Nintendo Switch successor

[dudeguy]

Media outlets are saying that a successor to the Switch could be arriving as soon as September 2024.

 

Do you personally feel we need a new Nintendo console?

 

I barely scratched the surface with my Switch, as I am primarily a retro gamer and there haven't been very many games this generation that I felt I absolutely had to have. The online service didn't/doesn't appeal much to me as I already own a lot of the retro games offered on there and would prefer to play them on the original systems anyways.

 

The only reason I would go out of my way to play a Switch is because the Pro controller is more comfortable than any other console's controller that I own (I don't have a PS4, PS5, or Xboxes from those respective gens ) and I like the ability to play the Switch anywhere I want. The only downside I see with the Switch the D-pad which I've hated from the start. The analog sticks could've been a little bigger as well.

 

I hope that the next Nintendo console does not have a battery in it. These batteries do not last forever and I would hate to see the consoles being unplayable 30 years from now when they won't charge up.

 

What would you like to see in the next Nintendo console?

[roots.genoa]

9 hours ago, dudeguy said:

I hope that the next Nintendo console does not have a battery in it.

Uh... Are you saying it should use AAA batteries instead?? That won't happen.

[Cris1997XX]

I'd like to see a decent hardware upgrade, for one thing. There were multiple rumors about Nvidia's latest SoC planned to be used in the Switch 2, yet it's barely as powerful as a frickin' RTX 2050. That thing is supposed to have raytracing but I'm sure it will be even worse than what the PS5 and Xbox Series X can do

[dudeguy]

1 hour ago, roots.genoa said:

Uh... Are you saying it should use AAA batteries instead?? That won't happen.

I don't know what the solution is, but at least make it like the PSP where you can remove the damn battery

[Tanooki]

Given they've had hardware ready for awhile, you have to remember that they're still on that nvidia trail and that the somewhat manufacture part shortage drag out coupled with the virus stalled a lot of stuff.  As of now, they're still holding back on putting out finished hardware because the switch still sells like crack.  If they had admitted they had something done and ready, even a perspective year, it'll slice current system sales bad shooting themselves in the foot.

 

What will come likely is the Odin chipset from the Tegra line from Nvidia, custom mind you as usual, you'll get your PS4pro quality level output on the thing, 5 probably not, but who knows.  The game card they made are still viable, proprietary, and smart.  Before the Switch arrived they created up to a 64GB card, but it would have made games like $70-80 at retail, so they didn't push it as the 32GB was nearly asking too much.  Given the size consoles play with on disc now, a double density ultra blu ray, which rests at 66GB, it would be a good piece to stick with to stay in fair parity for storage needs.  And remember the OLED dock is 4K capable, just the system put into it isn't.

 

I'd imagine your new system would be semi-ODIN like, a considerable bump in system memory, probably 2-4x the internal storage as I doubt they'd go with a full on 1TB+ ssd inside to keep costs down.  Games will be capable of that 64GB space so they're not restrictive, a unit that can run in 4K at the dock, probably 1080p at best on the go as you really don't need more with a window that size.  They'll probably keep the joycon setup going directly on it/part of it, because it works to share and to work on the go, on the go with friends, or as a choice on the big screen.

[GraffitiTavern]

Mostly a Nintendo gamer, so I am looking forward to the Switch 2 assuming it is backwards compatible. I tend to hit up sales for physical games, so I have quite a few carts I want to still use.
As long as the games are good(they seem to have maxed out what they can do on current Switch hardware) and it can output at 4K I am fine with a comparatively modest upgrade. I am annoyed about the subscription bloat going out with current gen systems, so I hope they don't lock too much behind the Switch Online Expansion for the new system. Still hoping someone fills the vacuum for an actual pocketable modern system/Game Boy successor, the Switch/Steam Deck/Odin is too bulky to actually take on the go most times.

