Nintendo Nintendo Switch Revealed

[Rebellion]

Nintendo’s next video game console will be called the Nintendo Switch, the company announced yesterday.


The system, which was known by the code name "NX" until now, is scheduled to be released in March 2017, confirming the window Nintendo previously gave.


The Nintendo Switch will be a hybrid gaming system. It will connect to a television when resting in the Nintendo Switch Dock, and when lifted out of the dock, will "instantly transition to portable mode," according to Nintendo. The unit offers a "high-definition display," and features two detachable Joy-Con controllers, one on either side.

What are your thoughts on the Nintendo Switch?

Personally I think it is an interesting concept, I am also glad that Nintendo seems to be expanding their third party support based on the image above.

Seeing Square-Enix and Silicon Studio on that list means we could possibly see a lot of Final Fantasy games on the Switch.

 

[Linnaete]

It's a shame that they're not divulging on the specs yet, because I'm interested to know how powerful this thing is when it is essentially a tablet rather than a conventional PC-in-a-box. All we know is that Nvidia is creating a custom GPU for it of the same architecture as their GeForce GTX series, but it could well just be a mobile variant. As such, I can easily see it being the weakest of the current generation consoles, precisely because it's technically a mobile device and because unless some miraculous feat of engineering has been achieved, the Switch's battery won't last a few hours. So this kind of balancing act has to be achieved and with the addition of price consideration in mind.

I hope this does well. The consoles of today have simply morphed into lesser versions of PCs, inheriting all of the disadvantages of them while shedding so many traditional advantages of owning a home console. Nintendo can greatly benefit from being an alternative to the following headaches. We're living in an age of enormous Day 1 patches, ludicrous download file sizes (because properly compressing them is too much work!), lengthy mandatory installations and whatever else is there that severely diminishes the concept of 'plug in and play'. The Switch won't lack some of these downsides by nature of the fact that Nintendo is so eager to court third party developers, who are the most culpable when it comes to the guilty list, but hopefully it does its best to mitigate them and actually provide for greater convenience. After all, there's something refreshing about how seamless it looks when transferring from TV to tablet screen and vice versa.

As of now, I'm not too sure what to think of the Switch. I appreciate the fact that its gimmick seems refined. The Wii U suffers from the fact that its gimmick is so limited: a tablet controller that betrays its initial appearance of being a console-handheld hybrid the moment it was made clear to developers and to everyone that it has to be tethered to the Wii U console. I appreciate the fact that the short trailer has focused entirely on games rather than touting the Switch as some all-in-one entertainment hub. It's characteristic of Nintendo to keep the focus on where it matters, so thumbs up for keeping that sentiment alive. I appreciate the fact that it is trying to refine and reinvigorate local multiplayer, so two people can have fun with Mario Kart in a pub or something (lol) without unsightly wires and the need for an extra controller (though the sight of large pairs of hands trying to play with a minuscule half of the Joy-con stick is hilarious!).

But I'm not very convinced that it will do that well. I can't see many people deciding to take their Switch machines out with them, as it's not as portable as a mobile phone and folks these days prefer to just lug around a singular machine that does everything for them. I'm doubtful as to how committed third parties will be to the Switch, especially if it proves to be rather underpowered. I also don't find it very exciting that a five-year old Bethesda game is coming to the Switch. If an average consumer is faced with a worse version of a new game and/or just a series of older games that they may have already played, what is the value proposition in that? But I don't think it will fail like the Wii U. There's something enticing about being able to quickly transfer from the living room TV to the tablet if for whatever reason you decide to pop upstairs and continue with Skyrim in bed.

 

[greenyxi]

I'm extremely excited for this. It has the best of pretty much all gaming worlds (except VR but I really couldn't care less about that personally). There's the potential for games using gimmicks to play, along with the trailer showing that you can use it like a normal TV and controller console.

I love the look of it. The way that switching between "modes" is seamless. The way that multiplayer will be possible with one console, when out and about. The small size of the docking station (this is a huge plus for my small bedroom lol). The fact that Zelda is coming to it isn't something the console itself does right but...it's getting me all excited :/. Oh! One more thing I like is that there'll be cartridges instead of discs; faster loading times along with the lack of disc scratches ; there's also that nostalgia of going back to the NES/SNES/N64 era with that .

Honestly, it doesn't scream POWERFUL CONSOLE to me, but who cares. If the graphics of even a wii aren't good enough, then you're going into unnecessary graphic-whore mode. I think what the Switch looks to do is much more fun and interesting than seeing an extra nose hair or sweaty underarm stain.

