They can run DLSS at a lower frame cost then the PS5 and Xbox X, but it's not FREE. DF has a great video that goes into this in much more detail then I could right here.
Bottom line is the performance we can expect from the Switch 2 is in line with the Xbox Series S, not the series X or PS5. We can already see this as the Cyberpunk port seems to be targeting the exact performance spec you currently get on the Xbox S.
You're obviously free to whatever opinion you have as to if that makes the system "worth it" or not, but you should come to that decision based on fact.
US tariffs only effect the price in the US. The Switch is manufactured in Vietnam, using parts from Japan and China. Games are made in Japan using Japanize parts. The only trade agreements that effect the price are the ones between these countries.
US trade and supply in no way impacts the cost or availability of parts at any point. That's why they can sell the system in Japan for $340 ... it's manufacturing price is quite low. The reason it costs what it costs in other areas is because the local Nintendo distributor set a high mark up. That's it. No complex reasons, just trying to maximum profit.
I love Nintendo, but they went the wrong direction with the Switch 2. They are trying to make a console that doubles as a mid range PC, with mouse support and all, instead of doing what they do best ... cheap hardware that focuses on creative, but not technically impressive games.
To someone who already has a high end PC and won't be playing any of the 3rd party PC games on the system ... I just don't think the Switch 2 will be worth the price until it's had a few years to pump out Nintendo exclusives. Thankfully I can just pick up one in Japan, but for anyone else in my situation, I don't see how the Switch 2 is in any way appealing.
The idea that you can get a year of Game Pass core or PSN+ with it's monthly games for the same price as a SINGLE first party game is also insane when you think about it. It really solidifies the Switch 2 as a luxury console. It's going to be more expensive to own, in the long run, then a PS5 Pro.
The Wii, DS and the Switch sold like hotcakes because they were the system for the masses. This isn't. It's last gen specs at a next gen price. I don't think it's going to "fail" ... but it's not going to be the hit people were expecting.
Clarifying for not just you, but a lot of people who seem to honestly want to know exactly what is going on.
The WHOLESALE PRICE will not change. Nintendo will still sell it to US importers for the same price they are selling it right now. We don't know what that is, but it's likely very close to the suggested retail price of $449
However, that US importer, at the moment, will need to pay around $220 in tax to the US government. That's' what a tariff is. An import tax, paid by the importer, that in no way effects the exporter. It's imposed by the US, paid by people in the US.
So the retailer will need to make up that money by increasing the price they charge to consumers.
NOA is currently waiting to open pre-orders, because RIGHT NOW, they would have to set the suggested retail price at around $650. There really is no way around that, beside asking retailers to sell it at a HEAVY loss.
So, yes, unless something changes, the Switch will cost much, much more in the US then it will in most of the world. This isn't speculation, it's reality.
There is still time for things to change, given how completely random tariffs have been so far, but without change ... US gamers are basically f'd.
I've head this theory a lot, and I have no insider information so maybe it's the case, but the economy of it makes no sense.
It's optical drives that allows digital only units to be sold at a lower cost. Optical drives are expensive, the one in the Xbox is around $15 wholesale and the one in the PS5 is about the same. They are also the single largest point of fault within warranty, leading to a lot of repairs the manufacturer has to pay for. That's why the digital console is cheaper; no optical drive.
Card readers cost pennies and do not break.
So while Nintendo might offer a digital only console, I can't imagine it would be cheaper. It might come with a better form factor or some other features to make it attractive, provided they do not increase the cost, but it just doesn't make any sense to remove a card slot that has basically zero cost to make a sku that you're selling for a lower price and less margin.
I feel ya. Power to you if this fits you usage case. I just don't think that's going to be the case with most people.
Personally, I would say that this system is worse then what Xbox offers given that the main usage case for wanting games you can play without online DRM is people who already don't buy digital games ...
If I wanted something that worked exactly like a physical copy, I would buy a physical copy. I want something that works better and is more powerful then a physical copy, as long as I'm willing to accept an online only limitation (which I am).
At the end of the day, it's just about what limitation you feel is more reasonable. Having to be online, or having to give up that game on your console for 14 days, with no option to get it back (the person you lent it to has to send it back, or you have to wait for time to expire), and having to pick and choose games to "trade" any time you want to use the system rather then just having the option to play any game at any time.
Personally, I see the online limitation as WAY less demanding and far more accessible, so to me ... this isn't a big deal. It's a step backwards.
Edit - Haha, my wife and me have the same problem with Steam Deck.
Xbox lets you play any digital game owned by any person who has EVER logged onto your "home" console. So if you have a family of 100 people, and they all log into your home console, you have access to 100 game libraries at any given time. The only limit is that you can't play a game from the library if the person you are borrowing it from is signed in. If they sign in while you are playing, you get a countdown to log out of the game. You also need to be online, obviously.
For many games, you can even play the game they bought on one console (for example, a series X) on your series S or on PC. That's limited to games that support "play anywhere", but it's still really fantastic.