[roots.genoa]

6 hours ago, Tanooki said:

5 probably not, but who knows

The PS5 is not exactly portable right now, so there's no way anyone would make a handheld as powerful as a PS5 with an acceptable battery life and price. I've said it before but it's like project management; you can't have 1) power 2) affordability 3) battery/compactness at the same time. It's physically impossible.

[Tanooki]

I was projecting a bit, given even if something is done, as the prices per part come down, they could maintain a budget and inch up the potential of what is inside.  From my understanding what is on deck is PS4 territory from its lifetime, a bump from the PS3 level style of pull the current system can handle.  For a custom Nintendo done portable, and one that's not Steam deck/Odin/ROG priced that's pretty damn good.  I know they don't want to drop the battery life of what exists now, so yes they'd need to manage what exists, vs what battery quality exists to keep similar figures.

[zzip]

 

If it launches in Sept, what will be the flagship title to go with it?  Seeing how Mario and Zelda recently had major releases

On 1/1/2024 at 6:32 AM, dudeguy said:

What would you like to see in the next Nintendo console?

Joycons that don't suck!

[Astro Rabby]

Every year same "Switch 2 when??" rumors. I'll believe it when I see it.

I hope they stick with the "weak but cheap" approach. Like yeah stronger than the Switch we have but still affordable.

[roots.genoa]

2 hours ago, zzip said:

If it launches in Sept, what will be the flagship title to go with it?  Seeing how Mario and Zelda recently had major releases

Metroid Prime 4 would be my guess.

[Video]

The switch is insanely popular, and I'd say any successor should be bc to the switch. Do we need another one? Maybe not, but it is showing its age and there are plenty of titles not available on it due to lack of power. The switch is just a tablet after all, but, even with the new oled model, its still a ten year old console. They could do s new one, but like I said, bc is s must, and keep physical too. I and I assume many others still sport switch because I don't have to do online with it.

 

Now the switch feature, the part that makes it switch, ability to be handheld, or on tv. I'm kind of torn on that one. I love the idea, but in practice, I almost never use it. Maybe they can go for simpler like switch lite, but still have tv connectivity built in? So many elcheapo handhelds do this, all the way down to $15 handhelds (those zillion in one jobs) and evercade, and others, no reason not to, why not Nintendo? One wire, no cradle. That, or make two distinct consoles, a full on handheld, and a full console, but to me that seems overly complicated. Either way, they need a much better way of carrying your profile and saves between consoles, their current setup sucks for that.

 

Anyhow, we all know a new Nintendo is coming, and as the switch started out weak (hardware speaking) its about time too. I just hope they do it right.

[dudeguy]

22 hours ago, GraffitiTavern said:

Mostly a Nintendo gamer, so I am looking forward to the Switch 2 assuming it is backwards compatible. I tend to hit up sales for physical games, so I have quite a few carts I want to still use.
As long as the games are good(they seem to have maxed out what they can do on current Switch hardware) and it can output at 4K I am fine with a comparatively modest upgrade. I am annoyed about the subscription bloat going out with current gen systems, so I hope they don't lock too much behind the Switch Online Expansion for the new system. Still hoping someone fills the vacuum for an actual pocketable modern system/Game Boy successor, the Switch/Steam Deck/Odin is too bulky to actually take on the go most times.

if the next console is backwards compatible, old Switch games will likely retain more value than they would otherwise. my two cents

[GraffitiTavern]

4 hours ago, Video said:

a full on handheld, and a full console, but to me that seems overly complicated

I mean, that's what they had every generation until this one. A good dedicated handheld could probably still push 25/30+ million units(based on the fact the Switch Lite has sold ~20 million), but that is likely too low for Nintendo to go for, considering the lowest selling handheld they've made, the 3DS, shipped 75 million units.

