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[Ritsumei2020]

https://www.theverge.com/games/638542/nintendo-switch-2-specs-details-relevance

Finding the right direction for a console isn’t always easy, as evidenced by the Wii U, which was a failed early attempt to merge the worlds of home consoles and portable gaming. But by shifting away from specs and graphics to focus on player experience, Nintendo has not only carved out a space for itself, but it is arguably as successful as it has ever been at a time when the video game industry is struggling on many fronts.

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What do you guys think about this? Is the Switch 2 heading the same way as the WiiU?

 

[MrA]

congratulations the verge, you discovered 20 years ago

 

[Fake]

The Verge always a step ahead.

 

[diffusionx]

yea we all figured this out in 2006 lmao

 

[tr1p1ex]

Before I read it I will just say the notion it is leaving the tech race behind is dumb.

For one I remember the DS vs PSP. IT's not a new thing for Nintendo to not be as powerful as possible in the graphics dept especially at a $100-$200 lower pricepoint than it could be at. Probably was true when the GB launched even.

At the same time, I don't think you'll find a more powerful handheld at the pricepoint SWitch2 will launch at. One with detachable controllers that can be waved around with motion control and now will have mouse functionality as well. And include a dock with tv out? ....for probably "$400 or less? ...

IT's nowhere near a Wii U in terms of where it is on the power scale because it's a handheld. Wii U like the Wii really held back on the graphics. I don't think their handhelds have held back to that degree. Especially the Switch now.

 

[ReBurn]

Too early to tell how Switch 2 will turn out. I'm glad that Nintendo doesn't seem to be chasing some weird gimmick with it and they seem to be sticking with what worked well with Switch. I do wonder if it will be different enough to convince people to upgrade, but I suppose that the games will have to do that. I'm not really bothered by the specs as long as the games are good.

 

[Woopah]

There is no such thing as "beyond specs". The specs of Switch 2 will have a big impact on the games it receives and the experience it offers.

Having said that the article isn't entirely wrong (except the part where it says the DS came out after the Wii).

 

[nial]

AS a handheld priced at ~$400 or less

 

[Gaiff]

More like they found new pastures because Sony demolished them for 3/4 generations. Even Microsoft outsold them with their first console.

Nintendo simply could no longer compete in the traditional way and shifted their focus. Acting like they went "beyond" as if they were too good for it is pure cope. They were just smart to go play another sport while the big boys duked it out.

 

[Dorfdad]

Nintendo hasn't moved beyond specs! They have moved on from talking about them, because they won't compete with modern technology! There is a big difference. If Nintendo wanted to they could release a beast unit and an External GPU dock and beat both XBOX and Sony in sheer power. However they will never do that. They like the safe profitable road they have.

Xbox will be the one to release a hybrid with an EGPU dock. Nintendo won't.

 

[RoboFu]

They really have its gamers who live spec chasing that ruining this industry. Just as long as linear shooter #467445 has bleeding edge graphics right!?

 

[Fbh]

The Verge journalist after the DS, 3DS, Wii, WiiU and Switch.

"Guys...call me crazy but I think Nintendo isn't chasing top specs"

 

[PSYGN]

Was this written by Captain Obvious or General Da

 

[tr1p1ex]

Also Wii wasn't followed by the DS contrary to what the article states. The DS came out 2 years before the Wii did.

 

[Gamerfan81]

I want them to show me how to build a PC instead.

 

[tr1p1ex]

Gunpei Yokoi said "The Nintendo way of adapting technology is not to look for the state of the art but to utilize mature technology that can be mass-produced cheaply."

"Game & Watch was developed based on this philosophy. At the time of its development, Sharp and Casio were fiercely competing in the digital calculator market. For this reason, there was a glut of liquid crystal displays and semiconductors. The "lateral thinking" was to find an original and fun use for this cheap and abundant technology." Wikipedia

He died in 1997 btw.

 

[Saber]

Did the Verge also discovered fire and round tires made out of rocks? They gonna impress the Flinstones.

 

[Killer8]

Curious timing for this article to drop when today's rumor is that the devkit doesn't even output 4K.

