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Do you think the “switch” to hd has hampered some of nintendo’s output?

Umbasaborne

Banned
In the first four years of the 3ds’s life cycle nintendo managed to release almost 80 first party retail games. Its likely that due to the less powerful Hardware they were able to take more shortcuts regarding visuals to release
More games per often.

While they have released quite a few first party retail switch games since 2017, its not close to the amount of 3ds software they were able to produce in the same amount of time (4 years). We saw companies like alpha dream go under, and you have to wonder if its because they were ill equipped to produce games in what we consider higher definition.

Even studios as storied as game freak are struggling to make pokemon games that really impress and take advantage of the more powerful hardware. Kirby releases used to occur much more frequently, but as it stands now, we havent had a new retail kirby game in four years. Even animal crossing took a long time to come over to an hd console.

Is it possible that many of nintendos first and second party developers were not prepared for the shift from the 3ds to switch? Of course some of them had experience making wii u games, but many others made games exclusively for the 3ds during the wii u’s life time.
 
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Boy bawang

Member
Yes definitely. Not only that, but they are playing it safer than even during the WiiU days which had stuff like Splatoon. There hasn't been a single ambitious new IP developed for the switch. After the success of botw, one could have thought that they would release other games scratching the same itch, but nothing happened. And I believe that they just don't have the manpower for that during the HD era.
 

Closer

Member
Wasn't Alpha Dream problem the rampant piracy of their games, making them no revenue as they didn't sell, like, at all?
 

Umbasaborne

Banned
Wasn't Alpha Dream problem the rampant piracy of their games, making them no revenue as they didn't sell, like, at all?
I honestly didnt know that, i probably just assumed it was the switch to hd, but you know what they say about assuming. Ill look into this, thanks!
 

Neff

Member
Firstly, Wii U was their first HD console, almost 9 years ago.

Secondly, yeah they did struggle. Wii U had a 6 month drought after launch, and even then, the releases were slow. Once they hit their stride though, they showed they could keep up with the industry nicely.

Considering they haven't done much on Switch besides re-release their Wii U catalogue, I'd say it's less of a symptom of being hampered and more one of being complacent in the face of monstrous success.

There hasn't been a single ambitious new IP developed for the switch.

ARMS?
 
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With one platform you’d think their output would increase but it’s the opposite. I feel like we got more games in the wii u / 3ds era.
Yeah I and every other fan were saying this, but yes unfortunately we are definitely getting less games.

It’s just a matter of Nintendo feeling like they don’t have to try as hard, and obviously they’re under new leadership, with newer talent taking the reigns as well.
 
Nah.

It's high sales without releasing games that's working against them.

Development tools have become quiet a bit easier compared to resolution jump Nintendo system have seen.

There really is no excuse.
 

KAL2006

Banned
I prefer fewer and bigger games. Who has time to play that many games I barely can keep up with releases between PS5 and Switch. Also I think the indie games scene has alot of stuff we used to see on 3DS, Wii and DS.
 

TheTony316

Member
I don't think so. The Switch isn't their first HD console. It's safe to say that Nintendo became complacent. Why create new IP's when old Wii U ports are still selling at full price?
 

Zannegan

Member
I feel like everyone hit a wall around the time of the jump to HD. Game dev got more expensive and difficult, needing larger and larger teams to reach par. It's why a lot of AAs collapsed or were snapped up. Nintendo is just paying the piper later because they made the jump later.

They do tend to put out a lot of first party games relative to MS and Sony, but then, they don't have as much 3rd party support, so they kind of have to. I also wonder if they've just been able to produce more because they were working at lower resolutions.

Probably not going to happen, but I wish they'd ake an effort to staff up. They don't need to go out and buy Ubisoft or anything, but a few more studios, one or two of them in Texas or California, couldn't hurt.
 

