Nintendo Switch

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LimpBagel

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  • #5
    Current rumor on battery life is 5-8 hours which is pretty awesome. I was prepared for 3.

    http://wccftech.com/nintendo-switch-bat ... s-shipped/

    I'm preordering from Amazon when that goes up on Jan 12th, I'm assuming. I think it's going to launch with that 3D Mario and maybe Zelda. I'll buy both. I'm also excited about the news of Gamecube on VC but really really hope they aren't going to charge upgrade fees for past VC titles I've already purchased.
     
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    suprmonky73

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  • #6
    Looks a lot more promising than I expected before the official Nintendo reveal just based on the rumors.

    Sadly, I bet this thing will be a nightmare to actually purchase, given that when the Wii came out you could hardly get one even a year after it came out. I can't recall how the WiiU supply fared but now the NES Classic is a complete nightmare with people just buying them to sell for $100 profit on ebay.
     
    Mortus

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  • #7
    Reposting what I posted on G+.

    They showed the Nintendo Switch on Jimmy Fallon's late show. I am actually impressed. And if the price that's floating around right now (~$250 w/o a game) is right, I may actually consider it. Of course waiting for actual system specs and quality reviews will take precedent over 'ooo new shiny thing'.
    Click to expand...
     
    krimhorn

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  • #8
    [url=http://arstechnica.com/civis/viewtopic.php?p=32432795#p32432795:ywz97rh7 said:
    suprmonky73[/url]":ywz97rh7]Sadly, I bet this thing will be a nightmare to actually purchase, given that when the Wii came out you could hardly get one even a year after it came out. I can't recall how the WiiU supply fared but now the NES Classic is a complete nightmare with people just buying them to sell for $100 profit on ebay.
    Click to expand...
    There's a little room for accepting that filling the channel with NES Classics to sell might not have been the best move from a sell-through and logistics perspective but there is zero excuse not to have their logistics set up to guarantee constant inflow of the system through its first few months.

    Logistics and demand forecasting in 2016 is vastly more sophisticated than in 2006 to the point that you rarely hear about lack of product for a popular/in demand item unless it's explicitly under manufactured.
     
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    LimpBagel

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  • #9
    [url=http://arstechnica.com/civis/viewtopic.php?p=32432795#p32432795:1nb0uyym said:
    suprmonky73[/url]":1nb0uyym]Looks a lot more promising than I expected before the official Nintendo reveal just based on the rumors.

    Sadly, I bet this thing will be a nightmare to actually purchase, given that when the Wii came out you could hardly get one even a year after it came out. I can't recall how the WiiU supply fared but now the NES Classic is a complete nightmare with people just buying them to sell for $100 profit on ebay.
    Click to expand...

    WiiU was everywhere because the sales were terrible. I waited at a Meijer (walmart/target kinda place) for the midnight release and hardly anyone else showed up until 12.
     
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    PhantomLord

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  • #10
    Looking at how the 3DS and NES Classic systems have been selling out everywhere even with a large number of different models, the Switch is not going to be easy to get and many will go to scalpers. Sometimes I wonder if store employees just buy them at places like Target or Walmart before they even hit the floor. Hopefully pre-orders will ease the burden a bit.

    Anyway, really looking forward to the Switch and the new Zelda game.
     
    sword_9mm

    sword_9mm

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  • #11
    [url=http://arstechnica.com/civis/viewtopic.php?p=32432805#p32432805:2x06ttqc said:
    Mortus[/url]":2x06ttqc]Reposting what I posted on G+.

    They showed the Nintendo Switch on Jimmy Fallon's late show. I am actually impressed. And if the price that's floating around right now (~$250 w/o a game) is right, I may actually consider it. Of course waiting for actual system specs and quality reviews will take precedent over 'ooo new shiny thing'.
    Click to expand...
    Click to expand...

    that's where i'm at too.

    i WANT it to be good. i WANT Nintendo to get back into the game. i just have to wait and see though. they've not given me a whole lot of confidence over the past few releases...
     
    Mortus

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  • #12
    [url=http://arstechnica.com/civis/viewtopic.php?p=32434023#p32434023:1u7it76x said:
    PhantomLord[/url]":1u7it76x]Looking at how the 3DS and NES Classic systems have been selling out everywhere even with a large number of different models, the Switch is not going to be easy to get and many will go to scalpers. Sometimes I wonder if store employees just buy them at places like Target or Walmart before they even hit the floor. Hopefully pre-orders will ease the burden a bit.

