WSJ reporter : Standard capacity of Switch game card is around 16GB
- Thread starter Chobel
- Start date
In the preview Nintendo totally sell the home console like experience, why it's wrong for consumers wish console experiences outside Nintendo titles?
GustyGardens
Banned
Smash Bros. for Wii U was 15.6GB, but that doesn't include the patches and such. Those came in at around 300 - 500MB or so, depending on the patch. I don't believe any of them were over 1GB, but I could be wrong about that.
Xenoblade Chronicles X was just under 23GB. It was a pretty big fella.
The largest game I have on my PS4 is just over 60GB, and that's Battlefield 4 with all of the DLC.
What does it have to do with what I just said ? My point is that multiple cartridge sizes is not a problem for third-party, nor a factor for them to take seriously into account when they're deciding about putting a game on Switch or not.
The Real Abed
Perma-Junior
Seems fine to me. Aren't Wii U games DVD? Which is only like 7GB? And Wii U had some really good looking games.
As long as 16GB doesn't hurt BOTW in the long run (For not coming out later when bigger cards are available) it's fine.
As long as 16GB doesn't hurt BOTW in the long run (For not coming out later when bigger cards are available) it's fine.
LordRaptor
Member
AFAIK WiiU games are bootleg Bluray-but-not-officially-licenced-by-the-bluray-consortium-but-totally-bluray
People are forgetting that on BluRay/DVD, some content is on the disk multiple times to help with seek times; this is something that won't have to happen on a cartridge. Some space is alleviated in that sense.
Nintendo also uses compressed data on cartridges, a thing that a lot of 3rd parties ignore, this really helps with space issues.
Edit: I'm also sure, during the life of the Switch, we could see games use up to 64 and/or even 128GB cartridges.
Nintendo also uses compressed data on cartridges, a thing that a lot of 3rd parties ignore, this really helps with space issues.
Edit: I'm also sure, during the life of the Switch, we could see games use up to 64 and/or even 128GB cartridges.
Carts will always be much more expensive than disks, yes, but I'm sure Nintendo can get a better bulk deal than that
It's not whether or not they can get a better deal than 3.2GB per dollar (of course they will... they're not buying retail), it's whether or not 32GB costs 16GB x 2, 128GB costs 16GB x 8, which seems to be standard for flash memory (at least based on MicroSD). It's not like platter hard drives, where you can get 1TB for $50 and 3TB for $90 ($30 per TB, considerably more cost effective).
I though you said people was blaming Nintendo for no reason, and I think they are trying to sell a home console like experience, so people just reacting to that.
If Switch sells well enough, 3rd parties will care enough to put in the necessary work. If not, then not. It's not rocket science, it's not magic. Business is still business.
I can see Level 5 working on getting Ni no Kuni 2 on this. I can't really see EA working on Battlefield 1 (if that would even sell well enough on this to begin with).
We'll see how things will work out. People on here already start comparing this SD card solution with PS4 and XBO multiple terabytes HDD's even though Nintendo has said again and again they aren't directly competing with them. People compare new stuff with the old stuff they know, that makes sense.
Quality Journalism from Nintendolife
Can't even read the Tweet that they've embedded into their own article properly lol
Can't even read the Tweet that they've embedded into their own article properly lol
wanderingprostheyltite
Member
Aren't you an insider? Know something specifically or just a general market thing/opinion?
TyMiles2012
Member
They're also usually uncompressed.
Yeah, they're single layer Blu-ray discs. The Wii U laser apparently can't read dual layer discs of that kind at all.
Tbh I'm wondering why Nintendo came out and said it was a home console first and foremost. I get the feeling this is the narrative they chose for the West, as dedicated handhelds aren't as popular as in Japan, because battery life might not be that hot, because they want to keep the 3DS alive for a couple more years and don't want to harm its holiday business.
What people now expect is another PS4 plus a handheld, which just isn't what Nintendo is going after with this.
What people now expect is another PS4 plus a handheld, which just isn't what Nintendo is going after with this.
MrCunningham
Member
About what I expected them to be. The key word here is "standard", so I could only imagine that Nintendo will offer 32GB cards as well for larger games. But I don't think we will see 64GB cards initially. It will be something that Nintendo will introduce much later on.
TAS
Member
Oh wow..the abbreviation and the Japanese reporter name totally threw me off lol. Yup..that's pretty embarrassing.
ShadowFox08
Member
Consumers also have to buy more multiplats than ever before over other console versions...
LordRaptor
Member
Really?
They have one viable hardware on sale this holiday.
They have a new mainline entry in one of their biggest franchises available exclusively on that hardware this holiday.
They have a huge marketing campaign based around that franchise and bundles with that hardware this holiday.
Why on earth would they not say "Yeah, this thing you can't buy until march obsoletes the only hardware we're currently selling"
If it's a mega-popular game that enough of the casual audience is willing to buy in a downgraded portable state it might be worth it. Sports games might be worth it to enough people. Diablo III?
