Eurogamer is reporting that the Nintendo Switch’s specs will have some very large variations between docked and portable modes.
Like previous reports speculated, the Nintendo Switch will be using the Maxwell-based Nvidia X1, rather than a Pascal based architecture. However, the version of the X1 used in the Switch adds many of Pascal’s features.
The Switch’s version of the X1 also has some other odd changes, such as 4K 30hz support, HDMI 1.4 instead of 2.0, a 10% lower pixel fill rate, and some completely missing cores on the CPU.
The Switch’s CPU will run at 1020MHz (half of the X1’s regular clock) in both docked and portable modes. However, memory clock speeds will be dropped from 1600MHz to a lower 1331MHz in portable mode. The biggest difference between the two modes is with the GPU’s clock speed. When docked, thehandheld’s GPU runs at 768MHz, much less than the standard X1 clock of 1GHz. However, when in portable mode, the GPU clock speeds drops a staggering 60% to 307.2MHz
While the drop to 307.2MHz may seem bad, the Switch’s rumored 720p display should still be able to run a lot of games while giving a great graphical boost and resolution upgrade when docked, similar to the difference between the PS4 and PS4 Pro. While Android devices have done some great things with the X1, the console has its own OS and API. With this, the console will not have to run Android at all times, freeing up plenty of power.
While this does seemingly confirm that Nintendo is not trying to overpower the PS4 and Xbox One with the Switch, the console will still be strong enough to handle current-gen experiences on mobile, which in and of itself is an astounding achievement.
We’ll find out more about the console and its power January 12th.
Pertti
December 19, 2016 at 12:29 pmHardware doesn’t matter, it’s just a box to play games on, and game design is what makes games great.
Ryan Barrett
December 19, 2016 at 12:32 pmIf they don’t reach a low price point, it will not do well. $249 seems fair game at this point but I would say they’d never sell it for less than $299.
Firion Hope
December 19, 2016 at 12:32 pmFine by me if it keeps price low. It’s pretty current which is a great change from the 3DS when it was released. I just worry how games will run in handheld mode with that drastic of a difference.
Sigma
December 19, 2016 at 12:33 pmDon’t care still want one
Dewey Defeats Truman
December 19, 2016 at 12:35 pmI know Nintendo likes to play its own game and doesn’t want to directly compete with the other consoles (at least in a “head to head” way sony and MS do, I mean) but not trying to match or surpass their specs is a really bad move in my eyes. It worked for the wii, but only for a little while and that was only because it had the motion control gimmick that made it successful.
Better hardware doesn’t inherently make better games, that goes without saying, but it makes third party developers more willing to work with you when your system at least tries for parity with the competitors and they can do ports/multiplat games more easily. While I’m sure mario and zelda and pokemon and all that make Nintendo a lot of money it goes without saying if they could be someone’s FIFA or COD console instead of a PS4 they could rake in more customers, make more money, and not have to abandon their system after only four years on the market.
Migi
December 19, 2016 at 12:41 pmWas kinda obvious with their price point! Not that i really care anyways… Atleast till they fire the Nintendo treehouse staff.
totenglocke
December 19, 2016 at 12:45 pmI’m going to laugh if people are intentionally “leaking” BS to lower expectations and then wow everyone in January.
Michael Richardson
December 19, 2016 at 12:45 pmI say this as someone who is incredibly hyped for the Switch: it was never going to compete with the PS4 on a power level. It’s a tablet. All hardware design choices come with consequences, and the consequence of portability and a lowish price is performance.
My only fear is that third party developers will design games that only run decently on Switch when docked, effectively killing the main appeal of the console: having the ability to play your games anywhere.
With that said, I’m taking all of these rumors with a grain of salt. Hopefully Nvidia will open up about the specs after the January event.
Heresy Hammer
December 19, 2016 at 12:50 pmGames are a consoles lifeblood. If nintendo doesn’t have a fucking killer launch lineup besides zelda and mario then man idk. We need some metroid, classic wario games and F-ZERO DAMNIT.