    Anyway, really looking forward to the Switch and the new Zelda game.
    Click to expand...

    The artificial demand they created for the NES Classic would actually hurt them if they tried it with the Switch. They need this thing to succeed after all the R&D time they've invested in it.
     
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    UnderwearYoga

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  • #13
    [url=http://arstechnica.com/civis/viewtopic.php?p=32434491#p32434491:2rv8sqtz said:
    Mortus[/url]":2rv8sqtz]
    [url=http://arstechnica.com/civis/viewtopic.php?p=32434023#p32434023:2rv8sqtz said:
    PhantomLord[/url]":2rv8sqtz]Looking at how the 3DS and NES Classic systems have been selling out everywhere even with a large number of different models, the Switch is not going to be easy to get and many will go to scalpers. Sometimes I wonder if store employees just buy them at places like Target or Walmart before they even hit the floor. Hopefully pre-orders will ease the burden a bit.

    Anyway, really looking forward to the Switch and the new Zelda game.
    Click to expand...

    The artificial demand they created for the NES Classic would actually hurt them if they tried it with the Switch. They need this thing to succeed after all the R&D time they've invested in it.
    Click to expand...
    Fact. They don't need a few thousand people saying, "The wait isn't worth it." They need as many day one sales as possible.
     
    krimhorn

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  • #15
    [url=http://arstechnica.com/civis/viewtopic.php?p=32434721#p32434721:ovwvyfb4 said:
    LimpBagel[/url]":eek:vwvyfb4]They're projecting to ship 2 million systems in March: http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2016/10/n ... at-launch/
    Click to expand...
    Xbox One sold between 2 and 3 million its first month. PS4 had around 4 million in its first month. Presuming that the Switch has a relative anticipation between the WiiU and XBO (I'm just assuming here, Nintendo's logistics projections will be much more precise) then 2 million is probably about right. They really screwed the pooch with the WiiU and I think that's likely to depress interest a lot. Combine that with the post-holiday launch and the fact that many parents will already have spent $100-$200 on a DS of various stripes will both play into Switch's potential sales.

    The real kicker is that Nintendo has to keep the manufacturing chain producing supply throughout its first few months as sales will do their normal peak->level off->sag->peak thing as the various seasons go on.
     
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    themantis

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  • #17
    I'm really excited about the Switch, too, even though I'm a biased Nintendo fanboy. The Fallon preview was glorious. So many things to like.

    My main concern, though, is the mobile use-case for the Switch. Unless they have some innovative and exciting features that we haven't heard about yet (GPS, Android/iOS pairing of some kind, Netflix downloads, SMS capabilities?), it's hard to believe that there's a lot of people like the 20-30 something gamers in the reveal video. Is mobile gaming really that big of a feature for the majority of console gamers?

    When most gamers are on an airplane, they're going to play games on their phones. Using precious carry-on space for this tablet--even as thin as it appears to be--is a fairly big ask, again unless it has some features aside from games. There would need to be fairly significant cultural shifts to see gamers in their 20s and 30s pop out a couple of Switches for multiplayer sessions in the park or at a party, but the Wii brought that kind of big cultural impact, so it's possible. I'd love to get a Mario Kart session going in the back of a minivan someday.

    If the Switch can do something really innovative with mobile, something with location, or AR-lite (like Pokemon Go), then I can see this thing really taking off. But if it's just that you can pick up and take your console games with you... I don't really see it capturing a lot of iOS/Android market share.

    But as for using the Switch to play nintendo exclusives at home, as a Wii U owner, I have no doubt that Splatoon 2, Mario 3D World 2, and Mario Kart 9 will be absolutely amazing. And I've been waiting for Breath of the Wild since its first announced launch date: 2015. So yeah. Can't wait.
     
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    TigerAway

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  • #19
    [url=http://arstechnica.com/civis/viewtopic.php?p=32459579#p32459579:3itw30qg said:
    Robotank[/url]":3itw30qg]Maybe I'm playing the wrong phone games, but nothing on my phone comes even close to engaging like top handheld games. My 3DS has been a fantastic travel companion and seeing that merged with my home console titles is really exciting to me.
    Click to expand...

    I agree. I also think handhelds are easier to pickup and play sometimes, late at night or when the TV is taken.

