Edit: I must give a round of applause to the very select group of members who read the thread and didn't jump in with hot takes. I know it's certainly hard not to do but, you deserve to be commended. **insert clap emoji**
One of the things I appreciated about Nintendo's introduction of the Switch was their desire to chase after and capture a mature audience in addition to their current audience. I'm not a huge Nintendo fan mainly because I didn't grow up with their consoles but, the value proposition of the switch was and still is quite intriguing to me. For the first time in a while(since the gamecube), Nintendo had released hardware that I'd consider buying for myself. We've seen the likes of Doom and Wolfenstein on the switch and those efforts are appreciated. I picked up a switch shortly after launch and sold it shortly after. For me, it was a fantastic piece of hardware plagued by some really terrible missteps.
Let's talk about the hardware, OS, apps and network related features. The hardware itself is well made in my opinion. The only issue I have with it is the size of the bezel and the use of the TX1 chip. I understand that Nintendo got a good deal on those chips but, there was a better variant that was available at the time of purchase that would provide better longevity to the base model. Less than 2 years into it's life-cycle and the hardware is already struggling. This decision to me reeks of old Nintendo and it's starkly contrasts with the new Nintendo image they're trying to portray. The OS itself, while snappy is quite lacking in comparison to any other modern device on the market. No local save backups? What? Even the older consoles provided this functionality. No inbuilt microphone on a portable device? No camera on the device? No OS level party system? Shocking to say the least. If the lack of OS features left you scratching your head then the poor network features will leave you laughing hysterically in sheer disbelief. Let's make one thing clear here, nobody was asking Nintendo to rebuild the wheel. We're simply asking them to copy already existing features existed on other consoles. In 2013, Sony launched the PS4 with a share button to capture interesting moments. Microsoft brought that feature over shortly after. Nintendo launched the switch in 2017 and they couldn't even learn from the Wii U or the PS4 or XB1, or PS3, or 360, or OG Xbox when it comes to voice chat? I don't know what to say. Then we can look at the subpar app selection for a mobile handheld device with some going on to defend the move by Nintendo smh.
All that would be forgiven if the software was on point. Nintendo make fantastic games and their emphasis on delivering polished experiences must be commended. Unfortunately, again, it's back to the missteps. Microsoft announced Xbox One backwards compatibility approximately 2 years prior to the release of the Switch and Nintendo failed to learn anything from this experience. Here, we have a device capable of unifying Nintendo's entire catalog from the NES, to the N64, to the Gamecube and their failure capitalize on the opportunity has been disappointing to say the least. The device is capable of emulating pretty much everything up to the Wii and, they've instead chosen to forgo this to nickel and dime their fanbase for sparse content. Super Mario Strikers on the switch? Only if you hack the device, smh. In an Era where the platform is more important than the hardware, Nintendo has failed to learn any lessons from the industry as a whole. Finally, I'll touch on the games. Breath of the Wild and Mario Odyssey are fantastic titles but it's not enough. I mean, Nintendo has to at some point recognize that their fans grow up? You can play Mario Kart as a kid and have fun and the same is true when you play it as an adult. The same can be said for Botw, Odyssey and other Nintendo franchise but we cannot ignore the simple truth that these games tend to be aimed at younger audiences. In my opinion, there's absolutely nothing wrong with that and Nintendo has truly mastered the ability to make a title fun for all ages. I do think it's time for Nintendo to take some risks. It's time for them to step out of their comfort zone and start to tackle mature subject matter. They badly need new IP's and I feel that Nintendo has the ability to deliver their own unique takes on different mature subject matter. In an industry where being mature usually equates to excessive violence for violence sake, I do believe Nintendo has the capability to deliver content that is ground breaking while straying from the norms.
I mean, it's just me but I feel like Nintendo are failing to maximize their potential in all facets of the business. During my short tenure as a switch owner, I purchased hundreds of dollars worth of digital content and I'd love to be able to return back to the platform. Unfortunately, I cannot rationalize the purchase of another switch. To many, these complaints are mere annoyances or non issues but to me, they are symptoms of a very "unfocused" and "immature" Nintendo. I could be wrong but as I sit here typing this, I can't help but ask myself one simple question. Will Nintendo ever grow up? One of the signs of maturity is the "doing the right thing at the right time" and what is right is entirely subjective in this case but, I'm still waiting on Nintendo to "grow up".