Very relevant video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuTEyFAdA3o
Heresy Hammer
December 19, 2016 at 12:53 pmWell people got fooled over breath of the wild wiiu version getting cancelled, turned out it was a french guy who signed up for a free japanese blog and then faked documents to cause controversy. Then he updated the blog and told everybody they got trolled when the media outlets ran the stories.
Mr0303
December 19, 2016 at 12:54 pmThat was pretty much expected – it is a handheld hybrid after all. As long as it has enough power for third party developers it should be fine.
Epxilon20
December 19, 2016 at 12:56 pmIf it’s true I wouldn’t be surprised.
Bitterbear
December 19, 2016 at 12:56 pmNo surprises there.
Remember: The higher the early spec rumors of a Nintendo device imply, the bigger the disappointment of the real product is going to be.
Tenetan
December 19, 2016 at 1:01 pmSame hardware as google pixel, also a underlocked Tegra X1 so the system will basically be the same as top of the line mid 2016 phones, Thar said did anyone ever belive it would ever be close to a home console in performance?
Arenegeth
December 19, 2016 at 1:14 pmI guess the key thing here is whether it will be powerful enough to handle multi-plats. Though even then, the PS4 and X1 versions will be superior in resolution and fps, and that doesn’t even account for the Pro and Scorpio of course.
Though I can see the cost reasons for Nintendo doing this, and of course the fact that the system is also a handheld, but if the Switch can handle PS4/X1/PC multi-plats as well as the Wii could handle Dead Rising, then Nintendo is fucked.
The Wii U and especially the GameCube which had a better overall output, 3rd party support and general success, has proven that the big Nintendo games themselves cannot sustain a console in the current competitive market, and the Switch’s gimmick is definitely not going to have mainstream penetration that the Wii had and the Wii U wished it had.
Fear Me I Am Free
December 19, 2016 at 1:21 pmIs this surprising? Nintendo is always behind when it comes to tech performance, but their games do work really well with the hardware available. Too bad they censor and butcher everything, otherwise I’d be a hardcore Nintendo fan.
Bashtarle
December 19, 2016 at 1:25 pmAs with all things there is a balance to be struck.
Bashtarle
December 19, 2016 at 1:26 pmEven if it less powerful than a PS4 it’s still significantly more powerful than the other handhelds on the market. And a beefy portable system is just what I’m in the market for.
Eldhin Hellknight
December 19, 2016 at 1:30 pmWell, its basically a tablet so i dont expect a PS4 equivalent. But, that doesnt mean that it wont be able to handle complex stuff. After all, even if its a mobile device, it wont have a crappy OS full of stupid processes and unnecesary shit running on background, so more power to do the important stuff
Uncle Slick
December 19, 2016 at 1:31 pm3DS is weaker than PS4 and has better games.
Hell, PSP is weaker and has better games.
Hell, PS1 is weaker and has better games.
Hell.
Uncle Slick
December 19, 2016 at 1:31 pmYup. I play mostly 3DS/Vita because of the awesome games, not the power of the system.
Phasmatis75
December 19, 2016 at 1:48 pmNot many console players are interested in owning a handheld. The Casual market already games on their phones, hardcore market likes their PCs and imports, so I’m really starting to think this is going to run into a dead space between the various markets with very little interest outside the initial launch.
Nintendo burned through a good chunk of their fanbase with their localization bs and normie and casual markets don’t seem to interested, outside regular gamers whom are excited but not committed to buying I don’t see much interest in the Switch.
Phasmatis75
December 19, 2016 at 1:51 pmA lot of the games for that trailer were confirmed to be as he put it speculative mock ups.
TheOnceAndFutureKing
December 19, 2016 at 1:53 pmI actually don’t want it to be stronger, PS1, PS2, DS, and 3DS all proved that lesser power= bigger game production.