    I hope Nintendo will finally one day improve their online system and online offerings. If they would charge reasonable prices for their older games and not make you rebuy them over and over, I could see myself picking up a lot of titles. How they've treated the Virtual Console/DSi is a bit worrisome. I like the Sony/Microsoft/Steam model where they don't seem to want to lock you out or rebuy your game library.
     
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    Gandhim3

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  • #20
    [url=http://arstechnica.com/civis/viewtopic.php?p=32459759#p32459759:2f8w6iou said:
    TigerAway[/url]":2f8w6iou]
    [url=http://arstechnica.com/civis/viewtopic.php?p=32459579#p32459579:2f8w6iou said:
    Robotank[/url]":2f8w6iou]Maybe I'm playing the wrong phone games, but nothing on my phone comes even close to engaging like top handheld games. My 3DS has been a fantastic travel companion and seeing that merged with my home console titles is really exciting to me.
    Click to expand...

    I agree. I also think handhelds are easier to pickup and play sometimes, late at night or when the TV is taken.

    I hope Nintendo will finally one day improve their online system and online offerings. If they would charge reasonable prices for their older games and not make you rebuy them over and over, I could see myself picking up a lot of titles. How they've treated the Virtual Console/DSi is a bit worrisome. I like the Sony/Microsoft/Steam model where they don't seem to want to lock you out or rebuy your game library.
    Click to expand...

    Agreed. Inability to transfer over Wii virtual game purchases to the WiiU was a big reason why I never had interest in the WiiU. If not, I may pick up the Switch whenever it hits $99 and catalogue of cheap games
     
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    themantis

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  • #22
    [url=http://arstechnica.com/civis/viewtopic.php?p=32459797#p32459797:1p6atryg said:
    Gandhim3[/url]":1p6atryg]
    [url=http://arstechnica.com/civis/viewtopic.php?p=32459759#p32459759:1p6atryg said:
    TigerAway[/url]":1p6atryg]
    [url=http://arstechnica.com/civis/viewtopic.php?p=32459579#p32459579:1p6atryg said:
    Robotank[/url]":1p6atryg]Maybe I'm playing the wrong phone games, but nothing on my phone comes even close to engaging like top handheld games. My 3DS has been a fantastic travel companion and seeing that merged with my home console titles is really exciting to me.
    Click to expand...

    I agree. I also think handhelds are easier to pickup and play sometimes, late at night or when the TV is taken.

    I hope Nintendo will finally one day improve their online system and online offerings. If they would charge reasonable prices for their older games and not make you rebuy them over and over, I could see myself picking up a lot of titles. How they've treated the Virtual Console/DSi is a bit worrisome. I like the Sony/Microsoft/Steam model where they don't seem to want to lock you out or rebuy your game library.
    Click to expand...

    Agreed. Inability to transfer over Wii virtual game purchases to the WiiU was a big reason why I never had interest in the WiiU. If not, I may pick up the Switch whenever it hits $99 and catalogue of cheap games
    Click to expand...

    Of course Switch games will be different and unlike the experiences you can get with smartphone games, but I still worry that the portable games on Switch won't be compelling enough to recapture the market taken by iOS and Android. We'll have to see if there are some more tricks up the Switch's sleeves.

    I agree completely that Nintendo needs a better online account system, and the new My Nintendo seems a step in the right direction. I expect that they'll offer to move any compatible* Wii U (and maybe even Wii) Virtual Console purchases over to the Switch for a fee. The fee to move Wii VC games to Wii U was $1 per game, which was not great, but it was hardly egregious. They did deliver some features with the move (GamePad support, Pro Controller support, faster startup time, etc.). Also, if you transferred your Wii data the old fashioned way (with an SD card), you could still use your Wii VC games for zero dollars, so technically the $1 fee was optional.

    EDIT: *forgot to mention that many Wii and Wii U VC games likely won't be compatible with the VC on Switch.
     
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    PhantomLord

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  • #23
    [url=http://arstechnica.com/civis/viewtopic.php?p=32459579#p32459579:n2solbfc said:
    Robotank[/url]":n2solbfc]Maybe I'm playing the wrong phone games, but nothing on my phone comes even close to engaging like top handheld games. My 3DS has been a fantastic travel companion and seeing that merged with my home console titles is really exciting to me.
    Click to expand...

    I totally agree with this. I only recently got a 3DS, but have completely forgone my phone already. I've tried every kind of game on my phone and couldn't get into anything. I also can't understand at all how people play games like Grand Theft Auto with on screen controls. A two button NES style game is even a stretch for me, but anything more complex is ridiculous. My 3DS even with the inferior graphical resolution is so much more fun.

