The rumour mill continues around the successor to the Switch, but is this one the one? According to Video Games Chronicle, and corroborated by Eurogamer, Nintendo is likely to release its next-gen hardware in the second half of 2024. VGC's sources, which include "multiple people with knowledge of Nintendo's next-gen console plans", claim that the device will be useable in handheld mode and support physical cartridges like the Switch. However, backwards compatibility remains unclear.

The next-gen hardware will also apparently sport an LCD display, instead of an OLED one, in order to keep costs low while packing higher storage for higher fidelity games. Dev kits of the system are also with key partners, according to the report.

Of course, take this report with a grain of salt as these are unofficial news and rumours around a Switch Pro or Switch 2 have been around for a while. But eventually, we will get a successor to the Switch in one form or another; and whether it will replicate the latter's success remains to be seen.

SOURCE

 

[tabzer]

I'm sorry that your previous comments were interpreted as suggesting that Apple shouldn't promote gaming. Please let me know what 20 years too late really meant.

I did not suggest that exclusivity should be a path that anyone should take, but I did argue how it can still be a net benefit to the gaming space if applied in a way that benefits developer. It's funny that we both dislike your idea.

 

[osaka35]

Downplaying any progressive step just because it isn't "good enough" to you is still a form of gatekeeping. Maybe reconsider your approach and make open suggestions how you'd like them to embrace gaming; I'm sure they'd be happy to have you as a customer. The EGS situation is a good example of where exclusivity can deprive people of something. Hopefully their supposed exclusives (your claim) would proportionately uplift developers and unique titles.

I'm not the one who suggested that they'd use Proton for exclusivity or do exclusives at all, btw.

I'll support whatever helps prevent games turning into a service rather than a product. Even nintendo has turned their back-catalog into a service, which is disheartening.

 

[tabzer]

I'll support whatever helps prevent games into a service rather than a product. Even nintendo has turned their back catalog into a service, which is disheartening.

I see the "subscription model" being adopted by every industry. Buying physical may help deter it, but I can't see it changing the outcome.

 

[smf]

That’s one way to look at it. Another way to look at it is that you can play the same games better on better hardware. We can all pretend that sub-30 FPS and sub-HD resolution is acceptable in 2023, but if I have the option to avoid making the game play like molasses and look like a smear of Vaseline then yeah, I’m going to spend the extra money to do that. You’re welcome to have an objectively worse experience if that’s what you want to do, I personally find it frustrating that Nintendo does not have a high end option for customers who would happily spend more to get their games to look and play the best they can.

It's a difficult balance for Nintendo.

They could put out yearly updates to the switch, games would look like crap on anything but the latest version and they would have to now have to QA the same game on 7 different generations of hardware.

I'm not going to say it isn't time for a switch 2, but there will always be better hardware out there if you want to spend money on it.

 

[Foxi4]

It's a difficult balance for Nintendo.

They could put out yearly updates to the switch, games would look like crap on anything but the latest version and they would have to now have to QA the same game on 7 different generations of hardware.

I'm not going to say it isn't time for a switch 2, but there will always be better hardware out there if you want to spend money on it.

Nobody’s saying anything about yearly updates, everybody knew day 1 that the Switch was going to be underpowered even if the wildest online speculation turned out to be true (or at least I did, and I wrote extensively about it) and we didn’t have too many issues with that - it’s in line with their “withered technology” strategy that they’ve followed quite diligently throughout the company’s history. They firmly believe that software is king, and they’re right, to an extent. Problems arise when the hardware can no longer support the software and becomes a limiting factor in both creativity and third-party library expansion. Even Nintendo’s own games are having a rough time running well on the platform, which is an obvious indication that the time to introduce a stopgap at the very least has already passed - games aren’t made in an afternoon. I think customers should expect more for their money, that’s all. Nobody’s expecting Nintendo to be on the bleeding edge and also sell consoles for pennies, but there’s a certain standard that they’re failing to meet. Full HD and 30 FPS cap was the target last generation, if they’re consistently failing to meet even that then they’re a decade behind everybody else, and pointing that out is not unfair.

 

[ertaboy356b]

How can EGS be gatekeeping if the account is free.

 

[tabzer]

How can EGS be gatekeeping if the account is free.

The argument was about the business involving the games (buying IP, and removing it from other platforms), not the actual store front. There can be more of an argument about whether or not that the exposure EGS provides is a net boon.

 

[ertaboy356b]

The argument was about the business involving the games (buying IP, and removing it from other platforms), not the actual store front. There can be more of an argument about whether or not that the exposure EGS provides is a net boon.

Like I said, it's not gatekeeping if the account is free. It's not like you have to buy a different console to play that one game.

 

[tabzer]

Like I said, it's not gatekeeping if the account is free. It's not like you have to buy a different console to play that one game.

I'm only referring to limiting access on other platforms and controlling price points; monopoly.

 

[subcon959]

Like I said, it's not gatekeeping if the account is free. It's not like you have to buy a different console to play that one game.

Some people just want everything on their preferred desktop icon. It's a bizarre way to look at things for me, but that's the situation.

 

[TomSwitch]

I'll support whatever helps prevent games turning into a service rather than a product. Even nintendo has turned their back-catalog into a service, which is disheartening.

Played Netflix game yet? They are testing the water.

