The future of gaming (Nintendo)

[nightglow]

I am a bit biased, let's just get that out of the way. I love handhelds. In particular, I love clam shell designs. They are very portable and they were affordable systems... Gba sp, and the large DS family, which could do gba games if they were an old enough model, or the virtual console option for later models, has great enough games for me, personally.
Nintendo has always been, at least I perceived them to be, a cheaper option to gaming that was also portable. And I think in general most people viewed them as a family oriented video game company, and though children were a target, they did have games for older folks too. The children of those days are now adults.. and I wonder if Nintendo is changing their audience a tad for one reason or another. It could be speculated on forever.

As of now, there seems to be a lot of grief over Switch 2 and their games's prices. And I kinda wonder if this carries on, if Nintendo will rethink their targets.

To me it seemed like that all around in general gaming, graphics were the obsession. Nintendo was always a little behind on the graphics, but the switch 1 had great graphics, I thought anyway. The switch 2 with even better.

However I think the consumer, particularly Nintendo fans which include children and families though a smaller demographic than before, are more concerned about budget now than the multiple years of the past of how great trees or mountains look.

Ai is another matter, but I do think it is in the future to cut costs while pushing out high graphics and powerful systems.

But I wanted to ask... Today I did see a headline among my new feed of Nintendo drama on YouTube saying the switch 2 is reviving the 3ds. I dont know if that is really true.. but I can see people picking up their 3ds more simply due to affordability and portability. I have heard complains from people about lugging with switch 1 around... And while we do have the switch lite.. it is still awkward portability wise compared to Nintendo's previous handhelds.

Do you think Nintendo will eventually look into developing and selling more portable and affordable consoles in the future with its own games vs consoles that are larger and more powerful?
Is more portable and affordable consoles something you would like to see or even consider picking up?
Do you think other gaming companies will consider pushing out more portable and affordable handhelds with its own games in the future after seeing what is happening today?
Even if a more portable console was to come out comparable to a 3ds in size and power.. would it and or it's games have a high price tag due to economy? (Compare to $450 switch 2 and $80-70 per game for the console)

Other related thoughts?

 

[Neb]

In a few years, Nintendo will probably produce a more budget-friendly option for families, like a "Switch 2 Lite," rather than another handheld line like the DS. Having just one console line worked well for them with the Switch 1, and I don't think they'd change that. It wouldn't connect to TVs like the standard Switch 2 and be smaller.

 

[ShawnFuzz]

I would really like to discuss this, but I am falling asleep and need to go to bed. I will try to respond soon...

Maybe this will be a bump for you and get the conversation going (which I think is worthy.... hopefully people read your original post!!)

 

[Mr_Keroppi]

I really love these discussions to see what everyone has to say! I'll be completely honest in that I am very displeased with the Switch 2. Though that is just because it doesn't appeal to me.

I am not going to purchase anything Nintendo for a while until I feel like it's personally worth it! I have so many wonderful games and consoles from over the years and I am really enjoying them, as I have for a long time. I love my Wii U and 3DS despite others less than favorable opinions at times.

The Switch 2 may be worth it for some, but I do not need a new console and am definitely not looking to spending that large amount of money on it, I was not a huge fan of Switch 1 during the entire life cycle.

I am happy and content, I have New Leaf, Pikmin 3, Splatoon, Style Savvy, Project DIVA, and the list goes on to continue enjoying for another few decades.
LETS NOT EVEN MENTION THE $30 - $40 RETAIL AMIIBO PRICES????

 

[Rainy.Nights]

For me, consoles are mainly about the exclusives. If it's on PC I'd usually go for that version instead, unless a game I really wanted to play releases the console version first. And that's why I stopped buying any Playstation consoles many years ago. At this point I doubt Nintendo would release their main IPs on PC though. If they did I can imagine not nearly as many consoles would be sold. I'm not seeing anything that really grabs my interest with the Switch 2 so far. I already feel entertained enough with my Switch and 3DS. I've also noticed that 3DS is still popular and am not surprised, so many great games there that might not ever be released elsewhere. Portability is also a factor, and I still carry my 3DS around much more often than my Switch because it's more convenient. I think in the future, Nintendo will continue to release more phone games which could somewhat solve the portability issue. There are already some that I consider just as good quality as console games.

 

[BetsySundrop]

Interesting!
Do you think Nintendo will eventually look into developing and selling more portable and affordable consoles in the future with its own games vs consoles that are larger and more powerful?

I don't think it would be a versus situation? I do think nintendo will continue to try to give their consoles portability in some way.

I don't think nintendo really ever went for the larger/ more powerful consoles (compared to other consoles). Just my opinion, but i think of Nintendo, and i think of more innovative designs rather than just more power. So like the wii, with the nunchuk controllers, the balance board and all, the portability of the switch.

My hope for the future of nintendo is that while every other console is working on the usual gains, Nintendo will instead be working on a quantum computing console.
I mean, imagine the possibilities!


