Calling it a golf game is really odd. It is more of a multiplayer physics race. Think Team 17 Worms, except you are racing on procedurally generated levels. It's not a single player or AAA experience.
Honestly the Switch has as many AAA exclusives as PS4 or X1 did at launch. This is the new release cycle for all consoles. There is a AAA game every 4 months with a bunch of indie or niche titles in between. A lot of publishers and studios have closed their doors so don't expect the industry to pump out games like it was 2004.
Pachter is a poor analyst that has gotten undue respect because of a lack of competency in the industry. His job is to make predictions and beat the market which, oe at least follow the market which he rarely does. It is one thing to get the Wii wrong, but to say that Ouya was doing ok was just horrible.
PS4 and Xbox will loose developers because shareholders will not support them. It is all about profit and growth. A midcycle update doesn't bring growth the way new hardware does. Not to mention it will be more expensive to develop AAA titles for the new consoles and you have a recipe for fiscal disaster. Switch will have twice as many houses as Xbox, 25% more than PS4 in 4 years.
I just thought this was an interesting article for anyone that needs reference for the health of the game industry. Hopefully the Switch turns it around.
I think this is greatly exaggerated. He is a boastful guy that hasn't really made much headway. Nintendo may have been asking to collaborate, but he thought the Cyanogen had nothing to gain from Nintendo. In the end I doubt Nintendo used bits of Android. More likely looked at the source and wrote an entirely new kernel optimized for the hardware. I own an Ouya and a Forge TV and the Android OS is horribly unstable and slow. The Switch is incredibly fast which suggests they modified everything.
Also as a point for developement support and timelines for the Switch I would like to reference the end of this interview: https://youtu.be/PY7ZfrFQJYs. Dev couldn't get the game to run on Wii U. It took them only 3 days to port a running build on Switch. That is one developer bringing two games to the Switch because of how easy the port from Wii U was. I can see other Wii U titles being ported for the same reason once the Eshop curation lets up. Specifically Devil's Third multiplayer since Nintendo could use an exclusive free to play.
I don't understand the issue with the Switch's launch line-up. To be honest if Nintendo made a mistep it is having too many major first party releases so close together. There isn't a publisher in their right mind that was going to release next to Zelda, Spla2oon, Mario Kart, or Homer's Mario. Not to mention all of the incredibly strong budget indie titles. Consider that the PS4 launch had 3 exclusives and the Switch has 5. While they needed more AAA 3rd party support in the first 6 months, they have the strongest first party release schedule for a new console in my memory. Sony had a par showing with Knack and KZ:SF and Microsoft took almost 2 years to release Halo after the X1 launch.
Anyone else a little surprised the Switch did so well? Zelda as a brand doesn't carry weight in Japan as much as it does stateside. Outside of that there are some really great games, KOF 98 is on Switch is great for the Esports crowd, but nothing that strikes me as a Japanese system seller. If they had launched with Mario or Monster Hunter it would have done better, but Zelda and Superbowl ads suggest this was NOA focused. August sales will probably be the strongest month 5 global sales period of any Nintendo console to date.
You know the Switch demand is ouutpacing supply when the Wii U is seeing sales.
@rjejr Reference points and trends are important, but more often than not are used to be misleading. Like how Kaz said PS4 is doing well because it has a higher "attachment" rate than the PS2, but fails to mention that it is probably because they are giving away games every month with Playstation Plus for free instead of users purchasing them at full retail price.
Instead it is better to use references in short-term milestones. So the Wii U was a strong launch and gave Nintendo a boost for that quarter, but Nintendo stepping out of sync with Sony and Microsoft timing wise skewed the reference. The trouble was easy to see in software sales during launch and the 3 quarters after. Despite the belief that software sells hardware, it is really software trends that drive software creation. Wii U was built around a dying software trend of AAA big budget console exclusives.
The Switch has strong support from small, low budget studios and major initial hardware sales. Hardware sales are good and indie support is better. It is very much the similar trend that led to the revival of PC gaming with Steam and the rise of mobile gaming through app stores.
The next big milestone is going to be holiday sales and then eShop sales. If holiday sales are strong and eShop sales are steady then Nintendo will be ok.
@rjejr True, but Ars is missing a lot of key points.
1. Adjust for economic conditions during launch periods. The U.S. economy was sluggish in 04 and 05, so much so the government was literally handing out money. If you peel away the charade that was the housing market we were already in a recession.
2. A healthy launch helps bring in 3rd party support in most cases. The Wii U was killed by a tandem effort by Microsoft and Sony when they agreed to build on X64 architecure with AMD chipsets.Which brigs us to...
3. Cost to publishers. PS4 and X1 were easy to port between so it made fiscal sense at the time to make games for them. Because they didn't raise the price of retail games they are slowly diminishing profit margins as the cost comes up. If Fifa and Skyrim sell well on the Switch you can bet that shareholder will decide which platform is supported.
@Spoony_Tech I am betting Nintendo is holding some stock back to keep up with holiday demand, and probably a large amount for a July restock for the sales peak during Birthday season. They have supplied more than the Wii, but it seems demand is stronger.
