You guys put any stock into the "Switch Pro in 2020" rumors?

[ifightdragons | 234]

15 hours ago, Tanooki said:

Why not?  They did it for the 3DS, barely for DSi, and a lot for the GB Color.  There's no reason not to because you can make hybrids that'll cross over but perform better, and then you really tap that processor/memory setup and you can go nuts on a new tier of quality.  Given it is a handheld and their history shows they do this with handhelds, I would find it more unbelievable if they didn't do it.  This isn't just a console where you squeak out something a bit nicer in quality but keep it going anyway on the old like PS4 vs Pro, it's not even in the realm of that things price either.

Like Tanooki says, it's very plausible that a new Switch Pro is coming. They already did this with the DS (DSi) and 3DS (New 3DS). They didn't with the Game Boy Color though. There are no upgraded versions of that system, just different colorways/designs.

However, it won't really mean much if those systems are anything to go by. Hardly any games ever really took advantage of the small boost in CPU, but for a few exceptions. How many awesome DSi/New 3DS exclusives are there? Not a lot.

It's more than likely that a Switch Pro would be something to tide people over and push out the doors before Nintendo makes their next generational leap.
Making games incompatible with the base level Switch with its big install base would be software sales suicide for most developers, including Nintendo.
So seeing a drastic leap in game quality because of the Switch Pro is very unlikely.

So don't expect anyone to really "go nuts on a new tier of quality".
And do indeed expect that this will be "a console where they squeak out something a bit nicer in quality", and not much more than that.

Edited January 9, 2020 by ifightdragons

[Estil | 1,264]

Actually they did with the software.  Black GBC cartridges can also work with the original or Super Game Boy (usually with a border or even its own color palette though not as good as on a GBC/GBA) while clear ones only work on GBC/GBA.  So they could totally make Pro only cartridges if they really wanted to.

[Tanooki | 4,932]

8 hours ago, ifightdragons said:

Like Tanooki says, it's very plausible that a new Switch Pro is coming. They already did this with the DS (DSi) and 3DS (New 3DS). They didn't with the Game Boy Color though. There are no upgraded versions of that system, just different colorways/designs.

However, it won't really mean much if those systems are anything to go by. Hardly any games ever really took advantage of the small boost in CPU, but for a few exceptions. How many awesome DSi/New 3DS exclusives are there? Not a lot.

It's more than likely that a Switch Pro would be something to tide people over and push out the doors before Nintendo makes their next generational leap.
Making games incompatible with the base level Switch with its big install base would be software sales suicide for most developers, including Nintendo.
So seeing a drastic leap in game quality because of the Switch Pro is very unlikely.

So don't expect anyone to really "go nuts on a new tier of quality".
And do indeed expect that this will be "a console where they squeak out something a bit nicer in quality", and not much more than that.

You're wrong and right, the GB Color *IS* the 'pro' handheld of the Gameboy itself.  The architecture is the same design, but they doubled the CPU, 4x the RAM, added the color, and a little else, but it's still at heart just the same late 80s Gameboy with a bit more gas in the engine.  That's why I said that because the DSi did the same with the DS 2-4x improvement, just as the 3DS to New 3DS did too.  Despite the obvious evidence they didn't follow up in games much compared to the GB to GBC hardware refresh.  Their handheld history from past to present has an obvious trend to bumping hardware when needed to keep up the pace of sales and consumer enjoyment keeping the stale feeling away.  So yeah they kind of did 'go nuts on quality' if you take what the GB did in an average to higher end game and then compare that to the average to the  wow level stuff GBC did.

Edited January 9, 2020 by Tanooki

[phart010 | 1,707]

On 1/8/2020 at 3:07 PM, ErickRPG said:

Are they really doing to develop a 1st party game that only 15% of their install base can play?  It's just not gonna happen.

Wii = 101.6 million systems sold

Wii U = 13.5 million systems sold

This was the story for pretty much every single Wii U title

[ErickRPG | 42]

12 hours ago, phart010 said:

Wii = 101.6 million systems sold

Wii U = 13.5 million systems sold

This was the story for pretty much every single Wii U title

heh yeah.  They don't want to do that again.  I mean, are you saying they'd do that again? 

[RH | 4,898]

14 hours ago, phart010 said:

Wii = 101.6 million systems sold

Wii U = 13.5 million systems sold

This was the story for pretty much every single Wii U title

 

1 hour ago, ErickRPG said:

heh yeah.  They don't want to do that again.  I mean, are you saying they'd do that again? 