 

 

[Tanooki]

They no longer have the RD team or setup to do the console and a handheld thing, probably couldn't even properly bank roll and run with it for too long.  They won't release a costly system as the others do, and at a good loss no less, so making console hardware for them is a dead issue, they're out.  Handheld has kept them in fantastic standing since the N64 era, with a few quarters and a year in the toilet because of how god awful the PiiU was -- the only time they had quarterly let alone yearly loss reportings to the stocks for hte history of the company since they went into toys, then video games.  As such they killed the R&D department #1 which was consoles and merged what good it had into the handheld division as a cost cutting and focusing initiative going into the Switch.  They know they need to stay the line that works for them, dedicated portable system with their key franchises and second party partners.  They also know they can't be douchy to third parties anymore or make obtuse coding packages and road blocks to using popular catch all gaming engines.  Switch checked all the boxes they knew they needed and here we are with it still going into year 7 soon enough, on a system well pointed out that's a decade old being the Nvidia Shield Tablet without the nasty android and very bloated nvidia tools sucking half its resources up (I had one.)

 

As it is now more premium stuff like Hogwarts come out with compromises that are growing, but not insurmountable yet but it's on the very edge.  More stuff just can't make it.   That one isn't a flowing land like others, it loads areas much like the load screens PS2 had when GTA3 crosses a bridge to another section of the map.  And other stuff just doesn't happen because even the dynamic changing of resolution in places of the screen and lighting in places, etc can only go so far.  The Switch was a PS3-esque capable system, the new one needs to be in the PS4/pro spectrum to maintain a price point, power consumption vs battery reality, and enough to keep the future selection of ports and mobile game carry overs possible for another 5-10 years out.

[roots.genoa]

Previous Nintendo systems had an approximate two-generation gap with the current home systems, but the Switch (and the Vita before it) reduced it to one (at least on launch of course), which probably explains its success (but also the fact its battery wasn't as good as previous handhelds, and that it was clearly bigger).

 

So reaching the level of the PS4 will be enough imho, especially since most of the power of the PS5/Series X is used for 4K; when playing on a 2K screen, the games don't look a lot better than the previous generation. That is why GPU makers are always coming up with new systems to render 4K more easily, through AI and extrapolation, because 4K is a massive power (and data) consumption drain. Games are now 150 GB without looking "big". I personally think we should have stuck to 2K (a lot of movie theaters still play movies in 2K and their screens are far bigger than yours, even though you can't fully compare a movie to a video game made of polygons obviously).

 

Given that every Nintendo system has been backwards compatible in the past 20 years (except the Switch for obvious reasons), and that the Switch was a huge success, it would be completely stupid for Nintendo if Switch's successor wasn't bc. I wonder how they'll deal with 4K in docked mode for the reasons I explained above, but I don't care much since I mostly play handheld.

 

The two things I would really like to see are:

1. streaming apps; being able to keep watching your movie/show while going to the bathroom would be very convenient (my PS4 was almost only used to watch Blu-rays and streaming apps)
2. the possibility to suspend several games at the same time (like Xbox' Quick Resume)

[Tanooki]

I do agree with roots there, 4K is a pig at every possible dimension and the returns on it diminish in what you get out of it vs the step before it, and even in a ways even under that depending how small your screen is because at a point enough is enough and it's just lost.  The Gamecube itself could do obscene detail lost on the blurry cap of the RCA cable and a pre-HD screen, but using dolphin, or an hdmi product like I had you saw some great efforts lost for decades.  It's kind of a thing like that, but not, like backwards.   The 4K thing is causing games to not give that much more to be seen by many, and yet the trade off is causing games to have unstable frame rate and frame time which causes a wonky experience.  People would bitch about the Switch with like Dark Souls, but the tech nerds at DF had a field day ont hat one ripping the PS4/XB at the time because they claimed 60, usually rotted in the 40s, and the frame time was wobbly causing mistimed swings, camera movement etc, yet despite being lowly and locking it at 30FPS the experience was fluid compared, you knew where you stood.

