What's up with the frequency of HorizonOS updates?

[Ondrashek06]

The Switch 2 ships with HorizonOS 19.0.1 already on it. It's been only like a month since release, and we've already had these updates:

- 20.0.0 (the major Switch 2 update)
- 20.0.1 (boot-up error code fix)
- 20.1.0 (minor Parental Controls tweaks and NSO applet sound update)
- 20.1.1 (game loader fix)
- 20.1.5 (stability)
- 20.2.0 (Parental Controls bugfix)

I know that a new console practically just released, however this is a team that usually takes months to release a new update. And that's not to mention the weird jump from 20.1.1 to 20.1.5 which iirc hasn't ever happened with Nintendo.

 

[yankii]

Devs trying to keep their jobs in this economy by doing busywork.

 

[ihaveahax]

Because of what you said already, the console just released. The “months between updates” became that when the Switch 1 was already out for years.

 

[l7777]

The Switch 2 ships with HorizonOS 19.0.1 already on it. It's been only like a month since release, and we've already had these updates:

- 20.0.0 (the major Switch 2 update)
- 20.0.1 (boot-up error code fix)
- 20.1.0 (minor Parental Controls tweaks and NSO applet sound update)
- 20.1.1 (game loader fix)
- 20.1.5 (stability)
- 20.2.0 (Parental Controls bugfix)

I know that a new console practically just released, however this is a team that usually takes months to release a new update. And that's not to mention the weird jump from 20.1.1 to 20.1.5 which iirc hasn't ever happened with Nintendo.

There are always things to be updated/fixed/enhanced in software. If we look at this another way, it used to take months or years to get anything fixed after a device was released. People should be happy that Nintendo is releasing fixes as they come up rather than letting them sit. I don't think anyone would really even notice if they weren't hoping against hope that somewhere in 20.1.1 there is a mythical kernel level vulnerability that will allow them to compromise the system.

 

[FernandoRocker]

Mostly backwards compatibility fixes. Example: Portal games were just fixed.

 

[Purple_Shyguy]

They just launched a new system. They have to make it stable. To improve user experience.

 

[ut2k4master]

Mostly backwards compatibility fixes. Example: Portal games were just fixed.

this.
they had several fixes with almost every release. in addition to portal 2 being fixed in the latest update i also noticed several sega ages titles like g-loc and virtua racing also being fixed with the same update

 

[Nephiel]

People should be happy that Nintendo is releasing fixes as they come up rather than letting them sit.

I was happier back when the software on a console was complete on release and there was nothing to fix.

Online updates were supposed to be a good thing for us as consumers, to add new functions and features, or improve existing ones, for free. Instead, they're being used as a means for the manufacturer to control and restrict how our hardware can be used.

 

[Ryccardo]

Unrelated premise but same conclusion: http://www.jwz.org/doc/cadt.html

however this is a team that usually takes months to release a new update

Like 40% of 3DS updates (usually of the "fix people having fun running SNES games" kind) had a fix for the fix the next week

 

[Bigdrago]

To keep us away from using homebrew on switch1

 

[xbmcuser]

Before the Switch 2 was released to the public they had maybe 40 QA testers finding bugs, requesting feature changes.
They now have logs of user crashes and request from 4 million users!