Over the years since becoming a video gaming company, Nintendo has learned from their mistakes in a way that has often made them less and less risk takers.  The Wii U was a big risk. I remember seeing it advertised before launch and thought the idea was cool but still couldn't bring myself to pay for it.  It was expensive compared to the Wii, admittedly I'd had lowered interest in video games at that time, but the "cool factor" of the features wasn't enough to encourage me to pay the price.

I'm not going to say that there won't be a Switch Pro at some point, rather than newer Nintendo system in 3-4 years, but I just can't see it coming out this year.  Maybe 2021, but I'd be surprised with this year unless, again, this is a really a bump up in hardware and games are, and always will be, 100% backwards compatible with current Switches.  Like I said, they could release a 4k model and game studios could code their games to use the extra horse-power to look better but, regardless, they must also be able to run in "vintage" Switch mode at full FPS, but with scaled down graphics.

[phart010 | 1,707]

2 hours ago, ErickRPG said:

heh yeah.  They don't want to do that again.  I mean, are you saying they'd do that again? 

Haha no I don’t think they’d do that again. At least not with a “Switch pro”

Just had to take that jab at your comment.. couldn’t resist

 

Edited January 10, 2020 by phart010

[ErickRPG | 42]

[phart010 | 1,707]

This chart is a strong case for not releasing a switch pro right away. Tapering console sales would trigger a system refresh. 

That said, new consoles are announced from Sony and Microsoft. If Nintendo is to rely on ports that were primarily developed for the more powerful platforms, then they’ll need a more powerful console. I guess the question to ask is how much do Nintendo console sales depend on PlayStation/Xbox ports?

[Splain | 2,561]

I remember this discussion when the New 3DS came out. If there are games that are exclusive to the new iteration, then it is 100% a new console that is backwards compatible with the previous one. Doesn't matter how big the leap is, tech-wise. Also, with a lot of stuff Nintendo tries to pull, there's a difference between what actually exists, and how it's marketed. If I have a launch-day Switch, and I can't play BOTW2, then BOTW2 is not a Switch game. Doesn't matter if it plays on something called the Switch Pro or the GameRectangle 2000 U, it's a different console that has succeeded the Switch.

[TDIRunner | 2,731]

9 minutes ago, Splain said:

I remember this discussion when the New 3DS came out. If there are games that are exclusive to the new iteration, then it is 100% a new console that is backwards compatible with the previous one. Doesn't matter how big the leap is, tech-wise. Also, with a lot of stuff Nintendo tries to pull, there's a difference between what actually exists, and how it's marketed. If I have a launch-day Switch, and I can't play BOTW2, then BOTW2 is not a Switch game. Doesn't matter if it plays on something called the Switch Pro or the GameRectangle 2000 U, it's a different console that has succeeded the Switch.

So is the New 3DS its own console with a library of approximately a dozen games?

[Splain | 2,561]

12 minutes ago, TDIRunner said:

So is the New 3DS its own console with a library of approximately a dozen games?

Yup. Obviously Nintendo won't call it that, but there is no practical way that it isn't this.

[DoctorEncore | 3,690]

27 minutes ago, phart010 said:

This chart is a strong case for not releasing a switch pro right away. Tapering console sales would trigger a system refresh. 

That said, new consoles are announced from Sony and Microsoft. If Nintendo is to rely on ports that were primarily developed for the more powerful platforms, then they’ll need a more powerful console. I guess the question to ask is how much do Nintendo console sales depend on PlayStation/Xbox ports?

Yeah. Business-wise, 2021 makes more sense. Analysts seem to think the Switch & Lite are going to have another great year in 2020. And as previously mentioned, with the new Sony and Microsoft consoles in 2020, a Pro model would not compare favorably in terms of power. Waiting until 2020 also gives third parties time to work on their next gen ports, which will remain a challenging prospect.

[PineappleLawnchair | 88]

2 hours ago, RH said:

 

Over the years since becoming a video gaming company, Nintendo has learned from their mistakes in a way that has often made them less and less risk takers.  The Wii U was a big risk. I remember seeing it advertised before launch and thought the idea was cool but still couldn't bring myself to pay for it.  It was expensive compared to the Wii, admittedly I'd had lowered interest in video games at that time, but the "cool factor" of the features wasn't enough to encourage me to pay the price.

