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Nintendo in 2021: the possibility of new hardware, and the promise of some blockbuster games (Switch Pro, Breath of the Wild 2 and more)

Moogle11

Banned
I want them to push the envelope with the pro and add a new price point of $400 to their lineup (assuming the hardware is actually worth the upgrade, in the same way that the PS4 Pro was a significant jump over the base PS4).

Alas, it'll probably be a lame jump for a $50 price hike, so I'd welcome a modest jump that replaces the base Switch at the same price as you suggest.

I'd be surprised if it was a price hike at all. If it's a full upgraded for the console (i.e. also better performance in handheld mode) I figure it will just replace the existing Sku at $300, with the Lite remaining as the budget option. They should be able to up the power to do 4K upscaling, stable 30fps in the more taxing game and 60fps in others and still make a profit on each unit at $300 given the Switch has stuck at that price for 4 years next month.

Or it could just be a new dock sold separately that boosts power like in some pre-release patents. Though I think I read somewhere that the USB-C port on the existing Switch may not allow for that.

In any case, I'm not expecting any major boost, but would upgrade to something that did 4K upscaling and stable 30fps in things like BOTW or Age of Calamity.


Tho I think it's very possible for BOTW2 to be much better optimized for Switch, they literally had no time to optimize it for the system since it was done for Wii U and basically some months before the Switch released they were told to make a port and "have it done for release date". Lead devs said that in a GDC in 2017 as a matter of "joke but real" lol.

It's not like some say that it was "basically emulated", it's just not taking full advantage of Switch hardware even with the patch.

Definitely true, so we should wait and see if it runs better given the time to tweak the engine and optimize for Switch since BOTW released nearly 4 years ago. That said, would still love a model with some boost for other things that have bad frame drops like Age of Calamity. Have held off on that as the drops in the demo were way too bad for me and it was a day one, must play kind of game for me anyway.
 

Zannegan

Member
I'd be surprised if it was a price hike at all. If it's a full upgraded for the console (i.e. also better performance in handheld mode) I figure it will just replace the existing Sku at $300, with the Lite remaining as the budget option. They should be able to up the power to do 4K upscaling, stable 30fps in the more taxing game and 60fps in others and still make a profit on each unit at $300 given the Switch has stuck at that price for 4 years next month.
That would be nice, but like you said the Switch is coming up on 4 years on the market without a price drop, and it's still selling gangbusters.

I wouldn't be shocked if a moderately upgraded pro eventually settled into that $299 slot and even completely replaced the base model down the line, but (from Nintendo's point of view) why leave money on the table? Unless the Switch is getting an immediate price drop to $250, I'd expect a Pro to launch at $350+, depending on the improvements and what they think they can get away with. *shrug*

I hope you're right though.
 

Cyberpunkd

Gold Member
So my Switch shipped from Nintendo store, should be here Monday-Tuesday. Was pretty hardcore into PSP, PSVita and DS/3DS (Layton, but also TWEWY like no tomorrow, I think I got like 200hrs in that game) hoping Switch can capture some of that magic.

One thing I’m not sure on - is every game that has local co-op playable with 1 player = 1 joycon e.g. Lovers in a Dangerous Time?
 
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Astral Dog

Member
As long as Covid exists 2021 will be affected and still no general Directs or E3, however Switch pro bundled with BotW2 will attract lots of gamers when it comes out

expect little and you won't be dissapointed
 

Kataploom

Gold Member
That would be nice, but like you said the Switch is coming up on 4 years on the market without a price drop, and it's still selling gangbusters.

I wouldn't be shocked if a moderately upgraded pro eventually settled into that $299 slot and even completely replaced the base model down the line, but (from Nintendo's point of view) why leave money on the table? Unless the Switch is getting an immediate price drop to $250, I'd expect a Pro to launch at $350+, depending on the improvements and what they think they can get away with. *shrug*

I hope you're right though.
I'm not sure about a price drop before a succesor, they're still having problems keeping stock on some places, Japan being their biggest market is an obvious one.
 

Woopah

Member
So my Switch shipped from Nintendo store, should be here Monday-Tuesday. Was pretty hardcore into PSP, PSVita and DS/3DS (Layton, but also TWEWY like no tomorrow, I think I got like 200hrs in that game) hoping Switch can capture some of that magic.

One thing I’m not sure on - is every game that has local co-op playable with 1 player = 1 joycon e.g. Lovers in a Dangerous Time?
There should be quite a few 3DS-focused franchises coming to Switch this year, so you've picked a good time.

In regards to local multiplayer, I haven't played Lovers in a Dangerous Time but so far every game I've tried has been playable with one joy con.
 
