Wait, since you said it's not compatible with Wii-U games, there's no backwards compatibility?I was hoping I could just buy the NX to play some of the Wii U games on...
Overall this looks like a system that could really turn it around for Nintendo.[/QUOTE unfortunately it doesn't look like there's a touch screen. I have a Wii U so it doesn't affect me but I see how this can be frustrating for some.
Nintendo Switch News and Discussion Thread
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Jamie
Till the roof comes off, till the lights go out...
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They showed in the trailer a controller very similar to that. You can even use the controller on the portable one. Or you can use the controllers on the side. Or you can use those same controllers separately. The key thing here is there are many options.
To me it's basically what we all wanted the Wii U to be. Instead of some stupid extra screen that you can take to your room 3ft from your console if you want, the screen seems to be solely for playing the game ****ing ANYWHERE. Seems great
Night Owl
~Momentai
I know it wasn't featured in the video but is that a camera on the bottom left third of the screen? It looks like the speakers are on the bottom front side of the screen possibly, but it looks like there is something in between them. It's about where the cliff meets the bottom of the screen.
DarkestLink
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Doesn't look bad, but I wasn't fond of the trailer...it's basically people trying to take a ridiculously large "handheld" and play it in unrealistic situations:
-I can't even play a 3DS while walking my dog. This would likely result in me landing on my face...
-I'm not going to be gaming when other people are trying to socialize with me. That's rude. It's worse than texting on a date.
-Why would I bring my console to a back alley? Seriously, that's just begging to be mugged.
-"Hey guys, let's stop playing basketball so we can play a video game of basketball." Seriously? Come on. XD
-Doing it while being driven on a plane is the only realistic one...and...maybe a car if it's for 3 hours or something. But very situational.
Also where are the kids and teens? ...The people who are most likely to buy this. How about show a kid gaming during recess? That's the most realistic situation I could see this being used.
I plan to buy it and I'm sure it'll be great, but from a business perspective this looks like a bust. It seems like a full repeat of the Wii U. Poorly marketed with many people thinking it's just an accessory to the Wii U, horribly underpowered, and complete with a gimmick that will likely turn 3rd parties away in the long run.
And apparently they might not even be getting Skyrim according to Bethesda's tweet that they currently have no planned titles for the Switch. ...Yeah, I'm sure that's not going to piss anyone off. I don't even like Skyrim and even I recognize it was a ridiculously stupid move to dangle it like that without any guaruntee that it will be on the system.
-I can't even play a 3DS while walking my dog. This would likely result in me landing on my face...
-I'm not going to be gaming when other people are trying to socialize with me. That's rude. It's worse than texting on a date.
-Why would I bring my console to a back alley? Seriously, that's just begging to be mugged.
-"Hey guys, let's stop playing basketball so we can play a video game of basketball." Seriously? Come on. XD
-Doing it while being driven on a plane is the only realistic one...and...maybe a car if it's for 3 hours or something. But very situational.
Also where are the kids and teens? ...The people who are most likely to buy this. How about show a kid gaming during recess? That's the most realistic situation I could see this being used.
I plan to buy it and I'm sure it'll be great, but from a business perspective this looks like a bust. It seems like a full repeat of the Wii U. Poorly marketed with many people thinking it's just an accessory to the Wii U, horribly underpowered, and complete with a gimmick that will likely turn 3rd parties away in the long run.
And apparently they might not even be getting Skyrim according to Bethesda's tweet that they currently have no planned titles for the Switch. ...Yeah, I'm sure that's not going to piss anyone off. I don't even like Skyrim and even I recognize it was a ridiculously stupid move to dangle it like that without any guaruntee that it will be on the system.
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@DarkestLink
I agree with you and had the same thoughts. Stop playing basketball to play fake basketball? Strange.
The Wii was attractive to me as a non-gamer because it was marketed as a family "together" device. I think that was a huge impact in its success for people like me who had written off video games as "kids shutting themselves off from the world." This ad looks like it's trying to recapture that, but it kind of misfires. The social aspect seems artificial. To me, it looks like just another glowing screen for kids.
I agree with you and had the same thoughts. Stop playing basketball to play fake basketball? Strange.
The Wii was attractive to me as a non-gamer because it was marketed as a family "together" device. I think that was a huge impact in its success for people like me who had written off video games as "kids shutting themselves off from the world." This ad looks like it's trying to recapture that, but it kind of misfires. The social aspect seems artificial. To me, it looks like just another glowing screen for kids.
DarkestLink
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I think Nintendo could do a better job with the family marketing too. They make it look more like it's a kid thing and parents can sorta "join in" if they want...and here they target just to adults. Well what if we started with an adult, and then someone younger--their little brother, son, niece, etc.--came in and join them. I think it's just a better way to present it. When you have an adult join in, it looks like they're just entertaining their kid. If you have a kid join an adult, it feels more believable that they're both enjoying it on its own merit.