@banacheck Actually we don't know how well Xbox1 is doing since Microsoft will not release actual sales figures. In fact they rolled the sales of Xbox360 in with the Xbox1 figures in their first quarterly report after launch. It should also be noted that profit, not sales, determine the health of the industry. If I sell you two brand nee games for a profit of $15 and you sell me one game for a profit of $35 and I say "I have sold one game more than you so I am fiscally healthier" I would be lying. The cost of making 1080 resolution at 60 FPS vs making Fruit Ninja are a galaxy apart and even worse the Fruit Ninja revenue is just as high as a title like Battlefront. If software sells hardware and the healthiest studios are like Halfbrick and healthy publishers are like Crescent Moon then the future starts looking questionable.
You can tell when Nintendo does something well because these boards turn into a 28 Days Later rage fest.
Bad vibes aside I am glad the Switch is doing well along side the PS4. If only Microsoft could get it together we might have a healthy industry again. Maybe that word "Fanboy" will disappear and we can all go back to playing Halo, Mario Party, and Gran Turismo all under the same roof.
@banacheck Kaz is smart, that is why he uses software attachment instead of total dollar sales. When Playstation gives you a free game for being a plus member and ypu download that free game, the software is attached. 7.1 games for the Wii were purchased. We don't know how many of those PS4 games were bought or for what price.
@Jeronan Playstation is the most respected it has ever been within the Sony organization, unfortunately Sony's stock prices haven't risen above it's pre 2010 averages. I wouldn't think that being the king of lepers is a great thing.
Also I am glad you agree about Xbox since I made to point about the entire industry as a whole, Xbox being a part of that.
As far as lauch line-up, Zelda BOTW has a perfect score from Edge and Famitsu which makes the Switch version the only handheld title to be on both lists, also part of the only franchise the to hold multiple spots on each list.
I love console gaming too, but I have lived through it's growth while arccade gaming, another love of mine, slowly died away. In the states you can still go to a Dave and Busters and convince yourself that arcrade gaming is still healthy, but when you look at it from a distance, just like the console industry, it is easy to see things have declined.
Nintendo is trying to bridge the gap because AAA titles are too expensive to make for the risk to a publisher's bottom line. In the past 20 years we have lost half of the major publishers. Overall software sales for PS4 are lower than the PS2. Like it or not The Switch is a final attempt at preserving the home console.
@JaxonH Besides that games like Duck Game and Towerfall only need a single Joycon to play. It is by far the cheapest and most accessible way to play party games like this. Setting up my Ouya for 4 player Towerfall and Duck Game was frustrating at times. I can't wait for the simplicity of them on the Switch.
The Duck Game was on the Ouya and is a crazy amount of fun with two players. I have Portal Knights on PC and it is honestly a little like Dark Souls at times. NBA Playgrounds sounds like NBA Ballers for kids.
I cannot believe how adult this game is for a Nintendo showcase. It is definately giving me hope that developers will realize parents still want to play adult games on the console. I immediately tweeted Nintendo in hopes they will confirm a bobble hula Amiibo for it.
We will have shortages in the states. Portable Skyrim and full Minecraft on the go will dominate to 30+ male with kids demographic here. My QOL will be way higher when I can play Zelda during dance class.
These are all on Android TV. I am guessing these are Android TV ports.
Honestly KOF 98 makes sense for the Switch since it was probably the most balanced KOF and is less a classic and more a competitive standard, with two joycons it would be great.
SNK needs to remaster KOF 98 and 2002 for widescreen though.
Maybe it is neither SE or ported OG, but a special Switch Edition with touch controls and integrated social features. We still don't know everything about the console so they might be under NDA. "I cant say" is the Switch devs motto until NDA is lifted.
@Menchi187 That is an odd comparison. If you want the highest end graphics you should stick to a giant PC that sits on your desk and doubles your energy bill. If you want to play games with friends face to face without lugging a 2k machine around then Switch is the only handheld device offering games with files sizes up to 15 GB. Technically it is the most powerful handheld by your comment, which is a good thing by your standards?
I think that the Switch will bring back ownership. You don't own online multiplayer portions. MAG for PS3 or Tabula Rasa for PC are good examples of the pitfalls of $60 passes that are worthless discs now. Halo, Timesplitters, Age of Empires are all good examples of how ownership matters. They are all still fun. The Switch just makes it way easier now. Wizards of the Coast and the Pokemon company have seen growth in TCG local multiplayer while things like C.A.H., Catan, and Munchkin are cultural pbenomenons in the States. Local never slowed, it just moved to a cheaper venue. The Switch's portable system in a monitor with two controllers should make a reasonable venue for consumers to return to.
I looked at them and if they are real then Nintendo should be shouting it from the roof tops. The memory bandwidth alone was insane, like a new Samsung Galaxy Note with an crazy GPU for less than half the price. I respect that Nintendo wants to avoid the tech spec ratrace, but Digital Foundry kills any hope of avoiding that in messaging. If anything DF's approach of quantifying what should be a purely qualitative experience does more to hurt the industry, publishers, developers, and hardware manufacturers, than a leaked spec sheet does. The console gaming culture is unfortunately moving toward an enthusiast luxury market, a far cry from the days Atari Jaguar floundered behind the underpowered competition.
