667 replies to this topic

[Moonbread]

Third parties have been saying that Switch is really easy to develop for- I've heard some say it's the easiest of the big 3.  So, that's no longer a factor as it was for the Wii U.

[Saffith]

Isn't Star Wars Rogue Leader 1 also on Gamecube?

The first one was Rogue Squadron on N64.

[Nicholas Steel]

The first one was Rogue Squadron on N64.

I guess my memory is just bad then.

[TheLegend_njf]

 

This is how I feel about the Switch. Sorry people, but I almost feel I'd rather get Zelda on the Wii U.

[Cukeman]

If nothing else, Nintendo has created a buzz and a hype for this that the WiiU didn't have.

[Russ]

Third parties have been saying that Switch is really easy to develop for- I've heard some say it's the easiest of the big 3.  So, that's no longer a factor as it was for the Wii U.

This is good to hear, but it is only half the equation. The Switch is weird to talk about because it's trying to fill the home console and handheld niche.

Handheld niche will be interesting to see. Believe it or not, the DS (and later 3DS) did so well because they weren't very powerful. The PSP and PS Vita were capable of a lot more, meaning developers had to put in a lot more work to make a game that would ultimately make the same amount of money. For handheld games, it was easier to go with Nintendo and make more money off less effort.

Home consoles are another beast altogether. Generally, the game is created for the leading console, then ported to the others. Sony and Microsoft are usually comparable in terms of power, so it's an easy port. Nintendo usually lags far behind, necessitating large rewrites for ports to work, which most developers don't want to put the effort into.

So this puts Switch in an awkward spot. While it may be the easiest of the big 3 to develop for, I can't say most devs working on a Switch game and porting it to PS4 and XBox One. Switch is a less powerful console with a different control scheme, so it'd make sense to makes big games for the two and ignore the one rather than the other way around. That means Switch is gonna have to play the "I'm the easiest handheld to develop for" card and hope that's effective. Because it basically has a monopoly on handhelds now (Sony's dropped out, as far as I can tell), this should (hopefully) be effective.

Best case scenario I can see is the Switch getting good third party support, but having an entirely different third party lineup than the other two consoles. Worst case, Wii U 2.0. I'm hoping it's the former, but I don't feel I'm informed enough to offer a definitive prediction, and I don't know if I trust Nintendo enough to say "They'll do what they need to for it to get the third party support."

[TheLegend_njf]

That means Switch is gonna have to play the "I'm the easiest handheld to develop for" card and hope that's effective. Because it basically has a monopoly on handhelds now (Sony's dropped out, as far as I can tell), this should (hopefully) be effective.

 

That's if the Switch itself has a future in the handheld market. This is not something I can see people seeing as a portable handheld device by definition or even in overall impression, I'm sorry. So if the Switch struggles much similar to that of the Wii U and I feel that it will, I can easily see a "true" 3ds predecessor appearing on the shelves in only a few years, which will of course put the Switch in exactly the same situation or even in a worse situation that the Wii U is in now.  

 

I also believe this so confidently that a new Nintendo handheld is what I'm actually going to be holding out on and saving my money for. 

[The Satellite]

Handheld niche will be interesting to see. Believe it or not, the DS (and later 3DS) did so well because they weren't very powerful. The PSP and PS Vita were capable of a lot more, meaning developers had to put in a lot more work to make a game that would ultimately make the same amount of money. For handheld games, it was easier to go with Nintendo and make more money off less effort.

I watched a video recently on this subject and believe it or not, the Vita did better in Japan (not sure about better than 3DS but certainly much better than the Vita did in the US) because apparently the Japanese gaming audience are bigger graphics whores than the US's. So having this more powerful system that's essentially a handheld you can plug into a TV will probably guarantee success... ... in Japan at least. Of course I'm hoping it remains successful here, but it's almost certainly a guaranteed success overseas at least.

[TheLegend_njf]

So having this more powerful system that's essentially a handheld you can plug into a TV will probably guarantee success... ... in Japan at least. Of course I'm hoping it remains successful here, but it's almost certainly a guaranteed success overseas at least.

 

Good point. This is probably why the Switch exists, then. I never even thought about this. Their culture and what's in demand over there is in high contrast compared to what we like over here in the west apparenlty, which isn't bad though if you're not a western gamer.

[Anthus]

I for one, see myself using it extensively as a portable system. That's a big draw for me, and it's exactly what I wanted and hoped the Wii U would be (but actually successful).

[The Satellite]

https://twitter.com/...78510030745600/

 

Apparently this is one of the first TV ads, found on Nintendo Germany's Facebook. Basically a shortened version of the October trailer. Honestly I find this idea hilarious that you're just gonna take a Switch on a bus and some random stranger beside you's gonna be wowed by your device and/or gameplay. Take it on a bus? Sure. Make best friends with the person next to you? Well, if they're a Nintendo fan, possibly, otherwise, nah.

[LinktheMaster]

I watched a video recently on this subject and believe it or not, the Vita did better in Japan (not sure about better than 3DS but certainly much better than the Vita did in the US) because apparently the Japanese gaming audience are bigger graphics whores than the US's. So having this more powerful system that's essentially a handheld you can plug into a TV will probably guarantee success... ... in Japan at least. Of course I'm hoping it remains successful here, but it's almost certainly a guaranteed success overseas at least.

Eh, I'm not sure what their sources are as this isn't really right. The Vita's sales in Japan are minuscule in comparison to the 3DS's sales. It's also true the Vita has sold better comparatively in Japan than in the US, but that's primarily due to it having more JRPGs (at least more otaku-specific JRPGs) than due to its graphics.

[TheLegend_njf]

That Switch song though.

[The Satellite]

Eh, I'm not sure what their sources are as this isn't really right. The Vita's sales in Japan are minuscule in comparison to the 3DS's sales. It's also true the Vita has sold better comparatively in Japan than in the US, but that's primarily due to it having more JRPGs (at least more otaku-specific JRPGs) than due to its graphics.

That was part of the argument, although he seemed to put more emphasis on its graphical capabilities. It was a Gaijin Goombah video if you're curious; I don't usually follow the guy so I don't know if he has a track record of accuracy or not, just that I hear he's a pretty alright guy.

[Jenny]

 

This is how I feel about the Switch. Sorry people, but I almost feel I'd rather get Zelda on the Wii U.

Agreed for the most part.

 

I'll be getting the new Zelda on Wii U myself.