On another note, I would love to see Nintendo expand on this idea in their next system and add a 2nd screen. I doubt it's feasible currently, but wouldn't it be awesome if two people could have their own private screen on the same console? Like what if we could play Mario levels where everyone can go at their own pace? Maybe the expert reaches the flag really quickly and doesn't have to constantly wait the newbie to catch up with them? What if there's loads of stars to get and four players divide and conquer, each taking on their own level and collecting the stars? Or maybe during gameplay, one player is speeding through and collecting stars while the other is just trying to get through the level normally? Hell, we could see co-op speed runs of games if they pulled this off. And if technology advanced far enough, maybe it'd even be possible for two people to play different games on the same console if they don't want to share? All my issues aside, I really do like the idea of a second screen on a console, I just don't feel like it's reached its full potential yet.
On another note, I would love to see Nintendo expand on this idea in their next system and add a 2nd screen. I doubt it's feasible currently, but wouldn't it be awesome if two people could have their own private screen on the same console? Like what if we could play Mario levels where everyone can go at their own pace? Maybe the expert reaches the flag really quickly and doesn't have to constantly wait the newbie to catch up with them? What if there's loads of stars to get and four players divide and conquer, each taking on their own level and collecting the stars? Or maybe during gameplay, one player is speeding through and collecting stars while the other is just trying to get through the level normally? Hell, we could see co-op speed runs of games if they pulled this off. And if technology advanced far enough, maybe it'd even be possible for two people to play different games on the same console if they don't want to share? All my issues aside, I really do like the idea of a second screen on a console, I just don't feel like it's reached its full potential yet.
@DarkestLink The official statement from Bethesda is: “We’re happy to have had the opportunity to collaborate with Nintendo on the video. While we are not confirming any specific titles at this time, we are pleased to announce our partnership with Nintendo and support of the Switch. We look forward to revealing specific games and details in the future.” It's also become known that Nintendo doesn't want to confirm any games for the Switch until next year, so maybe that has to do with Bethesda's tweet.
@Zora the Greek I know the basketball thing seems weird, but it's actually right on point. Many people who like to play sports, also like playing their video game counterparts. It's common to finish a game, then go home and hop on 2K and continue to compete there. Also about your point with the Wii: the market just isn't there anymore. Nintendo intentionally kept children/kids out of the reveal cause they (hopefully) learned that their main audience isn't kids or 'non-gamers' anymore. That market has moved on to Apple and Samsung products. I don't think the reveal backfired because they weren't trying to spread the message of a 'family together' console. They did that with the Wii U and it failed miserably. The message is direct to/for gamers. It's pretty much telling us that we don't have to stop gaming if we don't want to anymore, and that's awesome.
Edit: Something I forgot to mention was the March release date. On the surface it seems like a dumb decision to release it right after New Years and Christmas, but when you think about it: They're releasing their brand new console right after America's tax return season. I think that's really ****ing smart on their part.
@Zora the Greek I know the basketball thing seems weird, but it's actually right on point. Many people who like to play sports, also like playing their video game counterparts. It's common to finish a game, then go home and hop on 2K and continue to compete there. Also about your point with the Wii: the market just isn't there anymore. Nintendo intentionally kept children/kids out of the reveal cause they (hopefully) learned that their main audience isn't kids or 'non-gamers' anymore. That market has moved on to Apple and Samsung products. I don't think the reveal backfired because they weren't trying to spread the message of a 'family together' console. They did that with the Wii U and it failed miserably. The message is direct to/for gamers. It's pretty much telling us that we don't have to stop gaming if we don't want to anymore, and that's awesome.
Edit: Something I forgot to mention was the March release date. On the surface it seems like a dumb decision to release it right after New Years and Christmas, but when you think about it: They're releasing their brand new console right after America's tax return season. I think that's really ****ing smart on their part.
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Alita the Pun
Dmitri
It's a good thing that they got off motion controls from the wii era. I'm a little nervous however, for the controller/"switch" with the portable tablet. The controller looks wierd to me and it seems non-ergonomic, a big thing when I try out controllers. But we'll see and hope I'm wrong.
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So, ive digested the news... im still gonna say that the Switch is exactly what the WiiU should have been and should have released back when the WiiU did.
Its gonna be nice to have some powerful hd gaming on the go but i dont even take my 3ds with me outside, theres no way in hell im taking a presumably £300+ piece of tech outside with me. I'll drop it and/or get mugged. So i wont be using the Switch for half of what its designed for.
