Nintendo Switch (Nintendo's next console)

iamtony

Yeah it's true, but I do think they are snookered as a company, the brand is associated with kids and casual gamers. If they brought out a standard console with more power but nothing to get the attention of the family who are looking for the next santy present for their children it won't go anywhere(they want or already have ps4's etc)
The market we want them to chase is already filled and that group don't want a Nintendo as its to PG for the majority of them. So that just leaves the actual Nintendo fans who there aren't enough of to sell enough consoles.
Sadly they need a gimmick. And Pokemon Go is a very good example of how they can be successful if they get the next gimmick right.

MilesMorales1

The WSJ has 'confirmed' the rumours reported by Eurogamer.

Nintendo’s outlook also depends on the reception of its new console, code-named NX, which is expected to hit the market by the end of the current fiscal year that ends in March 2017.

A person familiar with the matter said NX would be a handheld-console hybrid that would be compatible with its own smartphone games.

A Nintendo spokesman declined to comment on the details of NX.

Apparently WSJ has never been wrong on video game stuff, so. Makes sense mobile games would be compatible, given how popular pokemon go has been, and it artificially boosts the game line up.

ERG89

MilesMorales1 wrote: »

Apparently WSJ has never been wrong on video game stuff, so. Makes sense mobile games would be compatible, given how popular pokemon go has been, and it artificially boosts the game line up.

Sounds horrible tbh

MilesMorales1

ERG89 wrote: »

Sounds horrible tbh

I don't disagree, since I think Pokemon Go is a fad and as a game is absolute crap, but I don't think the idea is bad?

iamtony

MilesMorales1 wrote: »

I don't disagree, since I think Pokemon Go is a fad and as a game is absolute crap, but I don't think the idea is bad?

I haven't even bothered to download it, sounds like too much effort....walking...searching.....no thanks :-)

Star Lord

TheIrishGrover wrote: »

Why go with an unknown factor that requires extensive retooling of ports?

That would fly in the face of the extensive previous rumours that said that porting to it was 'almost as simple as copy and paste, and it just works'

MilesMorales1 wrote: »

The WSJ has 'confirmed' the rumours reported by Eurogamer.

A person familiar with the matter said

Another third person comment is a bit of a far sight from a confirmation though.
It's interesting at least!

TheIrishGrover

Star Lord wrote: »

That would fly in the face of the extensive previous rumours that said that porting to it was 'almost as simple as copy and paste, and it just works'

If it's not up to spec with current gen systems then it's going to have to be tailored for the NX. XB1 and PS4 are very similar (Please folks don't start a fanboy war "PS4 sux" etc). They are both x86 architecture running similar CPU and GPU configurations with similar capabilities. If the NX is running an architecture too dissimilar and one that cannot shift the same power as the two leading devices then are they really going to spend man-hours on modifying for a limited amount of systems. It comes down to cost. They are not going to develop/modify a product simply because it's cool and they want to see what they can do with the controller.

I think this new machine is going to be a refined Wii-U: More polished and better use of screen (If it decides to stick to dual screen when docked). With enough grunt so that it doesn't fall flat on it's face. Last gen apparently. That would be slightly interesting if the price was right. If it was cheap enough to be a second device. IF they accept that PS/XB have wrapped up the high-end market and that their machine is for casual family fun, but give enough for the average XB/PS owner to have a look at it as a second machine for 1st Party titles and price it accordingly, then it has a chance to sell more than Wii-U. As someone said previously, I don't think there is room for three high-end devices (Although the XB is pretty much dead in Japan)

But I think they are going target the market above but price it out of the range of a 2nd system. So it will hit Wii-U numbers.

I think it's their last system. It will be Pokemon shovelware, a Zelda at launch, a Mario 1 year later as a last gasp and in 2019 they will start licensing their characters

CiDeRmAn

I think Myrddin said it, essentially the XB1 and PS4 are pleasantly packaged PCs, albeit with custom parts, particularly the optical drive.
The NX will not be, apparently.
This is a concern because it can only increase the cost of development and, of the user base doesn't flourish, week limit the number of companies willing to take a chance.
But I will say that Nintendo haven't fluffed a handheld yet, they've always sold well and, if that's the specific market they are after, this will almost certainly sell lots.
But the storage medium of 32gb is going to impose limits and who knows what the internal storage us going to be like.

