Polygon: Nintendo is already repeating the Wii U's mistakes with Switch

Start-up that old narrative again. Sure going to help matters a lot!

This tries (but fails) to dismiss the opinion piece with a sarcastic and largely irrelevant drive-by post.

From your post history, it seems you're the captain of the Nintendo Defense Force... but I didn't know you'd resort to shitposting, Moon.

Why are you always so defensive when Nintendo is criticised or questioned by either a user on here or by the press?

I really, really, really want to know this, too.

It is riddiculous we had to get so much infomation from leaks and that guy who got it early. Nintendo haven't improved their communications at all.

But I always have and always will give Nintendo the benefit of the doubt frankly, so I don't care how much info we're waiting for, I'll be at a midnight launch with bells on.

The bolded... You're part of the problem. I love Nintendo games like a lot of people here, but we need to force them to stop their bullshit approach to distributing information. Granted, they don't owe me any of this information... But guess what, I also don't owe them my money.
 
It's so weird how so many people seem to think Nintendo is doing nearly everything right, and then there's this equally convinced group that thinks Nintendo is doing everything wrong.

It goes beyond just a difference of opinion. What those two groups want the Switch and Nintendo to do is wildly different, it seems.

Pretty sure it is.

I think hybrid is the right idea, for maximal shared library and clearness of shared library. It is the right idea for trying to maintain the Japanese market at heights greater than, say, 11-12 million Wii U + PS4 might go on to sell there in total. It is the right idea for trying to leverage Nintendo's successful system, 3DS, against the market where the West is primarily situated, i.e. the home console market.

Hybrid, of course, comes with costs and things to balance, and frankly, I think Nintendo has actually done pretty well with that, but that doesn't erase that there are sacrifices to power, to battery life, etc.

But it is a quirky product in this regard. It also flies in the face of what a lot of people want, namely, a clone machine that plays Nintendo games in PS4(+) graphics; Japanese games without the option of a handheld, so completely beholden to the west, niche Japanese audiences, or gone mobile; etc.

For me, Nintendo trying to find another way to move consoles forward is immensely appealing. I want a strong alternative to the western corebox, and the Switch is a unique opportunity for that, with the ability to support Japanese home console efforts in a portable form factor and the potential to reunite what remains of the DS/PSP and PS3 software streams. So I want it to succeed as the vision it presents and I think it has turned out a competent product for the most part.

For others, it induces the "not this again, just give up already. You're going to flop anyway. And if you don't, you're going to disrupt the market in ways contrary to my interests" response. So it seems unclear whether the product is at all competent and whether there is even any desire for it to succeed.

...

As to network abilities, yes, I think there is cause for concern. I think there being no streetpass is a mistake. I think the mobile app approach comes across as convoluted and less-than-ideal; I can only understand it as a sacrifice providing for a less-energy demanding OS. No commitments to what the VC is going to be like is troubling. Etc.
 
It's not just the lack of information but the game lineup too.

Nintendo don't care, or aren't competent enough to launch strong. So I don't care about picking it up at launch.

The launch lineup is fine. At launch the Xbox One had such thrilling titles as Ryse: Son of Rome, and PS4 owners were entertaining themselves with Knack

The problem is the 8 months after that. They need to get some other third party announcements in before the end of the year ASAP
 
I personally think they rushed the launch for the Switch. May-June would have been much better so we can have more games at launch. I am getting one on day one but the launch lineup is horrid. And yes I know BoTW is coming at launch.
 
Nintendo making a lot of mistakes with Wii U isn't just a "narrative", it's a fact.

And to me it also seems true that they haven't improved significantly enough when it comes to online, especially considering that they will want to charge for it.

Missed the point. It's the Switch narrative. Not the Wii U narrative.

I'm sorry. It sounds like you're saying Nintendo should only be praised, not critiqued for the opaque methodology on which the Switch operates.

But carry on with this "narrative".

Narratives are stupid

Putting words in my mouth.