Im still having tons of fun on my $200 New 3DS XL with my 30 or so games, and I still have yet to be convinced on dropping almost half a grand on PS4
totenglocke
December 19, 2016 at 2:06 pm3DS sales show you’re very, very wrong. Even this Thanksgiving, they still sold a ton of units.
scemar
December 19, 2016 at 2:07 pmtell that to every successful system except the wii
scemar
December 19, 2016 at 2:07 pmplease be fake
Maelstrom
December 19, 2016 at 2:10 pmFun fact: Separated, Pokemon S&M took spots 3 and 4 on the US sales charts. Together, however, they took #1. And probably costed a heck of a lot less to make than all the games up there.
chero666
December 19, 2016 at 2:16 pmI’m honestly not surprised, but not worried. We’ve seen these “muh graphics are teh best” game completely shit the bed on the gameplay/performance that it’s best to keep things simple enough and focus on the games themselves.
GameZard
December 19, 2016 at 2:21 pmI think we all knew how weak the switch would be.
Zylphe Senpai
December 19, 2016 at 2:22 pmGraphic design is a part of game design. Finding the balance that you need to create the experience you want to make is going to be different for every game. Graphics can add to an experience when done right just like any other part of the game.
GameZard
December 19, 2016 at 2:24 pmYou should at least care about relevant info dude.
Konata Izumi
December 19, 2016 at 2:39 pmInterest may be there but the cost will be driving factor at launch. If the switch does indeed start around $300-$400, that’ll be a strong barrier for early adoption. Especially for what is a dock-capable handheld.
CommanderZx2
December 19, 2016 at 3:02 pmIt doesn’t surprise me as it has to fit all of the components within the tablet.
Spiritogre
December 19, 2016 at 3:32 pmActually these leaked specs not only imply Switch is weaker than PS4 (even before it was supposed to be about half as fast so that’s not a surprise) but now they imply that Switch is weaker than Wii U when used as mobile an just slightly faster when used stationary with the dock.
Malcolm_Ecks
December 19, 2016 at 3:36 pm“I actually don’t want it to be stronger, PS1, PS2, DS, and 3DS all proved that lesser power= bigger game production.”
I like how you left out the Wii and Wii U there.
Malcolm_Ecks
December 19, 2016 at 3:37 pmA 9th Generation console shouldn’t be weaker than an 8th generation console. Nintendo made or not. Making this thing a handheld was a stupid idea that no one wanted.
“Tablet controller didn’t work guys, lets make the console a tablet, thet;ll show em.” -Nintendo Board Room.
Malcolm_Ecks
December 19, 2016 at 3:38 pm3DS has a library of games though. And has been out for years with no real competition. I say this as a guy with both the Vita and 3DS.
John Smith.
December 19, 2016 at 3:39 pm…trying so hard not to rise my hands to the sky and scream “Nintendo” in the same way that Dan from Dan VS responds to all his enemies.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CceLC1klk9I
Malcolm_Ecks
December 19, 2016 at 3:39 pmIf they bother making anything for it past a year into its life.
Malcolm_Ecks
December 19, 2016 at 3:41 pmIf 3rd party can’t make multiplatform games on the Switch not look/run like crap, hardware matters.
Travis Touchdown
December 19, 2016 at 3:42 pmIt’s not a ninth gen console.
Travis Touchdown
December 19, 2016 at 3:44 pmThis is a good thing. You can do a lot with older technology. Pushing expensive technology JUST for the sake of having it is not at all cost effective.
Switch is a 3DS successor that can play Wii U quality games.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/2d62f38924bd5e15063f362ef0933659e46fab6583ed20bbc454c8eab4cc54a6.jpg
Malcolm_Ecks
December 19, 2016 at 3:45 pmNES Sales: 61 Million
SNES Sales: 49 Million
N64 Sales: 32 Million
Gamecube Sales:22 Million
Wii Sales: 101 Million
Wii U Sales: 13 Million
Barring the Wii’s sales, I don’t think Nintendo has many fans left that aren’t die hard fans. I think Nintendo’s console after the Switch should just be a fucking console that has a great catalogue of games, but I don’t think the Switch will be enough of a success to warrant them doing another console.
totenglocke
December 19, 2016 at 3:50 pmAnd every company that makes 3DS games will make games for Switch. Also, it being out for years would HURT system sales since so many people already have one, yet they’re still going strong.
totenglocke
December 19, 2016 at 3:51 pmLook at the handheld sales though. All of those sales will go to the Switch as well.
totenglocke
December 19, 2016 at 3:54 pmYeah, no one wants a Nintendo handheld, that’s why the Gameboy, Gameboy Color, Gameboy Advance, DS family, and 3DS family of systems all flopped.