Initially I thought it should be for convenience, but personally I want the Switch to be my device and I don't want my wife to use it to watch Housewives of Whatever or have it playing Kate and Mimim for my kid for a quarter of it's life. This is a device for the gaming community, not the family community. I am ok with that.
The music in the ad is way off demographic. Maybe not go Jontron Firework (although I would prefer it), but something a little less minor key, down tempo. Especially if you are going with sad dude that wakes up to Zelda and hits the couch before the shower. Doesn't scream fun. Maybe they can Switch that music to some Daft Punk before Sunday.
I will believe it when it happens. The local multiplayer and portability, my favorite part, really takes away from the need for online for me. Obviously a game like COD isn't going to allow local because Activision wants to stop secondhand sales, but Splat and MKart having full-local is awesome. Unless they released Devil's Third online I probably don't need it.
@Monkeyofthefunk Not a problem for Nintendo if scalpers buy 3 preorders for $300 a pop. Even if the scalpers cancel their preorders Nintendo can still decide to choke launch supply to meet demand. Wii, NES classic, and now Switch. There is no way Nintendo is going to produce too many. If scalpers were smart they would keep their preorders. Of course I think there are a lot of trolls masqurading a scalpers that say they are going to scrap their preorders. Nintendo is already past the date they would need to start producing for day one deliveries. I am betting any increase will hit mid April, if that.
Zelda BOTW on my Wii U for weeks, unless Nintendo announces Duck Game, No Brakes Valet, or Toto Temple Deluxe for Switch, in that case I will playing those with friends.
The fact that Nintendo can replace it is good news. That means it isn't completely integrated. Sometimes the game community confuses me. You could hand them silver and they would whine it's not gold.
I am hoping Nintendo kept some announcements in their pocket. The accessibility of a Tegra device with Unity support should have opened the doors to a library of great games. Party Golf or Toto Temple seem like obvious launch titles for Nintendo.
@DarkKirby The two side point is a really good point. It is important to note that it isn't just 3 points of vibration, they are independent motors that can interact with each other. They could spin two motors at one frequency while spinning the middle motor at a different frequency, creating a first order vibration like what you would feel when striking two swords. You would have the reverb of the strike plus the vibration of the friction of tbe swords rubbing together. While that might add to somethig like a Warriors title, it could be very integral to a Bushido Blade revival.
However this technology will probably be wasted by the current generation of lack luster game designers.
@B238ben I kind of hope 2k brings back NHL2k on the Switch, or even better they drop the license and make a non- annual game where I can adjust nets and rinks to play multiplayer pond hockey or 4v4 on an international size rink.
Actually it will be up to stockholders. FIFA will be $60 on the Switch and $60 on PS4 and Xbox1, the cost to develop assets for PS4 are higher, then adjust them for Xbox1 is more money. The Switch is less to develop assets for because they aren't as high def and you can downgrade them for phone and tablets (Nvidia Tegra is ARM based, just like phones and tablets).
So you can spend a ton of money for a big user base to pay 60 and port to a slightly smaller user base, or you can pay less money to support a system that gives you a higher profit margin and then port to the largest user base.
It like looking back and betting that Crysis was going to make more money than The Sims. Nintendo out EA in a corner by appealing to Shareholders.
This should be a warning sign for Borderlands 3 honestly. 2k, not Gearbox, should be talking to Nintendo. Maybe Nintendo Life should ask Randy for clarification. Seems like 2k doesn't want to fit the bill for a Switch port and neither does Nintendo. They don't want another Devil's Third.
@crimsontadpoles unless it turns into a Steam situation and poorly made ports and games are crowding out Quality games. A little curation might be good for the system.
Well we are talking about the people that butchered Duke and Aliens, steals design ideas from Blizzard, and a guy that thinks the movie Heat would make a great game. Nintendo brought Bethesda into the fold and eventually Activision Blizzard will be back. They have 2k sports so obviously their issue is with the studio.
Did anybody else feel like he avoided the question? They wanted to know where the border was and he eventually got around to saying "it's not AI." The original Shield wasn't a smart system, it was a game system with major support for the Shield Tablet including native code ports of triple A titles, including a port of Mount and Blade: Warband. I am getting the feeling that Nintendo is absorbing the game side of Nvidia and the "New Shield" was hastily thrown together to convince consumers that the Switch is not indeed a Shield Tablet 2 on the inside.
Last night I looked up more info on the new Shield to get some insight on what to expect from the Switch and Nvidia is keeping a tight lip, no specs other than there is a Pro version that has 500 GB instead of 16 GB, but for $100.00 more. Whatever is going on I hope Nintendo has a big surprise waiting.
I think this was Nintendo maintaining awareness, but not an improvement. We will see what exposure is like after January. This is technically a Wii U title after all. I would like to see a Switch title.
The Switch will probably have augmented reality capabilities. The PSP had it, but Invisimals didn't have the branding power that Pokemon has. As a consumer technology AR is a decade beyond VR. With Nvidia and Nintendo working together the Switch will probably be the most interactive platform on the market. The question is will it have the communication capabilities necessary to make someone put down their tablet or phone. If the new Nintendo family of devices is integrated with Facebook and Twitter I can see them stealing some of Apple's less dedicated users.