Game Pass also lets you share with one other person with an "offline" account. That account needs to log in once every 30 days, but beyond that, can play any Game Pass game in offline mode without interfering with the other person playing at the same time. Given that limitation, I think this is more of a "hack" then a feature, but it still works.
I'm honestly not sure. I'm obviously not going to question your experience, but in my experience I do exactly the same thing, but there has never been a time both consoles couldn't play the same game at the same time, with both of us online, regardless of who started playing first. We play Splatoon together all the time, online, on the same team, with one digital copy of the game.
Maybe it's something not obvious, like how our NSO accounts are set up? <Shrug>.
The ONLY thing that we couldn't do together is local online play. Online play over the internet works fine, but if we try to set up a local connection, it will kick us out of the online lobby.
There seems to be a LOT of confusion about how the current system works, so I wanted to clarify that.
Right now, on any console, you can play any game that meets one of two criteria.
1) The game was bought on the account that is currently logged in.
2) The game was bought on the account that "owns" that Switch.
That means that if you own two Switches, each on a different account, not only can you play all games on both all the time, you can play the same game on both systems AT THE SAME TIME.
That's because you buy everything on account 1 on system 2. System 2 owns all the game, so the person with that system can always play them, but as they are tied to account 1, the person logged into account 1 can also paly them on system 1. At all time. Without having to do anything. Even if the other person is currently playing that same game on their console.
This change has no other purpose then to change that and try, as has been the goal of so many changes on so many systems time and time again, to force families to buy multiple copies of the same game. There is no situation where this is better or easier for current users, and the ability to lend a game to one of your 8 friends of family in no way makes up for what we are losing.
I'm not really a pitch-folk kinda guy and generally support the right of companies to make decisions about how we use their products, but this is the type of change that too drastic to simple accept.
Comments 2,060
Re: Xbox Is Raising The Price Of Consoles, Accessories, And Games Worldwide
@T0mizawa
The price increase outside of the US is because Xboxes are assembled in the US using parts from China, so the raw price to make the units in the US has drastically increased.
Microsoft is likely moving very quickly to shut down US factories and move production to India or some other location that is friendly to China where they already have a strong footprint. Hopefully, we'll see prices outside the US drop once they happens. It won't effect the US price as the import tax will still apply to the assembled product based on where the components come from.
Re: Xbox Is Raising The Price Of Consoles, Accessories, And Games Worldwide
@Serpenterror
Some, but not all, Xboxes are assembled in the USA using parts from China, Japan, Korea and the USA, but all of the components or their raw materials are now subject to tariffs.
All electrons, regardless of where the company is HQed or where they are assembled, are dependent on supply chains from SEA. Intel is the only major chip manufacturer to make most of their chips in the US, but even they are dependent on raw materials that come from China to do so.
That's why we are already seeing US factories shutting down and laying people off; they can only make the things that they make because they have been able to buy cheap electronics from China, and to a lesser degree, cheep steel and rare earth metals from Canada. They can't do that any more.
It's hard to overstate how globally dependent US supply chains are, and how a global disruption in trade has upset these supply chains. Even the White House has changed their tone from "Good for America" to "Actually really awful for America, but hey, it's probably worse for China so we're winning".
Re: Analyst Predicts Record-Breaking Launch Numbers For Switch 2
The Switch sold out day one.
The Switch 2 is going to sell out day one, but they made more of them.
Like, don't get me wrong, this is a fantastic start for Nintendo's new entry. But it seems to me the only thing that really factors into launch sales numbers is your stock levels. I mean even the Series X and S sold out.
Re: Switch 2 "Code-In-A-Box" Physical Game Listing Spotted Online
I'll be the first to defend the decision from publishers, especially smaller publishers, to forgo physical releases. But this is just nonsense. We've been selling download codes as "gift cards" for over a decade now, there is absolutely no reason to switch to codes in boxes other then to trick people into buying your produce thinking it's something it isn't.
Hopefully retailers will push back at this or not carry them after they have to deal with all the pissed off people asking for a refund.
Re: Nintendo Won't Have Enough Switch 2 Consoles To Satisfy Demand In Japan
@MrCarlos46
That makes sense to me. I really hope it happens, I hate the idea that some parts of the world have to overpay for the gaming I take for granted.
Re: Nintendo Won't Have Enough Switch 2 Consoles To Satisfy Demand In Japan
@MrCarlos46
I did. I gave up my place in the Japanese lottery when I read this article because of the aforementioned crippling social obligation, and ended up getting one in Canada. Not really thrilled about paying basically twice what I was planning to ... but what am I going to do?
How about you?
Re: Poll: So, Did You Manage To Get A Switch 2 Pre-Order In? (North America)
After giving up my spot in the Japan lottery I wasn't even sure I would try to get one in Canada, given it would be almost twice the price and I'm personally not that excited about the system. But I don't think it's really viable, from a "professional" standpoint to not have the system and miss the opportunities that will come when hype is at it's highest. So I tried to get one ...