    Plus the extra apps like the badge collection app and MiiVerse are fun to mess around with each day. Hopefully they will bring stuff like that to the Switch.
     
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    PhantomLord

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  • #25
    CPU and GPU Clock Speeds revealed

    Other than some differences due to a few unknowns, the GPU will pretty much run as an underclocked Tegra X1. Even though these speeds don't define the games, I'm surprised Nintendo didn't push for a little more power or the newer GPU. They definitely prioritized heat and battery life here. Undocked GPU speed is less than half the speed of docked.

    Doesn't change my wanting of a Switch, but I know this will push a lot of 3rd party developers away. For me it'll be Steam for most games and the Switch for Nintendo and other quirky exclusive titles.
     
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    LimpBagel

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  • #26
    PhantomLord said:
    CPU and GPU Clock Speeds revealed

    Other than some differences due to a few unknowns, the GPU will pretty much run as an underclocked Tegra X1. Even though these speeds don't define the games, I'm surprised Nintendo didn't push for a little more power or the newer GPU. They definitely prioritized heat and battery life here. Undocked GPU speed is less than half the speed of docked.

    Doesn't change my wanting of a Switch, but I know this will push a lot of 3rd party developers away. For me it'll be Steam for most games and the Switch for Nintendo and other quirky exclusive titles.
    Click to expand...

    Yeah, I'm not taking it as hard as the rest of /r/NintendoSwitch. If it's another Nintendo machine like the Wii U but this time their games aren't split between 2 systems, I can live with that. We'll see how people react after the 12th.
     
    sword_9mm

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  • #28
    [url=http://arstechnica.com/civis/viewtopic.php?p=32502553#p32502553:2zlyrkrl said:
    Mortus[/url]":2zlyrkrl]Anyone who was expecting Nintendo to come out with a top-end hardware product haven't been paying attention for the past decade.
    Click to expand...

    true but damn if they don't even try.

    i wasn't expecting my mind blown but shit, i did expect an X2 at least.

    welp it wouldn't be Nintendo without 2 steps forward and then them tripping all over their dicks.
     
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    Viridis

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  • #30
    [url=http://arstechnica.com/civis/viewtopic.php?p=32502553#p32502553:iqz9aucu said:
    Mortus[/url]":iqz9aucu]Anyone who was expecting Nintendo to come out with a top-end hardware product haven't been paying attention for the past decade.
    Click to expand...

    Eh, I used to say the same about people who want Nintendo to bring their IPs to mobile gaming and abandon their handheld. I agree with you on principle though; cutting costs and expanding market to mobile is a different beast from the higher risk of creating a beefier console.

    My biggest takeaway from the specs: since the Switch can run GameCube games, then so should Tegra powered tablets.
     
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    TigerAway

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  • #32
    [url=http://arstechnica.com/civis/viewtopic.php?p=32504539#p32504539:3cz7c4u0 said:
    TheGouldFish[/url]":3cz7c4u0]People are taking a digital foundry guesswork and "leaks" as the truth?
    Click to expand...

    It wouldn't surprise me if it's true. I think it's funny how people are disappointed it's a Tegra X1, but it's still apparently more powerful than the Wii U (and a handheld.) Sucks it's not newer tech, but that's not a deal breaker for me. I am more curious about the game library, online store, and how much older titles will cost. I don't mind paying $60 for new games but if it's an older title, and especially if I already own it somehow, it would be nice to have it playable/buyable at a competitive price point.
     
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    nehalem

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  • #33
    I think it's likely true. DF has so far been spot on as far as Switch leaks go.

    As for the performance and the rest. If you consider that the Switch is the successor of the DS/3DS then this thing is amazing. If it's just the next home console from Nintendo then it's not bad, but you could be forgiven to be a bit disappointing.

    From the DS/3DS point of view this thing is extremely powerful, and those platforms didn't have a hard time getting third party support, they just weren't they same games as being done on the tv console.

    From the Wii U point of view it's at least built on a fairly standard and decent CPU/GPU architecture, even if a bit under powered. But no, some games won't be ported that are meant to be the cutting edge.

