Nintendo NX

[Drowsy Emperor]

Aaand boogie290 whatever (the YT personality) stated that he had a conversation with a rep in Ubisoft about the NX and that it is indeed a hybrid device. It doesn't explain how the same game works both mobile and on the home console dock - whether assets are downgraded, where the hardware actually lies etc. but for all intents and purposes it seems like the rumors were true.

[Katphood]

Running on the Wii U according to Eurogamer.net:

 

 

 

Edited October 20, 2016 by Katphood

[Drowsy Emperor]

 

Its exactly as the rumors described it. Large handheld tablet with docking station and snap on controllers. I don't know the specs but with that size of the box it can't be anything spectacular.

 

This is Nintendo basically giving up on the home console market and consolidating around its handheld division. For the type of game Nintendo makes, its serviceable - for the core market its a supplementary device at best. 

 

Its one of those things that's going to try to be all things to all people. Handheld, console, multiplayer on the go, online multiplayer platform - everything.

 

Key moment: tries to appeal to the core gamer with what looks like a Skyrim re-release. 5 years after that game showed up. That tells you to expect an another WiiU in the third party segment. Nothing that utilizes the latest engines and tech is going to work on this device with any kind of quality.

Edited October 20, 2016 by Drowsy Emperor

[Katphood]

Yeah, it was surprising to see Skyrim on a Nintendo reveal trailer.

[Drowsy Emperor]

The only message I get from that is that they don't have any big "core gamer" game in the pipeline. If I saw the Witcher 3 running like a boss I'd be reassured in the potential of the device but Skyrim runs on my 3 year toaster on high settings so I'm decidedly unimpressed.

Edited October 20, 2016 by Drowsy Emperor

[Labadal]

Sort of want...

 

If a lot of jrpgs get released, I will get one late next year.

[Katphood]

The only message I get from that is that they don't have any big "core gamer" game in the pipeline. If I saw the Witcher 3 running like a boss I'd be reassured in the potential of the device but Skyrim runs on my 3 year toaster on high settings so I'm decidedly unimpressed.

 

Well, I look elsewhere for core games and such. Nintendo has always been about playing Nintendo games, I just hope they don't suddenly drop the system dead just like they did with new 3DS and the Wii U.

[Drowsy Emperor]

I will consider one when the price drops from 300 euro (rumored launch price) to something more in line with a handheld. 

 

200-250 euro is what I think a dedicated gaming tablet is worth.

[Drowsy Emperor]

 

The only message I get from that is that they don't have any big "core gamer" game in the pipeline. If I saw the Witcher 3 running like a boss I'd be reassured in the potential of the device but Skyrim runs on my 3 year toaster on high settings so I'm decidedly unimpressed.

 

Well, I look elsewhere for core games and such. Nintendo has always been about playing Nintendo games, I just hope they don't suddenly drop the system dead just like they did with new 3DS and the Wii U.

 

 

Not really. Its one of those things that's been repeated so many times that people start to believe it. Nintendo has been trying to own the "whole" market for as long as it could, which was up until the Gamecube. its most successful consoles (particularly the SNES) featured many games from third party developers that were just as good as Nintendo games at the time.

 

Its only the Wii and WiiU that flat out didn't compete in the core market. The first couldn't - but didn't have to, the second tried in a half-hearted manner and failed.

 

IMO Nintendo games aren't enough to carry a Nintendo device in 2016. That's what the WiiU looks like. They're banking on their pooled development studios to make this thing run and its going to be a pretty big gamble.

[Gfted1]

Nintendo’s next console, Switch, is a console/tablet hybrid coming in March.

[Katphood]

its most successful consoles (particularly the SNES) featured many games from third party developers that were just as good as Nintendo games at the time.

SNES was in a totally different era. I used to play many games on my SNES but back then, the only type of games I could play on the PC were DUKE, Commander Keen and Wolfenstein 3D. Console games looked way cooler and diverse compared to the PC(for the 8 year old me at least). This variety sort of faded away once PC gaming became more appealing to youngsters and especially when PlayStation hit the market. The N64 tried to appeal to core gamers with games such as Turok but you could already see this variety in Nintendo games starting to fade away and with the Gamecube it was pretty much gone even though they went as far as to bring games such as Resident Evil 4 and Eternal Darkness to the Gamecube. Hell, there was even a Serious Sam game for the Gamecube but the PS2 simply dominated that generation.

[Keyrock]

This thing has dead on arrival written all over it.

[Mamoulian War]

Well different regions different tastes. For me, it is very interesting idea, but I am not know to be the prime example of hipsterism )

[Keyrock]

I just think the NX Switch is way too big to succeed as a traditional handheld and much too underpowered to succeed as a home console, not to mention a different architecture to the PS4 and XBone, which will quickly kill 3rd party support, and it will be the Wii U all over again.

Edited October 20, 2016 by Keyrock

[Mamoulian War]

Hmm to be honest, I prefer to play on my I-pad's screen over my phones screen. But what do I know... As I've said, I was always different to all the other kids on the playground...

[Oerwinde]

I could see this doing well if it can lure 3ds jrpg devs over. Get some decent party games, Nintendo titles, and a couple Squeenix games and it should be golden.

Edited October 21, 2016 by Oerwinde

[Drowsy Emperor]

My gut feeling tells me that sales will probably be in the 3DS ballpark, which seems good and is profitable, until you understand that Nintendo is replacing two devices with one and therefore should sell much more on average.

 

It also shows a certain dearth of ideas as the gaming tablet has been tried several times already.