Kataploom

Gold Member
Nintendo output on Switch is FAR from being lackluster, WTF OP... Nintendo keeps releasing games of all sizes and budgets all the time, maybe just not the games people here expect but not like games on DS or previous consoles were always high budget to begin with
 

IFireflyl

Gold Member
The answer is obviously yes. There really isn't room for debate. As technology and visuals have progressed, as well as higher pixel counts, that will result in more work. That's not opinion, it's fact. Now, whether or not it has hampered output in a meaningful way is completely up for debate. You didn't give the numbers for the total count of games for the Switch, and I'm too lazy to look it up, but if the 3DS had 80 games in the same time that the Switch had 60 games, I wouldn't consider that to be a meaningful impact, especially since most (or all) of those 60 games are much better quality (at least visually) to the 3DS. Now, if they were at 20 games in the same timeframe I would feel like that is a meaningful impact. But even if I thought that, that's only my opinion. It's subjective. Someone else may have a different opinion entirely.
 

Boy bawang

Member
An encouraging beginning, but certainly not something on the level of Splatoon. Also, it released in 2017, more than 4 years ago. For a console as successful as the switch, it's disappointing.
The only Nintendo team willing to take chances is the Labo/Ring fit team, and they've done some great stuff. But I prefer to play my games with a controller.
 

Azelover

Titanic was called the Ship of Dreams, and it was. It really was.
That has happened every gen. All companies have had to increase their workloads in order to deal with newer generation standards.

I'll say that Nintendo was able to soften the impact, by merging all the portable and home console output, into a single system. And even then some people would say it hasn't been good enough.
 

Trilobit

Member
Could anyone explain in a rather simple way why it was such a massive step and difference to produce HD games? Was it for example because it required beefier computers or more manpower to make assets look good?
 

Woopah

Member
It takes longer to make a Switch game than ai som 3DS game, but Nintendo is still one of if not the most prolific major publishers in the industry. They publish a lot of games.

Firstly, Wii U was their first HD console, almost 9 years ago.

Secondly, yeah they did struggle. Wii U had a 6 month drought after launch, and even then, the releases were slow. Once they hit their stride though, they showed they could keep up with the industry nicely.

Considering they haven't done much on Switch besides re-release their Wii U catalogue, I'd say it's less of a symptom of being hampered and more one of being complacent in the face of monstrous success.



ARMS?
That's not true at all. Wii U ports are only a small part of Nintendo's output on Switch.

An encouraging beginning, but certainly not something on the level of Splatoon. Also, it released in 2017, more than 4 years ago. For a console as successful as the switch, it's disappointing.
The only Nintendo team willing to take chances is the Labo/Ring fit team, and they've done some great stuff. But I prefer to play my games with a controller.

I don't think we can say with any certainty that Ring Fit or Arms had a lower budget than Splatoon. I would like to see Nintendo return to publishing more new IP after the bad years of 2020 and 2021. Hopefully Triangle Strategy won't be the only one in 2022.
 

Corgi1985

Banned
I agree their output has been quite bad. So far this year is a mediocre wario ware and what else?
 
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cireza

Banned
They definitely feel like they were having a hard time keeping up since Wii U. The games are good, but they are much less numerous.

This is only natural, when games get so long and complicated to create, you can't have small teams making a lot of them anymore.
 

Dampf

Member
Yeah, they still struggle heavily with HD content. Odyssey and BOTW are still the biggest games from Nintendo to this date and they released back in 2017. After 2017, aside from Smash Bros and LM3, the triple A output from Nintendo was and is basically non existent.
They definitely feel like they were having a hard time keeping up since Wii U. The games are good, but they are much less numerous.

This is only natural, when games get so long and complicated to create, you can't have small teams making a lot of them anymore.

Maybe they should hire more staff instead of wasting money on toys then.
 
