NVIDIA Claws Back Console Chips Business: Nintendo Switch Announced

[Steevo]

Really? They've had console best sellers in the past years, and not just one, but most of them. The first Wii introduced console gaming to a whole new category of 'gamers' and effectively created its own market for a while.

When I see this, I see a crapload of really good ideas implemented in a really good way.

- Docking: adopted in business and it works there. Microsoft develops Continuum. The whole world is considering or using docking solutions, Nintendo adopts it in the console and uses it to double down on the investment for consumers.
- Same screen multiplayer: you see those controllers? Small, perhaps not very ergonomic, but they do enable split/same screen multiplayer side by side. Not a single other console on the market has this right now, let alone handhelds.
- Low-power / mobile oriented games: synergy with the smartphone market, again potential for huge numbers of new customers

These are all things the current consoles do not, can not offer.

All of the above still doesn't mean I'm buying one. But hey.

I love that word. It doesn't really mean anything other than "I have no idea what really works, but here is a world to let you know I have no soul because I sold it".

Docking, if by docking you mean people who plug their laptop into a monitor, plug in a keyboard and mouse, and plug it into the wall where it lives for 99% of its life and then they go on to use their phones for the mobile part of work. Yes, Docking is a thing. you could almost say that the Wii U has docking, and its terrible.

Same Screen Multiplayer, never been done before. I mean, we have had split screen multi-player since video games became GUI based and some before, but never on the same......... wait a minute......

Low Power Synergy mobile games on..... a tablet without access to google play or apple store thing, which has millions of games....... cause everyone wants to sign up to write games for Nintendo now, with their online store, and make it big, and umm. Will it have 3G/4G so I can take it on a flight and play games, listen to music, read, e-mail, facebook, video chat too? I wish someone would invent a mobile device that could do all that..... with a nice camera, and the ability to download apps. I should patent that idea.


So lets see.

Consoles currently offer easy friendly competitive split screen on some games, others have co-op play with networking using proprietary standard network protocols or an easy to use world wide networking interface.

Docking... well you got other consoles there, they all have lost a lot of marketshare cause everyone wants to do the dock, as a fact its very popular in places, some they consider the initial insertion to be a bit rapey, but we strongly believe that docking is the way of the future, they aren't going to dock themselves you know. Imagine, a group of friends over without any docking taking place!!!

Low-Power, we should really look into this, see if there is a market for mobile devices that can do everything!!! It could be the next big thing since the uhhh, Zune?

 

[SaltyFish]

As far as I can see, the console era I used to know is coming to an end. Actually, it has ended already when Playstation 3 was succeeded.

The hardware progression is too fast for consoles now. Console used to be a gaming machine you could have for 5 ~ 10 years without further investment. Now, consoles have lifepan of 2 years or so.

Console gaming machines are aimed at a more visual gaming experience. This is in a strange place where its in the phablet realm where the upgrade cycle is yearly.

The hardware progression is why PS4 and XB1 are doing incremental revisions (and even then, it's mostly as a 4K/VR thing since the consoles came out at that awkward transitional phase... games aren't going to change). Nintendo has taken a different approach from Sony and Microsoft starting with the Wii; they've focused more on gameplay instead of high-powered graphics. If Ninty continues with that trend (and the Switch's quasi-tablet form seems to indicate that), then they can get away with NOT needing incremental revisions. Besides, even if smartphones and tablets have a yearly update cycle, how much refinement does that bring to games? Granted, games like Clash of Clans and Subway Surfer don't need high-end hardware because of compatibility due to the wide range in power of phones/tablets. Nintendo can definitely put out some higher quality games (though admittedly phone/tablet games set the bar stupidly low) that don't demand hardware power. I found Splatoon more enjoyable than yet another 3D modern military FPS.

I'd have to disagree with console gaming machines being aimed for a more visual experience. If anything, it's more about actually playing the game. It's simple and straightforward; you plug the thing in and you play. That's really the appeal of it. No fussing with graphics as if core gameplay depends on it or spending 1500 USD on dual flagship graphics cards every year so you can run the latest AAA game at 1440p, 120+fps, and 32x SSAA. I'm reminded of this comic...

 

[Camm]

I don't get why Nintendo continues doing this shit. It has an excellent first party library that Sony or MS would die for, all it needed to do was ape the PS4\XB1 and it'd have a killer console on its hands.

Instead its ostracised itself once again both architecturally (porting costs money guys) and performance (porting is harder). It also somewhat (in a limited fashion) cannibalizes its own market with the DS.

 

[BiggieShady]

I wish someone would invent a mobile device that could do all that..... with a nice camera, and the ability to download apps.

Maybe one of those apps will be about hunting pokemons ... and be made by nintendo ... and maybe after it will be moved to this docking thingy with all of its userbase ... I feel some basic addiction will be needed to sell someone yet another portable gaming device

 

[Ithanul]

I'd have to disagree with console gaming machines being aimed for a more visual experience. If anything, it's more about actually playing the game. It's simple and straightforward; you plug the thing in and you play. That's really the appeal of it. No fussing with graphics as if core gameplay depends on it or spending 1500 USD on dual flagship graphics cards every year so you can run the latest AAA game at 1440p, 120+fps, and 32x SSAA. I'm reminded of this comic...

Lmao, darn, that pretty much sums up a lot of "hardcore" PC gamers.

Kind of the reason to this day I find it amusing when a slug fest breaks out over such topics. I'm more of the as long as the game runs and looks decent, I'm good.