    Given that Nintendo has done very well in the portable space, and that this space is still relevant in Japan, it seems that when faced with a decision that favored the portable aspects more than the console aspects they chose portable.
    • Specs favor battery life / heat dissipation in a big way
    • Using older architecture keeps pricing low and can be offered somewhere in the price range that you might expect to pay for a new portable

    Honestly Nintendo was never going to compete with MS/Sony on specs because that's become a race. I understand that they might have been able to hit around xbox one specs and got more support but that would only mean that it was one of the worst places to play third party games.

    I'm personally excited for this console and haven't had a Nintendo console for a long time. I would have loved to have seen a little more cutting edge tech but I'm still excited. Honestly I think the best move here is simply having all of Nintendo's eggs in one basket. No more splitting their workload. Further, if they can still be the high volume portable in the market then they aren't in a bad place.
     
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    nehalem

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  • #34
    themantis said:
    Of course Switch games will be different and unlike the experiences you can get with smartphone games, but I still worry that the portable games on Switch won't be compelling enough to recapture the market taken by iOS and Android. We'll have to see if there are some more tricks up the Switch's sleeves.
    Click to expand...

    I guess it just matters if people prefer the console like game with it's generally richer and deeper experience. I used to be super excited about IOS games but I haven't purchased many for years. Obviously many people do. Hopefully it can exist for people like me that have zero interest in mobile games as they exist today, and in addition to those games for people that do value them. Speaking for myself most of my portable playing will likely be in my home while in bed or whatever. Even still the portable experience sounds fun.
     
    krimhorn

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  • #35
    [url=http://arstechnica.com/civis/viewtopic.php?p=32504539#p32504539:2qrkgk2y said:
    TheGouldFish[/url]":2qrkgk2y]People are taking a digital foundry guesswork and "leaks" as the truth?
    Click to expand...
    It's Nvidia and mobile. That means Tegra X1 or P1. Since all signs point to Pascal Tegra not being ready until sometime next year and Nintendo's been needing to have production start yesterday...that means X1. All dev kit leaks point to X1 as do all of the performance leaks. This new one (with performance being pegged at 70% of X1 docked and 40% undocked) just solidifies the previous patchwork leaks and guesswork. At the end of the day, we'll know for certain some time in March. What is clear is that Switch ain't no powerhouse. It's not weak, per se, and it should be close enough that it can run the same games as the XBO and PS4. Just not likely at 1080p. As a mobile platform, however, it'll be unchallenged so long as the price point doesn't cause it to do a PSP/PSV.
     
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    gregatron5

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  • #36
    I'm more excited to be able to take games away on a screen that's less shitty than the Wii U Game Pad and not having to be close enough to the console (since it is the console) to play. My Wii U is in the basement and sometimes I can't even play on the Game Pad from one level up sitting right above it. I never even want to because of the shitty display. It's the backwards compatibility (and all of my disk-based games that will be useless with it) that concerns me. I really don't want to re-buy my entire game library. Again. Also, I have no faith that Nintendo will unfuck their account system, but that would be nice.
     
    sword_9mm

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  • #38
    they are going to have to blow the pants off the release imo.

    i'd like to see the full VC catalog, as well as 20$ ports of all the big name Wii-U games right at launch. That and Zelda and maybe a new Mario.

    if i can walk into Store X and buy a switch, hyrule warriors, bayonetta 2, and Zelda BOW at launch then i think they'll have a hell of a market. if it's anemic and takes a fucking dick year to get anything released then torch it. it's done.
     
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    DemonGSides

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  • #39
    sword_9mm said:
    they are going to have to blow the pants off the release imo.

    i'd like to see the full VC catalog, as well as 20$ ports of all the big name Wii-U games right at launch. That and Zelda and maybe a new Mario.

    if i can walk into Store X and buy a switch, hyrule warriors, bayonetta 2, and Zelda BOW at launch then i think they'll have a hell of a market. if it's anemic and takes a fucking dick year to get anything released then torch it. it's done.
    Click to expand...

    Replace Bayonetta with any sort of Mario game and that's probably all I'd need to get in preorder line. I'll probably preorder it anyways unless it gets some abysmal reviews.
     
    krimhorn

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  • #40
    [url=http://arstechnica.com/civis/viewtopic.php?p=32510285#p32510285:3o47rigo said:
    sword_9mm[/url]":3o47rigo]if i can walk into Store X and buy a switch, hyrule warriors, bayonetta 2, and Zelda BOW at launch then i think they'll have a hell of a market. if it's anemic and takes a fucking dick year to get anything released then torch it. it's done.
    Click to expand...
    Zelda's not a launch title.
     
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