 

[Shaissa]

I see this and think it has potential... but at the same time, I have a bad feeling this is just as gimmicky as the Wii-U was... in fact it does seem like the Wii-U... "play on the controller and the tv." Seriously, how many third parties are going make games just for this? Most companies want to make games for as many of the platforms as possible usually, or will in the end. So unless this makes huge sales above PS4/Xbox One I don't see this as being anything but another First party Nintendo System sadly. Granted I do like Nintendo games don't get me wrong, but I would really just wait for prices on both games and the console to drop then and would never buy it right away or for a high price.

 

[Linnaete]

Honestly, it doesn't scream POWERFUL CONSOLE to me, but who cares. If the graphics of even a wii aren't good enough, then you're going into unnecessary graphic-whore mode. I think what the Swtich looks to do is much more fun and interesting than seeing an extra nose hair or sweaty underarm stain.

It's less about the graphical capabilities and more about raw performance. If the Switch is going to start struggling with a lot of current third party games (especially early on in its run), would the ability to play it on a small screen on a bus be enough of an incentive for the average consumer, or would they just default to say, a PS4 version of the same game that may have a tangibly superior level of performance? If consumers aren't enamoured, nor will third party developers.

I also wonder if that dock can somehow boost the Switch's capabilities when it's being used. It would make sense if it does; you get an extra uptick of power for TVs at a resolution of at least 1080p with a good, steady frame rate, and when undocked it by default pares down in power slightly - and it won't be very noticeable, because you'll be playing the game on a small screen that is rumoured to be 720p anyway.

 

[greenyxi]

It's less about the graphical capabilities and more about raw performance. If the Switch is going to start struggling with a lot of current third party games (especially early on in its run), would the ability to play it on a small screen on a bus be enough of an incentive for the average consumer, or would they just default to say, a PS4 version of the same game that may have a tangibly superior level of performance? If consumers aren't enamoured, nor will third party developers.

I also wonder if that dock can somehow boost the Switch's capabilities when it's being used. It would make sense if it does; you get an extra uptick of power for TVs at a resolution of at least 1080p with a good, steady frame rate, and when undocked it by default pares down in power slightly - and it won't be very noticeable, because you'll be playing the game on a small screen that is rumoured to be 720p anyway.

Considering it's mainly a home console with the capability to go portable, I'm almost certain the dock will boost the power/specs/whatever. There've been loads of rumours about it doing so, not that that means much. Also, the dock looks like more than a place for it to just sit. It looks like it does much more.

As for the chance of the games being downscaled for the Switch when compared with the PS4, I don't think we've seen the evidence of it happening. When going portable, it won't be need to be powerful. Slightly better than the 3DS and Vita is all that's needed. When it comes to on the home console, I can't see it being much weaker, if at all. But who knows, it's all just speculation right now .

 

[Martel]

So, now that we've had a reveal in full, let's chat. I have a few very erratic thoughts about things as they stand I feel like sharing.

I honestly feel like Nintendo have priced themselves right out of the market. £280 for the console itself isn't so bad, but...well. The cost of peripherals is outrageous, and the price of the games even more so. Gaming has become more of a rich man's hobby in recent years, but Nintendo have taken it to another level with this. I realise a single JoyCon costs about as much as a Dualshock 4 does, but I'd love to see someone explain the price of that Pro controller, and how £60 is an acceptable price for a game. There's just no getting around that this is extremely poor pricing and it's not even remotely competitive, especially considering the hardware itself isn't all that impressive. It's going to put a lot of people off, because it's just not accessible.

Paying for online doesn't bother me. Sony and Microsoft have been charging for years now; it's no great surprise that Nintendo are doing the same. Although the quality of their online services is going to have to be substantially better with the Switch to justify that. Also, NES and SNES games, only free for a month? Really? Whose stupid idea was that? Not only have NES/SNES games been about for fucking ages on every other eShop...there is an untapped N64 and Gamecube library just begging for release on the Switch, the latter especially. Those should be coming out, immediately, from Day One. Saving the games everyone wants to play for years isn't going to win them any favours. Also, let us keep the free games. Fucking hell. Nobody is going to want to pay for online services just so they can play the original Super Mario Bros. for free for a fucking month or something.

The launch lineup is pitifully sparse, but then when was the last time a console had a good, strong launch lineup? Certainly not in the last three generations. That the best Nintendo has to offer is a Wii U port - because that is what Breath of the Wild is, just as Twilight Princess was a Gamecube game they ported to the Wii just to have something to put on it - is more than a little discouraging, but it always takes consoles at least a year to get going...some would argue that the PS4 is STILL trying to get going, and the Xbone never will. That's not a COMPLETE disaster, I suppose.