Basic business response. Don't commit and investors stay happy. It was the same vague non-committal response Capcom gave. Nintendo needs to start throwing it's weight around with the Switch. Devs need Switch to be successful because profits are shrinking. If consumers won't pay $70 a game then devs need a way to decrease cost. Switch gives them a lateral move with important features that the other platforms are lacking, like simplified controls and access to the youth market. The "hardcore" market is too small to support the quality they demand at the price they want it for.
Calling it now, EA losses ground to 2k sports because of the Switch.
These games will come because the 3rd party games were probably already in development for the Nvidia Shield. Remember that the Shield 2 was already in the works then Nvidia went quiet before Switch was rumored to have a Nvidia chipset. Borderlands 2 should be available shortly after launch and Resident Evil 5. The important thing to note is that the Wii U had 0 portability and the Switch will have incredible portability to the largest gaming market, smart devices. Don't expect EA to put Battlefield 1 on this.
The Nintendo Switch will have a larger library in its first 2 years than the PS4 and the XBOX1 and will set the precedent for console design moving forward. What scares me is exploding batteries.
I have noticed that the NX has been far more popular than the Wii U already simply because Nintendo is being Apple level quiet about it. Every rumour bumps the name Nintendo and NX up in search results for video game related news.
If release is March they need to announce it before Holiday spending season goes off the rails. Retail shopping is already picking up so it might be conventional to reveal it soon, but the NX isn't conventional. They might wait until December to announce it.
@Yorumi I would be interested to see these studies. It is important to note that "muscle memory" is still tied to synaptic response times and is be definition still tied to the 100 millisecond limit. That time of 100 milliseconds is the time between your brain receiving the cue and the automatic electrical transmission, or "muscle memory", to your muscles which then contract in response.
The studies are probably errored in that they didn't control for video game experience. If some practices at 60 frames per second they may have trouble at 30 frames per second because their brain is tuned to a cue that happens at 60 that is skipped at 30. They may also have not controlled for controller latency. These seem like reasonable things to control for, but seeing as these are studies related to video games I have reservations about their quality. There just isn't a large enough body of research to produce reliable data.
Synapse response speed has however been researched quite a bit and has been measured by several independent sources and findings have had consistent results. We can now even measure the speed of synapse between two neurons. When applied to kinesthesic research it becomes obvious that while professional athletes have slightly faster synaptic response speeds their performance is largely due to practice and programmed reactions. A professional NHL goalie can't see the puck from a slap shot once it is in motion. They actual begin moving before the stick makes contact with the puck. Players of video games operate in the same behavior. They make inputs based on predicted opponent moves and cues.
Perception and preference of 60 fps is of course a subjective matter.
Comments 109
Re: Party Golf All Set To Tee Off On The Nintendo Switch
Calling it a golf game is really odd. It is more of a multiplayer physics race. Think Team 17 Worms, except you are racing on procedurally generated levels. It's not a single player or AAA experience.
Honestly the Switch has as many AAA exclusives as PS4 or X1 did at launch. This is the new release cycle for all consoles. There is a AAA game every 4 months with a bunch of indie or niche titles in between. A lot of publishers and studios have closed their doors so don't expect the industry to pump out games like it was 2004.
Re: Nintendo's Harshest Critic Thinks Switch Will Outsell Microsoft's Scorpio
Pachter is a poor analyst that has gotten undue respect because of a lack of competency in the industry. His job is to make predictions and beat the market which, oe at least follow the market which he rarely does. It is one thing to get the Wii wrong, but to say that Ouya was doing ok was just horrible.
PS4 and Xbox will loose developers because shareholders will not support them. It is all about profit and growth. A midcycle update doesn't bring growth the way new hardware does. Not to mention it will be more expensive to develop AAA titles for the new consoles and you have a recipe for fiscal disaster. Switch will have twice as many houses as Xbox, 25% more than PS4 in 4 years.
Re: Unity Update Adds Native Nintendo Switch Support for Developers
Giant Margarita started porting Party Golf after the Unity update so that is a good sign.
Re: Opening Sales for Nintendo Switch in North America Set a New High
I just thought this was an interesting article for anyone that needs reference for the health of the game industry. Hopefully the Switch turns it around.
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2017-03-23-gamestop-blames-sales-dip-on-weak-game-category
Re: Nintendo Approached Cyanogen For Switch OS, But Was Told To "Stick It"
I think this is greatly exaggerated. He is a boastful guy that hasn't really made much headway. Nintendo may have been asking to collaborate, but he thought the Cyanogen had nothing to gain from Nintendo. In the end I doubt Nintendo used bits of Android. More likely looked at the source and wrote an entirely new kernel optimized for the hardware. I own an Ouya and a Forge TV and the Android OS is horribly unstable and slow. The Switch is incredibly fast which suggests they modified everything.
Re: Developer Survey Reveals Worrying Lack Of Interest In Nintendo Switch
Also as a point for developement support and timelines for the Switch I would like to reference the end of this interview: https://youtu.be/PY7ZfrFQJYs. Dev couldn't get the game to run on Wii U. It took them only 3 days to port a running build on Switch. That is one developer bringing two games to the Switch because of how easy the port from Wii U was. I can see other Wii U titles being ported for the same reason once the Eshop curation lets up. Specifically Devil's Third multiplayer since Nintendo could use an exclusive free to play.