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Woopah

Member
I agree their output has been quite bad. So far this year is a mediocre wario ware and what else?
Excluding ports

February - Bravely Default 2
April - New Pokémon Snap
May - Famicom Detective Club
June - Game Builder Garage & Mario Golf Super Rush
September - Warioware Get It Together

So a nice variety of genres but nothing incredible. Metroid Dread will be the highlight of the year.
 

EverydayBeast

thinks Halo Infinite is a new graphical benchmark
Switch HD is the complete package for Nintendo. Not going HD cost Nintendo having games like GTA, and Red Dead.
 

RoadHazard

Gold Member
Did you repress the Wii U? Nintendo made the "switch" to HD 9 years ago. If they still can't manage it, I don't know what hope there is for them.
 

Dr. Claus

Vincit qui se vincit
Firstly, Wii U was their first HD console, almost 9 years ago.

Secondly, yeah they did struggle. Wii U had a 6 month drought after launch, and even then, the releases were slow. Once they hit their stride though, they showed they could keep up with the industry nicely.

Considering they haven't done much on Switch besides re-release their Wii U catalogue, I'd say it's less of a symptom of being hampered and more one of being complacent in the face of monstrous success.



ARMS?

What an asinine thing to say. Haven't done much? They have been releasing high quality games like clockwork for a number of years now.
 

jigglet

Banned
What I don't understand are where are the smaller C tier games? During the DS and 3DS era there were lots of small experimental games. This type of thing could have been pumped out quickly and by small teams. They all seem to have gone.
 

PhoenixTank

Member
What I don't understand are where are the smaller C tier games? During the DS and 3DS era there were lots of small experimental games. This type of thing could have been pumped out quickly and by small teams. They all seem to have gone.
Indeed. There was that Sushi game at least? But I definitely notice a lack of that category compared to DS & 3DS.
 

Umbasaborne

Banned
Did you repress the Wii U? Nintendo made the "switch" to HD 9 years ago. If they still can't manage it, I don't know what hope there is for them.
Yeah but while the wii u was out, many of their devs were still making games exclusively for the much weaker 3ds. Thats not an option now
 

Redneckerz

Those long posts don't cover that red neck boy
I mean, in some ways, yes. Just look at GameFreak's Pokemon game on Switch. That game has no business looking like that and i feel this is in part with some of Nintendo's partners and Nintendo itself being not accustomed to HD development.
 

Woopah

Member
What I don't understand are where are the smaller C tier games? During the DS and 3DS era there were lots of small experimental games. This type of thing could have been pumped out quickly and by small teams. They all seem to have gone.
What are some examples of this? This year we goy Game Builder Garage and Big Brain Academy, which I would put in the C tier category.
 

Neff

Member
Haven't done much?

The bulk of their first party efforts have been invested in Wii U ports. Most of Switch's original software is 2nd party. So yeah, internally they haven't been doing a lot with regards to creating new content, certainly far less than they did with Wii U.
 

gundalf

Member
Yes definitely. Not only that, but they are playing it safer than even during the WiiU days which had stuff like Splatoon. There hasn't been a single ambitious new IP developed for the switch. After the success of botw, one could have thought that they would release other games scratching the same itch, but nothing happened. And I believe that they just don't have the manpower for that during the HD era.
There are many new ambitious IPs like punch springs, cardboard and ring thing.
 

Marvel14

Banned
Yes definitely. Not only that, but they are playing it safer than even during the WiiU days which had stuff like Splatoon. There hasn't been a single ambitious new IP developed for the switch. After the success of botw, one could have thought that they would release other games scratching the same itch, but nothing happened. And I believe that they just don't have the manpower for that during the HD era.
Ring Fit Adventure, Astral Chain and Arms all say hi....
 

Woopah

Member
The bulk of their first party efforts have been invested in Wii U ports. Most of Switch's original software is 2nd party. So yeah, internally they haven't been doing a lot with regards to creating new content, certainly far less than they did with Wii U.
What's 2nd party to you? A Nintendo published game is a Nintendo published game and they don't classify things as 2nd party.
 
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