 

[Ritsumei2020]

Gunpei Yokoi said "The Nintendo way of adapting technology is not to look for the state of the art but to utilize mature technology that can be mass-produced cheaply."

He died in 1997 btw.

I wonder if that is still feasible in today’s world? Like, would TSMC or Nvidia keep making old tech just for Nintendo?

 

[Imtjnotu]

 

[QLQ]

preemptive damage control

 

[Chittagong]

Iwata said this literally 20 years ago in GDC. And then he gave us all a free copy of Brain Training. Based Iwata.

 

[SweetTooth]

One thing for sure, it will be overpriced for its specs.

 

[Dr. Wilkinson]

Yes… welcome to 2004. For fuck’s sake write something interesting, for once. smh

 

[tr1p1ex]

I wonder if that is still feasible in today’s world? Like, would TSMC or Nvidia keep making old tech just for Nintendo?

"The Nintendo way of adapting technology is not to look for the state of the art but to utilize mature technology that can be mass-produced cheaply."

They used NVDA's old chip for the Switch. They probably had a glut of them too. Or came out with it and wasn't used for a lot and Nintendo could get it dirt cheap.

The OLED Switch might have come about the same way. OLED panels were cheap. Perhaps a glut. Boom the Switch OLED was born.

Now for Switch 2 maybe NVDA went out of their way to make a special chip for Nintendo. Or probably more likely Nintendo is using an off the shelf design. Or an off the shelf design with a few changes for Nintendo. Probably not the most current chip possible. Who makes the chip? I don't think TSMC has to make the chip considering the chip won't need to be made on the cutting edge manufacturing process afaik.

But to answer your question....yes!

BTw, mouse control in the Switch 2? That sounds like a classic case of using mature technology that can be mass-produced cheaply.

 

[DaleinCalgary]

Then why are they making a Switch 2

 

[Unknown Soldier]

 

[Ritsumei2020]

Then why are they making a Switch 2

This is a valid question in the context of the present article.

The simple answer is that sales slow down over time and at some point even Nintendo needs a new product to sell.

In other words, they seem to like money. Shocking I know

 

[Schmendrick]

and it took them only 19 years and 3 hardware generations to realise that.

 

[Astray]

What do you guys think about this? Is the Switch 2 heading the same way as the WiiU?

No.

But it likely won't beat the Switch 1 numbers either.

 

[Grildon Tundy]

I think without the COVID lockdown boom and a killer app that breaks through to the mainstream, the Switch 2 isn't going to do anywhere near Switch 1 numbers.

 

[DaleinCalgary]

This is a valid question in the context of the present article.

The simple answer is that sales slow down over time and at some point even Nintendo needs a new product to sell.

In other words, they seem to like money. Shocking I know

Yes,

And is anyone gullible enough to buy a non OLED version of the switch 2 if they release it that way?

 

[FeralEcho]

 

[SNG32]

This shit about to be emulated in the first year of release.

 

[bender]

Having differing tech goals isn't the same thing as "leaving the tech arms race". The Verge is just making the same mistake we see parroted here ad nauseum.

 

[kapshin]

So since the Gamecube?

 

[Paulistano]

If Nintendo is beyond specs why are they developing Switch 2? Can't they just release games for 10 more years on current hardware?

 

[Power Pro]

congratulations the verge, you discovered 20 years ago

Come on, the N64 was actually pretty good for it's time....

*realizes the Wii was 19 years ago...*

 

[mckmas8808]

https://www.theverge.com/games/638542/nintendo-switch-2-specs-details-relevance

Finding the right direction for a console isn’t always easy, as evidenced by the Wii U, which was a failed early attempt to merge the worlds of home consoles and portable gaming. But by shifting away from specs and graphics to focus on player experience, Nintendo has not only carved out a space for itself, but it is arguably as successful as it has ever been at a time when the video game industry is struggling on many fronts.

---

What do you guys think about this? Is the Switch 2 heading the same way as the WiiU?

I love how there's this narrative that everybody is struggling and having issues except Nintendo. LOL!