Re: Developer Survey Reveals Worrying Lack Of Interest In Nintendo Switch
Sloppy reporting Nintendo Life. The original source that you should be citing is here: http://cogconnected.com/2017/03/gdc-2017-nintendo-switch/
You should never source reddit unless it is an AMA.
Also it is unfortunate that it was your readers that found that the GDC survey was taken during the disclosure period of the NDA.
Re: Nintendo Switch Stays On Top in Japan Despite Sharp Week Two Decline
I don't understand the issue with the Switch's launch line-up. To be honest if Nintendo made a mistep it is having too many major first party releases so close together. There isn't a publisher in their right mind that was going to release next to Zelda, Spla2oon, Mario Kart, or Homer's Mario. Not to mention all of the incredibly strong budget indie titles. Consider that the PS4 launch had 3 exclusives and the Switch has 5. While they needed more AAA 3rd party support in the first 6 months, they have the strongest first party release schedule for a new console in my memory. Sony had a par showing with Knack and KZ:SF and Microsoft took almost 2 years to release Halo after the X1 launch.
Re: Nintendo Switch Stays On Top in Japan Despite Sharp Week Two Decline
Anyone else a little surprised the Switch did so well? Zelda as a brand doesn't carry weight in Japan as much as it does stateside. Outside of that there are some really great games, KOF 98 is on Switch is great for the Esports crowd, but nothing that strikes me as a Japanese system seller. If they had launched with Mario or Monster Hunter it would have done better, but Zelda and Superbowl ads suggest this was NOA focused. August sales will probably be the strongest month 5 global sales period of any Nintendo console to date.
You know the Switch demand is ouutpacing supply when the Wii U is seeing sales.
Re: Nintendo Has Reportedly Sold 1.5 Million Switch Consoles Worldwide
@rjejr Reference points and trends are important, but more often than not are used to be misleading. Like how Kaz said PS4 is doing well because it has a higher "attachment" rate than the PS2, but fails to mention that it is probably because they are giving away games every month with Playstation Plus for free instead of users purchasing them at full retail price.
Instead it is better to use references in short-term milestones. So the Wii U was a strong launch and gave Nintendo a boost for that quarter, but Nintendo stepping out of sync with Sony and Microsoft timing wise skewed the reference. The trouble was easy to see in software sales during launch and the 3 quarters after. Despite the belief that software sells hardware, it is really software trends that drive software creation. Wii U was built around a dying software trend of AAA big budget console exclusives.
The Switch has strong support from small, low budget studios and major initial hardware sales. Hardware sales are good and indie support is better. It is very much the similar trend that led to the revival of PC gaming with Steam and the rise of mobile gaming through app stores.
The next big milestone is going to be holiday sales and then eShop sales. If holiday sales are strong and eShop sales are steady then Nintendo will be ok.
Re: Nintendo Has Reportedly Sold 1.5 Million Switch Consoles Worldwide
@rjejr True, but Ars is missing a lot of key points.
1. Adjust for economic conditions during launch periods. The U.S. economy was sluggish in 04 and 05, so much so the government was literally handing out money. If you peel away the charade that was the housing market we were already in a recession.
2. A healthy launch helps bring in 3rd party support in most cases. The Wii U was killed by a tandem effort by Microsoft and Sony when they agreed to build on X64 architecure with AMD chipsets.Which brigs us to...
3. Cost to publishers. PS4 and X1 were easy to port between so it made fiscal sense at the time to make games for them. Because they didn't raise the price of retail games they are slowly diminishing profit margins as the cost comes up. If Fifa and Skyrim sell well on the Switch you can bet that shareholder will decide which platform is supported.
Re: Nintendo Has Reportedly Sold 1.5 Million Switch Consoles Worldwide
@Spoony_Tech I am betting Nintendo is holding some stock back to keep up with holiday demand, and probably a large amount for a July restock for the sales peak during Birthday season. They have supplied more than the Wii, but it seems demand is stronger.
Re: Nintendo Has Reportedly Sold 1.5 Million Switch Consoles Worldwide
@fafonio Retailers. Same here in the states now.
Re: Opening Sales for Nintendo Switch in North America Set a New High
@banacheck Actually we don't know how well Xbox1 is doing since Microsoft will not release actual sales figures. In fact they rolled the sales of Xbox360 in with the Xbox1 figures in their first quarterly report after launch. It should also be noted that profit, not sales, determine the health of the industry. If I sell you two brand nee games for a profit of $15 and you sell me one game for a profit of $35 and I say "I have sold one game more than you so I am fiscally healthier" I would be lying. The cost of making 1080 resolution at 60 FPS vs making Fruit Ninja are a galaxy apart and even worse the Fruit Ninja revenue is just as high as a title like Battlefront. If software sells hardware and the healthiest studios are like Halfbrick and healthy publishers are like Crescent Moon then the future starts looking questionable.
Re: Opening Sales for Nintendo Switch in North America Set a New High
You can tell when Nintendo does something well because these boards turn into a 28 Days Later rage fest.
Bad vibes aside I am glad the Switch is doing well along side the PS4. If only Microsoft could get it together we might have a healthy industry again. Maybe that word "Fanboy" will disappear and we can all go back to playing Halo, Mario Party, and Gran Turismo all under the same roof.