Your trolling is bad! And you should feel bad!
Spiritogre
December 19, 2016 at 3:57 pmDepends on the consoles price and also the marketing. And Nintendo does everything wrong in those subjects, selling Switch not as handheld but as console with the possibility to also use as a handheld. Also the pricetag must be around 200 Bucks to reach that handheld audience. After all you can get a stationary console like XBox One or PS4 for 250 that are way more powerful and have other kind of games as a 3DS.
gwadahunter2222
December 19, 2016 at 4:31 pmSeriously does someone expect the switch to be more powerfull than the PS4 without the heat and life battery issues?
Nintendo won’t try to make their consoles powerhouse as it has many victories against higher tech competitors. The console will be maybe more powerful than the Vita in order to run many games released on this console. But Nintendo’s strength lies more on their licenses that’s why the 3DS manage to succeed despite the growing mobile market.
gwadahunter2222
December 19, 2016 at 4:32 pmDon’t worry Japanese gamedev will handle the handheld part better than western devs
R.Hoffmann
December 19, 2016 at 4:33 pmBetter hardware allows more variation in game designs though.
However, variation is something that shrinks on Nintendo hardware since 1996.
R.Hoffmann
December 19, 2016 at 4:34 pmLooking forward to see that the DragonQuest 11 for Switch is a port of the 3ds version.
gwadahunter2222
December 19, 2016 at 4:51 pmPower is not an issue it’s the difficulty to program games on the hardware which is
MusouTensei
December 19, 2016 at 4:56 pmsigh
MusouTensei
December 19, 2016 at 4:58 pmYeah they lost me too this year (due to censorship though), and I was a pretty die hard apologist till then.
Malcolm_Ecks
December 19, 2016 at 5:03 pmNo one wants a hydrid console dummy. We don’t know if this is Nintendo’s exit from home consoles or the end of 3DS support yet. That’s what makes this business point seem so silly.
Malcolm_Ecks
December 19, 2016 at 5:05 pmDoubt it. People keep conflating the handheld sales with what the Switch is. If the Switch is mainly a handheld, then the 3DS already has market share, and with Nintendo not being smart with their eShop, no one is going to want to -re-re-re-purcharse their games again just so their on the Switch.
alex9234
December 19, 2016 at 5:05 pm“but I don’t think the Switch will be enough of a success to warrant them doing another console.” – Hi Michael Pachter.
Malcolm_Ecks
December 19, 2016 at 5:06 pm“And every company that makes 3DS games will make games for Switch.”
Doubtful. They’ll stick with the 3DS because it still has life in it. The Switch doesn’t have enough draw going for it for people to stop making games for it. What company would make handheld games for 2 handhelds made by one manufacturer.
Malcolm_Ecks
December 19, 2016 at 5:09 pmThey’re making the Switch this early into the 8th Gen of consoles because the Wii U failed. And they started losing money as a company with the high selling Wii. But ok then.
Malcolm_Ecks
December 19, 2016 at 5:11 pmHow is it not? And don’t give me that “its a handheld” crap. Nitnendo themselves said they are marketing this as a console rather than a handheld.
Malcolm_Ecks
December 19, 2016 at 5:16 pmI wouldn’t even call the Wii successful considering at the end of its life is when Nintendo started posting massive losses.
alex9234
December 19, 2016 at 5:20 pm“And they started losing money as a company with the high selling Wii.” – No, they lost money when the 3DS and Wii U launched, it had nothing to do with the Wii. And it was also due to Nintendo buying MonolithSoft, as well as currency exchange – a weak Yen.