Is more portable and affordable consoles something you would like to see or even consider picking up?

Not really? Maybe if an affordable, portable console came out with the exclusive games i love (new ones!), and I could also play it on my tv (yay big screen) without killing it graphics-wise.

Do you think other gaming companies will consider pushing out more portable and affordable handhelds with its own games in the future after seeing what is happening today?

I think yes, other companies will definitely go for portability. There's a lot of money going into mobile (phone) games, so it would be leaving a huge market untapped if they didn't.

Even if a more portable console was to come out comparable to a 3ds in size and power.. would it and or it's games have a high price tag due to economy? (Compare to $450 switch 2 and $80-70 per game for the console)

Would be funny if they sold a main console, then sold a more portable "attachment" - not sure what word to use. So you could have a nice console at home, but also the very portable device to download games on from the main console, to take those console games everywhere more conveniently, but not as clunky as taking a switch everywhere.

Not sure about prices.

 

[Reginald Fairfield]

I really love these discussions to see what everyone has to say! I'll be completely honest in that I am very displeased with the Switch 2. Though that is just because it doesn't appeal to me.

I am not going to purchase anything Nintendo for a while until I feel like it's personally worth it! I have so many wonderful games and consoles from over the years and I am really enjoying them, as I have for a long time. I love my Wii U and 3DS despite others less than favorable opinions at times.

The Switch 2 may be worth it for some, but I do not need a new console and am definitely not looking to spending that large amount of money on it, I was not a huge fan of Switch 1 during the entire life cycle.

I am happy and content, I have New Leaf, Pikmin 3, Splatoon, Style Savvy, Project DIVA, and the list goes on to continue enjoying for another few decades.
LETS NOT EVEN MENTION THE $30 - $40 RETAIL AMIIBO PRICES????

Well said. I'd like more info about the key cards and battery life as well.

 

[Reginald Fairfield]

Well said. I'd like more info about the key cards and battery life as well.

Also the changes to the EULA that says they can remote brick your console.

 

[Raccoon Goon]

I miss the days of the Game Boy, to be honest. That one came with outdated hardware even for the time back then and yet it was a massive success due to it simply being convenient, easy to carry around AND (somewhat) affordable AND with amazing battery life. It seems Nintendo has gotten away from all of that today, especially with the Switch 2, since it seems to be as inconveniently large as the Switch 1 (it's fine if you want to play at home in another room but try taking it with you somewhere, it's super annoying because it won't fit into any kind of pocket), it seems to come with quite a few restrictions and extra costs AND the battery life also appears to be even worse than that of the Switch 1. Idk. Nintendo isn't what it used to be, and now they're even following the "we charge outrageous prices for our console" path of Sony and Microsoft. (Problem here ofc is that both Sony and Microsoft have consoles that have much better hardware stats than the Switch 2, and for Nintendo to charge almost as much for their Switch 2 as Sony charged for the initial PS5 is... let's call it "ambitious".)

I'm not sure if Nintendo will change any policy tho. Not sure if they even remember their humble Game Boy days, lol.

 

[DarthGohan1]

Do you think Nintendo will eventually look into developing and selling more portable and affordable consoles in the future with its own games vs consoles that are larger and more powerful?

I think Switch is already very portable. I do think Nintendo will offer more affordable options in the future. Switch 2 is going to sell great for a period of time. And if it backs it up with great games, it may continue selling well like Switch did throughout its lifespan. But if things get tougher for a lot of people, or Switch 2 doesn't maintain the same level of success as Switch, Nintendo will very likely launch a more affordable version.

Is more portable and affordable consoles something you would like to see or even consider picking up?

I'm fine with the Switch's portability. I also think $450 or so is a fair price for a new console. What is going to make me hesitate buying a Switch 2 is the $80+ games and $90 controllers. Console + 1 extra controller + 5 games is around $1000 which just feels crazy high to me. Especially since Nintendo almost never discounts 1st party titles. So more affordable options would be nice.

Do you think other gaming companies will consider pushing out more portable and affordable handhelds with its own games in the future after seeing what is happening today?

I think Sony has carved out a good space as the leader in the console market for adults and more mature titles. Nintendo owns the family and kid console market. Steam Deck has gotten a lot of steam (pun intended) in the portable market, not sure if there's room for another big portable competitor vs. Switch, Steam deck and mobile gaming.

Even if a more portable console was to come out comparable to a 3ds in size and power.. would it and or it's games have a high price tag due to economy? (Compare to $450 switch 2 and $80-70 per game for the console)

I think you're alluding to an entirely separate platform from Switch 2, which I doubt will happen anytime soon. Nintendo's strategy with Switch worked extremely well. Focus game development on a single platform, for a console that plays well both at home and in portable mode. I doubt they change this strategy anytime soon unless something big starts to go wrong for Nintendo.

 

[Reginald Fairfield]

Do you think Nintendo will eventually look into developing and selling more portable and affordable consoles in the future with its own games vs consoles that are larger and more powerful?

