WSJ: Nintendo Delays Rollout of 64-Gigabyte Switch Game Cards Until 2019

[Lite_Agent]

They said the notice disappointed some software makers, especially U.S.-based publishers that often produce data-heavy games. Those publishers may wait for the 64-gigabyte card to release those kinds of games for the Switch.

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You mean, the same publishers that cheapen out on 16GB cards by not only making the game more expensive than on other platforms BUT ALSO by forcing 10GB+ download on users if they go physical rendering the card basically useless? Yeah, as if they're going to be interested in a card that's going to be so prohibitive there most likely will not be a single game using one (mark my words) during the entire Switch life cycle.

GTA V for Switch will either have a massive download required to supplement a smaller cart, or else will ship on the 64 GB cart and cost $99.99.

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Don't worry, you will get both the massive download and the price hike at the same time, like we did for L.A. Noire :-)

 

[Kuro]

I can't think of any game with Switch's fidelity that would need even 40gb unless it was a Final Fantasy with 20gb of cutscenes.

 

[Zalman]

Doesn't seem like a big deal. 32 GB ones are barely in use, not even by Nintendo, so yeah.

 

[Vivi]

So 1 more year of download extra data for Switch games...

 

[SirBaron]

So 1 more year of download extra data for Switch games...

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Not really, you only download that because publishers don't want to cough up for 32GB cards, so the use. If Nintendo manages to drive the cost of Them down then we should see see less downloads, or a lot smaller downloads.

3DS was also expensive at the start but prices dropped as time went on.

 

[ThereAreFourNaan]

Presumably the price of all cards, including 32GB will be coming down over time with increased volume and more mature technology. I would anticipate that a 64GB card in 2019 will probably be costing similar amounts to what a 32GB costs in 2017, because if this was a product that was dramatically more expensive I can't see publishers demanding it.

If they're having problems producing 64GB cards (at least in a commercially viable sense) that may also indicate that they're behind schedule in bringing the cost of their conventional carts down. Just speculation of course, but there's nothing technologically problematic with the existence of a 64gb cart with preexisting technology (e.g. 200+gb microsd cards existing in a fraction of the size), so I'm assuming that the main barrier is how much they can produce them for.

 

[Steverulez]

Sure, but that's not what I said. My point was that publishers have been opting to go with 16gb or even 8 gb even if they needed more space than that, and would release the rest to a download. I don't see them adoptie 64 gb when they aren't even adopting 32 gb cards.

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Presumably they are hoping that the availability of 64gb cards will push down the costs of 32gb card, which will happen if they're used more

 

[Phamit]

So 1 more year of download extra data for Switch games...

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We have to download extra data because publisher choose not to use the biggest card available, not because there is no bigger card

 

[Dark Cloud]

How much would that even cost? Another $20 extra atleast?

 

[audio_delay]

By the time they get 64GB carts, the disc drives in the next gen consoles will have been upgraded to...100GB dual layer UHD discs, so it evens out

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And non of those consoles play/stream or will play/stream data directly from those discs. You are missing the point with gamecarts and current/next-gen disc drives. It wouldn't surprise me if next gen consoles discs are only used for verification, like with current gen consoles, but that you will have to download all the data online, like pc/steam.

 

[R00bot]

I can't think of any game with Switch's fidelity that would need even 40gb unless it was a Final Fantasy with 20gb of cutscenes.

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GTA V

 

[cw_sasuke]

Not surprising considering they had issues even delivering 32GB cards this year. The norm was always going to be:

2017 - 16GB
2018 - 32GB
2019 - up to 64gb

 

[Kuni]

That's quite interesting. Certainly hitting that number would mean most games could fit on a cart but isn't the problem more the cost of the carts? All the games that require downloads are on small carts due to the cost of the 32gb one. In fact I'm not even sure many, if any, games use that cart size...

Hopefully Ninty is able to get the cost down as well.

 

[Patrick Bateman]

How large was NBA 2K 2018 with the required DLC?
The DLC was supposed to be 18GB.

 

[CaviarMeths]

They said the notice disappointed some software makers, especially U.S.-based publishers that often produce data-heavy games. Those publishers may wait for the 64-gigabyte card to release those kinds of games for the Switch.

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Please.

We all know all y'all publishers are gonna put half of your game on a smaller card and require a download for the rest anyway.

 

[UltimusXI]

Not really, you only download that because publishers don't want to cough up for 32GB cards

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Publishers don't want to? Publishers are businesses. The goal is to make money. You talk like they should keep the price the same and 'just use a 32 GB card'.

I think it's more like gamers don't want to cough up, especially if Nintendo's own games are priced 'normally'. Even if the price of a bigger game card is only 3-4 dollars more (do we have figures?), that's a fixed cost per copy and that's an extra risk if the game doesn't turn out to be succesful.

 

[CaviarMeths]

Publishers don't want to? Publishers are businesses. The goal is to make money. You talk like they should keep the price the same and 'just use a 32 GB card'.