This tries (but fails) to dismiss the opinion piece with a sarcastic and largely irrelevant drive-by post.

From your post history, it seems you're the captain of the Nintendo Defense Force... but I didn't know you'd resort to shitposting, Moon.

Would hardly call this a shitpost. I disagree with the line of thinking that goes into the title of this thread/article and the impression it creates.

Also, gtfo with this defense force shit. No easier way to make me dismiss whatever you say than pulling that hat out the bag. Not sure how you'd see that in my post history without doing an obsessive deep dive.
 
I personally think they rushed the launch for the Switch. May-June would have been much better so we can have more games at launch. I am getting one on day one but the launch lineup is horrid. And yes I know BoTW is coming at launch.

Agreed.
I'm just getting one because I'm bored and I'm a sucker for new gadgets.
 
I'll qualify this by reassuring you that I am buying $750 worth of Switch products at launch.

My own biases in Nintendo's favor aside, this thing reeks of failure. At least Wii U didn't look phoned-in. The Switch has extremely dated tech, peripherals sold at premium, online chat and matchmaking through a phone app, no exclusives, immediate game drought, fairly-dated games, games that still look like tech demos, bizarre soft launch window, et al.

Don't begrudge Polygon for picking some low-hanging fruit. Begrudge Polygon for every other way it's Polygon.

How is the tech outdated? further more how is it anymore outdate upon it's relase than the ps4 and xb1 was at their release?

I'm not a fan of the pricing, but i'm not a fan of the pricing on the other consoles as well.

you can do matchmaking through the system, Can't really debate anything about chat.

The no exclusives is just false.

besides the tomorrow corp games, i am setsuna is the oldest at 7 mo. (Afterbirth+ released jan of this year).

your opinion of the games looking like tech demos and the soft launch being bizarre, is yours to have and i can't really challenge that of that's how you feel.

But overall i feel like you're reaching a bit far on some of the negatives. The launch does have its issues, but some of what you named aren't .
 
It's not just the lack of information but the game lineup too.

Nintendo don't care, or aren't competent enough to launch strong. So I don't care about picking it up at launch.

March:

1-2 Switch (Nintendo)
Zelda Breath of the Wild (Nintendo)
Snipperclips (Nintendo)
Snake Pass
Fast RMX
Shovel Knight

April:

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Nintendo)
Yooka-Laylee
Lego City Undercover

Spring:

Arms (Nintendo)

Summer:

Splatoon 2 (Nintendo)


Then there is E3.

Keep in mind these are only games I'm interested in. There is more.

So you really think the launch has not enough games? Do you really think the line-up during the next 3-4 months is bad? This is probably one of the best console launches ever in terms of games.
 
Pretty sure it is.

I think hybrid is the right idea, for maximal shared library and clearness of shared library. It is the right idea for trying to maintain the Japanese market at heights greater than, say, 11-12 million Wii U + PS4 might go on to sell there in total. It is the right idea for trying to leverage Nintendo's successful system, 3DS, against the market where the West is primarily situated, i.e. the home console market.

Hybrid, of course, comes with costs and things to balance, and frankly, I think Nintendo has actually done pretty well with that, but that doesn't erase that there are sacrifices to power, to battery life, etc.

But it is a quirky product in this regard. It also flies in the face of what a lot of people want, namely, a clone machine that plays Nintendo games in PS4(+) graphics; Japanese games without the option of a handheld, so completely beholden to the west, niche Japanese audiences, or gone mobile; etc.

For me, Nintendo trying to find another way to move consoles forward is immensely appealing. I want a strong alternative to the western corebox, and the Switch is a unique opportunity for that, with the ability to support Japanese home console efforts in a portable form factor and the potential to reunite what remains of the DS/PSP and PS3 software streams. So I want it to succeed as the vision it presents and I think it has turned out a competent product for the most part.

For others, it induces the "not this again, just give up already. You're going to flop anyway. And if you don't, you're going to disrupt the market in ways contrary to my interests" response. So it seems unclear whether the product is at all competent and whether there is even any desire for it to succeed.