If you think that Nintendo is on their way out of hardware then you clearly have a limited understanding of how business works. Sega didn’t leave hardware because the Saturn and Dreamcast didn’t sell, they left hardware due to poor business choices and terrible management. Sega had multiple failed hardware releases. The Sega CD, 32X, Nomad, Game Gear, Saturn and Dreamcast were all failures. Sega failed to transition Sonic into 3D well. Sega poorly managed the Saturn’s launch and marketing in the west. Sega failed to put out IPs that were as popular as Nintendo’s. Sega never had good handhelds sales to back up their console sales. Nintendo is nowhere near Sega’s level of desperation with the Dreamcast.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/a65b4c151e82f3f496b891f9ad533d0a3e09acbed7c8a8d97dbfd4384e260325.jpg
Donwel
December 19, 2016 at 5:20 pmAlways? No, that was something that started with the Wii and since the Wii they’ve been playing catch up tech wise.
Of course that’s not a problem if the system had a steady stream of games coming to it, which again wasn’t really an issue for the Wii. Wii U suffered software wise because of the inferior hardware though.
Donwel
December 19, 2016 at 5:31 pmWhat the hell kind of country do you live in where they charge half a grand for the PS4?
I picked one up for under £100 last year. Less that what I’d have to pay for a New 3DS XL.
Heresy Hammer
December 19, 2016 at 5:31 pmThen what was the point of showing them ? Especially if they added extra content for previously released games. It wasn’t just for show (except skyrim). My main point is, its looking like zelda and mario for launch. I know zelda will start it off with a huge bang, but mario only goes so far. The launch / months after the launch has to be strong or else its going to be another mario machine. Now is the perfect time to revive old IPs.
TheOnceAndFutureKing
December 19, 2016 at 5:31 pmI intentionally left it out. The Wii was only a success because it seized the casual market before mobile took it over, and the Wii U failed because Nintendo focused most of their game production on 3DS.
TheOnceAndFutureKing
December 19, 2016 at 5:33 pmWell yeah, there wont be much ports, but Nintendo has enough support to make a good amount of exclusives like they did on the 3DS.
Urobolus
December 19, 2016 at 5:35 pmOn the positive side, maybe Nintendo will focus on portable titles. Etrian Odyssey and SMT IV were better than anything that was on the WiiU.
TheOnceAndFutureKing
December 19, 2016 at 5:40 pmCanada, over here its $399 for a console alone, plus the games and possibly extra controller
Bashtarle
December 19, 2016 at 5:40 pmNah the deadspace between markets was a fate reserved exclusively for the OUYA.Seriously No idea what those people where thinking……
While I am willing to entertain that the Switch might flop (I mean hell I own a Vita*) It appeals to me. As someone who predominantly games on PC, handhelds and the occasional Nintendo console.
*Which Sony managed to pull a Babycakes and will dead.
Donwel
December 19, 2016 at 5:47 pmBloody hell. You’re getting rodgered over there then mate.
TheOnceAndFutureKing
December 19, 2016 at 5:50 pmAt least were not Brazil, I guess
MGNoxa
December 19, 2016 at 6:05 pmIt’s all about the games, power means nothing to me.
David Curry
December 19, 2016 at 6:15 pmWe’ll have to wait for Switch’s performance to see how much of the handheld market’s been eaten by mobiles.
RetroGamer
December 19, 2016 at 6:37 pmSo long as it’s more powerful than the wii u my a significant margin, that’s good enough for me.
TheOnceAndFutureKing
December 19, 2016 at 6:38 pmI love how you conveniently left out the DS and 3DS sales.
Nintendo is doing awesome right now thanks to focusing more on their handheld market. Their handheld support will continue on to the Switch because its not as much of a colossal risk for third party developers to make games for an under-powered system, unlike the PS4 where third party developers like Activision, EA, and Ubisoft play it safe by making the same game every year because even one failed game is enough to put them out of business, thus hindering their ability to innovate more.
Nintendo caters to more than just “die hard fans”, theyre doing great in supporting the JRPG and local multiplayer demographics. Thats nothing to sneeze at considering that a JRPG like Pokemon Sun outsold Call Of Duty and most other western third party games this year.
