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What if Sony and MS adopted the Switch Hybrid model??

Nolbertos

Nolbertos

Member
Dec 9, 2017
3,314
Seeing all these threads about portability and Kodera either providing lip service to media or casual hinting Sony wants to take a stab at the portable market again maybe through a switch type device. What if MS sees Nintendo's Switch sales and also adopts the hybrid model. Would You guys be happy?? Angry, that the spec wars cease to exist?? Return to PC?? Seems Sony at least doesn't want a Wii sales like situation and maybe planning to slow it down with there own "switch" device.
 
JeffGubb

JeffGubb

Giant Bomb
Verified
Oct 25, 2017
842
There has to be a million threads about this already.

EDIT: But here's "what if." The battery and thermal management would suck so back it wouldn't be viable.
 
Knight613

Knight613

Member
Oct 25, 2017
20,787
San Francisco
Microsoft convinced themselves that having the most powerful hardware is what matters. They won't be doing this.

Sony is going to sell more PS4s than Nintendo sold Wiis by the time the PS4 is discontinued. They don't need to do this.
 
Art Vandelay

Art Vandelay

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,194
USA
I'd be interested in an affordable handheld capable of streaming games. I think it's doubtful, but who knows with the Switch's success.
 

LRB1983

Banned
Oct 30, 2017
428
I hope no and I don't get why are now so many threads about this... is there some kind of marketshare research behind this? Looks like a balloon probe.
 
SinCityAssassin

SinCityAssassin

Member
Oct 25, 2017
15,172
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Mysterio79

Member
Oct 25, 2017
2,159
They never spoke about Vita for years but now it's in every PS5 interview.

Backlash may be immense but I for one welcome our new Switch influenced platforms.


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MrBS

MrBS

Member
Oct 27, 2017
6,234
My second thought for the switch was that I couldn't wait to see how Sony will copy it, we'll see what happens, I think the die hard high attached purchasers on vita are already jumping ship, will they come back?

PS it was more cumbersome back in the day but being able to stick my PSPGo in a dock at home, sync with a DS3 controller and continue playing on my TV was a fantastic experience.
 
Dr. Caroll

Dr. Caroll

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
8,111
The future is a portable device that is streaming-based both locally and over the internet, which would ensure great battery life and low cost. The sticking point is that we really need 5G to be more widespread for it to gain a foothold.
 
itshutton

itshutton

Member
Nov 1, 2017
546
It would either be a terrible underpowered portable or the most expensive thing ever.

The Switch exists already, why compete in a niche when you can dominate the mainstream?
 
Slam Tilt

Slam Tilt

Member
Jan 16, 2018
5,585
Once again, Nintendo pioneers, and everyone else follows.

The problem though is that Microsoft and Sony have already built their reputations on bleeding-edge tech, and they can't deliver a hybrid without either backing away from that or waiting for mobile chips to get to today's desktop fidelity. They're better off sticking to their current approach and hoping that the Switch doesn't hurt their marketshare too much down the road.
 
breakfuss

breakfuss

Prophet of Truth
Banned
Oct 28, 2017
1,538
LOL this literally gets asked everyday. After the Vita Sony ain't trying again, folks.
 
McScroggz

McScroggz

The Fallen
Jan 11, 2018
5,973
No. For one, we don't need three consoles that are the same. Two, I want the next PS5 to have a leap in power so game developers can do more with the hardware. Three, I don't think there is this huge demand for mobile consoles that justifies a hybrid console from Sony or Microsoft.

Let Nintendo do their thing.
 
Imitation Of Life

Imitation Of Life

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
9,205
Slam Tilt said:
Once again, Nintendo pioneers, and everyone else follows.

The problem though is that Microsoft and Sony have already built their reputations on bleeding-edge tech, and they can't deliver a hybrid without either backing away from that or waiting for mobile chips to get to today's desktop fidelity. They're better off sticking to their current approach and hoping that the Switch doesn't hurt their marketshare too much down the road.
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They don't have anything to worry about.
 
nickfrancis86

nickfrancis86

Member
Nov 10, 2017
427
The Switch isn't a hybrid. It's a handheld that can be docked. Microsoft won't make a handheld, although you might say that the Surface could be considered a handheld of sorts, it can play 'Play Anywhere Games', that'd be the only route they'd go down, 'Play Xbox Games on the go with the Surface X' or something like that. I could see Sony doing a handheld and I wouldn't be surprised if it could also be played on a TV, the PSP can do this already and the Vita got the PSTV. But I'll always consider these devices to be a handheld.
 
Callibretto

Callibretto

Member
Oct 25, 2017
9,492
Indonesia
itshutton said:
It would either be a terrible underpowered portable or the most expensive thing ever.

The Switch exists already, why compete in a niche when you can dominate the mainstream?
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because Switch is not niche. far from it. I think Sony can't just ignore it, especially since japan will be going all in with Switch. the least Sony need to do is to make an alternative for people who want portable gaming. maybe offer a smaller device since some people think Switch is too big as handheld, or a more comfortable device because imo, Switch is not very comfortable to play for long time etc.
 
Xx 720

Xx 720

Member
Nov 3, 2017
3,920
Don't think ms would do it. If Sony ever does I think they would make it separate from playstation, perhaps a Vita 2. But they clearly dont need to the ps 4 is a beast...
 