...

As to network abilities, yes, I think there is cause for concern. I think there being no streetpass is a mistake. I think the mobile app approach comes across as convoluted and less-than-ideal; I can only understand it as a sacrifice providing for a less-energy demanding OS. No commitments to what the VC is going to be like is troubling. Etc.
This post is infinitely better than polys article at talking holistically about the upsides and downsides of Switch. Good job, and you werent even trying to get clicks!
 
The Switch is not going to get the next Assasins Creed or Battlefield game. I think Nintendo get that and are giving up on that. But I want them to put even more energy into very verg aggressively courting high profile indies even further. Because Nintendo games + indie titles is a super strong value proposition for me.
 
Pretty sure it is.

I think hybrid is the right idea, for maximal shared library and clearness of shared library. It is the right idea for trying to maintain the Japanese market at heights greater than, say, 11-12 million Wii U + PS4 might go on to sell there in total. It is the right idea for trying to leverage Nintendo's successful system, 3DS, against the market where the West is primarily situated, i.e. the home console market.

Hybrid, of course, comes with costs and things to balance, and frankly, I think Nintendo has actually done pretty well with that, but that doesn't erase that there are sacrifices to power, to battery life, etc.

But it is a quirky product in this regard. It also flies in the face of what a lot of people want, namely, a clone machine that plays Nintendo games in PS4(+) graphics; Japanese games without the option of a handheld, so completely beholden to the west, niche Japanese audiences, or gone mobile; etc.

For me, Nintendo trying to find another way to move consoles forward is immensely appealing. I want a strong alternative to the western corebox, and the Switch is a unique opportunity for that, with the ability to support Japanese home console efforts in a portable form factor and the potential to reunite what remains of the DS/PSP and PS3 software streams. So I want it to succeed as the vision it presents and I think it has turned out a competent product for the most part.

For others, it induces the "not this again, just give up already. You're going to flop anyway. And if you don't, you're going to disrupt the market in ways contrary to my interests" response. So it seems unclear whether the product is at all competent and whether there is even any desire for it to succeed.

This is a pretty good post, and I agree. I'm in the camp of those that really want the Switch to succeed. I don't want to be in a video game landscape without Nintendo.

But at the same time, Nintendo needs to be held accountable. They are arrogant as fuck, and quite often have policies or strategies that are frankly anti-consumer. But they don't feel like they need to answer anybody or explain themselves... Their defense force is already doing that for them.
 
I personally think they rushed the launch for the Switch. May-June would have been much better so we can have more games at launch. I am getting one on day one but the launch lineup is horrid. And yes I know BoTW is coming at launch.

I also feel this is rushed, almost zero mention of the UI and the online, this is going to through beta testing for one year for early adopters, who can forget how pathetically slow the Wii U UI was?


They will sell out of initial launch units because of hype, but I really don't see much hype for the console outside the hardcore gaming community, having only Zelda being the must have at launch doesn't help either with nothing big planned till fall with the next Mario. The hybrid idea will also flop again, a thick gaming only tablet with 2-5 hours of battery life being released in 2017?!?! If this product was released by any other company it would be DOA
 
March:

1-2 Switch (Nintendo)
Zelda Breath of the Wild (Nintendo)
Snipperclips (Nintendo)
Snake Pass
Fast RMX
Shovel Knight

April:

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Nintendo)
Yooka-Laylee
Lego City Undercover

Spring:

Arms (Nintendo)

Summer:

Splatoon 2 (Nintendo)


Then there is E3.

Keep in mind these are only games I'm interested in. There is more.

So you really think the launch has not enough games? Do you really think the line-up during the next 3-4 months is bad? This is probably one of the best console launches ever in terms of games.
I'm getting all these minus Lego City Undercover, plus:

Rime
Sonic Mania
Redout
Tumbleseed

Steep and Ultra Street Fighter 2 could also release in Q2.