Nintendo can make more consoles just fine, they have enough money in the bank to stay alive for another 30-50 years if they want. If it wasn’t for the Japanese government donating money, then Sony would be out of business for stupidly wasting most of their money on Blu-Rays and telling consumers to get a “second job” to purchase the over priced and crash prone PS3.
Zanard Bell
December 19, 2016 at 6:44 pmThe same playbook from the past gens, mfw. Then again, it still will be third party devs and publishers who will decide the Switch’s fate, and their desire to program for it.
Right now, though, I don’t believe Bethesda and Ubisoft will keep their word like what happened to the WiiU, due to the sheer difference of the Switch in processing power compared to current gen consoles.
scemar
December 19, 2016 at 6:47 pmit filled their bank with a lot of money in a time of need, that definitely has to count for something tho
GameZard
December 19, 2016 at 7:07 pmIs it significant?
GameZard
December 19, 2016 at 7:08 pmWithout enough power it won’t beable to run most games
GameZard
December 19, 2016 at 7:11 pmThe peoblem is the casuals that made the Wii a success is gone. The Switch is competing against mobile but it already starting out weaker than the newest tablets. Espeally when X2 comes out.
GameZard
December 19, 2016 at 7:13 pmI agree the switch will be the last Nintendo hardware.
GameZard
December 19, 2016 at 7:15 pmThe switch is replacing the Wii U.
GameZard
December 19, 2016 at 7:19 pmIf this is weaker than the Wii U the support won’t last.
Travis Touchdown
December 19, 2016 at 7:20 pmHaha. You really believe that, don’t you?
It’s a console designed to absorb Wii U. In short, is a re-release of the Wii U with added functions, like the ability to be taken anywhere.
GameZard
December 19, 2016 at 7:20 pmBut my PC is stronger and has better games.
Travis Touchdown
December 19, 2016 at 7:20 pmBecause no other new consoles are being released.
Switch is a ‘new’ Eighth gen platform.
GameZard
December 19, 2016 at 7:21 pmActually the nividia shield and most recent tablets and smart phones are more powerful than the switch.
Uncle Slick
December 19, 2016 at 7:22 pmOh, don’t get me wrong. I LOVE my PC.
I just love my PSP more.
TheOnceAndFutureKing
December 19, 2016 at 7:23 pmIts obviously not going to be that bad lmao
GameZard
December 19, 2016 at 7:24 pmSo many people are already fanboys of a system that is not even out yet.
GameZard
December 19, 2016 at 7:26 pmWhy would they move all games that was being devloped for the Wii U to the switch? Wake up kid the Wii U is dead and the Switch is the replacement.
GameZard
December 19, 2016 at 7:27 pmPs4 pro and Scorpio?
Travis Touchdown
December 19, 2016 at 7:29 pmNot new consoles in the traditional sense.
Xelioncito
December 19, 2016 at 7:42 pmWere they always behind? What about the SNES, N64 and GC?
Xelioncito
December 19, 2016 at 7:45 pmTwenty years ago no one wanted a phone that takes photos, records videos and lets you chat with people. They just wanted a REALLY small devide to call people. Here we are now.
Miguel Angel Opazo Arancibia
December 19, 2016 at 7:52 pmIt’s a nintendo device, they no longer compete in specs.
It’s nothing but a better Wii U.
I never expected anything more and it’s ok.
Michael Richardson
December 19, 2016 at 7:54 pmSo many haters as well.
Nintendo Switch speaks directly to the passions, it seems.
totenglocke
December 19, 2016 at 7:57 pmShitty mobile games will never match actual games, plus phones lack physical controls. It’s not difficult to grasp why the 3DS still sells like crazy despite having way lower graphics capabilities than a phone.
Kiryu
December 19, 2016 at 7:59 pmWas obvious from the start.There are a few things that are certain in life,paying taxes,death and that Nintendo’s consoles are weaker then other consoles.
Ruggarell
December 19, 2016 at 8:02 pmI hope that this system actually has a wide variety of games to play but I doubt it. I will just stick with my PS4 until the PS5 arrives. The PS4 has outlived the Wii U and will also outlive the Switch and maybe even the next Nintendo system after that.