That being said i do like the degree of control choice on the console alone. The U kind of had this with wii-mote control, gamepad, pro control and GC control but the Switch has it mostly all there out of the box; play with the grip-pad, play on the screen, play on the screen with the joy-cons disconnected and theres a pro controller... nice.
Though was it just me or did the frame rate on the gamepad screen look a little low with Zelda?
Still not a day one purchase for me, i dont want to have to buy Mario Kart 8 and Splatoon again for this thing either. Thats turning me off big time.
Its gonna be nice to have some powerful hd gaming on the go but i dont even take my 3ds with me outside, theres no way in hell im taking a presumably £300+ piece of tech outside with me. I'll drop it and/or get mugged. So i wont be using the Switch for half of what its designed for.
That being said i do like the degree of control choice on the console alone. The U kind of had this with wii-mote control, gamepad, pro control and GC control but the Switch has it mostly all there out of the box; play with the grip-pad, play on the screen, play on the screen with the joy-cons disconnected and theres a pro controller... nice.
Though was it just me or did the frame rate on the gamepad screen look a little low with Zelda?
Still not a day one purchase for me, i dont want to have to buy Mario Kart 8 and Splatoon again for this thing either. Thats turning me off big time.
I have a question for @Lozjam @A Link In Time @Spirit and everyone else here.
Does the Switch have the following features?
Thanks in advance.
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@DarkestLink
I agree with you totally. It feels more like an iPad or notebook computer. Not something you can play on the go. But you take it with you and play it when you stop. In the same way you'd use a notebook computer. In the car? Most likely not. But in a hotel at the end of the day, most totally. Or the totally obvious one. Taking it to a friends place to play. I'm surprised Nintendo didn't have teenagers doing this in the video.
This is not like a 3DS small/2DS or iPhone SE where you can play it for 20 minutes while on the bus. The Switch is totally portable. But not really usable while on the go. This is the compromise Nintendo made. It's a fair one. It's easy to just throw the pad in your bag and at your destination pull it out for a little gaming. This also means (captain obvious) that the Switch will not do street pass all that well jsut because of what the Switch is.
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@Viewtiful Ken
The tax season only matters for the US. There rest of the world is not affected by that. Regardess of the arguement that the US is possibly the largest single country market for the Switch, it's not as larger than every other country in the world in terms of possible Switch sales.
The March sales period was probably done to be out of the Christmas window, as Nintendo could not make that, and it most likely fits in well with Nintendo's financial year. Nintendo's financial year ends March 31. Having the NX on sale in March boots an otherwise dead quarter for the company.
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The rumour is the next official piece of information on the Switch will be in 2017.
Does the Switch have the following features?
- Touch screen on the portable part of the console?
- The ability to use the Switch on your television without the pad being docked? So you can dual screen with the pad and television like the WiiU could.
- Play online games just with the portable part of the console?
- Hot removal and insertion of the pad into the dock? Or do you have to power down both before you add or remove the pad from/to the dock.
Thanks in advance.
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@DarkestLink
I agree with you totally. It feels more like an iPad or notebook computer. Not something you can play on the go. But you take it with you and play it when you stop. In the same way you'd use a notebook computer. In the car? Most likely not. But in a hotel at the end of the day, most totally. Or the totally obvious one. Taking it to a friends place to play. I'm surprised Nintendo didn't have teenagers doing this in the video.
This is not like a 3DS small/2DS or iPhone SE where you can play it for 20 minutes while on the bus. The Switch is totally portable. But not really usable while on the go. This is the compromise Nintendo made. It's a fair one. It's easy to just throw the pad in your bag and at your destination pull it out for a little gaming. This also means (captain obvious) that the Switch will not do street pass all that well jsut because of what the Switch is.
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@Viewtiful Ken
The tax season only matters for the US. There rest of the world is not affected by that. Regardess of the arguement that the US is possibly the largest single country market for the Switch, it's not as larger than every other country in the world in terms of possible Switch sales.
The March sales period was probably done to be out of the Christmas window, as Nintendo could not make that, and it most likely fits in well with Nintendo's financial year. Nintendo's financial year ends March 31. Having the NX on sale in March boots an otherwise dead quarter for the company.
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The rumour is the next official piece of information on the Switch will be in 2017.
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- Joined
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-Pad looks like it needs to be docked to play on tv which would mean no second screen use.
-It is hot removal as far as the trailer shows.
-Not confirmed yet about online or touch screen.
Th actual console is the screen itself. The dock that hooks up to the tv is just a dock for on screen play. So i imagine the screen which is the actual console part would be playable online docked or not.
What i want to know is do the Joy-Cons have gyro? And if there is no second screen then how will Splatoon work? And if the Joy-Cons dont have gyro then i imagine they'll have limited uses.
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- That's good about hot removal.
