Topic: Switchmas Eve Rumors and Speculations Thread

[Stratos]

So that is your bet for the MonHun announcement? I could see it being that or MH5U, with either one also getting a Switch version. I would totally double dip if it came to switch, but I think I'll pass if it is just the G/U version of Generations on 3DS. That or I'll get it and give my regular version to my sister or someone else since I have not gotten very far in it.


But previous comments from the devs have strongly implied that Gen/X was a one-off "celebration" of Monster Hunter. Granted, they could have changed their minds (or had their minds forced by executive interference).


Also, it feels too soon for a genuine Monster Hunter 5 unless they got early dev kits from Nintendo. And it has been two years since the last mainline Monster Hunter title released.


Flip a coin, it could be either. So long as it finally brings by my beloved Wroggi cowboy armor I'll be happy.

[Soren]

Reagardless of what MonHun game gets announced, any hypothetical Switch version will not get revealed on a Nintendo-sanctioned Direct barely a week after saying no further Switch info would be revealed this calendar year.

[Stratos]

Yes, which is why the idea of dual releases are so appealing here. Announce game and show 3DS version. Then his us with the Switch version in the first 2017 direct.


Though I'll take the hint and move my MonHun rumors to the general rumor threads now

[Kairon]

For some reason I look at that JoyCon Grip and my conspiracy-addled brain keeps whispering to me "Is that a Touchpad? Is that a Touchpad?"

[supermario2k]

For some reason I look at that JoyCon Grip and my conspiracy-addled brain keeps whispering to me "Is that a Touchpad? Is that a Touchpad?"

Nintendo stealing ideas from Sony, you heretic.

[Stogi]

For some reason I look at that JoyCon Grip and my conspiracy-addled brain keeps whispering to me "Is that a Touchpad? Is that a Touchpad?"

I thought the same but I don't see why it would be necessary.

[KeyBilly]

A touchpad might be nice, since you lose access to the touchscreen when using the grip.  Otherwise, the grip seems like a huge chunk of plastic to store or carry with little value.  It takes up as much room as a standalone controller, so we might as well just use a controller.

[sudoshuff]

For some reason I look at that JoyCon Grip and my conspiracy-addled brain keeps whispering to me "Is that a Touchpad? Is that a Touchpad?"

I thought the same but I don't see why it would be necessary.

Ewww....and it would probably feel like those Synaptics touchpads on old Windows laptops. 


Am I the only one hoping the Switch releases with a bunch of color options? I'm kind of tired of the whole black/white/grey console thing.

[Ian Sane]

There might be no touchscreen stuff here so that Nintendo can cut the screen in an SKU if they feel they need a major price drop.  If it's just a screen for portability it can be removed.  A touchscreen won't work that way since devs will have made games that assume you have one.  One big problem with the Wii U was that when it was clearly a bomb Nintendo couldn't cut the price because the most expensive component was a mandatory part of the controller.  If the screen is just a screen then they can make a home-only version of the Switch that costs less.

[Lemonade]

Am I the only one hoping the Switch releases with a bunch of color options? I'm kind of tired of the whole black/white/grey console thing.

I really like the black and grey theme of the switch. But I wouldn't complain if other colours were available.

[Kairon]

Am I the only one hoping the Switch releases with a bunch of color options? I'm kind of tired of the whole black/white/grey console thing.

Faceplates please, ala New 3DS!

[ThePerm]

There might be no touchscreen stuff here so that Nintendo can cut the screen in an SKU if they feel they need a major price drop.  If it's just a screen for portability it can be removed.  A touchscreen won't work that way since devs will have made games that assume you have one.  One big problem with the Wii U was that when it was clearly a bomb Nintendo couldn't cut the price because the most expensive component was a mandatory part of the controller.  If the screen is just a screen then they can make a home-only version of the Switch that costs less.

idk, i think we might be past the point where the screen cost is a problem. Screens are everywhere now. It may be that it was a specific sized FWVGA touch screen. Nintendo might want to use a more generic screen to keep cost down.  In fact they probably should have updated the wii u mid generation to keep costs down. They could have started making the wii u controllers have a 720p screen because they would be more generic/cheaper.