Strip out the screen and battery and sell me a dedicated home console for cheap, or sell me a dedicated handheld with video out. I'm not going to buy overpriced, compromised hardware.
 
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Corgi1985

Banned
Strip out the screen and battery and sell me a dedicated home console for cheap, or sell me a dedicated handheld with video out. I'm not going to buy overpriced, compromised hardware.
I'm sorry. The best nintendo can offer right now is a $300 system that costs as much as a PS4 but is weaker with worse, more expensive games. Also the worst controllers of all time.
 

Cyberpunkd

Gold Member
It's at a different point in its lifecycle and a significant portion of its sales are for the 3DS-successor Switch Lite.
So regarding Switch Lite sales - wrong:


87k Switch sales vs. 23k Lite
 
So regarding Switch Lite sales - wrong:


87k Switch sales vs. 23k Lite

A quarter of sales is significant.
 

Woopah

Member
It's at a different point in its lifecycle and a significant portion of its sales are for the 3DS-successor Switch Lite.
Switch is selling faster than PS4 launch aligned but yes the Switch Lite is helping it sell more.
I miss general directs. I rewatched a few of them on youtube. Forgot how great the march 2018 one was.
I'm cautiously optimistic that they'll return this year, but I can also see Nintendo sticking with Partner Showcases while developers are still working from home.
 

Umbasaborne

Banned
Switch is selling faster than PS4 launch aligned but yes the Switch Lite is helping it sell more.

I'm cautiously optimistic that they'll return this year, but I can also see Nintendo sticking with Partner Showcases while developers are still working from home.

thats true. I think even nintendo isnt 100 percent sure what their release calender looks like this year due to covid. General directs are probably too risky, thats why theyve avoided them. They probably only have the partner ones to fufill contractual agreements with their third party partners who opted to be featured in a direct.
 

Woopah

Member
thats true. I think even nintendo isnt 100 percent sure what their release calender looks like this year due to covid. General directs are probably too risky, thats why theyve avoided them. They probably only have the partner ones to fufill contractual agreements with their third party partners who opted to be featured in a direct.
That's my thoughts too. Third parties still like to have their games announced in Directs and the partner showcases allow Nintendo to do that.
 

Moogle11

Banned
Yeah things are just way to uncertain with Covid affecting development, manufacturing and shipping. It’s not like other publishers have many firm dates either. We have no dates yet for various things Sony announced like Ratchet and Clank, Horizon 2, God of War 2, GT7, no date for Halo Infinite etc.

Difference with Nintendo is we just know less about what they even have inj the works as they’ve changed to announcing games much closer to release than most publis hers. I’m not expecting much from them this year personally. They don’t seem to ever feel a need to pump games out when hardware is selling like crazy and they seem like a company that would be more effected by Covid and shifting to WFH than many since they’re so traditional and old fashioned in many respects. I wouldn’t be surprised if we got BOTW2 late in the year along side whatever the Switch Pro thing is and that ends up the only game I buy this year. I’m sure there will be some other stuff, but I tend to only like the major, mainline IPs from them these days. Which is fine by me as that’s what I bought a Switch for and it’s my third platform.
 

D.Final

Banned
So regarding Switch Lite sales - wrong:


87k Switch sales vs. 23k Lite
Waiting for more interaction
 

Woopah

Member
Aren't they both selling slower than the Wii launch aligned?
rpfe7xf.png


Currently Switch is ahead of the Wii while PS4 at this point was behind. However at this point Wii was declining fast and the PS4 did overtake it

A good guess at this point is that Switch will end up between the PS4 and PS2 in terms of sales, but a lot will depend on when it's successor comes out.

Edit: I will say that this graph isn't a perfect comparison due to the PS4's and Switch's different launch timings, but it does illustrate my point.
 
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NahaNago

Member
Generally the best thing to do with Nintendo is to expect a crappy year and be pleasantly surprised when it is mediocre.
 

D.Final

Banned
If they can release Botw2 and Bayonetta 3 in this year, they are going to make Jackpot
 
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Intoxicate

Member
I don’t think the statement from Furukawa about the new hardware was about the Switch platform. For me he said Nintendo will continue with the Hybrid (I.e. Switch, lite, V2... lite V2, Switch V3...) until they see a new technology that would allow a new experience. Then they might leave the Switch platform. So I hope my purchases for the Switch will be accessible from the next few iterations of new Nintendo (Switch) hardware.
 

Ceadeus

Member
There are no reason not to make another kid ikarus after the fantastic, absolute classic that Uprising was.

Keep the same formula, just expends it.

Then my wildest dream would be another Earthbound/Mother.

Again, what are people at Nintendo thinking?! Just go ahead and make it happens!
 
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