And actually got 2. Me and my wife were both able to get one in Canada, although we ended up declining hers. Don't really need a second until the next Splatoon game! So to the latecomer that got her cancelled spot ... Gratz! Enjoy!
Re: Nintendo Won't Have Enough Switch 2 Consoles To Satisfy Demand In Japan
@MrCarlos46
Nintendo can't tell NOA or NOE anything. By law, they need to be completely independent in day to day operations. Nintendo can fire the president at any point, so they have control in-so-much as they can make sure a like minded person is in charge, but that's it.
If I was to guess at Nintendo's logic, just based on my limited and bias understanding of Japanese social oblation that comes from living their, they want to make sure Japanese people can get one and are somewhat protected from scalping, but that's all. If you live in Japan and want the multilingual you're like a resident so they don't owe you anything. If you live outside Japan and are willing to buy a Japanese only console, you're likely a citizen living outside Japan, so that's fine too.
NOA and NOE wouldn't consider, even for a heartbeat, the idea of social oblation. Their oblation is to make as much money as possible, to they priced it as high as their marketing people told them they could get away with. That's likely what happened in Latin America, where the insane wage gap and reduced allotment means you really only need to make it affordable for the upper class to sell out, so you lose nothing by pricing the lower and middle class out.
Again, no inside insights here, just my opinion.
Re: Switch 2 Launch Day Delivery "Not Guaranteed" From Nintendo In The US
I was lucky and got one in Canada after I decided to give up my spot in the Japanese lottery. Means I'm paying a TON more then I wanted to, hell, nearly double the price ... but it's not really viable for me to NOT get one. My wife got an invite as well, but we decided to only go with a single unit this time around. I'm sure they'll have more stock before the next Splatoon game comes out, mandating a second console!
Gratz to whatever latecomer gets her declined spot!
Re: Random: It's Official, Nobody Likes Monty Mole
According to Miyamoto, they are all "actors" playing different roles in the various video games. So this chart might make more sense if you look at it like a break down of what the actors themselves, not the characters in the games, think of each other!
DK seems to be the superstar, with everyone on set wanting to be his friend but thinking himself to good for that, while Monty Mole is played by the Mushroom Kingdoms equivent of Jared Leto and he's been mailing used fire flowers to all the other cast.
Re: Nintendo Won't Have Enough Switch 2 Consoles To Satisfy Demand In Japan
@MrCarlos46
I have no unique or insider knowledge of why they did that.
But if you believe the press release, an honest attempt to provide Japanese families, impacted by inflation and a weak Yen, the opportunity to buy a Switch 2 at a lower markup out of social obligation to the fans that made Nintendo what it is today.
Keep in mind that the price of the consoles are set by the local distributor. So Nintendo of America and Nintendo UK could have done the same, but Nintendo couldn't force them to.
I actually believe them. This is the same board of directors who paid 40 million (US) out of pocket rather then fire anyone over the failure of the Wii U. The ide that they taking a huge hit to profit to ensure families and children actually get to use their product is not unthinkable.
Re: Nintendo Won't Have Enough Switch 2 Consoles To Satisfy Demand In Japan
@Maxz
I would argue you're looking at the wrong comparison.
In the US, one choice you might consider is if you should buy a Steam Deck for $399 or a Switch 2 for $450. A lot of people make strong arguments that the Switch 2 is worth the extra $50. Others say it isn't. It's really a matter of opinon.
In Japan, that choice becomes the Steam Deck at 60,000 Yen or the Switch 2 at 50,000 Yen. That's a no brainer. The Switch 2, in all but a few usage cases, is a much better value.
You might also argue that at $399, the PS5 is a better deal then the Switch 2 at $449 in the US. It really comes down to how much you love Nintendo games and if you use it portable. Again, I can see both sides, and it's a clear matter of opinion.
But In Japan, the 50,000 Yen Switch 2 vs. the 60,000 Yen PS5 slim digital is, again, a no brainer ... and that's before you factor in that on the go gaming or a gaming console with built in screen in a one TV household has way more value in Japan that it does in the US.
My point wasn't about the cost relative to other countries, but relative to other options available to Japanese customers. The bottom line being that the Japanese only Switch 2 is a fantastic value. The Multilanguage Switch 2, regardless of where you buy it, has a much more subjective level of value.
Re: Nintendo Won't Have Enough Switch 2 Consoles To Satisfy Demand In Japan
At the price it costs in Japan, it's a non-brainer. Unbelievable value for 50,000 Yen. Not to mention a much higher percentage of people in Japan use the Switch primarily or exclusively handheld, so I'm not shocked at all that it's going to dominate in Japan.
Re: Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered Is Out Now, But Switch 2 Is Unconfirmed
@Varkster
The digital standard includes all of the original games DLC and expansions. Remember when that was a word? Good times. You get Knights of the Nine and Shimmering isles as part of the base game, as well as Fighter’s Stronghold, Spell Tomes, Vile Lair, Mehrune’s Razor, The Thieves Den, Wizard’s Tower, The Orrery, and Horse Armor Pack.