When is the coder strike coming?

Post automatically merged: Aug 4, 2023

Nobody’s saying anything about yearly updates, everybody knew day 1 that the Switch was going to be underpowered even if the wildest online speculation turned out to be true (or at least I did, and I wrote extensively about it) and we didn’t have too many issues with that - it’s in line with their “withered technology” strategy that they’ve followed quite diligently throughout the company’s history. They firmly believe that software is king, and they’re right, to an extent. Problems arise when the hardware can no longer support the software and becomes a limiting factor in both creativity and third-party library expansion. Even Nintendo’s own games are having a rough time running well on the platform, which is an obvious indication that the time to introduce a stopgap at the very least has already passed - games aren’t made in an afternoon. I think customers should expect more for their money, that’s all. Nobody’s expecting Nintendo to be on the bleeding edge and also sell consoles for pennies, but there’s a certain standard that they’re failing to meet. Full HD and 30 FPS cap was the target last generation, if they’re consistently failing to meet even that then they’re a decade behind everybody else, and pointing that out is not unfair.

I was just playing "Oceanhorn 2 - Knights of the Lost Realm" on PC.
Oh what an upgrade from the Switch version.

The developer release it for the most popular platform(phone), then port it to the next popular platform(Switch) and finally port it to the least popular platform ( PC, PS5, XboxXS )

I am happy that most game is the other way around. Wait 2 years to have it on Switch rather than wait 2 years for it to come to PC.

 

[Komas19]

View attachment 386043​

The rumour mill continues around the successor to the Switch, but is this one the one? According to Video Games Chronicle, and corroborated by Eurogamer, Nintendo is likely to release its next-gen hardware in the second half of 2024. VGC's sources, which include "multiple people with knowledge of Nintendo's next-gen console plans", claim that the device will be useable in handheld mode and support physical cartridges like the Switch. However, backwards compatibility remains unclear.

The next-gen hardware will also apparently sport an LCD display, instead of an OLED one, in order to keep costs low while packing higher storage for higher fidelity games. Dev kits of the system are also with key partners, according to the report.

Of course, take this report with a grain of salt as these are unofficial news and rumours around a Switch Pro or Switch 2 have been around for a while. But eventually, we will get a successor to the Switch in one form or another; and whether it will replicate the latter's success remains to be seen.

SOURCE

if the next-gen hardware, as soon as i get it, i will try not to update it so that i have a chance to homebrew it unlike the switch

 

[smf]

Nobody’s expecting Nintendo to be on the bleeding edge and also sell consoles for pennies,

I'm not convinced. The argument about "you could spend much more money and emulate the switch and get better performance" has been true for a while and people have been banging on about it for ages.

 

[tabzer]

Some people just want everything on their preferred desktop icon. It's a bizarre way to look at things for me, but that's the situation.

I'm personally not a big fan of having a client being tied to and run in the background when I run a PC game, meanwhile some people live in Steam. I don't know how harmful vs helpful Epic's business strategy is in in making gaming more accessible. Some complaints I've heard is range from IP control and console restriction, exclusives deals and the such. I don't know how much of that is rooted in reality, and it's a bit different than suggesting that a platform shouldn't bother supporting games. There is a trend in companies trying to enrich their own platform and shifting into a service provider instead a retailer, but EPS hasn't done that afaik.

 

[Guacaholey]

Yeah, Ratchet & Clank runs better on PC. It’s a native port, nobody’s surprised by that. All Switch games run better on a PC when *emulated*, big difference. I don’t know why you’d think this was a good “gotcha” thing to bring up. Switch enjoyers are genuinely facing an interesting conundrum here as running their favourite games on the Switch is probably the worst way to play them right now. I’m including the ROG Ally in this assessment, which has the same form factor and runs Switch games better than the Switch does, in spite of higher overhead. The comparison to the GBA is apples and oranges in more ways than you’d think - GBA games were tied to the CPU clock. Increasing the speed of the hardware literally meant that the game itself would run faster. That’s not how it’s done anymore. What GBA are we talking too? The OG, with a screen that requires you to sit on the face of the sun to see anything? Or a nicely modded one? There’s big difference.

I don't think every game does. The poorly optimized ones like Deadly Premonition 2 run like ass even on an emulator.

 

[Foxi4]

I don't think every game does. The poorly optimized ones like Deadly Premonition 2 run like ass even on an emulator.

It runs like ass on everything, it’s a SWERY game, that’s like, half of the charm.

 

[Foxi4]

I'm not convinced. The argument about "you could spend much more money and emulate the switch and get better performance" has been true for a while and people have been banging on about it for ages.

The fact that it’s an on-going issue should be food for thought for Nintendo engineers - there’s clearly an on-going demand for emulation of those devices specifically.

 

[smf]

The fact that it’s an on-going issue should be food for thought for Nintendo engineers - there’s clearly an on-going demand for emulation of those devices specifically.

Nintendo engineers have no say at all over what gets released.

 

[gaga941021]

Sweet! Can't wait for the Super Switch U 2

What an original joke.

 

[Foxi4]

Nintendo engineers have no say at all over what gets released.

Alright, the hardware just grows on trees then. Someone in the company is responsible for narrowing down the spec and the break even point for the BOM, so that person should consider the aforementioned trend.