Nintendo home consoles just aren’t really worth buying much anymore. Their handhelds also past the DS.
Ruggarell
December 19, 2016 at 8:04 pmThe NES and SNES has so many hidden gems it’s crazy. The NES has so many good games I was going through them. That system alone was worth buying. The N64 has much less but was still worth buying. The gamecube had a good amount too and was still worth buying. The first real bad Nintendo home console was the Wii. I didn’t even buy a Wii U. HOLY SHIT THE LIBRARY IS SO SMALL. Such garbage. Nintendo just doesn’t have that 3rd party strength anymore. They are irrelevant to me.
Kiryu
December 19, 2016 at 8:06 pmGreat post.Appart from the Wii that was just a fluke success Nintendo is on a downwards spiral.N fanboys will have to accept the fact that Nintendo will become a third party dev for Sony/MS sooner or later.
Kiryu
December 19, 2016 at 8:16 pmEven the 3DS is not selling that great,it won’t even reach PSP numbers.
Zombie_Barioth
December 19, 2016 at 8:25 pmYeah, one of the main things that put the nail in the coffin for SEGA was loss leading on the Dreamcast but NOT selling enough software to make up the difference.
The very thing that motivated the creation of the current systems I might add.
Even if you want to assume Nintendo is outside of the so-called “hardcore” demographic, if their systems are basically self-sustaining it really doesn’t matter.
Not selling as many units as previous systems doesn’t mean much either. The current consoles aren’t expected to even match last gen’s combined total, let alone the likes of the PS2 or DS.
The focus on ever-increasing annual growth is just a bullshit uphill battle.
Fear Me I Am Free
December 19, 2016 at 8:35 pmOkay, maybe SNES, but I’m pretty sure PS1 and PS2 beat out N64 and GC in terms of power.
Kiryu
December 19, 2016 at 8:37 pmN64 and GC were both more powerfull then PS1 and PS2.
TheOnceAndFutureKing
December 19, 2016 at 8:51 pmIts currently the highest selling system of this gen, you might as well say ps4 is doing bad since its sales are not even half the PS2’s numbers.
David Curry
December 19, 2016 at 9:03 pmLook I don’t really like mobile games, but the writing’s on the wall. 3DS sold okay at 160 million, but it’s way down compared to DS’ 250m, and didn’t perform that well year-over-year to GBA.
Japan, the last stronghold for handheld gaming, only bought 25+ million handhelds since 3DS/Vita launched, half of DS/PSP sales.
Nintendo is stuck in a tough situation where there’s no room to fit in the high-end console market and mobiles are killing the markets where handhelds sell the best.
It’s especially sad looking at Japan– by about 2025-2030, traditional video games could be a fading memory over there.
Kiryu
December 19, 2016 at 9:51 pmWrong,it’s the most sold in total but the PS4 is selling better and has almost catched up.
BaronKrause
December 19, 2016 at 10:30 pmI don’t think there was a single person here who expected it to be more powerful.
TheOnceAndFutureKing
December 19, 2016 at 10:37 pmYeah I already said that when I said currently.
Whats your point anyways?
TheOnceAndFutureKing
December 19, 2016 at 10:41 pmUmm did you pick it up used? How is a PS4 around $100 over there while 3DS is way more? That seems inconsistent
Uncle Ocelot
December 19, 2016 at 11:08 pmI don’t think you needed a rumour to come to the conclusion that a handheld system would be less powerful than the PS4.
Uncle Ocelot
December 19, 2016 at 11:28 pmI’d say that the PS4P, Scorpio and Switch (though not in the same vein as the others) are a kind of generation 8.5.
Uncle Ocelot
December 19, 2016 at 11:33 pmThe Switch is Unreal Engine 4 compatible, I see no reason why it wouldn’t be a PS4 port unless they wanted it to also be it’s own unique version somehow.
Uncle Ocelot
December 19, 2016 at 11:37 pmI don’t see it being that price with these specs.
Uncle Ocelot
December 19, 2016 at 11:40 pmHow is it any different from what happens with new consoles?