The Deluxe includes 3 new quests that were not part of the original game and an art book.
Re: Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered Is Out Now, But Switch 2 Is Unconfirmed
@MSaturn
The skill list is unchanged and includes both acrobatics and athletics.
Re: Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered Is Out Now, But Switch 2 Is Unconfirmed
@fenlix
Any Microsoft game will run on Switch 2, because any Microsoft game will run on the lower speced Series S.
I think the thing that hasn't been talked about enough is that Nintendo didn't send out dev kits. Only developers who were invited to make launch games got one as part of "phase 1", and "Phase 2", which delivered kits to most AAA developers and publishers, was 2 weeks ago. Everyone else has to wait until launch day.
So a lot of games will be unable to confirm a Switch 2 port simply because the people making the games don't have the hardware yet.
Edit: Looks like it's not just the Steam Deck. The game seems to run poorly across all platforms atm.
Re: Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered Is Out Now, But Switch 2 Is Unconfirmed
@sanderev
That's what I said. I will run on Switch 2 because it runs on the Series S with less RAM. The RAM requirement is why it's not on original recipe Switch, as no amount of wizardry is going to make it run with that system's 3GB of available RAM ... even if the Switch conceivably meets both the processing and graphics requirements.
Re: Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered Is Out Now, But Switch 2 Is Unconfirmed
The min specs are LIGHT, needing only a 1070ti. It's the RAM requirements keeping this off Switch. The good news for Switch 2 is that it's running on the Xbox Series S with only 10GB, so it's definitely possible to run this on Switch 2.
Honestly? I all but guaranty that Virtuous don't have dev key (Heck, Obsidian likely don't have one, and if they do, they got it a few weeks ago in phase 2), making working on the Switch 2 port impossible until launch. They will likely decide if it's possible once they get one as part of Nintendo's "3rd wave".
Also I gotta shout out to Game Pass, which is absolutely delivering in 2025.
Re: Walmart Joins GameStop With Higher amiibo Price Listings For Switch 2 (US)
@FoxyDude
I mean, yes and no. They are still very reasonably priced. You just have to pay a 140% tax on them right now if you import them to the US, which sucks. But it's not like the baseline MSRP or the cost of manufacturing has increased. You can still get them at the same affordable price in most countries. Heck, after exchange, they are like $14USD in Japan right now.
Hopefully this is just a temporary increase in the US.
Re: Walmart Joins GameStop With Higher amiibo Price Listings For Switch 2 (US)
@Spider-Kev
The Switch 2 is not effected because the tariffs impacting it (Vietnam, Japan) are currently on hold. Almost nothing in the Switch 2 comes from or is manufactured in China. Accessories and Amiibos are effected because they are manufactured in China.
The idea that this is just a random price increase of 33% that is ONLY happening in the US on a product manufactured in China just doesn't hold water, even before you consider the fact that Amiibos are NEVER mass produced or stockpiled as artificial scarcity is part of their marketing appeal. Ockham's razor means you should accept the far more likely explanation and reject the far less likely one, until there is overwhelming evidence that says otherwise.
Re: Walmart Joins GameStop With Higher amiibo Price Listings For Switch 2 (US)
@LastFootnote @Spider-Kev
The price is not increasing in countries that are not imposing tariffs on China (and do not rely on US as a shipping hub). Natural inflation is generally around 5 to 7% A YEAR. A 33% price hike is not "natural inflation".
It's also important to note when talking about tariffs that the point of a tariff is to cause runaway inflation. That's it's single goal. If you impose a tariff and inflation doesn't go way up, you failed.
The whole point is to make it too expensive for people to buy goods from the country you impose tariffs on. You do this by imposing an import tax on your own citizens, to make it so people are priced out of buying products manufactured or produced in the countries you are targeting. They are then forced to buy domestically produced products sold at a much higher price by eliminating lower priced options. The whole point is to make everything more expensive.
The point of a tariff on Chinese goods is to make it too expensive for the average person to buy goods from China, in the hope that higher priced alternative "toys" manufactured domestically are more attractive. This is an example of them working as intended.
Re: ICYMI: Nintendo Reminds Us Game Vouchers Won't Work On Switch 2 Exclusives
If Nintendo is being upfront about their new variable pricing strategy, it's unlikely we'll see this on the Switch 2. They would need to price them high enough that you only saw a discount if you bought two of the highest priced games ($80 USD) ... but Nintendo has ensured us that games at this price point will be rare. So unless their actual plane it to price all first party games at $80, or they plan to exclude some high priced games from the promotion, this two for one deal makes little sense.
Right now on Switch there is some variability, you save between $10 and $20 depending on what you pick. But that variability would be much higher if (again, like they have ensured us) they plan to release some games at $80, while still releasing others at $50.
Re: Talking Point: Does Switch 2 Have Nintendo's Best Launch Line-Up Ever?