Although I have little interest in the games announced for the future; ports of existing titles and vaguely defined sequels aren't really all that exciting. The Switch doesn't really have anything truly unique and standalone to get excited about yet from my perspective. I suppose a lot will be announced in the coming months, but right now it doesn't look particularly promising.

Honestly, the reveal event was a good one. Nintendo have made several steps in the right direction...like making the thing region free; that was something I was very happy about, because region locking in this day and age is unacceptable. But the lack of noteworthy exclusives, outrageous pricing, and very Nintendo practices with the online features make me doubt this will be as successful as the Wii was, and it won't even come close to the DS or 3DS. Let's just say Nintendo need to switch their approach to a lot of things.

 

[AuronX]

Paying for online doesn't bother me. Sony and Microsoft have been charging for years now

The difference is, Sony and Microsoft have been targeting an older audience for years now too. Nintendo, however, has always had a large demographic of younger players. I'd go so far as to say it's that audience keeping them afloat. Well, not that audience itself, but their parents--and therein lies the problem. A younger audience has no means to pay for a subscription service. And since Nintendo is touting the smartphone-based voice chat at a major selling point (really?) that assumes the subscriber owns some kind of smartphone (or possibly tablet) as well. While you could argue that in this day and age every kid in a family with enough money for a Nintendo has some kind of smart device too, I don't think that's what Nintendo is betting on. The Switch announcement trailer and basically every trailer we've seen since proves that. Every single one shows adults using the system, not kids.

So there goes their biggest audience. Which, interestingly enough, means there's now not a single major console aimed specifically at anyone under 15. What do they expect, that mobile games have won that audience over instead? That's pretty sad if so, considering many people on this very forum are here because it was games with narrative depth like Final Fantasy on the SNES or PS1 that drew them into gaming and became a meaningful part of their childhood. Sure, some of those same games are available on mobile devices now, but let's be honest: how many kids do you see playing those instead of Angry Birds or Candy Crush? Thought so.

Which I suppose leaves the question: does the Switch have what it needs to win over an adult audience? That, I think, will depend on third-party support like the 3DS has. Typically when people talk about third-party support on the Switch they're referring to games like Call of Duty, but that's not what Nintendo needs. No one with an Xbox One or PS4 is going to get a Switch to play the games they can already play on their current system--or that's lacking the first-party games they got their current system for in the first place. Nintendo's strength is that it's unique, and that's what the 3DS built itself on so well. You've got the hardcore JRPGs like Bravely Default and the Shin Megami Tensei franchise, Monster Hunter, Fire Emblem, and so on. Those are the things that add value to the platform, and in that regard I think Switch has a pretty bright future ahead. SMT is already confirmed, Fire Emblem and Monster Hunter are a given, and there's new IPs like Splatoon that many people missed out on because they skipped the WiiU.

The one thing I just can't get over is the whole Switch aesthetic. If I didn't know any better I'd swear the hardware was an engineering sample, and that artwork...just, no. But I'll forgive them that if the system itself turns out to be awesome.

 

[Shu]

Unfortunately this has WII U 2 all over it. They missed the mark in delivering a new Zelda to Wii U, so they're now going to move it to WII U2 (switch) due to the failed deliverable. I have a right to criticize about this system due to how much of a flop WII U was and how much they are mimicking a lot of the same elements here already.

Wii = Gimick that had GREAT backwards compatibility for older games. For that I graced them on this.
WII U = Had a few good mario games and.. well, that's about it. While my god son loves the hell out of it, that's only because of Splatoon. Everything else I bought him is more for just "when friends come over." By that time they already have a XBONE or PS4 (actual next gen consoles).

Nintendo itself is supposed to be capitalizing on casual gaming market, but I immediately saw the disconnect after so many younger children switch to Next Gen consoles and such. I love Nintendo, but they are screwing up by making games do hand motions and what you. They are basically competing with VR technology.

The saving graces of the year of 2017 for this console will be:

1) Zelda
2) Splatoon 2
3) Mario (or sonic whatever this game tries to pull off)
4) (I didn't get to see an actual game play of fire emblem)
5) Maybe Mariokart 8 deluxe.. but it's like an expansion on WII U to the original in my opinion.

To be honest, I'm more mad about WIIU due to this was what WII U was supposed to be. So hopefully Switch does hit it out of the park, I'm just a little apprehensive. I don't want Nintendo to just release something, because they promised something. If they have no developers for games, they have a serious issue though going forward.