I think Switch is already very portable. I do think Nintendo will offer more affordable options in the future. Switch 2 is going to sell great for a period of time. And if it backs it up with great games, it may continue selling well like Switch did throughout its lifespan. But if things get tougher for a lot of people, or Switch 2 doesn't maintain the same level of success as Switch, Nintendo will very likely launch a more affordable version.

Is more portable and affordable consoles something you would like to see or even consider picking up?

I'm fine with the Switch's portability. I also think $450 or so is a fair price for a new console. What is going to make me hesitate buying a Switch 2 is the $80+ games and $90 controllers. Console + 1 extra controller + 5 games is around $1000 which just feels crazy high to me. Especially since Nintendo almost never discounts 1st party titles. So more affordable options would be nice.

Do you think other gaming companies will consider pushing out more portable and affordable handhelds with its own games in the future after seeing what is happening today?

I think Sony has carved out a good space as the leader in the console market for adults and more mature titles. Nintendo owns the family and kid console market. Steam Deck has gotten a lot of steam (pun intended) in the portable market, not sure if there's room for another big portable competitor vs. Switch, Steam deck and mobile gaming.

Even if a more portable console was to come out comparable to a 3ds in size and power.. would it and or it's games have a high price tag due to economy? (Compare to $450 switch 2 and $80-70 per game for the console)

I think you're alluding to an entirely separate platform from Switch 2, which I doubt will happen anytime soon. Nintendo's strategy with Switch worked extremely well. Focus game development on a single platform, for a console that plays well both at home and in portable mode. I doubt they change this strategy anytime soon unless something big starts to go wrong for Nintendo.

Doug Bowser used to work for EA. EA has been known for predatory micro transactions among other things. What do you think someone from EA is going to with Nintendo?

I think he inherited the good will of the previous company owners, and he is throwing that out very quickly.

 

[Romaki]

Hate the Switch 2 name, but I think it's meant in a PlayStation 2 way. As in that's the main console that's going to get improved.
Personally I'd love a hybrid of a Switch and a DS, even if it's clunky the Steam Deck is not too heavy to play on either.

Speaking of Steam Deck, many PC companies made their own knockoff. If any of them could be successful, it'd be Epic. Not that these people couldn't run their Epic library on any other PC handheld, but Epic could market it properly. Make a deal with Rockstar, make GTA V permanently free (it makes most of its money from microtransactions anyway) and have it be pre-installed for people getting into gaming.

Not that that has anything to do with Nintendo though. I love my Steam Deck, I find it difficult to justify buying a console for like 5 exclusives. But that's kinda what Nintendo was too me as a kid, there were like 5-10 Nintendo games I played and whatever trash I could find in the 5 € bin. Now that bin is the Steam library or even the Nintendo eShop, but there's no need to get the games on the Switch.

 

[LittleMissPanda]

I don't really care what Nintendo does going forward. Everything is expensive now. Games get all this hype only to end up being mediocre once you get a chance to really play it.

Mario Kart World looks like it's just more of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe but with extra little details here and there, more tracks from previous games to make fans happy, lots of nostalgic cameos and references, and the "Everyone is Here" ideology from Super Smash Bros. Ultimate just to be as hype as possible.

Pikmin 4 is polished and fun, yeah, but the challenge is non-existent, not including the Sage Leaf trials. Some of them were hard, but Oatchi, as adorable as he is, pretty much trivializes everything once he's fully upgraded. Overworld enemies don't respawn, the game plays itself with the permanent auto-lock and 3 Pikmin type limit. That limit also spoils puzzles and makes exploration pointless.

Not being able to start off with 100 Pikmin on the field was a bad idea, imo. It's more fun being all chaotic and messy with your squad of plant soldiers. Being able to have 20 of each Pikmin type was one of my favorite things in Pikmin 2 and 3.

It seems a lot of these newer games treat you like a baby, lol

They're going to continue with the new Zelda formula, in which every LoZ game going forward will just focus on player freedom rather than an actual good story, meaningful side quests and characters, 1000+ items and materials to sort and manage in a cluttered UI that takes forever to scroll through, and infinite methods of cheesing puzzles. You essentially have infinite health since you can just pause the game and heal yourself.

I can't really be excited for a new Zelda game anymore. Traditional dungeons and storytelling are a thing of the past now. At least I own all the classic games. I could always replay them whenever I want, except A Link Between Worlds. It personally didn't appeal to me so I never got it.

Same thing with Pokémon. The last game I was really excited for was Legends Arceus, because it tried something new, and it was genuinely fun and challenging. Something tells me that Legends ZA won't be all that hot. I'm just pretty disappointed in the starter choices. It's not the Pokémon themselves, I like all 3 of them, but the fact it's 2 Johto starters just bothers me. Having one starter from different regions would have been cooler imo but I'm happy that Tepig is receiving attention.

I have my Switch, my GameCube and my Wii, 3DS and GBA games and GBA Player, and that's all I'll ever need from now on.