- Yeah the touch screen part is actually a huge thing. I can't wait to get this info. Hopefully it will be. Not having it is a real bumber.
- That's a shame. I quite enjoyed the dual screen functionality of the WiiU. But it looks like Nintendo is killing off dual screens totally (even with the 3DS RIP now too). In Nintendo's defence, only a few games used dual screen well on the WiiU. XCX, TMS#FE and Captain Toad being 3 of the best. I will miss this functionality if it's not in the NX.
I would assume any Splatoon remake is RIP without gyro of some sort. So I think there will be some gyro. Also no second screen means quite a lot of the WiiU games are not able to be ported to the Switch in any form. But a lot of these features are purposely not shown on the 3 minute video as not to complicate things. Just get out the basic "what is the Switch" message and not complicate it with too many tech spec details.
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A couple of decent Switch analysis videos. GameXPlain usually discuss things well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqwqiROIgLw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_DcUOvP0rI
Castle
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I haven't really had the chance to look into the Switch at all, but to my mind Ninty has the right basic idea. A hybrid handheld home console is what everyone's been expecting from them after all.
But barring gimmicks which will only hurt a console at this point, regardless of what the hardware is capable of software will make or break any video game hardware platform from now on. I actually question the validity of that statement given that $ony and M$ hardware sales are so absurd despite the complete lack of games to play on those systems, but I don't think Nintendo has that same luxury.
Which is why these two things are important:
1.) Courting Gamers - The video game industry made a BIG mistake throwing their core consumers under the bus to pander to the mass market and Ninty is no exception. They've got a lot of work cut out for them making it up to their only remaining consumer base which now greatly distrusts and despises them. Which is why if Nintendo is ditching their "family friendly" marketing in favor of appealing directly to gamers then they've got the right idea. I think the WiiU would have performed outstandingly if Nintendo had done this then, but they just couldn't bring themselves to quit the mass market which had long since lost interest in them.
2.) Third Party Support - Ninty had better be serious about their enthusiastic third party support this time... for their sake. Nintendo more than any other hardware provider needs third party support. Heck, they're the only hardware manufacturer who doesn't have it. A successful console needs games. Period. And it's obvious Ninty can't supply them on their own. Nintendo is at a great disadvantage here given that they've spent pretty much their entire history bullying developers and then making unattractive hardware until no one wanted to play with them anymore. But the biggest thing Nintendo could have going for them is if the cost to produce on the Switch makes it easier for developers to break even without having to sell twenty million copies of their game within seven days of its release. This is what the video game industry desperately needs more than anything. And if Nintendo still has any business acumen there's no reason they can't be the ones to do it. Nintendo once made home console gaming possible in North America after the video game industry had their sordid way with it. So let's see if Nintendo can't do it again.
But barring gimmicks which will only hurt a console at this point, regardless of what the hardware is capable of software will make or break any video game hardware platform from now on. I actually question the validity of that statement given that $ony and M$ hardware sales are so absurd despite the complete lack of games to play on those systems, but I don't think Nintendo has that same luxury.
Which is why these two things are important:
1.) Courting Gamers - The video game industry made a BIG mistake throwing their core consumers under the bus to pander to the mass market and Ninty is no exception. They've got a lot of work cut out for them making it up to their only remaining consumer base which now greatly distrusts and despises them. Which is why if Nintendo is ditching their "family friendly" marketing in favor of appealing directly to gamers then they've got the right idea. I think the WiiU would have performed outstandingly if Nintendo had done this then, but they just couldn't bring themselves to quit the mass market which had long since lost interest in them.
2.) Third Party Support - Ninty had better be serious about their enthusiastic third party support this time... for their sake. Nintendo more than any other hardware provider needs third party support. Heck, they're the only hardware manufacturer who doesn't have it. A successful console needs games. Period. And it's obvious Ninty can't supply them on their own. Nintendo is at a great disadvantage here given that they've spent pretty much their entire history bullying developers and then making unattractive hardware until no one wanted to play with them anymore. But the biggest thing Nintendo could have going for them is if the cost to produce on the Switch makes it easier for developers to break even without having to sell twenty million copies of their game within seven days of its release. This is what the video game industry desperately needs more than anything. And if Nintendo still has any business acumen there's no reason they can't be the ones to do it. Nintendo once made home console gaming possible in North America after the video game industry had their sordid way with it. So let's see if Nintendo can't do it again.
Have you seen the switch 3rd party support list yet? It's quite impressive.
Also Nintendo has not spent it's entire history bullying 3rd party developers. The real issues started with the N64 (too high 3rd party royalties) and the Playstation being an alternative for 3rd party. Other issues (not bullying) have caused more recent issues. Teh 3rd party devs want to be with Nintendo but only if it's right for them (in their opinion). Now obviously with the Switch, it is.