 

[Shaissa]

Unfortunately this has WII U 2 all over it. They missed the mark in delivering a new Zelda to Wii U, so they're now going to move it to WII U2 (switch) due to the failed deliverable. I have a right to criticize about this system due to how much of a flop WII U was and how much they are mimicking a lot of the same elements here already.

Wii = Gimick that had GREAT backwards compatibility for older games. For that I graced them on this.
WII U = Had a few good mario games and.. well, that's about it. While my god son loves the hell out of it, that's only because of Splatoon. Everything else I bought him is more for just "when friends come over." By that time they already have a XBONE or PS4 (actual next gen consoles).

Nintendo itself is supposed to be capitalizing on casual gaming market, but I immediately saw the disconnect after so many younger children switch to Next Gen consoles and such. I love Nintendo, but they are screwing up by making games do hand motions and what you. They are basically competing with VR technology.

The saving graces of the year of 2017 for this console will be:

1) Zelda
2) Splatoon 2
3) Mario (or sonic whatever this game tries to pull off)
4) (I didn't get to see an actual game play of fire emblem)
5) Maybe Mariokart 8 deluxe.. but it's like an expansion on WII U to the original in my opinion.

To be honest, I'm more mad about WIIU due to this was what WII U was supposed to be. So hopefully Switch does hit it out of the park, I'm just a little apprehensive. I don't want Nintendo to just release something, because they promised something. If they have no developers for games, they have a serious issue though going forward.

I have to agree with this 100%. The Wii-U should have been this all the way, instead we get a Switch, which I didn't see anything about it being able to play any older games, so the short life of the Wii-U and any games it had will quickly die off. I do want Nintendo to succeed and this to be profitable but I see this as their last real chance in the home console area if it fails... What would the industry do without Nintendo I wonder

 

[Shu]

I have to agree with this 100%. The Wii-U should have been this all the way, instead we get a Switch, which I didn't see anything about it being able to play any older games, so the short life of the Wii-U and any games it had will quickly die off. I do want Nintendo to succeed and this to be profitable but I see this as their last real chance in the home console area if it fails... What would the industry do without Nintendo I wonder

Honestly if you think about it, I think they are trying to do a hybrid hand held. I think this is where they are trying to get traction since they had quite a bit of success in their hand held areas. I think as far as consoles though, Nintendo is pretty much beat in terms of performance. They even admitted the specs are not nearly close to the PS4 or Xbone as cited in this article: http://www.valuewalk.com/2017/01/nintendo-switch-vs-ps4-pro-specs/.

My issue going forward with them though, will their demographic phase out where only kids will want PS, XBox and PC games. The issue is Nintendo can not compete, so they need a niche. So I think they will keep scaling these consoles back so they are all hand-helds eventually. Honestly I wouldn't care as long as they keep up with the JRPGs, which no other console is tapping into fully.

 

[Martel]

Nintendo aren't showing an awful lot of faith in the Switch, still being deliberately vague despite a full-blown reveal and the thing being less than a month away now. The launch lineup is minimalistic and weak - even for a new console - and the online services are absolute trash. And the cost of peripherals is outrageous, even if the price of the console itself is what one might expect from a new machine. The one compelling title they're putting all their effort into marketing is a glorified Wii U port which actually looks better on the Wii U visually and will run at more or less the same sort of capacity...it's Twilight Princess all over again; that was better on the Gamecube than the Wii.

There is a promise of a lot of games to come in the future, but that's all there is - a promise. Nintendo are acting like it's the 90s still, where their word is good enough to entice people to buy mindlessly. It really isn't. It feels like they're doing everything possible to sabotage their chances: it's expensive, has terrible services and specs comparable to the competition, a distinct lack of games, and little to no information regarding their future plans for it. Combined with a limited stock, it's not going to perform as well as they would hope, I think.

Honestly? I would love it if the Switch was Nintendo's last home console, and they confined themselves to handhelds in the future, where they hold an unquestioned control over the market, given that Sony have pulled all support for the Vita and, in Western territories at least, it's become a forgotten machine that is lucky to get digital-only releases these days. If they aren't lying about supporting the 3DS alongside the Switch in the future - which would be a shock; Nintendo love telling us they're going to support their previous generation before pulling all support within six months - I'd love it if they DID actually consider a successor, which cropped up recently in a vaguely unstated way. They can't compete on the console front, but for all intents and purposes they have no competition on the handheld front...despite the Vita being an objectively superior machine. The New 3DS remains unrealised potential; now would be a good time to phase out the old model gradually and release some New 3DS only titles alongside Switch versions...like Fire Emblem Warriors.

I can't see the Switch as a true hybrid though, and judging from Nintendo's continued support of the 3DS, neither do they. It's just a console with a portable tablet.