WhiteWaterM00se
Member
Yeah, 16 GB doesn't fill me with confidence. Unless it is running 360 style games. It will be interesting to see what they charge for these games. If it is 360 style game now or ports will they price at $40 to $60?
test_account
XP-39C²
Does any 3DS games uses 8GB?
frankie_baby
Member
someone earlier in the thread said the fire emblem double pack thing did but I don't know if that's true
TyMiles2012
Member
Third parties had to have known about this before signing. I'm surprised by a lot of confirmed devs. Especially FromSoft. I know a lot of people have said this, but I wonder if Nintendo is subsidizing cartridge costs.
Fourth Storm
Member
Any other factors which might, in your opinion?
shouamabane
Member
I can't wait to buy these. Carts are so much more convenient to me than discs.
test_account
XP-39C²
I did a quick search and it seems that the ROM size for that game is about 1.8GB. I guess that its not two seperate games in that double pack, but rather one that has the extra content from both versions.
Yeah there will be plenty of games that will need about the "standard capacity" and way more. Wii u sizes off the top of my head:
Xenoblade X - 23GB
Watch Dogs - 18 GB
Lego City Undercover - 22GB
Assassins Creed 3 - 17GB
Tekken Tag Tournament 2 - 16GB
Bayonetta 2 - 14 GB
The Wonderful 101 - 10GB
Smash Bros - 16GB
And what happens when dlc and patches are added to the picture? People in this topic just trying to compare this to handheld game sizes are being 100% disingenuous. It's a console being marketed as a console, aiming to have full console experiences.
NormalFish
Banned
Have you ever heard of SD cards? Or external hard drives? or USB drives? There are so many ways to expand storage these days. Built in storage capacity is so irrelevant it's a joke
Thankfully we'll have cards much bigger than 16GB.
Smash was 11 at launch. Maybe it's more now. But again, 16 gigs as the standard/lowest cart size doesn't mean they won't/can't make bigger cart sizes in the future.
killer rin
Member
Why even bother putting a size to it? Define a standard and leave it up to the Developer to decide how much or how little card space they need for their game
The N64's largest cart was 64 MB and you could only have one cart per game. The Playstation's CDs were, IIRC, 650 MB apiece and you could have several per game. So...even the (rarely used) largest N64 cart was 1/10th the size of a PS game.
Here, a 16 GB cart is 1/3rd the size of a 50 GB Bluray, with 32 GB carts on the way. It's much closer to the Gamecube vs PS2 storage issue than N64 vs PS1.
NormalFish
Banned
that's what they're doing?
SenkiDala
Member
...
Yeah... But it's not the same and it adds extra costs. Then why not just releasing consoles with a HDD just for the OS and let the customers buy SD cards or USB drives? xD
Anyway, of course I heard about that but I also heard that the Switch will accept SD cards (up to 128Gb) and USB drivers (the same size I guess) but not external HDDs which sucks when there is such a small storage inside the console. And with 128gb (the MAX size), there is like what, 110Gb usable? So I can download what, 7, 8 games? Awesome...
DeuceGamer
Member
I still don't see what the issue is here. Bigger cards are available. Sure, tney probably cost a bit more but I would expect the NS cards are cheaper than the DS cards (and 3DS cards) were and it got Third Party support. I don't really expect Western Third Party support but not because of the price of 32GB+ cards.
Ok, let's hear it.
How could this possibly be a real consideration in holding up a port?
There are certainly reasons, but cartridge size is unlikely to be one.
16 GB is the base which was large enough for many (maybe even most) XBO/PS4 games today.
Larger sizes will certainly be available, and if a 64GB option exists then it would cover all current XBO/PS4 games.
Cards can be multiple sizes. Discs cannot.
These games are going to sound like shit aren't they? 😒
WhiteWaterM00se
Member
You may be right, but it seems to me that most Xbone games are over 16gb, nd I can only think of a few handfuls that are less.
So they can justify selling games at $60 console price tag rather than standard $40 handheld game price.
no, RPP prices are not announced yet, just speculation on my part
Right. And do you really think publishers are going to be willing to spend money on large capacity game cards?
Huh? You're acting like this hasn't been the case for the entire history of Nintendo cartridge based systems
I couldn't see EA putting Battlefield 1 on a Nintendo Platform even if the Switch was running with a R9 490X (and released this fall)
NinjamicWZ
Banned
So a higher meg, likely higher priced cart set up like back in the day. Which game is going to be Phantasy Star IV first?
Honestly, I have no doubt they will. If they don't want to pay, then they can go digital only. Either way is fine. Or hell, they can put as much on the card as they can, then have a day one download for the rest.
It depends what you want. Do you want higher resolution 3DS games sold for $50. Or games that atleast have PS3 graphics and budget sold for $60.
Do you expect Nintendo to sell Breath of the Wild on Switch for $40 because it's on a cartridge and is portable and sell the same fame on Wii U for $60 because it on a home console.
My personal opinion is they should go for tired pricing based on the game. Something like Zelda should be $60 and something like say Phoenix Wright should be $40.