@kmtrain83
I mean, power to ya! While I certainty can't understand your desire to pay 3, maybe 4 times as much as you can get the older games on sale on the platforms you currently own so that you can play them at inferior quality on Nintendo's hardware ... I'm happy you're getting the chance to do that if it's what you want.
I'm trying to yuk on your yum, I think it's great people are happy about the system! But I think we can agree that your usage case is extremely rare, and that MOST PEOPLE wont see that opportunity with the same positivity you do.
My comment isn't that no one will like the lineup or that anyone who does is "wrong". It's simply that I think it's pretty bad for most people with normal usage cases. I absolutely love the Resident Evil movies! But that doesn't' make them good movies.
Re: Opinion: The Switch 2 Is A Powerhouse For The Price
@Lightsiyd
Thanks for the shout out, greatly appreciate it.
Re: Opinion: The Switch 2 Is A Powerhouse For The Price
@ElkinFencer10
So if Nintendo released a $300 Switch 2 that COULDN"T play first party games, and a $449 Switch 2 that could, you would not only buy the $449 version, you would argue that it's fair and reasonable for Nintendo to charge $150 for access to it's first party games?
Don't get me wrong, there is nothing invalid about your argument. But what you are arguing is that you, personally, would pay whatever price Nintendo forced you to in order to play Nintendo exclusive games. That's a a much different argument then "it's objectively worth paying a premium to buy this console"
Also both the PlayStation and Xbox have dozens of exclusives. At this point in time, unless you personal option is that ONLY Nintendo exclusives have values and all other exclaves games have no value, both Xbox and PlayStation offer far more value then Nintendo when it comes to "this console can play exclusives titles".
Which, again, is a completely valid argument. It's just not a very objective one.
I'm talking about common usage cases and value. Obviously if your usage case is "I will give Nintendo all the money because I NEED to play Zelda", then the Switch 2 has a ton of value for you. Buy it and enjoy it! But that usage case is rare, and we shouldn't be trying to "up sell" the system to people who don't fit that usage case.
Re: Opinion: The Switch 2 Is A Powerhouse For The Price
@Banjo-
Thanks for the comment.
I think I agree with you on every point. The Switch 2 isn't a game changer in handheld space, more of a new option. At the same price, you can get a much better screen, better battery and a next level game eco system with the Steam Deck OLED, or you can go with the far more powerful (even before tensor cores) Switch 2. I think either choice could be easily justified by peroneal preference.
But in docked mode, if that's your primary usage case, it's just a bad option. I think a lot of the "argument" around it goes away as soon as you just ... say that outload.
The Switch was a hybrid, with value in both configurations. The Switch 2 is a handheld, with no value as a console. We shouldn't be talking about it like a "new Switch". We should be talking about it like a new Steam Deck with a packaged in DVI dock.
Re: Opinion: The Switch 2 Is A Powerhouse For The Price
@ElkinFencer10
I mean, that's a my core argument. Not a great value unless you have handheld as a usage case and are willing and able to pay a huge premium for that.
Re: Opinion: The Switch 2 Is A Powerhouse For The Price
@ElkinFencer10
I mean, power to ya, but I personally don't see how.
No judgement, but I would be interested in hearing exactly what you think the system offers, in dock mode only, that justifies it's price. Using US prices, the 10.5 Tflop PS5 is the same price as this 4Tflop unit, and the 4Tflop Xbox S is almost half the price.
Re: Opinion: The Switch 2 Is A Powerhouse For The Price
@IronMan30
I would say it's even easier then that. It's not a relatively well priced "console'. It's a extremely overpriced and underpowered console.
It's a well priced HANDHELD.
If you look at Nintendo's telemetry, only 50% of people use the Switch in handheld mode primarily. About 20% don't use it in handheld at all.
So what we have here is the 50% of people who use it as a handheld arguing it's a great deal (and being right) while the 50% that use it as a console are arguing it's an overpriced brick with 12 year old specs (while also being right).
This is the internet. That idea that two different perspectives are both valid at the same time just is never going to cut it.
Re: Opinion: The Switch 2 Is A Powerhouse For The Price
@snichelsticks @CheapCheepBeach
While this is true (as Phil will take any chance to remind you), it's important to understand how Microsoft's accounting factors in. Microsoft factors in development costs to the "cost" of the system. So if it cost $20 billion to develop the Xbox One, they are not "making a profit" off Xbox One sales until they recoup that cost. This is how Phil came up with the "we loss $200 every unit we sell" number.
If you pop open a Xbox S or X and do a part by part breakdown, it's actually being sold above cost. The models with larger hard drives or other pack-ins are generally sold at an even higher profit.
Now to be clear, the Switch 2 is marked up almost 100% in the UK and 80% in the US, so Nintendo profit margins are MUCH higher. But I think details are important.
Re: Opinion: The Switch 2 Is A Powerhouse For The Price
@Medic_alert
I love comments on my post and always try to reply, and I thank you for engaging me.
But please, I would ask you to read my entire comment and reply to it in it's whole, or not comment at all. Thank you!