[Wah]

Autodesk is a partner? What, is 3DS max animation tools and such going to be on the switch? XD

[Ian Sane]

There might be no touchscreen stuff here so that Nintendo can cut the screen in an SKU if they feel they need a major price drop.  If it's just a screen for portability it can be removed.  A touchscreen won't work that way since devs will have made games that assume you have one.  One big problem with the Wii U was that when it was clearly a bomb Nintendo couldn't cut the price because the most expensive component was a mandatory part of the controller.  If the screen is just a screen then they can make a home-only version of the Switch that costs less.

idk, i think we might be past the point where the screen cost is a problem. Screens are everywhere now. It may be that it was a specific sized FWVGA touch screen. Nintendo might want to use a more generic screen to keep cost down.  In fact they probably should have updated the wii u mid generation to keep costs down. They could have started making the wii u controllers have a 720p screen because they would be more generic/cheaper.

What about battery costs?  If they had a cheap home-only version where the Switch and dock are one in the same they can strip out both the screen and the battery in the Switch (and speakers too I guess).  Would that be able to knock down costs?  I really am not familiar enough with hardware to know.  I do know though that "the screen is too expensive" was the common reason given when I would ask why Nintendo wouldn't do a Wii U price cut so I figured it was some big expense.  Still a touchscreen means that it HAS to be there so even if they offered a home-only variation it would still need something resembling the Wii U Gamepad in order to work.

The 3DS and Wii U both come with styluses and I don't see any slot on the Switch for one.  Now the iPad doesn't have a stylus either so it's not mandatory but not having a stylus for the touchscreen would be a different approach for Nintendo.  Plus I figure if they did have a touchscreen surely someone in that video would be using it at some point.

[Stratos]

The stylus could become an optional accessory like the charger on a New 3DS.

[ThePerm]

Maybe this is what NX is? NX could be basically a ps4 equivalent powered system with a mobile controller. The controller when away from the system can play games. The controller uses SD cards and games can be transferred from console to controller. When playing games on the controller the graphics are downgraded to about Ouya/WiiU quality. Price $500

Basically what would happen if you bought an upgraded DS and Wii U system, but they're just bundled together and the games work on both systems.

Also new advantages would be...multiscreen play, more co-op modes, no worry about reach for netflix. The thing has a wifi connection too.

this works into the nx operating thing because of scalable games.   NX home, NX mobile. They could sale the NX mobile separately to people who don't want the console.

Also gives Nintendo a chance to get into the mobile market(phones not this thing) and not feel guilty for abandoning its cash cow.

Yup! Just add a switch on The NX II to switch from Handheld mode to controller mode and we're in business. (switch could be virtual)


Also, I am now expecting AR HD/4k from Nintendo.


Having  HD/4K AR is a lot more feasible since what ever device is rendering the frame doesn't have to do an entire 1980 x 1080p screen.

I look through my ideas..... Nile Boogie named the system!

The way Nintendo has it now though, i can't imagine it being more than $350. Unless they plan to start releasing multiple SKUs Apple/Samsung style.

The general zeitgeist believes like Wii U the Switch will be underpowered. However, if we remember some old news and rumors.

"They also said Nintendo would aim to put industry-leading chips in the NX devices, after criticism that the Wii U’s capabilities didn’t match those of competitors."

http://www.wsj.com/articles/nintendo-begins-distributing-software-kit-for-new-nx-platform-1444996588

and this is interesting

https://mynintendonews.com/2016/10/21/wall-street-journal-has-heard-one-developer-is-moving-ps4-titles-to-nintendo-switch/

[supermario2k]

$299 is the top price for me. Anything above that and I will wait for a price drop. But I am willing to pay that much. I would be more happy with $249 or even better Game Cube's magic $199 but that might be a pipe dream.