 

To be fair, you have to understand that as a portable in 2017 it can't be like old portables. When every mobile phone provides a big screen to play games on you either need to one up them or go home. Having to add tactile buttons that are also comfortable to grip to a phone size screen already makes it not pocketable - so it might as well be tablet size to capitalize on increased screen real estate.

 

However the dead on arrival aspect is a legit concern. I'd say that about every other company that tried this but Nintendo has a de-facto monopoly on the handheld market at the moment. If there is any space for a device like this its probably only Nintendo that can make use of it.

 

Regardless, there is also a decent chance that this is the last dedicated portable gaming device of note.

Edited October 21, 2016 by Drowsy Emperor

[Blarghagh]

Honestly the convenience of being able to pick up my console game and continue when my girlfriend needs the TV or I need to catch a train or something is priceless to me - that's a huge difference between it and any other "I guess I'll bring Pokémon with me to play or something because I can't bring the game I really want to play" mobile device. This is the first time in years that I'm considering buying a console. Which makes sense, because I'd been looking into the nVidia Shield before and this is pretty much that with Nintendo support.

 

But I need much more info before I actually do, such as knowing the specs, if there's sufficient release-titles, a post-release slate worth sticking around for and most importantly power management and battery life. No use being able to take Skyrim with me on the train if it lasts twenty minutes, am I right? And I don't want another Wii situation where I buy a console and get maybe 50 hours out of it over its entire lifespan.

 

I just think the NX Switch is way too big to succeed as a traditional handheld and much too underpowered to succeed as a home console, not to mention a different architecture to the PS4 and XBone, which will quickly kill 3rd party support, and it will be the Wii U all over again.

 

How do you know if it's underpowered? Are there any real specs? Boogie2988's source has thus far been confirmed legit and also said it was on better or on par with the XBox 1 (which sounds unlikely, but he was right about everything else).

 

EDIT: Haha, I was checking Boogie's twitter to check if I read that correctly and he started calling it the Nintablet.

Edited October 21, 2016 by TrueNeutral

[Vaeliorin]

How do you know if it's underpowered? Are there any real specs? Boogie2988's source has thus far been confirmed legit and also said it was on better or on par with the XBox 1 (which sounds unlikely, but he was right about everything else).

I honestly don't know how they'd manage to do that and deal with heating issues. It's not like there's room for any significant fans, and I wouldn't want to hold a device that gets as hot as a gaming laptop for any extended period of time.  It also seems like not many games would support the co-op feature, as coming up with a control scheme that works with just one of those little controller things would be extremely limiting. as it appears to just have an analog stick and 4 buttons.

 

Honestly, it seems like something that would appeal to existing Nintendo fans, but I'm not sure how much it would expand their market, and I think that's something they really need to do if  they want to keep making non-handheld consoles.

[Blarghagh]

I did say it was unlikely. It's using updated nVidia Shield technology though, and that was always surprisingly powerful. In either case, even if it's not as powerful as the XBone and PS4, it looks powerful enough for me. I think that whether or not it's underpowered compared to those consoles doesn't matter, I don't think power is a selling point these days. Core gamers don't use consoles anymore.

[Drowsy Emperor]

There is no way it can be on a power level with current home consoles. Just the cooling system of the XBone is bigger and thicker than the Switch's screen, and that houses the entire device.

 

The 3DS was between the Dreamcast and PS2 in power, so I wouldn't expect this thing to be far above the PS3.

 

The problem with power is not having power for its own sake, but the inability of the device to keep pace with new releases. The WiiU couldn't run its competitor's games in a satisfactory manner so its third party support died and it ended up being a Nintendobox. We saw how that turned out.

 

Now this is a portable, so expectations are lower from the start...but its also in HD. Thereby games are no longer dirt cheap to make like they were on the 3DS, so 3DS's current support like Atlus or Squeenix need to invest more to bring a game to the device and that will definitely affect the number of available games. No easy porting means things have to be made for it, HD means they ain't cheap. 

Edited October 21, 2016 by Drowsy Emperor

[Blarghagh]

I can't say I'm not worried about the third part support. I'm guessing that's why they released their list of partnered devs and tech companies:

 

 

I think a smart move is the focus on Skyrim in that trailer. They don't seem to be afraid to bring older titles to this. An expanded library of old titles complimenting the new ones, especially ones with high playtime value, is a smart idea. Playing Skyrim requires a lot of time, time that will be easier to find if you can just grab your console and take it with you.

[Drowsy Emperor]

Skyrim is five years old and at this point is only meant to be played heavily modded.

 

I don't see the point of the game on the NX other than as an attempt to prove to the core crowd that they're in there somewhere too

Edited October 21, 2016 by Drowsy Emperor

[Blarghagh]

Yes, that's why I'm saying it needs to be an expanded library of older titles, not JUST Skyrim. A backlog of titles that you can play while waiting for a new game is invaluable. Don't forget that's how Steam became huge, and is the entire business model of GOG. With the recent resurgence in Pokémon sales and their gimmicky NES thing, there's no way Nintendo doesn't realize by now how many people are looking to play older titles, and by using Skyrim they show that not only will they have older titles, it won't even be just Nintendo titles. I also assume this is the Skyrim Enhanced Edition, which after a big hullaballoo can now be modded on both larger consoles. It'd be silly that Bethesda pushed for that with Sony but not Nintendo.

 

But yeah, ideal world and all that. Nintendo has been known to **** up on things like this.

[Katphood]

Day 2,

Still haven't figured out the difference between this:

 

and this: