At this point I think it might be more expensive to go with a 480p screen than a 720p screen, 480p screens aren't manufactured as much these days so they'd probably need a custom order.
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New Nintendo president Furukawa: “considering various possibilities” for 3DS successor
- Thread starter Phil32
- Start date
Feelings don't have any meaning on this. There's releases from Nintendo every month on the console except on August which have releases from third parties (like MH), so it's in no way a drought.
What you think about the lineup of the year as a consumer or analyst is another thing, we all can agree or disagree on this matter but drought in it's definition don't exists here at all.
I see them basically miniaturizing switch and giving it a new name. Won't happen until a beefier switch pro/ii comes out, possibly with a docking station that adds a bit more juice.
They aren't far away from getting most of the AAA ports at least from a power perspective, any lighter weight Nintendo stuff and Indies available on both, a smaller amount of switch pro Nintendo exclusives and then multiplatforms. They keep this install base growing like this the multiplats will come.
They aren't far away from getting most of the AAA ports at least from a power perspective, any lighter weight Nintendo stuff and Indies available on both, a smaller amount of switch pro Nintendo exclusives and then multiplatforms. They keep this install base growing like this the multiplats will come.
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That's a wealth of features to remove in order to reduce the price and/or compensate for shifting to a portable device. The removal of the accelerometer and gyroscope alone would render players unable to complete certain games such as The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
I think you misunderstood what I said, each Joy Con and the main unit have their own accelerometer and gyro, the ones in the Joy Cons aren't used in handheld mode, I'm saying they don't need 3 of each, just 1.
Sounds pretty lame, but I'd support it as an option.
Even at $199, I think I'd rather add the extra 100 for the full feature. What I'd like is a Switch Pro maybe 2 years from now.
To me this option sounds like a switch without local multiplayer.
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I'm understanding your message better now. My apologies for the confusion!
With Pokémon Gen VIII releasing on the Switch, the chances of any handheld Nintendo puts out not being a Switch variant is near 0%.
Who knows, though. Maybe the family of consoles that I wanted the Switch to be could actually end up happening after all :p
Who knows, though. Maybe the family of consoles that I wanted the Switch to be could actually end up happening after all :p
Suggestion for a Switch Dual Screen:
Shares library with Switch. Also backwards compatible with 3DS, has a dedicated port for the carts. BC is limited to games that don't require the camera(s).
Clamshell design. Basically the same size as New 3DS but bulkier/thicker. Hopefully more ergonomic.
(mock up)
Button layout based on 3DS. No TV out. No HD rumble. No IR camera. One set of motion controls. Doesn't come with joy-cons but for full compatibility with Switch, they can be connected via bluetooth.
(mock up)
Top screen is 540p. Uses more of the available space.
Bottom screen is monochrome e-ink 480p. It could be used for static displays like maps or custom buttons. No power consumption unless refreshed. Can be refreshed at 60 hz for backwards compatibility.
With the launch of Switch Dual Screen, backwards compatibility with 3DS could be added to the regular Switch as well (digital distribution versions only). Stereoscopic 3D supported on 3DTVs.
New grip with monochrome e-ink screen between the joy-cons, so dual screen gaming is enabled on the regular Switch model as well. Optional feature. Patches for old games. Perfect for Etrian's Odyssey and similar games relying on the second screen.
Shares library with Switch. Also backwards compatible with 3DS, has a dedicated port for the carts. BC is limited to games that don't require the camera(s).
Clamshell design. Basically the same size as New 3DS but bulkier/thicker. Hopefully more ergonomic.
Button layout based on 3DS. No TV out. No HD rumble. No IR camera. One set of motion controls. Doesn't come with joy-cons but for full compatibility with Switch, they can be connected via bluetooth.
Top screen is 540p. Uses more of the available space.
Bottom screen is monochrome e-ink 480p. It could be used for static displays like maps or custom buttons. No power consumption unless refreshed. Can be refreshed at 60 hz for backwards compatibility.
With the launch of Switch Dual Screen, backwards compatibility with 3DS could be added to the regular Switch as well (digital distribution versions only). Stereoscopic 3D supported on 3DTVs.
New grip with monochrome e-ink screen between the joy-cons, so dual screen gaming is enabled on the regular Switch model as well. Optional feature. Patches for old games. Perfect for Etrian's Odyssey and similar games relying on the second screen.
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They could just make another Switch but a smaller one. I don't see there being a new 3ds. Focus on the Switch.
Just make a little Switch. One mega platform to rule them all.
I genuinely don't expect a seperate platform.
Pokemon would straight up ignore the Switch otherwise, instead of having two mainline entries lined up in quick succession.
Pokemon would straight up ignore the Switch otherwise, instead of having two mainline entries lined up in quick succession.
Suggestion for a Switch Dual Screen:
Shares library with Switch. Also backwards compatible with 3DS, has a dedicated port for the carts. BC is limited to games that don't require the camera(s).
Clamshell design. Basically the same size as New 3DS but bulkier/thicker. Hopefully more ergonomic.
(mock up)
Button layout based on 3DS. No TV out. No HD rumble. No IR camera. One set of motion controls. Doesn't come with joy-cons but for full compatibility with Switch, they can be connected via bluetooth.
(mock up)
Top screen is 540p. Uses more of the available space.
Bottom screen is monochrome e-ink 480p. It could be used for static displays like maps or custom buttons. No power consumption unless refreshed. Can be refreshed at 60 hz for backwards compatibility.
With the launch of Switch Dual Screen, backwards compatibility with 3DS could be added to the regular Switch as well (digital distribution versions only). Stereoscopic 3D supported on 3DTVs.
New grip with monochrome e-ink screen between the joy-cons, so dual screen gaming is enabled on the regular Switch model as well. Optional feature. Patches for old games. Perfect for Etrian's Odyssey and similar games relying on the second screen.
I can't remember the exact wording, but I recall Iwata himself bringing up the idea of multiple form factors during an investors meeting (might have been the one with the mobile games and NX annoucement), which was part of why a lot of people dismissed the idea of it being a hybrid till that got leaked.
Yes. They literally talked about making it easier to port games between systems so they'd avoid launch droughts etc. It's why I'm a bit hesitant about assumptions of their single system future.
Whether they could actually pull off a second line up successfully when both systems are portable is another matter, but I wouldn't be surprised if they tried. With it deliberately set up so that any titles planned for a failed platform can be rapidly transferred to another one, the potential rewards might outweigh the risk.
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I don't agree with this, at all. I think they will probably just go with a refined switch without dock! Nothing which makes it harder for the iteration to work in symmetry with switch.
There's no way they'll go back to the portable / home console model with which they'd segregate their user base. Pretty sure the next step would be to create a cheaper, smaller Switch that's portable only and more targeted towards kids. 199$ pricetag including Zelda or Mario and they have another huge thing on their hands.
I dont think the Switch can get any smaller as joy-cons are way too small already. Plus a new handheld targeted at kids would need a Pokemon game and I dont thunt Game Freak will abandon HD now. My guess is Switch's manufacturing costs will be cheaper in sometime from now and we will see the current Switch with a new design branded as a Switch lite while releasing a Switch Pro.
Yep, I remember something along the lines of this. This is why I think we'll get a mini Switch, around the size of the 3DS. So what if it's too small for joycons, no need to include them. Keep the controls built in.
Struggling to find concrete, up to date numbers, but I really don't think there are any e-ink displays that refresh at anything like 30 Hz, let alone 60 Hz, you'd be better with a cheap LCD panel.Suggestion for a Switch Dual Screen:
Shares library with Switch. Also backwards compatible with 3DS, has a dedicated port for the carts. BC is limited to games that don't require the camera(s).
Clamshell design. Basically the same size as New 3DS but bulkier/thicker. Hopefully more ergonomic.
(mock up)
Button layout based on 3DS. No TV out. No HD rumble. No IR camera. One set of motion controls. Doesn't come with joy-cons but for full compatibility with Switch, they can be connected via bluetooth.
(mock up)
Top screen is 540p. Uses more of the available space.
Bottom screen is monochrome e-ink 480p. It could be used for static displays like maps or custom buttons. No power consumption unless refreshed. Can be refreshed at 60 hz for backwards compatibility.
With the launch of Switch Dual Screen, backwards compatibility with 3DS could be added to the regular Switch as well (digital distribution versions only). Stereoscopic 3D supported on 3DTVs.
New grip with monochrome e-ink screen between the joy-cons, so dual screen gaming is enabled on the regular Switch model as well. Optional feature. Patches for old games. Perfect for Etrian's Odyssey and similar games relying on the second screen.
If you're thinking the hardware would all be behind the top screen then it'd be uncomfortably top heavy, too. You know how people sometimes complained about the top screens being a bit floppy on older models (particularly the OG DS and XL models)? It'd be way worse than that.
Third parties will not support a second/separate Nintendo device. The important publishers are barely on board the Switch. On top of that, we've not seen the fruits of the "unified Nintendo" manifest itself on the Switch as was previously romanticized, and they're supposed to support another active platform?
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I don't agree with this, at all. I think they will probably just go with a refined switch without dock! Nothing which makes it harder for the iteration to work in symmetry with switch.
That is because they are NOT unifying platform, otherwise you kill the 3DS. So, yeah, they are totally doing that, Nintendo has always consider their home consoles as secondary platforms in the last decade or so. They do not seem to care sadly. I do not get how a Company tries to obliterate a successful product, but it is exactly what is happening: Labo, underwhelming lineup, delays, 3DS sucesor, Retro potentially being closed, Pokemon Go HD...Terrible year for Nintendo.
Yeah, this is what I'm getting from what Nintendo has been doing lately. It looks like they really see Switch as "the home console that you can take with you", and now it's becoming obvious that also includes all the downsides of Nintendo home consoles. Game droughts, so many no-shows of games that they could and should be making, no BC and not even Virtual Console with handheld systems, and it's starting to look a lot like they intend to keep the DS line and the 3DS successor as separate from the Switch. Honestly this is a missed opportunity. Just how hard would it have been to include 3/DS BC on Switch and have more of those 3DS games on Switch? The currently non-existent 3DS successor is already starting to look like a better deal than Switch.
Suggestion for a Switch Dual Screen:
Shares library with Switch. Also backwards compatible with 3DS, has a dedicated port for the carts. BC is limited to games that don't require the camera(s).
Clamshell design. Basically the same size as New 3DS but bulkier/thicker. Hopefully more ergonomic.
(mock up)
Button layout based on 3DS. No TV out. No HD rumble. No IR camera. One set of motion controls. Doesn't come with joy-cons but for full compatibility with Switch, they can be connected via bluetooth.
(mock up)
Top screen is 540p. Uses more of the available space.
Bottom screen is monochrome e-ink 480p. It could be used for static displays like maps or custom buttons. No power consumption unless refreshed. Can be refreshed at 60 hz for backwards compatibility.
With the launch of Switch Dual Screen, backwards compatibility with 3DS could be added to the regular Switch as well (digital distribution versions only). Stereoscopic 3D supported on 3DTVs.
New grip with monochrome e-ink screen between the joy-cons, so dual screen gaming is enabled on the regular Switch model as well. Optional feature. Patches for old games. Perfect for Etrian's Odyssey and similar games relying on the second screen.
Sorry to say that, but that doesn't make sense at all. Switch has 720p/1080p games. An even smller screen would make the playbility of the games worse. If anything, the Switch would benefit from a bigger, not smaller screen, so instead of this, it's probably safe to expect a Swtich XL of some sorts in the future.
Also, Switch doesn't have dual screen games. Second screen in the mockup would be a total waste...well... of another screen.
LIke I said. There won't be a 3DS successor.
Switch Duo. Dual Screen Switch, no removable joycons, smaller form factor/parts moved to the top screen part to fit the battery, has full feature set of the switch bar the dock. Switch Duo also is a software update to the OG Switch which allows Wii U style asymmetric gameplay with a streaming dongle that you can purchase, OR the new Switch Duo Premium bundle which has a new stream only dock/hub.
Interesting. Makes me think of Iwata's remarks on NX four years ago, which I think they are still relevant today given that Kimishima was following his roadmap for the most part.
I think the plan was always to consider creating another pure-handheld, but one that shares the Switch architecture and OS. This way they could create an ecosystem of Nintendo devices, ala Apple and iOS. It may or may not support the same games, depending on the power of the device. But the merger of their development teams should make it easy to share resources and create new titles or altered ports.
I think also there is an argument to be made that the Switch in its current form isn't a great handheld device, as nice as its portability is. It's a bit heavy and awkward to hold, the battery life isn't amazing, and it's fairly scratch-prone. A dedicated handheld system that can run Switch games is a no-brainer, especially if it has portable-oriented software features like the 3DS too. If it's cheaper, then they can increase the audience dramatically, and would help bring in younger players too. This will probably be announced when they eventually retire the 3DS line for good.
I don't buy the argument that Nintendo wouldn't do it because they market the Switch as having multiple form-factors. They already took the 3D out of the 3DS. If Nintendo wants a cheaper gateway for people to access Switch games, they will make it happen, features be damned. They've released cheaper, inferior console revisions several times in the past, and there's no reason to think they wouldn't take this approach again.
I think the plan was always to consider creating another pure-handheld, but one that shares the Switch architecture and OS. This way they could create an ecosystem of Nintendo devices, ala Apple and iOS. It may or may not support the same games, depending on the power of the device. But the merger of their development teams should make it easy to share resources and create new titles or altered ports.
I think also there is an argument to be made that the Switch in its current form isn't a great handheld device, as nice as its portability is. It's a bit heavy and awkward to hold, the battery life isn't amazing, and it's fairly scratch-prone. A dedicated handheld system that can run Switch games is a no-brainer, especially if it has portable-oriented software features like the 3DS too. If it's cheaper, then they can increase the audience dramatically, and would help bring in younger players too. This will probably be announced when they eventually retire the 3DS line for good.
I don't buy the argument that Nintendo wouldn't do it because they market the Switch as having multiple form-factors. They already took the 3D out of the 3DS. If Nintendo wants a cheaper gateway for people to access Switch games, they will make it happen, features be damned. They've released cheaper, inferior console revisions several times in the past, and there's no reason to think they wouldn't take this approach again.
Thing is 3D was mostly a gimmick, and was mandated to developers to be an optional feature by Nintendo because of potential health risks and not everyone being able to see 3D. Conversely, Nintendo allows developers to skip a play mode of the Switch for their games if they want to, which let's developers take more risks with how they design Switch games. A handheld only Switch would make many of these games incompatible. It's not like cutting the GBA slot on the DS, you're gutting the very thing that distinguishes the Switch from other conventional mobile devices, it's detachable controllers. The Joy-Con are in the Switch logo for a reason, the whole system was designed around them.
Yeah I remember when we were all dissecting that article, quote, lol.
It makes sense in a way, but to me they should let the current Switch be the handheld and do a more powerful home console only version. Or put the SCD patents to use.
Whatever it is, as long as its compatible with Switch games. And they have a good thing going with the Switch. I know the 3DS is still selling but they really need to move on, if they can.
I have a feeling Nintendo is about to mess this success they're having with the Switch up.
I knew there would be another dedicated handheld
Just no way Nintendo is going to be a one system company, way way way too much left on the table. The 3DS is still selling really well!
Just no way Nintendo is going to be a one system company, way way way too much left on the table. The 3DS is still selling really well!
I think if Nintendo for some reason did make another dedicated handheld to the exclusion of the Switch's software library, it would end up with just... a lot of further downgraded ports of Switch games.
Why? That's exactly what happened with the 3DS and Wii U.
Why? That's exactly what happened with the 3DS and Wii U.
A smaller, handheld-only Switch is the only other console they need right now. Everything else would make no sense imo.
That's the Nintendo difference. Don't count them out from doing something that sounds completely bananas
I am glad we agree on the Nintendo phone concept Furukawa.
(the only handheld successor I see working at this point now that the switch is out.)
(the only handheld successor I see working at this point now that the switch is out.)
Very true.
But even then making a smaller portable switch is pretty bananas to begin with. It makes no sense to go that route after combining their console and handheld teams together, that's just bad business decisions.
Just get a cheaper much smaller Switch with no Joycon attachments, can fit into Pockets and has similar enough specs to run all Switch games. That way there is a version of the console to appeal to everyone.
I really don't understand why people are asking for a Switch-lite. I use my Switch 95% portable. I travel, use it on public transit, carry it around in the City, etc. It's just as portable as my 3DS XL or Vita. What are you all expecting out of a "more portable" Switch?
Now, if it's a question of getting something in the $125-$175 range, then I understand. But it's still a new platform just over a year old, and would require many compromises just to get it down to that price range in the next 24 months.
Now, if it's a question of getting something in the $125-$175 range, then I understand. But it's still a new platform just over a year old, and would require many compromises just to get it down to that price range in the next 24 months.
A clamshell or other style Switch compatible would be the simplest option for everyone concerned, I just have a nagging feeling that they might want something that works out slightly cheaper to build; less ram, a smaller battery, a lower resolution screen.
They haven't been shy with dual releases recently (Sushi Striker, Captain Toad) so it's not unthinkable that they continue that route with a new cheaper system and cheaper library to maintain the gateway drug thing they talked about.
I don't see them making a dedicated handheld that isn't just a smaller, cheaper Switch aimed at the budget/kids market. It just doesn't make sense after going through the trouble of transitioning their home console to the physically smallest carts a Nintendo portable has ever used, and the limitations that come with them.
I thought there was noise of Nintendo was experimenting with prototypes for a Gameboy Advance successor during that time period? I mean that is something Nintendo alway does with hardware anyway.
I'm sure Nintendo was prototyping a GBA successor as a back up in case the DS didn't succeed the way they wanted. But any plans for that were quickly scrapped once the DS became a smash hit. The same will be true for the Switch. Whether the 3DS gets a successor or not will depend entirely on if people accept the Switch as a mobile platform. They already know most Switch owners play both docked and un-docked equally, so if they can get the Switch into the one per-person position, they may not even need a 3DS successor, and any prototypes they may have been working on will likely be scrapped. I'm guessing this is where the Pixelpar rumor stems from. He likely heard Nintendo was toying around with a 3DS successor from a close source, but since Nintendo is trying to push the Switch's mobile qualities more, they're sitting on it until they see how the Switch does, which would explain why he doesn't know anything about.