Re: Opinion: The Switch 2 Is A Powerhouse For The Price
The cyberpunk example you are using is the same level of performance you get from the Xbox S, which is (in some places) LESS THEN HALF THE PRICE.
The Xbox S is also a system that is, in theory, capable of 4k/120 output. But just like the Switch, most games use dynamic resolution and never hit anything close to that. No one would call the Xbox S a "4k/120" system, and no one should call the Switch 2 that either.
Calling it a "powerhouse at the price" is propaganda to the point where it's insulting out intelligence. DF has already done several detailed breakdowns that compare the system to a slightly worse PS4, a 12 year old system. It's not powerful. It's underpowered to an extreme. You simply can't argue otherwise.
What you CAN argue is that that's it's a great handheld, more powerful then the Steam Deck (but still objectively underpowered as a console) at around the same price point. But it's a handheld that locks you to a extremely small ecosystem of games compared to Valves offering, and those games are going to cost you so much that owning and using a Switch 2 is going to outprice the Steam Deck fairly quickly.
The Switch 2 isn't "bad". It's not "over priced". But what it isn't is a great value, by any matrix. It has a premium price tag, costing as much as a system with more then twice the raw power, that justifies that with function people don't NEED from a console, the great screen and it's handheld nature.
Remember though, by Nintendo's owns telemetry, less the half of the people who own a Switch use it primarily in handheld, and close to 20% NEVER take it from the dock. So for a good 50% of people who own a Switch ... this is a last gen unit at next gen price.
If your usage case is a handheld and you're not price sensitive, the Switch 2 is a great system for you. But if you want a powerful system, or handheld isn't your usage case, or you are ANY level of value conscious ... it's the worst option out there by far.
There is no reason to over or undersell it. A great choice for some people, an absolutely horrible choice for others. Trying to "sell it up" to that second group is doing them a great disservice.
Re: Talking Point: Does Switch 2 Have Nintendo's Best Launch Line-Up Ever?
@Kiwi_Unlimited
It released in Japan about a month after the Game Cube. In the EU, the delay was only 3 weeks, and in AU and the US it was around 2 weeks ... but in no region was the game available at the same time as the console's launch.
Re: Talking Point: Does Switch 2 Have Nintendo's Best Launch Line-Up Ever?
I mean, it really depends on if you have a PC or another console. An extremely underpowered port of a 5 year old game like Cyberpunk or 3 year old game Hitman has zero value to people who have already played the games on better hardware, but potentially a lot of value to anyone who only owns a Switch and hasn't had access to them previously.
To me, that's what makes the Switch 2 line up very weak ... it's schizophrenic. There are some games that are great if your usage case is someone who is budget sensitive and only buys one console, but if that's you ... I can't see the system itself having a lot of appeal to you. And if you're not budget sensitive and have a lot of disposable income to spend on video games ... you've likely played most of the games on that list already, or could play them on better hardware if you wanted to.
I don't know who Nintendo is targeting. If you think of one usage case, most of the titles are useless to them. But when you look at a different usage case, it's the same thing, only different games. No ONE usage case gets a ton of value our of the offerings, and most usage cases only have a few games to look forward to, none of which where the Switch 2 is the ideal place to play them.
A kart game and a new take on DK64, as good as every preview says they are, isn't that heavy hitting as a first party line up either.
It's really hard to say what lineup was the best, but I can confidently say the Switch 2 has the most confusing, and arguably, one of the worst.
Re: Some Fans Are Drawing Unfavourable Comparisons Between Switch 2 And Xbox One
The last time I didn't get a Nintendo console on launch day was the virtual boy. I was excited about it, but not enough that I "needed" to have it.
The more I hear about the Switch 2, it's features, it's design philosophy, it's pricing, and how Nintendo is trying to sell it ... the more I'm starting to realize ...
I think I was more excited about the virtual boy.
Re: Opinion: A Few Too Many Questions & Unwelcome Surprises Are Taking The Shine Off The Switch 2 Reveal
@Xenoblade-Fan
I don't think "political" is the right word. There is no US or UK political party that is currently anti-capitalism, and there is no Japanize political party that is pushing for to the social traditions that lead to Japan's much less "Laissez-faire" flavor to change.
It's just the decision of a few people. CEOs in the West are motivated only by greed and oblation to shareholders, while in Japan CEOs are beholden to social obligations that say you owe a debt to the people who made you successful and must do everything you can to deliver them a great product at a reasonable price, even if that means lower profit.
It's really that simple. Cultural differences as to what a corporation and it's CEO are "supposed" to do. In Japan, the "right" call was selling at cost to ensure everyone can buy it and no fan is left behind. In the West, the "right" call was charging the absolute maximum possible, even if that prices people out of the product.
Re: Opinion: A Few Too Many Questions & Unwelcome Surprises Are Taking The Shine Off The Switch 2 Reveal
@kalosn
A digital edition console is only cheaper because optical drives are expensive and break down under warranty more then any other component.