Re: Feature: A Breakdown of the Nintendo Switch eShop Games of 2017
@banacheck Kaz is smart, that is why he uses software attachment instead of total dollar sales. When Playstation gives you a free game for being a plus member and ypu download that free game, the software is attached. 7.1 games for the Wii were purchased. We don't know how many of those PS4 games were bought or for what price.
Re: Feature: A Breakdown of the Nintendo Switch eShop Games of 2017
@Jeronan Playstation is the most respected it has ever been within the Sony organization, unfortunately Sony's stock prices haven't risen above it's pre 2010 averages. I wouldn't think that being the king of lepers is a great thing.
Also I am glad you agree about Xbox since I made to point about the entire industry as a whole, Xbox being a part of that.
As far as lauch line-up, Zelda BOTW has a perfect score from Edge and Famitsu which makes the Switch version the only handheld title to be on both lists, also part of the only franchise the to hold multiple spots on each list.
I love console gaming too, but I have lived through it's growth while arccade gaming, another love of mine, slowly died away. In the states you can still go to a Dave and Busters and convince yourself that arcrade gaming is still healthy, but when you look at it from a distance, just like the console industry, it is easy to see things have declined.
Re: Feature: A Breakdown of the Nintendo Switch eShop Games of 2017
@gatorboi352 Portable smart devices have the largest chunk of the revenue pie: http://fortune.com/2015/01/15/mobile-console-game-revenues-2015/
Nintendo is trying to bridge the gap because AAA titles are too expensive to make for the risk to a publisher's bottom line. In the past 20 years we have lost half of the major publishers. Overall software sales for PS4 are lower than the PS2. Like it or not The Switch is a final attempt at preserving the home console.
Re: Feature: A Breakdown of the Nintendo Switch eShop Games of 2017
@JaxonH Besides that games like Duck Game and Towerfall only need a single Joycon to play. It is by far the cheapest and most accessible way to play party games like this. Setting up my Ouya for 4 player Towerfall and Duck Game was frustrating at times. I can't wait for the simplicity of them on the Switch.
Re: Feature: A Breakdown of the Nintendo Switch eShop Games of 2017
The Duck Game was on the Ouya and is a crazy amount of fun with two players. I have Portal Knights on PC and it is honestly a little like Dark Souls at times. NBA Playgrounds sounds like NBA Ballers for kids.
Re: Shakedown Hawaii to Make Its Debut on Nintendo Switch in April
I cannot believe how adult this game is for a Nintendo showcase. It is definately giving me hope that developers will realize parents still want to play adult games on the console. I immediately tweeted Nintendo in hopes they will confirm a bobble hula Amiibo for it.
Re: Japanese Nintendo Switch Owners Will Be Playing Neo Geo Games Next Month
@kobashi100 Same concern here. I am hoping that the analog sticks will work well until there are proper fight sticks made.
Re: Switch Won't Suffer From Early Hardware Shortages, Says Nintendo UK Boss
We will have shortages in the states. Portable Skyrim and full Minecraft on the go will dominate to 30+ male with kids demographic here. My QOL will be way higher when I can play Zelda during dance class.
Re: Japanese Nintendo Switch Owners Will Be Playing Neo Geo Games Next Month
These are all on Android TV. I am guessing these are Android TV ports.
Honestly KOF 98 makes sense for the Switch since it was probably the most balanced KOF and is less a classic and more a competitive standard, with two joycons it would be great.
SNK needs to remaster KOF 98 and 2002 for widescreen though.
Re: Bethesda's Todd Howard "Can't Say" If Skyrim on Switch is the Special Edition
Maybe it is neither SE or ported OG, but a special Switch Edition with touch controls and integrated social features. We still don't know everything about the console so they might be under NDA. "I cant say" is the Switch devs motto until NDA is lifted.
Re: Dragon Quest Heroes I | II Download on Nintendo Switch Will Definitely Need a Micro SD Card
@Menchi187 That is an odd comparison. If you want the highest end graphics you should stick to a giant PC that sits on your desk and doubles your energy bill. If you want to play games with friends face to face without lugging a 2k machine around then Switch is the only handheld device offering games with files sizes up to 15 GB. Technically it is the most powerful handheld by your comment, which is a good thing by your standards?
Re: Talking Point: The Nintendo Switch Could Revive Local Multiplayer
I think that the Switch will bring back ownership. You don't own online multiplayer portions. MAG for PS3 or Tabula Rasa for PC are good examples of the pitfalls of $60 passes that are worthless discs now. Halo, Timesplitters, Age of Empires are all good examples of how ownership matters. They are all still fun. The Switch just makes it way easier now. Wizards of the Coast and the Pokemon company have seen growth in TCG local multiplayer while things like C.A.H., Catan, and Munchkin are cultural pbenomenons in the States. Local never slowed, it just moved to a cheaper venue. The Switch's portable system in a monitor with two controllers should make a reasonable venue for consumers to return to.
Re: Talking Point: The Nintendo Switch Could Revive Local Multiplayer
@Shambo I still have a fat ps2 specifically for Timesplitters. It is probably one of the best games of all time.