Deleted member 2254

user requested account closure
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
21,467
In a way it would be cool, but it's also true that this generation we're having games like Assassin's Creed: Origins and Call Of Duty's (likely) surprisingly ambitious Battle Royale. I don't these kind of games would be viable on a system that is far weaker than the base X1 and PS4 models, not with a battery life or price that would make sense. I welcome Nintendo doing their own thing, while MS and Sony give me that sweet 4K on my TV, thank you very much.
 
Typhon

Typhon

Member
Oct 25, 2017
6,115
Sony and MS aren't going to downgrade there to hardware to compete with Nintendo. They don't have to. They're have their market, Nintendo has theirs. Sony isn't going to risk its lead and Microsoft isn't going to risk falling behind even further.
 
Tickling

Tickling

Banned
Oct 29, 2017
961
It would be awful for gaming in general as specs would be lower so this would hold back gaming progressing. We are starting to see the cpu limitations in the current gen consoles as it is now. I want gaming as a medium to progress not be held back.
 
z0m3le

z0m3le

Member
Oct 25, 2017
5,418
Microsoft could do this because of their universal gaming API that these games are built on, but it's taken a large investment and a lot of time and work, also Microsoft as a company has all the tools to make it happen. a 720p XB1 portable is possible on 7nm. It could perform pretty close to an XB1 depending on architecture improvements but should be short still.

Sony would have to hardware emulate or exact copy a PS4 to get it to run these games on a portable, but it has far more GPU performance than AMD can squeeze into even 15 watts. Maybe they could make a PSone style PS4, running 30 watts or so at 7nm, but you are not going to get something in a portable that can do this.
 
Lurkyseas

Lurkyseas

Banned
Dec 31, 2017
2,160
Do we have to have so many threads about this?

If Microsoft &/or Sony decides to go through with it, they would be considered copycats by the majority of consumers.
 
kennyamr

kennyamr

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
3,587
New York, NY, USA
I'll quote myself from the other thread:

(About Kodera's comments)
kennyamr said:
The comment referring to "the traditional way of looking at console cycles" is probably specifically in the context of earnings, or a way to say that the expected sharp decrease in profits when a new console releases won't happen again, because of the cashflow cushion PSN and PS+ now provides (as well as other subscription based services.)

About his comment on handheld devices, he probably means that Sony will keep investing on its Mobile Games department (ForwardWorks).
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Bonus opinion:
kennyamr said:
Some people want Sony to follow Nintendo's hardware ideas.

I want Nintendo to follow Sony's hardware ideas.
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ueh19

ueh19

Banned
May 23, 2018
64
My dream would be a "Steam Machine", that functions like a switch.
With access to the whole steam library and the most powerful hardware this would be a great "high-end" device.
 
Pablo Mesa

Pablo Mesa

Banned
Nov 23, 2017
6,878
I think they even cant as Nintendo has a licensing agreement with Nvidia for the Tegra chips, and iirc no one else in the market has a chip with the same Power/ Consumption as that. sure they can get other mobile chips but then you will be seeing a device more expensive than Switchs 300$ price tag and with a shorter battery life (if it doesnt go up in flames 1st)
 
Joeyro

Joeyro

Member
Oct 28, 2017
1,757
That would be horrible. Specs would take a huge hit and it would hurt the whole industry.
 
chasingclouds

chasingclouds

Member
Jan 5, 2018
522
England, U.K.
I actually dislike the hybrid aspect of the Switch. Not good enough battery life or small and compact enough in size to be a brilliant handheld - but also not powerful enough to play all the games I want as a home console. I preferred them doing a dedicated handheld. I wouldn't like for Microsoft or Sony to follow suit.
 
sir_crocodile

sir_crocodile

Member
Oct 25, 2017
23,506
Are you saying this would be their next, single release or an accompaniment?

-as a second device it would likely fail because no one would put enough dev time into it and would focus on the consoles
-as the PS5/XB4, it would fail because by necessity they would be weaker then the PS4P/XB1X, and probably the PS4 (not sure if XB1 would be possible in a year or two, could be but with pretty bad battery life). You'd be trying to sell a downgrade as an upgrade. Nintendo could do this because they were able to simultaneously upgrade from the Wii U and go portable thanks to how weak the Wii U was given the year it came out and years of tech improvement afterwards

Sony & MS are better just staying the course really. Copying nintendo rarely works out well.
 
lordlad

lordlad

Banned for trolling with an alt account
Banned
Oct 27, 2017
3,940
Singapore
i know time is relative going by Einstein's theory but why is it felt like i am reading a paradoxical loop when i read the same thread topic everyday?
 
Gurish

Gurish

Attempted to circumvent ban with alt account
Banned
Mar 20, 2018
520
Slam Tilt said:
Once again, Nintendo pioneers, and everyone else follows.

The problem though is that Microsoft and Sony have already built their reputations on bleeding-edge tech, and they can't deliver a hybrid without either backing away from that or waiting for mobile chips to get to today's desktop fidelity. They're better off sticking to their current approach and hoping that the Switch doesn't hurt their marketshare too much down the road.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

What are you talking about? No one followed them and I hope that no one will.
 
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