That's far more games I'll buy, than on PC/Vive during the same period.
 
The launch lineup is fine. At launch the Xbox One had such thrilling titles as Ryse: Son of Rome, and PS4 owners were entertaining themselves with Knack

The problem is the 8 months after that. They need to get some other third party announcements in before the end of the year ASAP

Both had Battlefield 4,Need For Speed, FIFA 14,NBA 2K,Ass Creed 4 which were are all solid games and showed system capabilities.

PS4 had Resogun ,Contract(?) were rated highly enough.

Xbox One had Killer Instinct,Crimson Dragon,Dead Rising 3,and Forza 5 which were all good games.

So people need to stop with meme that PS4/XBox had no games at launch. They both had great titles for a launch from all genres not just one.
 
I also feel this is rushed, almost zero mention of the UI and the online, this is going to through beta testing for one year for early adopters, who can forget how pathetically slow the Wii U UI was?


They will sell out of initial launch units because of hype, but I really don't see much hype for the console outside the hardcore gaming community, having only Zelda being the must have at launch doesn't help either with nothing big planned till fall with the next Mario
And not having big 3rd party games at launch really hurts too. I hope the Switch succeeds because the concept is great but the rushed launch makes me think Nintendo is repeating the same mistakes.
Maybe we will get Switch Ambassador stuff later on though.
 
Both had Battlefield 4,Need For Speed, FIFA 14,NBA 2K,Ass Creed 4 which were are all solid games and showed system capabilities.

PS4 had Resogun ,Contract(?) were rated highly enough.

Xbox One had Killer Instinct,Crimson Dragon,Dead Rising 3,and Forza 5 which were all good games.
the launches of both these consoles were as bad or worse than switch, which has one of the most anticipated titles in a devs history in breath of the wild. Listing out games is not the same as demonstrating that those launches were any better on the software front. The only thing Sony had going for them was that their messaging was perfectly on point with what gamers wanted, and they did a very good job with that.
 
Would hardly call this a shitpost. I disagree with the line of thinking that goes into the title of this thread/article and the impression it creates.

Also, gtfo with this defense force shit. No easier way to make me dismiss whatever you say than pulling that hat out the bag. Not sure how you'd see that in my post history without doing an obsessive deep dive.

Nope, I'm not going anywhere, but thanks for the "gtfo" offer :-)

You disagreed with the premise of the piece but did it in a snarky, one sentence fashion. That doesn't add anything to the discussion.

No deep diving needed, it's crystal clear to see where your biases are. You've been called out for them before. No deep diving clearly means there's absolutely, unequivocally no obsession... You're not that important, get over yourself dude.

I almost want to apologize for being that aggressive, because that's not how I usually am. But nope... Your aggressive post deserves a reply of equal aggressiveness :-)
 
the launches of both these consoles were as bad or worse than switch, which has one of the most anticipated titles in a devs history in breath of the wild. Listing out games is not the same as demonstrating that those launches were any better on the software front. The only thing Sony had going for them was that their messaging was perfectly on point with what gamers wanted, and they did a very good job with that.

what? i dont know which dream land you living but for most of people playing battlefield with 64 players on console was far more bigger then Zelda.

Next Gen FIFA,NBA,NFS were also highly appreciated and let the people buying console.
I cant believe you just said they were "bad or worse " then Switch. No they were not.
 
The Switch is not going to get the next Assasins Creed or Battlefield game. I think Nintendo get that and are giving up on that. But I want them to put even more energy into very verg aggressively courting high profile indies even further. Because Nintendo games + indie titles is a super strong value proposition for me.

I think that's what they're doing actually. I had an idea in my head about when we were getting those indie game announcements earlier this month that Nintendo is trying to subvert the current 3rd party names by pushing indies to release their games physically. Like if you go to the store, what most people care about is the size of the library and having physical indie games will help with that. I think there's going to be a really big role with indies in Nintendo's plan and it might surprise some people.
 
Nintendo is repeating some of the Wii U's mistakes, absolutely.