Re: Editorial: 'NX' Development Documentation Gives Few New Insights, But The Leak is Far From Ideal
I looked at them and if they are real then Nintendo should be shouting it from the roof tops. The memory bandwidth alone was insane, like a new Samsung Galaxy Note with an crazy GPU for less than half the price. I respect that Nintendo wants to avoid the tech spec ratrace, but Digital Foundry kills any hope of avoiding that in messaging. If anything DF's approach of quantifying what should be a purely qualitative experience does more to hurt the industry, publishers, developers, and hardware manufacturers, than a leaked spec sheet does. The console gaming culture is unfortunately moving toward an enthusiast luxury market, a far cry from the days Atari Jaguar floundered behind the underpowered competition.
Re: Poll: Does Nintendo Switch Need Streaming Apps and a Web Browser, Or Is It All About Games?
Initially I thought it should be for convenience, but personally I want the Switch to be my device and I don't want my wife to use it to watch Housewives of Whatever or have it playing Kate and Mimim for my kid for a quarter of it's life. This is a device for the gaming community, not the family community. I am ok with that.
Re: Video: Nintendo Pushes The Social Play Angle With Switch Super Bowl Commercial
The music in the ad is way off demographic. Maybe not go Jontron Firework (although I would prefer it), but something a little less minor key, down tempo. Especially if you are going with sad dude that wakes up to Zelda and hits the couch before the shower. Doesn't scream fun. Maybe they can Switch that music to some Daft Punk before Sunday.
Re: Nintendo Outlines Pricing Range for Switch Online Service
I will believe it when it happens. The local multiplayer and portability, my favorite part, really takes away from the need for online for me. Obviously a game like COD isn't going to allow local because Activision wants to stop secondhand sales, but Splat and MKart having full-local is awesome. Unless they released Devil's Third online I probably don't need it.
Re: Nintendo Is Ramping Up Switch Production Following "Good" Pre-Order Demand
@Monkeyofthefunk Not a problem for Nintendo if scalpers buy 3 preorders for $300 a pop. Even if the scalpers cancel their preorders Nintendo can still decide to choke launch supply to meet demand. Wii, NES classic, and now Switch. There is no way Nintendo is going to produce too many. If scalpers were smart they would keep their preorders. Of course I think there are a lot of trolls masqurading a scalpers that say they are going to scrap their preorders. Nintendo is already past the date they would need to start producing for day one deliveries. I am betting any increase will hit mid April, if that.
Re: Poll: What Are Your Nintendo Switch Pre-Order and Launch Day Plans?
Zelda BOTW on my Wii U for weeks, unless Nintendo announces Duck Game, No Brakes Valet, or Toto Temple Deluxe for Switch, in that case I will playing those with friends.
Re: Nintendo Will Replace Your Dead Switch Battery, At A Cost
The fact that Nintendo can replace it is good news. That means it isn't completely integrated. Sometimes the game community confuses me. You could hand them silver and they would whine it's not gold.
Re: Feature: 10 Intriguing Third-Party Nintendo Switch Games for Your Wishlist
I am hoping Nintendo kept some announcements in their pocket. The accessibility of a Tegra device with Unity support should have opened the doors to a library of great games. Party Golf or Toto Temple seem like obvious launch titles for Nintendo.
Re: Talking Point: Let's Explore What Could Be Done with HD Rumble on the Nintendo Switch
@DarkKirby The two side point is a really good point. It is important to note that it isn't just 3 points of vibration, they are independent motors that can interact with each other. They could spin two motors at one frequency while spinning the middle motor at a different frequency, creating a first order vibration like what you would feel when striking two swords. You would have the reverb of the strike plus the vibration of the friction of tbe swords rubbing together. While that might add to somethig like a Warriors title, it could be very integral to a Bushido Blade revival.
However this technology will probably be wasted by the current generation of lack luster game designers.
Re: Soapbox: It's Nintendo's Job To Make Switch A Success, Not EA's, Ubisoft's Or Capcom's
@B238ben I kind of hope 2k brings back NHL2k on the Switch, or even better they drop the license and make a non- annual game where I can adjust nets and rinks to play multiplayer pond hockey or 4v4 on an international size rink.
Re: ​Soapbox: It's Nintendo's Job To Make Switch A Success, Not EA's, Ubisoft's Or Capcom's
Actually it will be up to stockholders. FIFA will be $60 on the Switch and $60 on PS4 and Xbox1, the cost to develop assets for PS4 are higher, then adjust them for Xbox1 is more money. The Switch is less to develop assets for because they aren't as high def and you can downgrade them for phone and tablets (Nvidia Tegra is ARM based, just like phones and tablets).
So you can spend a ton of money for a big user base to pay 60 and port to a slightly smaller user base, or you can pay less money to support a system that gives you a higher profit margin and then port to the largest user base.
It like looking back and betting that Crysis was going to make more money than The Sims. Nintendo out EA in a corner by appealing to Shareholders.
Re: Gearbox CEO Doesn't See Borderlands 3 Coming To Nintendo Switch
This should be a warning sign for Borderlands 3 honestly. 2k, not Gearbox, should be talking to Nintendo. Maybe Nintendo Life should ask Randy for clarification. Seems like 2k doesn't want to fit the bill for a Switch port and neither does Nintendo. They don't want another Devil's Third.