 

[LiquidMetal14]

Nintendno will continue to cling to what their loyal fanbase will support. The children. For the core gamer, it's painful to own a Nintendo platform. THey are the absolute worse in SW in comparison to the massive amounts of games that are only playable on the competitor HW.

So this HW fallacy, welcome to the last several generations of me personally saying the same thing and it being true. If it wasn't for my kids, I wouldn't touch another piece of Nintendo HW. That's without getting into my displeasure with how they treat their legacy HW and are sue happy.

 

[StereoVsn]

I wonder if that is still feasible in today’s world? Like, would TSMC or Nvidia keep making old tech just for Nintendo?

Nvidia doesn’t have fabs. Nintendo could go to Samsung, Intel or Global Foundries if they had an SoC vendor with appropriate chip. Whether or not it would be Nvidia specifically, who knows.

Also, Switch 2 SoC may be going to Samsung or older TSMC fabs anyways for manufacturing unless there was a leak specifying production lines (haven’t really kept up).

 

[Tg89]

Yeah I mean it’s ultimately the right play for them, they’re at their best when they separate themselves with the software they make.

Sony and MS continue the HW race and ultimately both are just poor man’s PCs as a result. But the reality is games looks just fine pretty much everywhere unless you’re digital foundry and trying to get website hits by showing the aliasing on a 10x zoomed in image.

 

[Kataploom]

Everyone did ages ago, except for Microsoft and Sony, younger people couldn't give a slight shit about raytraced ass hair, younger generations started playing games with phones, Switch and when graphics were good enough everywhere for most stuff, they're more into animated or stylized stuff than older people that grew with terminator, Rambo, and other movies of the like, that's why graphics won't matter too much unless you're aiming for hyper realistic games, of there's at least a decent frame rate and IQ

 

[vaibhavpisal]

Sounds like damage control.

My expectations are low for Switch 2 but I still expect to be disappointed.

 

[awwr999999]

More like they found new pastures because Sony demolished them for 3/4 generations. Even Microsoft outsold them with their first console.
Nintendo simply could no longer compete in the traditional way and shifted their focus. Acting like they went "beyond" as if they were too good for it is pure cope. They were just smart to go play another sport while the big boys duked it out.

Nintendo had no choice in the matter - between the PS2's DualShock and Xbox's gamepad they were locked out of gamepad options for a TV console and unwilling to reuse their best (SNES) gamepad.

 

[ReBurn]

More like they found new pastures because Sony demolished them for 3/4 generations. Even Microsoft outsold them with their first console.

Nintendo simply could no longer compete in the traditional way and shifted their focus. Acting like they went "beyond" as if they were too good for it is pure cope. They were just smart to go play another sport while the big boys duked it out.

The thing about Nintendo being demolished in the past is they have learned to survive primarily via their first-party games on their own console, which is something Microsoft and Sony aren't really able to do right now. Based on many of their recent earnings reports PlayStation in its current form probably couldn't survive without AAA third parties continuing to provide the bulk of their software revenue. Xbox seemingly can't survive anymore at all without PlayStation revenue. So in a way Nintendo has gone beyond. It was that or die.

 

[yogaflame]

But i still hope too see some kind of technological upgrade of at least 4k, 60 fps and allot more physics effects.

 

[Danjin44]

For Nintendo currently only ones that I can actually get excited about when it comes to their first party games.

This yes to be case with Sony as well, that was long time a go.

 

[Blank Space Invader]

Mental gymnastics. And I don't care how many consoles Nintendo sells. That is directly proportionate to the cultism of the fanbase, not the premise that higher specs aren't relevant or necessary.

Switch 2 needs to perform at PS4 Pro specs without stutters or dips or any issues at the bare minimum to interest me. It should really perform at PS5/XSX levels. And I'm no graphics whore or videophile; I just want the best possible performance out of a console while enjoying the visual benefits of current hardware.

It will also attract more third party mainstream titles which will only bolster Nintendo sales, so Nintendo wins and the customers win.

 

[Crayon]

Going to doubly pay off now that graphics are stagnating thanks to prices and baselines being dragged down.