 

Just because the OLED dock is 4K capable, doesn't mean they have to do it.  Maybe that midpoint is enough, if you cap the resources lower you can squeeze a hell ot of lot more performance from a game than another system that ops into 4K+ territory wasting far more resources, storage medium space, etc.

[roots.genoa]

My guess is they'll just use Nvidia's magic trick (don't remember the name) that turns any picture in 4K by extrapolating stuff, so people with a 4K TV will be happy and it won't use much more resources than displaying a 2K picture.

[Video]

Oh, when I said full handheld and full console, I meant but still use the same format/games. Much like the switch lite is still a switch, just no tv hookup, but thus far, Nintendo hasn't exactly made a switch that's only console. A console could cut some price by not needing attachable controllers and a screen and you could have 2 $200 sku instead of one and a $350 sku.

 

I love handheld, and the convenience of it, but wouldn't want to go back to dedicated much weaker handhelds like back in the game boy days (not that it wasn't still one of my all time favorite systems.

[Tanooki]

I would be surprised if they did a dedicated console, not largely but somewhat.  I think realistic they'd probably do what they have now basically ... standard hybrid, and handheld more robust and cheaper option only for the kids, clumsy, more budget minded.

[Hwlngmad]

I certainly hope Nintendo does a Switch successor seeing as how they are (seemingly) out of the dedicated handheld game.  If they do make a Switch 2 and it is backwards compatible, I think it will be a winner.  Also, it doesn't have to be a big time powerhouse.  Something to the level of the PS4 Pro would be more than enough I would think.  Needless to say, though, the Switch is getting a bit old.  Still, it continues to sell and make Nintendo hand over fist.  I would imagine we would see the Switch's successor next year and not this year.  But, this is Nintendo so we will see what they do.

[Video]

Heck yeah. Being bleeding edge isn't that important nowdays, especially as upgrades are very incremental now. (How much more is ps5 and xbox current over than Xbox one and ps4? Outside better 4k support it hazard a guess of' not very') its just switch was last gen already compared to those, more like ps3 x360 level, and it is showing its age now.

 

Like I said, want a new mario, probably don't need new hardware, its not pushing much, despite being some amazing games. Want other new stuff, cod, or a new fallout, that's where the current switch fails and it needs an update.

 

BC would let people in with an instant library of already owned and loved games. I vaguely get some people saying no (it adds wear and tear to the console playing more games, or encourages people to buy less new titles) but outside us outliers, most people won't have dozens or hundreds of games anyways. People who like them will always buy the new Mario anyways, so unless compatibility would somehow deminish or cripple new hardware, I've never seen a reason not to do t.

[RARusk]

Yes, but can it play Doom?

[+jgkspsx]

The Switch is the second best selling console of all time and, along with the PS4 if not ahead of it, one of the best systems ever made for retro gamers who like to support companies keeping retro games alive. This generation brought hundreds if not thousands of arcade games home that had never had home ports before.

 

If the Switch 2 is backwards compatible physically and digitally, I am there day 1. One way or another, it is coming this fall. Switch sales have finally started to fall and pretty much everyone from developers to the stock market is certain it's coming in Q4.

 

As an aside, the hardware prowess of modern PC and console systems has made developing AAA titles HUGELY risky for companies. I think that's one of the drivers of the current mini-crash that has cost thousands of developers jobs and put dozens of companies out of business. What it is already doing is speeding up the use of generative AI for making games. I would rather play Combat one player than play an AI fever dream.

[+jgkspsx]

On 1/2/2024 at 9:36 PM, GraffitiTavern said:

I mean, that's what they had every generation until this one. A good dedicated handheld could probably still push 25/30+ million units(based on the fact the Switch Lite has sold ~20 million), but that is likely too low for Nintendo to go for, considering the lowest selling handheld they've made, the 3DS, shipped 75 million units.

And games cost (A LOT) more to make. Already in the DS/Wii/3DS/Wii U era Nintendo struggled to make games for both consoles at the same time. Splitting their dev teams across systems is something that just won't happen anymore.