I think it's more like gamers don't want to cough up, especially if Nintendo's own games are priced 'normally'. Even if the price of a bigger game card is only 3-4 dollars more (do we have figures?), that's a fixed cost per copy and that's an extra risk if the game doesn't turn out to be succesful.

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Consumers have options, both within Nintendo's ecosystem and outside of it, so price parity with other console versions should be a priority for both Nintendo and publishers. Nintendo should be eating that cost attract publishers to the platform.

 

[MagnesG]

It is good. Price for 32Gb will go down later as 64Gb is introduced.

 

[ILikeFeet]

Don't worry, you will get both the massive download and the price hike at the same time, like we did for L.A. Noire :-)

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Unlike LA Noire, Take 2 will charge $60 for GTA5.

And require a download still

 

[Pif]

Ok so publishers can deliver games upwards of 60GB but ship them in a 16GB card + mandatory 45GB download than doesn't even fit in the switch's memory.

I give this fuck up a 9/10. Well done.

Edit: oh and of course still be more expensive than the other versions.

I revise my fuck up review up to a 10/10.

 

[AniHawk]

they must be dropping the price of the cards in that case. at least i hope so. 32gb cards are already prohibitively expensive unless you're charging $60 for your game.

 

[Al3x1s]

64GB?! I hope the games they wanted to use them for actually make use of it for Switch enabled content rather than include 4K assets of other versions which the Switch won't display and instead use the low settings anyway or something. Similarly for 4K FMV cut scenes and what not, max it at 1080p versions for Switch. I guess they might also be used for compilations, like a REvelations style collection that actually includes both on the cart.

 

[ACL]

It might have something to do with little to no 32GB cards orders from publishers so far.

 

[asd202]

I'm struggling to think of any game that would even need to use 64GB on the Switch.

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Maybe DQXI? Maybe not 64 but over 32

 

[Inuhanyou]

And non of those consoles play/stream or will play/stream data directly from those discs. You are missing the point with gamecarts and current/next-gen disc drives. It wouldn't surprise me if next gen consoles discs are only used for verification, like with current gen consoles, but that you will have to download all the data online, like pc/steam.

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they still need to hold the data, your not going to download the game, just install it onto the HDD like this gen. That cuts out a significant amount of people who still rely on packaged offline games. There is no point otherwise in even having discs in general.

 

[Majukun]

well you can't really argue with technical issues,but it's something that might bite them in the ass later..there are already games on switch where you need an sd card to be able to play them to their fullest,and while i don't know what the opinion on this is to the general swicth demographic, I for sure would not buy a game if i have to buy an sd card on top of the full price to play it.

 

[SirBaron]

Publishers don't want to? Publishers are businesses. The goal is to make money. You talk like they should keep the price the same and 'just use a 32 GB card'.

I think it's more like gamers don't want to cough up, especially if Nintendo's own games are priced 'normally'. Even if the price of a bigger game card is only 3-4 dollars more (do we have figures?), that's a fixed cost per copy and that's an extra risk if the game doesn't turn out to be succesful.

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I talk like Nintendo should be taking the cost of the cards and make them have price parity with bluray. Or at least 32GB cards should be the same as a 50GB bluray. Especially since Nintendo keeps using proprietary media, and their internal space is so tiny.

Also a lot of devs already charge 10 more for their games dubbed as switch tax, and I really, really doubt any of the cards cost €10 per card.

 

[Lunchbox]

Why even bother?

Fucking Nintendo can't even use a 32GB one for the Bayonetta collection.

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Done here

 

[Amalthea]

"Technical issues" - Read: No publisher wants to purchase even the next smaller cart.

 

[9-Volt]

What kind of third party could use that much of space anyway? I can't even think of a possible Nintendo game that even uses a full 10 gig space. Phoenix Wright? Senran Kagura? Bravely? Etrian Odyssey?

 

[VariantX]

I'd actually be upset about this if anyone bothered to use the 32GB cards. 64 gig cards are pointless if no ones using the biggest existing size right now.

 

[skeezx]

tens of millions still have yet to buy a switch. seeing $80+ games behind the shelf would sour their purchasing prospects pretty quick

 

[CommodoreKong]

I wonder how long it'll take for the 32 GB cards to become very affordable in 2018. Considering this delay.

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I wonder if 32 GB cards will even become profitable enough for third party devs to consider using in 2018.

 

[K Samedi]

How much can current Blue Rays hold? Was it 50GB max? I guess 32 should be more then enough for most games, yet the ones that require a lot more space will be problematic because of the low internal memory.

 

[Aktlys]

I hope someone puts a huge 512GIGABIT sticker on the packing when they use a 64GB cart

 

[Rotimi]

If technical issues meant too expensive I can understand. Also would love to know the publishers that were disappointed.

 

[Mark H]

So couple more things from Mochizuki that didn't make it into his article due to space.


Hamamura from Famitsu stated in his seminar that development of AAA Switch title has only started recently and won't be released until 2019.
As such, maybe there won't be a big issue from this delay.


Companies wanting 64gb cards might not only be because they need it, but because it might have good effect on 16gb and 32gb cards.