Fortunately for them, they aren't repeating the biggest ones, i.e terrible marketing, brand confusion, an unappealing hardware product, and an anemic first year first party lineup.
 
I'm getting all these minus Lego City Undercover, plus:

Rime
Sonic Mania
Redout
Tumbleseed

Steep and Ultra Street Fighter 2 could also release in Q2.

That's far more games I'll buy, than on PC/Vive during the same period.

What if you chose to buy the PC versions of half the games listed instead though? ;)
 
What?



Really dated tech? I must've missed all these Switch-like consoles, only thing slightly comparable is the Vita.



Premium devices get premium peripheral prices



Just the voicechat goes through the app. I still use Discord or Skype instead of the Steam app for voicechat. Steam is horribly outdated.



What?



Ahuh, What?



Dated? I'll go and try BotW on my Iphone, see how that holds up. You know what, I'm going to stop here. There's nothing substantial in your post.


Dated tech - thing's a portable Wii U. Couldn't use the Pascal chip?

Dated games - Skyrim (2011), Rayman Legends (2012), Disgaea 5 (2014), a PS3-sourced FIFA, all the previously released digital games.

Exclusive games - ARMS, looks like a tech demo. 1, 2 Switch, almost certainly was a tech demo.

Game Drought - Launches March 3rd, next big release is Mario Kart on April 28th? When are we getting Mario, in December?

And I don't care what you think of Steam, frankly. We're talking built-in support for voice chat that I'd expect in a console from 2005 or earlier.

Buy some shares of Nintendo if you're going to be this defensive over a company's business practices.
 
Nope, I'm not going anywhere, but thanks for the "gtfo" offer :-)

You disagreed with the premise of the piece but did it in a snarky, one sentence fashion. That doesn't add anything to the discussion.

No deep diving needed, it's crystal clear to see where your biases are. You've been called out for them before. No deep diving clearly means there's absolutely, unequivocally no obsession... You're not that important, get over yourself dude.

I almost want to apologize for being that aggressive, because that's not how I usually am. But nope... Your aggressive post deserves a reply of equal aggressiveness :-)

Really? I see you on most switch threads trying to call someone out on being part of the defense like you're on some anti-fanboi task force lol.

I'm not implying you're a Nintendo hater (don't care if you are), but you're obviously leaving your own impressions in regards to aggression around here.

Now please don't go combing my post history like some online defective looking to catch a perp. I have varying opinions.
 
Both had Battlefield 4,Need For Speed, FIFA 14,NBA 2K,Ass Creed 4 which were are all solid games and showed system capabilities.

PS4 had Resogun ,Contract(?) were rated highly enough.

Xbox One had Killer Instinct,Crimson Dragon,Dead Rising 3,and Forza 5 which were all good games.

So people need to stop with meme that PS4/XBox had no games at launch. They both had great titles for a launch from all genres not just one.

Nah man, the PS4/X1 launch lineup had no games!

PS4 US Launch - 25 games said:
Angry Birds Star Wars
Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag
Battlefield 4
Blacklight: Retribution
Call of Duty: Ghosts
Contrast
DC Universe Online
FIFA 14
Flower
Forced
Injustice: Gods Among Us - Ultimate Edition
Just Dance 2014
Killzone Shadow Fall
Knack
Lego Marvel Super Heroes
Madden NFL 25
NBA 2K14
Need for Speed Rivals
Resogun
Skylanders: Swap Force
Sound Shapes
Super Motherload
The Playroom
Trine 2: Complete Story
Warframe

Xbox One US Launch - 22 games said:
Angry Birds Star Wars
Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag
Battlefield 4
Call of Duty: Ghosts
Crimson Dragon
Dead Rising 3
FIFA 14
Fighter Within
Forza Motorsport 5
Just Dance 2014
Killer Instinct
Lego Marvel Super Heroes
LocoCycle
Madden NFL 25
NBA 2K14
NBA Live 14
Need for Speed Rivals
Powerstar Golf
Ryse: Son of Rome
Skylanders: Swap Force
Zoo Tycoon
Zumba Fitness: World Party

Switch US Launch - 10 games said:
1-2-Switch
The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth+
Human Resource Machine
I Am Setsuna
Just Dance 2017
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Little Inferno
Skylanders: Imaginators
Super Bomberman R
World of Goo
 
Missed the point. It's the Switch narrative. Not the Wii U narrative.