Re: Gearbox CEO Doesn't See Borderlands 3 Coming To Nintendo Switch
@crimsontadpoles unless it turns into a Steam situation and poorly made ports and games are crowding out Quality games. A little curation might be good for the system.
Re: Gearbox CEO Doesn't See Borderlands 3 Coming To Nintendo Switch
Well we are talking about the people that butchered Duke and Aliens, steals design ideas from Blizzard, and a guy that thinks the movie Heat would make a great game. Nintendo brought Bethesda into the fold and eventually Activision Blizzard will be back. They have 2k sports so obviously their issue is with the studio.
Re: Prepare To Be Blown Away By Nintendo Switch, Says Nvidia CEO
Did anybody else feel like he avoided the question? They wanted to know where the border was and he eventually got around to saying "it's not AI." The original Shield wasn't a smart system, it was a game system with major support for the Shield Tablet including native code ports of triple A titles, including a port of Mount and Blade: Warband. I am getting the feeling that Nintendo is absorbing the game side of Nvidia and the "New Shield" was hastily thrown together to convince consumers that the Switch is not indeed a Shield Tablet 2 on the inside.
Re: Nintendo Treehouse to Provide 'In-Depth Look' at Nintendo Switch Games on 13th January
Last night I looked up more info on the new Shield to get some insight on what to expect from the Switch and Nvidia is keeping a tight lip, no specs other than there is a Pro version that has 500 GB instead of 16 GB, but for $100.00 more. Whatever is going on I hope Nintendo has a big surprise waiting.
Re: Video: Watch Jimmy Fallon Play Breath of the Wild on the Nintendo Switch
I think this was Nintendo maintaining awareness, but not an improvement. We will see what exposure is like after January. This is technically a Wii U title after all. I would like to see a Switch title.
Re: Video: A Look At Pokémon GO as Played Using Augmented Reality Glasses
The Switch will probably have augmented reality capabilities. The PSP had it, but Invisimals didn't have the branding power that Pokemon has. As a consumer technology AR is a decade beyond VR. With Nvidia and Nintendo working together the Switch will probably be the most interactive platform on the market. The question is will it have the communication capabilities necessary to make someone put down their tablet or phone. If the new Nintendo family of devices is integrated with Facebook and Twitter I can see them stealing some of Apple's less dedicated users.
Re: EA Executive Clarifies Scope of Nintendo Switch Support, but is Cautious of Its Prospects
Basic business response. Don't commit and investors stay happy. It was the same vague non-committal response Capcom gave. Nintendo needs to start throwing it's weight around with the Switch. Devs need Switch to be successful because profits are shrinking. If consumers won't pay $70 a game then devs need a way to decrease cost. Switch gives them a lateral move with important features that the other platforms are lacking, like simplified controls and access to the youth market. The "hardcore" market is too small to support the quality they demand at the price they want it for.
Calling it now, EA losses ground to 2k sports because of the Switch.
Re: Here Are The Games Officially Confirmed in the Nintendo Switch Reveal
These games will come because the 3rd party games were probably already in development for the Nvidia Shield. Remember that the Shield 2 was already in the works then Nvidia went quiet before Switch was rumored to have a Nvidia chipset. Borderlands 2 should be available shortly after launch and Resident Evil 5. The important thing to note is that the Wii U had 0 portability and the Switch will have incredible portability to the largest gaming market, smart devices. Don't expect EA to put Battlefield 1 on this.
The Nintendo Switch will have a larger library in its first 2 years than the PS4 and the XBOX1 and will set the precedent for console design moving forward. What scares me is exploding batteries.
Re: Editorial: Some Context on the Nintendo NX 'This Week' Claims
I have noticed that the NX has been far more popular than the Wii U already simply because Nintendo is being Apple level quiet about it. Every rumour bumps the name Nintendo and NX up in search results for video game related news.
If release is March they need to announce it before Holiday spending season goes off the rails. Retail shopping is already picking up so it might be conventional to reveal it soon, but the NX isn't conventional. They might wait until December to announce it.
Re: Poll: Exceptional Graphics or 60fps, Which is More Important for the NX Generation?
@Yorumi I would be interested to see these studies. It is important to note that "muscle memory" is still tied to synaptic response times and is be definition still tied to the 100 millisecond limit. That time of 100 milliseconds is the time between your brain receiving the cue and the automatic electrical transmission, or "muscle memory", to your muscles which then contract in response.
The studies are probably errored in that they didn't control for video game experience. If some practices at 60 frames per second they may have trouble at 30 frames per second because their brain is tuned to a cue that happens at 60 that is skipped at 30. They may also have not controlled for controller latency. These seem like reasonable things to control for, but seeing as these are studies related to video games I have reservations about their quality. There just isn't a large enough body of research to produce reliable data.
Synapse response speed has however been researched quite a bit and has been measured by several independent sources and findings have had consistent results. We can now even measure the speed of synapse between two neurons. When applied to kinesthesic research it becomes obvious that while professional athletes have slightly faster synaptic response speeds their performance is largely due to practice and programmed reactions. A professional NHL goalie can't see the puck from a slap shot once it is in motion. They actual begin moving before the stick makes contact with the puck. Players of video games operate in the same behavior. They make inputs based on predicted opponent moves and cues.
Perception and preference of 60 fps is of course a subjective matter.