A card reader costs next to nothing (around 90 yen). So a digital only Switch 2 would be the same price to manufacture, and not sell for any cheaper.
Re: Opinion: A Few Too Many Questions & Unwelcome Surprises Are Taking The Shine Off The Switch 2 Reveal
@Xenoblade-Fan @KoopaTheGamer @Oracles_fanboi
As I always bring up, it's super important to remember that NINTENDO, a Japanese game developer and publisher, is not trying to make a ton of money with the Switch 2. THEY are selling it almost at cost, $340. Anyone who is lucky enough to live in a country where they are the local distributor will also see a console with almost no mark up.
Nintendo of UK, a wholly owned but completely independent entity, has chosen to go a different direction, marking the system up almost 100% when you account for the exchange rate with the Yen. Nintendo of America has done the same in every area they distribute to other then the US, but the US faces price pressure from tariffs.
Nintendo wants to get this console into the hands of as many people as possible, and have priced it as such. It's the world wide subsidiaries who have decided to price gouge. I mean, you're free to blame Nintendo ... legally they can't just force a price on the other distributors, but they could have fired the president until they got one who priced it lower if they really wanted to make an issue of it.
But I think the narrative that Nintendo is TRYING to sell this console cheap, but that effort was hijacked by ultra-capitalistic nations who can't see past the bottom line is an important one.
Re: Opinion: A Few Too Many Questions & Unwelcome Surprises Are Taking The Shine Off The Switch 2 Reveal
@jojobar @Dimey
While looking "almost as good" is obviously subjective, by the numbers, the Switch 2 is a much, much less powerful system. It can push 3.9 Tflops docked, and less in handheld mode. The PS5 pushes 10 TFlops and the Xbox X pushes 12, while both having more RAM.
The tensor cores in the Switch 2 are not magic. They can run DLSS at a lower frame cost then the PS5 and Xbox X, but it's not FREE. DF has a great video that goes into this in much more detail then I could right here.
Bottom line is the performance we can expect from the Switch 2 is in line with the Xbox Series S, not the series X or PS5. We can already see this as the Cyberpunk port seems to be targeting the exact performance spec you currently get on the Xbox S.
You're obviously free to whatever opinion you have as to if that makes the system "worth it" or not, but you should come to that decision based on fact.
Re: Opinion: A Few Too Many Questions & Unwelcome Surprises Are Taking The Shine Off The Switch 2 Reveal
@TYRANACLES
US tariffs only effect the price in the US. The Switch is manufactured in Vietnam, using parts from Japan and China. Games are made in Japan using Japanize parts. The only trade agreements that effect the price are the ones between these countries.
US trade and supply in no way impacts the cost or availability of parts at any point. That's why they can sell the system in Japan for $340 ... it's manufacturing price is quite low. The reason it costs what it costs in other areas is because the local Nintendo distributor set a high mark up. That's it. No complex reasons, just trying to maximum profit.
Re: Opinion: A Few Too Many Questions & Unwelcome Surprises Are Taking The Shine Off The Switch 2 Reveal
I love Nintendo, but they went the wrong direction with the Switch 2. They are trying to make a console that doubles as a mid range PC, with mouse support and all, instead of doing what they do best ... cheap hardware that focuses on creative, but not technically impressive games.
To someone who already has a high end PC and won't be playing any of the 3rd party PC games on the system ... I just don't think the Switch 2 will be worth the price until it's had a few years to pump out Nintendo exclusives. Thankfully I can just pick up one in Japan, but for anyone else in my situation, I don't see how the Switch 2 is in any way appealing.
The idea that you can get a year of Game Pass core or PSN+ with it's monthly games for the same price as a SINGLE first party game is also insane when you think about it. It really solidifies the Switch 2 as a luxury console. It's going to be more expensive to own, in the long run, then a PS5 Pro.
The Wii, DS and the Switch sold like hotcakes because they were the system for the masses. This isn't. It's last gen specs at a next gen price. I don't think it's going to "fail" ... but it's not going to be the hit people were expecting.
Re: Nintendo Delays Switch 2 Pre-Orders In The US Amidst New Trump Tariffs
@MH4
Clarifying for not just you, but a lot of people who seem to honestly want to know exactly what is going on.
The WHOLESALE PRICE will not change. Nintendo will still sell it to US importers for the same price they are selling it right now. We don't know what that is, but it's likely very close to the suggested retail price of $449
However, that US importer, at the moment, will need to pay around $220 in tax to the US government. That's' what a tariff is. An import tax, paid by the importer, that in no way effects the exporter. It's imposed by the US, paid by people in the US.
So the retailer will need to make up that money by increasing the price they charge to consumers.
NOA is currently waiting to open pre-orders, because RIGHT NOW, they would have to set the suggested retail price at around $650. There really is no way around that, beside asking retailers to sell it at a HEAVY loss.
So, yes, unless something changes, the Switch will cost much, much more in the US then it will in most of the world. This isn't speculation, it's reality.
There is still time for things to change, given how completely random tariffs have been so far, but without change ... US gamers are basically f'd.