One of the things I appreciated about Nintendo's introduction of the Switch was their desire to chase after and capture a mature audience in addition to their current audience. I'm not a huge Nintendo fan mainly because I didn't grow up with their consoles but, the value proposition of the switch was and still is quite intriguing to me. For the first time in a while(since the gamecube), Nintendo had released hardware that I'd consider buying for myself. We've seen the likes of Doom and Wolfenstein on the switch and those efforts are appreciated. I picked up a switch shortly after launch and sold it shortly after. For me, it was a fantastic piece of hardware plagued by some really terrible missteps.
Let's talk about the hardware, OS, apps and network related features. The hardware itself is well made in my opinion. The only issue I have with it is the size of the bezel and the use of the TX1 chip. I understand that Nintendo got a good deal on those chips but, there was a better variant that was available at the time of purchase that would provide better longevity to the base model. Less than 2 years into it's life-cycle and the hardware is already struggling. This decision to me reeks of old Nintendo and it's starkly contrasts with the new Nintendo image they're trying to portray. The OS itself, while snappy is quite lacking in comparison to any other modern device on the market. No local save backups? What? Even the older consoles provided this functionality. No inbuilt microphone on a portable device? No camera on the device? No OS level party system? Shocking to say the least. If the lack of OS features left you scratching your head then the poor network features will leave you laughing hysterically in sheer disbelief. Let's make one thing clear here, nobody was asking Nintendo to rebuild the wheel. We're simply asking them to copy already existing features existed on other consoles. In 2013, Sony launched the PS4 with a share button to capture interesting moments. Microsoft brought that feature over shortly after. Nintendo launched the switch in 2017 and they couldn't even learn from the Wii U or the PS4 or XB1, or PS3, or 360, or OG Xbox when it comes to voice chat? I don't know what to say. Then we can look at the subpar app selection for a mobile handheld device with some going on to defend the move by Nintendo smh.
All that would be forgiven if the software was on point. Nintendo make fantastic games and their emphasis on delivering polished experiences must be commended. Unfortunately, again, it's back to the missteps. Microsoft announced Xbox One backwards compatibility approximately 2 years prior to the release of the Switch and Nintendo failed to learn anything from this experience. Here, we have a device capable of unifying Nintendo's entire catalog from the NES, to the N64, to the Gamecube and their failure capitalize on the opportunity has been disappointing to say the least. The device is capable of emulating pretty much everything up to the Wii and, they've instead chosen to forgo this to nickel and dime their fanbase for sparse content. Super Mario Strikers on the switch? Only if you hack the device, smh. In an Era where the platform is more important than the hardware, Nintendo has failed to learn any lessons from the industry as a whole. Finally, I'll touch on the games. Breath of the Wild and Mario Odyssey are fantastic titles but it's not enough. I mean, Nintendo has to at some point recognize that their fans grow up? You can play Mario Kart as a kid and have fun and the same is true when you play it as an adult. The same can be said for Botw, Odyssey and other Nintendo franchise but we cannot ignore the simple truth that these games tend to be aimed at younger audiences. In my opinion, there's absolutely nothing wrong with that and Nintendo has truly mastered the ability to make a title fun for all ages. I do think it's time for Nintendo to take some risks. It's time for them to step out of their comfort zone and start to tackle mature subject matter. They badly need new IP's and I feel that Nintendo has the ability to deliver their own unique takes on different mature subject matter. In an industry where being mature usually equates to excessive violence for violence sake, I do believe Nintendo has the capability to deliver content that is ground breaking while straying from the norms.
I mean, it's just me but I feel like Nintendo are failing to maximize their potential in all facets of the business. During my short tenure as a switch owner, I purchased hundreds of dollars worth of digital content and I'd love to be able to return back to the platform. Unfortunately, I cannot rationalize the purchase of another switch. To many, these complaints are mere annoyances or non issues but to me, they are symptoms of a very "unfocused" and "immature" Nintendo. I could be wrong but as I sit here typing this, I can't help but ask myself one simple question. Will Nintendo ever grow up? One of the signs of maturity is the "doing the right thing at the right time" and what is right is entirely subjective in this case but, I'm still waiting on Nintendo to "grow up".
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