Banjo

If it's going to be compatible with Pokemon Go, doesn't it need to have GPS and mobile data access so it can identify your position and download the map and server data? At the very least it would need a GSM antenna so it can roughly triangulate your position from local masts, then use cached map data. That would suggest - ok, suggest is a strong word but if you squint a little and suppress any common sense you have, there's a tiny inkling that maybe they're pulling an nGage - why compete with the phone in your pocket when you can replace it? And that opens the door to streaming games, media services, bespoke cloud data services etc etc etc. It makes so little business sense for Nintendo to get involved that it's probably true.

I'm going further - they're going to purchase a major chip manufacturer and a telecomms company so they have full control over the product from the etching of the wafers to the subtle harvesting of personal information through invasive app permissions. And they'll call themselves Nintel.

Putting that ridiculous notion aside, here's another. Ship the handheld with a cheap dock that lets you up the output to 1080p and gives you a little more connectivity for external storage, hard-wired network, etc. Then in 2 years, ship a dock+ that pushes the hardware grunt past the PS4 XBone respins but has reduced costs since you already own a lot of the expensive bits in your handheld, so you can put Ninty back at the forefront of the hardware market for a couple of years. You would need a serious game to rope people in at that point, something that won't quite work on the other 2 because the are lacking but with the kind of universal appeal that Ninty adore. Minecraft 2. Quarter Life (Chibi-Half-Life). Something so big that it every home has to have one. The triumphant return of Emlyn Hughes International Soccer, that kind of thing. That way when the next generation of hardware comes along, Ninty are no longer running at the back trying to convince you to go with their platform. The great unwashed want the most powerful platform available that isn't a self-built PC, and for the last 2 years that will have been a Nintendo. And 1 year after that Shiggy will begin having Famicom parts grafted on to his body to extend his life indefinitely but restrict his vision to 256 pixels at a time.

Hey - if this thing is a Hand-held / Console hybrid, remember : That means we're getting a full console Pokémon rpg. It is our destiny!

Myrddin

Nintel

Retr0gamer

Eurogamer article about the NX is a very good read:

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2016-07-28-nx-is-different-and-different-is-nintendos-best-option

CiDeRmAn wrote: »

But the storage medium of 32gb is going to impose limits and who knows what the internal storage us going to be like.

There's very few current gen games operating at over 32GB in size and a lot of that can be brought down by compressing the likes of uncompressed audio. Also solid state storage is increasing at an incredible rate at the moment and the price is plummeting. I'm sure there'll be 64 and 128 GB games in a year or two. I wouldn't be surprised to even see optical drives replaced with solid state at the rate things are advancing... although digital download is a more likely scenario.

sligeach

Nintendo should have probably done the NX reveal at E3. Now whenever they do it, if those rumours are true, there's no surprise, certainly not as big. The form factor yes(though I've a mental image of what it looks like), but now we know what it is and possibly what it's capable of. Again, I emphasise, if the rumours are true. You wait too long and someone eventually will let the cat out of the bag.

Nollog

Worth noting that WSJ have written about other rumours and "leaks" too, which contradict these ones.

WSJ have never been right yet.

Star Lord

TheIrishGrover wrote: »

If it's not up to spec with current gen systems then it's going to have to be tailored for the NX. XB1 and PS4 are very similar (Please folks don't start a fanboy war "PS4 sux" etc). They are both x86 architecture running similar CPU and GPU configurations with similar capabilities. If the NX is running an architecture too dissimilar and one that cannot shift the same power as the two leading devices then are they really going to spend man-hours on modifying for a limited amount of systems. It comes down to cost. They are not going to develop/modify a product simply because it's cool and they want to see what they can do with the controller.

I'm well aware of how these things normally work, but if, as previously suggested, it's around the same power level as the XB1, and porting is as easy as has been suggested by previous rumours too, (where it really was reported to be almost just copy-and-paste the code) then porting is pretty much a no brainer.