Lets be real here, the wii u was a big risk because of their own incompetence. If the library wasn't made out of shovelware, games like Hashtag Fire Emblem, Paper Mario Color Splash, Game and Warrio, or 3DS ports, and they didn't confuse people into thinking it was just a Tablet accessory for the Wii, maybe, just maybe, it would have been successful.

[Estil | 1,264]

Not to mention they must've thought the Wii U was a Wii going to college!

[ErickRPG | 42]

9 hours ago, Estil said:

Not to mention they must've thought the Wii U was a Wii going to college!

or an ambulance.

[hyrulevyse | 151]

12 hours ago, PineappleLawnchair said:

Lets be real here, the wii u was a big risk because of their own incompetence. If the library wasn't made out of shovelware, games like Hashtag Fire Emblem, Paper Mario Color Splash, Game and Warrio, or 3DS ports, and they didn't confuse people into thinking it was just a Tablet accessory for the Wii, maybe, just maybe, it would have been successful.

Yeah the name was the Wii U's biggest sin for sure.  I'm sure they just wanted to capitalize on the Wii's popularity in some way but assuming that's true Wii 2 or whatever would've been better.  Even my regular gaming friends were confused by this thing so I can't even imagine what the general public thought.  Deserved a better fate imo, basically a switch with the guts in the dock instead of the tablet.  This meme is an oldie, but a goodie......and completely accurate.

 

[Estil | 1,264]

3 hours ago, ErickRPG said:

or an ambulance.

Pardon?  Even back when the Wii didn't get its real name yet (when it was "Project Revolution") I always thought calling that system and the others after N5 would've been awesome.  I mean if it's good enough for Playstation so why not for Nintendo?

Edited January 11, 2020 by Estil

[ErickRPG | 42]

20 minutes ago, Estil said:

Pardon?  Even back when the Wii didn't get its real name yet (when it was "Project Revolution") I always thought calling that system and the others after N5 would've been awesome.  I mean if it's good enough for Playstation so why not for Nintendo?

wii U wii U wii U wii U

Edited January 11, 2020 by ErickRPG

[DoctorEncore | 3,690]

On 1/10/2020 at 11:52 AM, DoctorEncore said:

Yeah. Business-wise, 2021 makes more sense. Analysts seem to think the Switch & Lite are going to have another great year in 2020. And as previously mentioned, with the new Sony and Microsoft consoles in 2020, a Pro model would not compare favorably in terms of power. Waiting until 2020 also gives third parties time to work on their next gen ports, which will remain a challenging prospect.

I'm just gonna do the thing where I quote myself and then quietly drop a link below.

https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2020/08/reports-4k-nintendo-switch-revision-slated-for-2021-launch/

[Reed Rothchild | 9,516]

I've be down.  Give my current model to my oldest for Xmas.

[DoctorEncore | 3,690]

1 hour ago, Reed Rothchild said:

I've be down.  Give my current model to my oldest for Xmas.

I was just on the cusp of grabbing a Switch Lite to keep at work too. I hope we'll get an upgraded Lite in addition to an upgraded base model. I guess I should wait until we get an official announcement and live with the inconvenience of ferrying it back and forth.

[phart010 | 1,707]

Still waiting on developers to leak some info on a new dev kit.. haven’t heard anything yet.

In my opinion, with the strong demand shown for the Switch v2 over this whole pandemic and the fact that production has just now started flowing again, I think there’s still a few more months of guaranteed console sales before demand is back in equilibrium. 

That gets us to the holiday season. And once you get to the holiday season, there’s some more guaranteed sales..

So they can’t announce a new console prior to the holiday season. That would basically slam the brakes on all of these sales that they can expect from Switch v2 between now and the end of Q4. I think that if they do have something to announce regarding a new system, they will announce it no earlier than Q1 2021. 

[captmorgandrinker | 1,649]

4 hours ago, DoctorEncore said:

I was just on the cusp of grabbing a Switch Lite to keep at work too. I hope we'll get an upgraded Lite in addition to an upgraded base model. I guess I should wait until we get an official announcement and live with the inconvenience of ferrying it back and forth.

Why would they bother with upgrading the Lite to 4k?   With that screen size who would notice?

[Tanooki | 4,932]

40 minutes ago, captmorgandrinker said:

Why would they bother with upgrading the Lite to 4k?   With that screen size who would notice?

It would make zero sense, other than the hardware refresh other potential outcomes.  They'd have to beef up the tegra or tegra replacement processor there along with the system memory too more or less, so you'll end up with more detailed better games the old hardware would fail to run.  It would make sense to have the cheaper handheld model only for that alone.