 

[Mark H]

"64gb? We don't really need it. It's XX and YY that are demanding such cards, right? They're making so much money anyway, I wish they would just step aside for couple of months for us"
Comment by someone under anonymity.


"When such large size becomes the defacto standard, it's tough for us to keep up... I mean, when that becomes the industry trend..."
One more comment under anonymity.

 

[tabris]

Asked this in OT thread for Switch but got drowned out. This is related, especially with game sizes potentially going towards 64gb:

Any downside to being all digital from SD cards?

Any issues with speed differences between different SD cards and/or cartridges? Would I be safe with the following:

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B073JY5T7T/ - Sandisk Ultra 200GB microSDXC UHS-I card

EDIT - Oh, and quick question - can I use my Apple USB-C cable and power charger from my MacBook with the Switch?

 

[Skittzo]

The good news heavily outweighs the bad

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This is my takeaway too. Even if there is seemingly just interest from developers that make such big games that's a good sign.

 

[Ridley327]

Maybe DQXI? Maybe not 64 but over 32

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DQXI was only 30GB on PS4, though it does remain to be seen if the western release will be doing anything to add to that.

 

[Rainrir]

"64gb? We don't really need it. It's XX and YY that are demanding such cards, right? They're making so much money anyway, I wish they would just step aside for couple of months for us"
Comment by someone under anonymity.


"When such large size becomes the defacto standard, it's tough for us to keep up... I mean, when that becomes the industry trend..."
One more comment under anonymity.

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I really want to know who XX and YY is.

 

[Deleted member 8112]

Asked this in OT thread for Switch but got drowned out. This is related, especially with game sizes potentially going towards 64gb:

Any downside to being all digital from SD cards?

Any issues with speed differences between different SD cards and/or cartridges? Would I be safe with the following:

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B073JY5T7T/ - Sandisk Ultra 200GB microSDXC UHS-I card

EDIT - Oh, and quick question - can I use my Apple USB-C cable and power charger from my MacBook with the Switch?

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Yes, and I'm not entirely sure on the second question, but probably.

 

[fiendcode]

Consumers have options, both within Nintendo's ecosystem and outside of it, so price parity with other console versions should be a priority for both Nintendo and publishers. Nintendo should be eating that cost attract publishers to the platform.

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Given what we know about the licensing model, Nintendo is already eating costs per unit on the cards.

SD cards are up to 256 GB now. I guess I'm baffled as to what technical issues Nintendo is experiencing.

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SD cards are up to 512GB with 1TB just around the corner. Micro SD is up to 400GB.

 

[Mars People]

I don't see how the 32GB Switch cards can cost that much.
32GB micro SD cards don't cost that much. And I doubt there is much more technology in a Switch card.

 

[Zippo]

"64gb? We don't really need it. It's XX and YY that are demanding such cards, right? They're making so much money anyway, I wish they would just step aside for couple of months for us"
Comment by someone under anonymity.


"When such large size becomes the defacto standard, it's tough for us to keep up... I mean, when that becomes the industry trend..."
One more comment under anonymity.

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Very interesting. I think this should be added to the OP.

 

[Mark H]

Asked this in OT thread for Switch but got drowned out. This is related, especially with game sizes potentially going towards 64gb:

Any downside to being all digital from SD cards?

Any issues with speed differences between different SD cards and/or cartridges? Would I be safe with the following:

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B073JY5T7T/ - Sandisk Ultra 200GB microSDXC UHS-I card

EDIT - Oh, and quick question - can I use my Apple USB-C cable and power charger from my MacBook with the Switch?

Click to shrink...

Downside is that you can't resell the games, and if you lose your Switch you need to call up Nintendo to de-link your account from it.
Speed difference is internal memory (fastest) > SD card > game card, and that Sandisk 200GB is fantastic.
Not too sure about Apple charger.

 

[Bowl0l]

Big N business plan:
Oh shit, no one is ordering the 32GB cart.
Delay the 64GB cart, reduce production of 16GB and 32GB cart. Also, start charging 3rd parties $5 for every 10GB patch stored in the server.

 

[tabris]

Downside is that you can't resell the games, and if you lose your Switch you need to call up Nintendo to de-link your account from it.
Speed difference is internal memory (fastest) > SD card > game card, and that Sandisk 200GB is fantastic.
Not too sure about Apple charger.

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This is probably the number 1 reason I agreed to buy Nintendo again. The fact that my games are no longer tied to device - even if the fact I have to make a call now is absolutely silly instead of doing it online - it's still a step forward for them.

So it's actually faster for me to get an SD card and buy digitally then buy physically? Well that seals it!

 

[Deleted member 8112]

This is probably the number 1 reason I agreed to buy Nintendo again. The fact that my games are no longer tied to device - even if the fact I have to make a call now is absolutely silly instead of doing it online - it's still a step forward for them.

So it's actually faster for me to get an SD card and buy digitally then buy physically? Well that seals it!

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You can just email them and it'll be done in maximum a day, happened to me before with the 3DS and Wii U where you couldn't even unlink it from the system.