Re: Poll: So, How Would You Rate The Nintendo Switch 2 Direct?
It was pretty much the most mah thing ever
Re: Nintendo Announces 'Virtual Game Cards' For Switch, Unlocking Digital Lending
@Baker1000
I've head this theory a lot, and I have no insider information so maybe it's the case, but the economy of it makes no sense.
It's optical drives that allows digital only units to be sold at a lower cost. Optical drives are expensive, the one in the Xbox is around $15 wholesale and the one in the PS5 is about the same. They are also the single largest point of fault within warranty, leading to a lot of repairs the manufacturer has to pay for. That's why the digital console is cheaper; no optical drive.
Card readers cost pennies and do not break.
So while Nintendo might offer a digital only console, I can't imagine it would be cheaper. It might come with a better form factor or some other features to make it attractive, provided they do not increase the cost, but it just doesn't make any sense to remove a card slot that has basically zero cost to make a sku that you're selling for a lower price and less margin.
Re: Nintendo Announces 'Virtual Game Cards' For Switch, Unlocking Digital Lending
@Dm9982
I feel ya. Power to you if this fits you usage case. I just don't think that's going to be the case with most people.
Personally, I would say that this system is worse then what Xbox offers given that the main usage case for wanting games you can play without online DRM is people who already don't buy digital games ...
If I wanted something that worked exactly like a physical copy, I would buy a physical copy. I want something that works better and is more powerful then a physical copy, as long as I'm willing to accept an online only limitation (which I am).
At the end of the day, it's just about what limitation you feel is more reasonable. Having to be online, or having to give up that game on your console for 14 days, with no option to get it back (the person you lent it to has to send it back, or you have to wait for time to expire), and having to pick and choose games to "trade" any time you want to use the system rather then just having the option to play any game at any time.
Personally, I see the online limitation as WAY less demanding and far more accessible, so to me ... this isn't a big deal. It's a step backwards.
Edit - Haha, my wife and me have the same problem with Steam Deck.
Re: Nintendo Announces 'Virtual Game Cards' For Switch, Unlocking Digital Lending
@Dm9982
Xbox lets you play any digital game owned by any person who has EVER logged onto your "home" console. So if you have a family of 100 people, and they all log into your home console, you have access to 100 game libraries at any given time. The only limit is that you can't play a game from the library if the person you are borrowing it from is signed in. If they sign in while you are playing, you get a countdown to log out of the game. You also need to be online, obviously.
For many games, you can even play the game they bought on one console (for example, a series X) on your series S or on PC. That's limited to games that support "play anywhere", but it's still really fantastic.
Game Pass also lets you share with one other person with an "offline" account. That account needs to log in once every 30 days, but beyond that, can play any Game Pass game in offline mode without interfering with the other person playing at the same time. Given that limitation, I think this is more of a "hack" then a feature, but it still works.
Re: Nintendo Announces 'Virtual Game Cards' For Switch, Unlocking Digital Lending
@Kiz3000
I'm honestly not sure. I'm obviously not going to question your experience, but in my experience I do exactly the same thing, but there has never been a time both consoles couldn't play the same game at the same time, with both of us online, regardless of who started playing first. We play Splatoon together all the time, online, on the same team, with one digital copy of the game.
Maybe it's something not obvious, like how our NSO accounts are set up? <Shrug>.
The ONLY thing that we couldn't do together is local online play. Online play over the internet works fine, but if we try to set up a local connection, it will kick us out of the online lobby.
Re: Nintendo Announces 'Virtual Game Cards' For Switch, Unlocking Digital Lending
@IOI
Thank you for commenting! But can you show me anywhere this is in writing? Or even where you heard it as a rumor?
Re: Nintendo Announces 'Virtual Game Cards' For Switch, Unlocking Digital Lending
@Runex2121
You don't have to turn the internet off to use the current system. You can even play online games together at the same time.
Re: Nintendo Announces 'Virtual Game Cards' For Switch, Unlocking Digital Lending
There seems to be a LOT of confusion about how the current system works, so I wanted to clarify that.
Right now, on any console, you can play any game that meets one of two criteria.
1) The game was bought on the account that is currently logged in.
2) The game was bought on the account that "owns" that Switch.
That means that if you own two Switches, each on a different account, not only can you play all games on both all the time, you can play the same game on both systems AT THE SAME TIME.
That's because you buy everything on account 1 on system 2. System 2 owns all the game, so the person with that system can always play them, but as they are tied to account 1, the person logged into account 1 can also paly them on system 1. At all time. Without having to do anything. Even if the other person is currently playing that same game on their console.
This change has no other purpose then to change that and try, as has been the goal of so many changes on so many systems time and time again, to force families to buy multiple copies of the same game. There is no situation where this is better or easier for current users, and the ability to lend a game to one of your 8 friends of family in no way makes up for what we are losing.
I'm not really a pitch-folk kinda guy and generally support the right of companies to make decisions about how we use their products, but this is the type of change that too drastic to simple accept.