 

[The Welsh Paddy]

I really hope they manage to make this awesome. Nintendo has always been a fond part of my childhood and, lately, an excellent way of revisiting that childhood alongside that of my son who absolutely loves the Mario and Zelda games. The one thing that I always felt Nintendo had going for them was being able to make use of a pretty low-grade console in fun and creative ways, bringing games that have charm and unique gameplay that would shine above games from competing consoles. Unfortunately, they seem to have been running themselves through a mill recently.

Really, I think they need to just get their arses into gear and come up with a really solid line-up of games. Breath of the Wild looks friggin' awesome, the new Mario seems... interesting. (I kinda get similar vibes to what I did from Sonic Adventure with the "real world" setting, which is a bit worrying for me.) Personally, I'd love another Luigi's Mansion game, or an entirely new Luigi adventure.

 

[Setzer Gabbiani]

Nintendo has reveal the Nintendo Switch Online Service, which will be starting on September 2018. Click the link below for information about the online service and prices.

https://www.nintendo.com/switch/online-service/

 

[Setzer Gabbiani]

Nintendo Switch Lite Announced; Price, Release Date, Specs Revealed

Nintendo has announced a new version of the Switch. The Nintendo Switch Lite is a leaner version of the existing Switch model that sacrifices some features for a cheaper $200 price tag. It will be available starting September 20.

The Switch Lite features a 5.5-inch screen that displays at a resolution of 720p. This shrinks the screen down slightly from the original Switch's 6.2-inch size. Additionally, the Switch Lite will no longer be able to connect to TVs via USB-C and HDMI. This means that the Switch Lite is being positioned as a purely handheld platform, as opposed to a hybrid like the original.

Internally, the Switch Lite is largely the same as its older counterpart, with 32GB of storage space and a MicroSD card slot to add more capacity. However, it uses a more efficient processor, according to Nintendo. This, in turn, means its battery life is roughly 20%-30% better. The heat vents at the top of the hardware are also smaller, which enables the overall reduction in the hardware's size.

The headphone port is still there (Bluetooth headset support has not been added, sadly), and the button layout is largely unchanged. However, the Switch Lite no longer has detachable Joy-Con controllers. Furthermore, the Switch Lite will not have rumble or the IR motion sensors. Joy-Con controllers can still be connected to the Switch Lite. Nintendo has swapped out the four small buttons that serve as the directional inputs on the Joy-Cons for a traditional D-pad, however.

One other thing to consider is that Nintendo Labo, which allows users to build peripherals using carboard, won't work since the Switch Lite is smaller.

The Switch Lite is matte plastic and, according to CNET, which had a chance to go hands-on with it, has a "solid feel reminded me a lot of the recent Nintendo 2DS XL handheld. No detachable Joy-Cons means the sides of the Switch Lite don’t flex or creak as much, either."

When the Switch Lite launches on September 20, it will be available in grey, yellow, and turquoise. A limited edition Pokemon-themed design that has etchings and an off-white case will arrive alongside Pokemon Sword and Shield, though it will not include the game as part of a bundle.

The "Zacian and Zamazenta Edition" is named after the two Legendary Pokemon that represent the titular Sword and Shield aspects of each game. It's a light gray tone with blue and magenta face buttons, and artwork of the two creatures gracing the back. It will release on November 8 for $200, the same price as the other Nintendo Switch Lite models.

Reports of new Switch models being in production surface in June. At the time, Nintendo said it would not announce the new system during E3, and they stuck to their guns on that. Reports have indicated that two new Nintendo Switch models are in the works. The first, a less expensive iteration with pared-down features, we now know is the Switch Lite.

However, it has also been reported that an "enhanced" version of the Switch targeted at "avid" gamers is also in production. Nintendo has not indicated this is the case and there are far fewer rumors, reports, and early rumblings relating to this more powerful version that there was for the Switch Lite.

https://www.gamespot.com/articles/nintendo-switch-lite-announced-price-release-date-/1100-6468325/

 

[Setzer Gabbiani]

A New Nintendo Switch Model With Better Battery Life

Nintendo has revealed another upgrade to the Nintendo Switch. A different base model with better battery life. This news was announced after the reveal of the Nintendo Switch Lite. Nintendo submitted a filing to the Federal Communications Commission requesting permission to change the components of the original Switch. The filing involved upgrades to the Nintendo Switch's processor, memory type, and CPU board. Dataminers also uncovered and reported a revised model of the Switch shortly after the Switch Lite's reveal, theorizing that another new version could be appearing soon.

https://screenrant.com/nintendo-switch-battery-life-2019-model/