TheIrishGrover wrote: »

I think it's their last system. It will be Pokemon shovelware, a Zelda at launch, a Mario 1 year later as a last gasp and in 2019 they will start licensing their characters

They have said before that they'd stop entirely before making games for their competitors consoles.

CiDeRmAn

Well, all this handheld news, I'm going to have to cheer myself by abusing some XB1/PS4 owners... let's face it, the smug gits have it coming

Pac1Man

That latest Eurogamer article describes it a WiiU 2 (Super Wii U?) in terms of it's place in the market.

What could possibly go wrong?:(

DARK-KNIGHT

Was gonna buy a 3ds xl the new one. Kept all my 3ds games so have library built up but is it worth it if Nintendo are releasing a new console in a few months

Pac1Man

DARK-KNIGHT wrote: »

Was gonna buy a 3ds xl the new one. Kept all my 3ds games so have library built up but is it worth it if Nintendo are releasing a new console in a few months

The sensible thing to do is to wait for an official announcement from Nintendo. The NX may or may not suit your needs. But when has gaming ever been about sense or logic!?

Banjo

It's will be harder to justify buying both once the NX has been released. So buy the n3DS now. Besides, with your track record you'll have sold it and bought at least one new one before the NX gets officially revealed, let alone released.

CiDeRmAn

Never a bad time to buy a 3DS, the New 3DS is expensive but you'll pick up the 3DS XL preowned for around €100/€120 on Adverts and it'll run almost everything, bar Xenoblade and a few eshop Snes titles, and it'll run the entire DS and 3DS library.

tony1980

Deal in Smyths at the moment for the 3DS XL - 120 euro

http://www.smythstoys.com/ie/en-ie/page/o/nintendo3dsdealtwo/

DARK-KNIGHT

Will be just cost of console as have most Mario and Zelda titles from before was playing them on my son's 2ds.

Don't like the feel of the 2ds just seems very cheaply made

Gonna try get the hyrule 3ds xl gorgeous console

CiDeRmAn

tony1980 wrote: »

Deal in Smyths at the moment for the 3DS XL - 120 euro

http://www.smythstoys.com/ie/en-ie/page/o/nintendo3dsdealtwo/

Did you not look at the deal just beneath it,
A 3DS XL, with Yokai Watch and a PSU for €99.99
However, when you put it in the basket it comes to €119.99 :mad:

Andrew76

CiDeRmAn wrote: »

Did you not look at the deal just beneath it,
A 3DS XL, with Yokai Watch and a PSU for €99.99
However, when you put it in the basket it comes to €119.99 :mad:

£99 not €99.

I'd probably hold off til September just incase the NX is backwards compatible with the 3DS (even if it's not with the Wii-U).

DARK-KNIGHT

CiDeRmAn wrote: »

Did you not look at the deal just beneath it,
A 3DS XL, with Yokai Watch and a PSU for €99.99
However, when you put it in the basket it comes to €119.99 :mad:

It's says 99.99 pounds

DARK-KNIGHT

Is the nx a handheld?

Andrew76

DARK-KNIGHT wrote: »

Is the nx a handheld?

From those Eurogamer links mentioned above - rumour has it yes - predominately a handheld device that can also be plugged into a base station for TV connection.

tony1980

CiDeRmAn wrote: »

Did you not look at the deal just beneath it,
A 3DS XL, with Yokai Watch and a PSU for €99.99
However, when you put it in the basket it comes to €119.99 :mad:

I got caught out with that initially too :pac:

Chain Smoker

Don't really get people saying they need to make a powerhouse of a machine, they've absolutely no hope of competing in that regard and will always be playing catch up.

I don't see what option they have outside of some kind of hybrid deal. They'll be a weird mix of software developer and toy maker in a decade, probably a pretty damn good at it too unless they totally give up like Sega did.

CiDeRmAn

Nintendo are still making a lot of money and the company is seen as both significant and valuable.
A completely different story with poor Sega.
Nintendo continue to make a lot of money with their handhelds, while Sega died a death and were playing catch up once the MD was at the end of its life.
Even the late genius of the Dreamcast couldn't save them.