If Nintendo is not marketing kids instead going after the gamer culture, which they should be doing, then there is a chance they will price it higher to avoid image issues. But if it's $349 at launch I will wait.

Mass market for a high end electronic device can be $350, but at that price this thing better have some really good media capabilities and support Apps that are more than just gaming.

[ThePerm]

I think that people are so negative against Nintendo that if there isn'ts some power behind it, it's going to be as dead as Wii U when it comes out. This thing is competing against not only Xbox One, ps4, ps4 pro, Xbox one Scorpio, Ipad, Samsung Galaxy Tablet, Old xbox360s and ps3s, PCs, Wii u, 3ds, Android TV, Cell phones, Razer Forge TV, etc...

I think the smartest thing to do for Nintendo is have scalability. Nintendo needs Switch to be a unified operating system platform, but it could have different levels of power. I think the best way for Nintendo to skip the power arms race, is to disrupt it.

Also, I would imagine Sony and Microsoft have paid corporate spies. They probably knew about Switch, and that's why PS4 PRO and Scorpio had to come out.

[supermario2k]

I think that people are so negative against Nintendo that if there isn'ts some power behind it, it's going to be as dead as Wii U when it comes out. This thing is competing against not only Xbox One, ps4, ps4 pro, Xbox one Scorpio, Ipad, Samsung Galaxy Tablet, Old xbox360s and ps3s, PCs, Wii u, 3ds, Android TV, Cell phones, Razer Forge TV, etc...

I think the smartest thing to do for Nintendo is have scalability. Nintendo needs Switch to be a unified operating system platform, but it could have different levels of power. I think the best way for Nintendo to skip the power arms race, is to disrupt it.

Also, I would imagine Sony and Microsoft have paid corporate spies. They probably knew about Switch, and that's why PS4 PRO and Scorpio had to come out.

I would buy that. My source within Microsoft suggested they are really scrambling to figure out how to make sure this thing doesn't become a threat to Surface. Their not at all concerned for Xbox, but that is a different division he sort of acts like its the redheaded stepchild and since he works on Windows they all scoff at Xbox anyways. But Sony doesn't have a tablet on the market and this is not going to sway anyone looking at PS4 Pro.

[Shaymin]

Good news and bad news from the rumor mill:
The Switch will use standard microSD cards (with the 128GB limit being Nintendo's usual conservatism, the format goes up to 2TB)...

...but there won't be hard drive support.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Gambling on dual SDcard slots!!

[azeke]

I love how these no-name sites split rumours into separate links for more clicks.

[KeyBilly]

The lack of hard drive support seems like a terrible idea.  It would be relatively easy to have the OS automatically manage keeping the newest and most used games on the main system, while the hard drive holds the eventual TBs of digital content.  I expect a smaller NS in the future more oriented towards pure mobile use, but the current system could take advantage of its home base.  It has to spend a lot of its life there anyway to charge.

[Kairon]

Yeah. I'm wondering, what are the rumored USB ports on he dock for if not an external HDD? And while an external HDD obviously wouldn't work magically with the Switch's portable nature, if the Switch OS and Dock provided some sort of straightforward loading/unloading functionality that'd make things smoother.

The lack of a Fridge, even one at home on the dock, would have an immensely jarring effect on my rat-pack must-buy-all-eShop mentality.

Of course, that wouldn't solve the problem of ickiness if the player undocks the Switch in the middle of a 32GB transfer. But I feel like that ickiness is less than the ickiness of no HDD at all.

ALSO Nintendo is losing out on MAJOR profits from having a branded external HDD they can sell at a branded-markup.

[Evan_B]

You guys are so silly. Can't you see, this is just Nintendo's way of stopping us from spending too much money.

They don't want us cluttering our hard drives, or draining our wallets, on stupid, pointless eShop games. They're so thoughtful.