Putting words in my mouth.



Would hardly call this a shitpost. I disagree with the line of thinking that goes into the title of this thread/article and the impression it creates.

Also, gtfo with this defense force shit. No easier way to make me dismiss whatever you say than pulling that hat out the bag. Not sure how you'd see that in my post history without doing an obsessive deep dive.
You made a one sentence post that basically said Nintendo can't be criticized. You have a Kirby avi and we can all see your post history. Try reading the article and arguing logical points instead of shitposting if you don't want to get called out.

That's just my advice.
 
Dated tech - thing's a portable Wii U. Couldn't use the Pascal chip?

Dated games - Skyrim (2011), Rayman Legends (2012), Disgaea 5 (2014), a PS3-sourced FIFA, all the previously released digital games.

Exclusive games - ARMS, looks like a tech demo. 1, 2 Switch, almost certainly was a tech demo.

Game Drought - Launches March 3rd, next big release is Mario Kart on April 28th? When are we getting Mario, in December?

And I don't care what you think of Steam, frankly. We're talking built-in support for voice chat that I'd expect in a console from 2005 or earlier.

Buy some shares of Nintendo if you're going to be this defensive over a company's business practices.
Tell us which console did it better in their first year. Ps4 certainly didnt, and its the most owned console of the generation thus far.
 
I'm not as pessimistic as the author, but I decided to not buy at/near launch as I'm just done taking chances on Nintendo and buying hardware I don't like at launch to be supportive of my former favorite gaming company.

I did that with Wii and Wii U and was underwhelmed (to put it mildly) with both. So I'm going to wait and see this time and see how things pan out and if the game development being unified means more games that interest me on it etc before buying one. It should mean more games, but doesn't necessarily mean more games I like vs doubling down on things I don't.

I'll follow launch and maybe grab one in June or July at the earliest if I'm done with the PS4/PC releases I decided to prioritize, impressions of the hardware are good, and they announce enough at E3 that interests me.

If not it will be either after Xmas when I'm flush with gift cards and Mario is out (and good of course) or keep waiting into 2018.
 
Dated tech - thing's a portable Wii U. Couldn't use the Pascal chip?

Dated games - Skyrim (2011), Rayman Legends (2012), Disgaea 5 (2014), a PS3-sourced FIFA, all the previously released digital games.

Exclusive games - ARMS, looks like a tech demo. 1, 2 Switch, almost certainly was a tech demo.

Game Drought - Launches March 3rd, next big release is Mario Kart on April 28th? When are we getting Mario, in December?

And I don't care what you think of Steam, frankly. We're talking built-in support for voice chat that I'd expect in a console from 2005 or earlier.

Buy some shares of Nintendo if you're going to be this defensive over a company's business practices.

giphy.gif


I'm sorry I'm not going to bite again. Thanks for the laugh though.
 
Some people seem to have a hard time understanding what launch lineup means. It's the games available for you to play the day the console launches. Not titles coming in 3-6 months. Considering its best launch title can also be played on its predecessor, the launch lineup of Switch is abysmal.

The lack of basic online functionality via the console itself (that instead requires you to bring your own smartphone) is inexcusable. The audacity to charge money for this is brazen.

Last but not least, accessory pricing is ridiculous.

v7g6u9t.jpg
 
Nah man, the PS4/X1 launch lineup had no games!

As someone who owns both a PS4 and a gaming PC, I only have 3 of the launch PS4/X1 games. It's not about the quantity, its about the quality, but what's high quality for me doesn't have to mean high quality for you.
 
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