Uncle Ocelot
December 19, 2016 at 11:43 pmIt goes both ways, all the time.
Uncle Ocelot
December 19, 2016 at 11:49 pmWhere the hell did you get a PS4 for £100? I’m guessing some dude on eBay who just wanted to get rid of it?
Uncle Ocelot
December 19, 2016 at 11:52 pmThat Microsoft total is pretty rough. Source?
Grayares Fakcot
December 19, 2016 at 11:54 pmi had SOME hopes now i have none
great job iwata, thanks for your burial gift
chocodino
December 19, 2016 at 11:56 pmthe ps1 and the ps2 where the weakest consoles of their generation
chocodino
December 19, 2016 at 11:58 pmI still only want that
chocodino
December 19, 2016 at 11:59 pmfive years into the 8 gen?
goodbyejojo
December 20, 2016 at 1:23 amwell effing duh, nintendo has always been lagging behind the competition in therms of specs, oh and in before gameplay > graphics comments.
TophatKiyaki
December 20, 2016 at 4:03 amTo be fair, that’s what they said when the market crashed in 83. Speculate all we want, we don’t actually have any idea what the future has in store. An offset could suddenly a complete reversal of the current trend.
When it comes to Japan, Video Games are very ingrained into their mainstream pop culture. It will take a LOT more than the current bloat of mobile over there to actually kill off gaming.
Speculation is fine, but save the doom and gloom for the day companies like Nintendo ACTUALLY die, because history has proven everything we /think/ is set inabsolution could very well turn out to be completely erroneous in the long term.
TophatKiyaki
December 20, 2016 at 4:09 amNintendo started posting massive losses because of the fact they used the Wii’s profits to begin experimenting. The money that they continue to sit on top of to this day and the reason they keep trying weird different shit instead of playing it self is largely due to the Wii.
You’d be completely insane to call the Wii ANYTHING other than a massive success.
XERW
December 20, 2016 at 4:40 amOptimization isn’t really the Japanese devs strong suits though…
XERW
December 20, 2016 at 4:45 am720p in 2016 when even the iPhone (sigh – I know) and Snapdragon 820/1 – powered Androids (S7/V20/OP3/Mi5) easily serve 1080p gaming with proper API (OpenGL/Vulkan/Metal)
That 720p better have 2x/4x MSAA as default or I’ll puke. Running non-2D games on 3DSXL is already an eye-straining experience – I need to run Citra…
Tyrone Jackson
December 20, 2016 at 4:47 amStopped reading after your first “let’s compare handhelds to consoles” opening sentence.
Anyways, pretty sad to see such a huge drop-off in sales throughout the years as the rest of the industry boomed lol.
Tyrone Jackson
December 20, 2016 at 4:51 amYou somehow make the Switch sound even more horrendous than Nintendo originally did.
XERW
December 20, 2016 at 4:55 amThere are times I wish 3DS is as powerful as Vita though. The 3DSXL screen and the horrid aliasing kinda detracts from the experience.
I still dreams about MonHun on Vita…
Fandangle
December 20, 2016 at 6:47 amYeah, like the PS2 which was behind the Xbox and the Gamecube in terms of hardware, and the SNES and NES which were also weaker than their competitors. Even the PS1 was outpaced by the N64 in some areas and god knows cartridges were a leagues better format than the disk/disc.
The only reason the PS4 is the most successful now is because they jumped on the “WE LET YOU SHARE GAMES!” bandwagon that formed because at the time the Xbox One had some incredibly serious DRM issues/concerns/rumors that microsoft was trying to kill the Used game market by locking every physical game you bought to the console. This was also on top of the then head of xbox basically taking a huge dump on all their users by saying something along the lines “if you don’t like what were doing with the Xbone we still have a console for you, it’s called the 360.”
If it was all about hardware then PC gaming would be absolute.
catazxy
December 20, 2016 at 7:08 amI wonder how will people react if the Switch is weaker then wiiU…
David Curry
December 20, 2016 at 8:07 amI did say we won’t know for sure how much mobiles have taken over handhelds until Switch launches.
I’ve lived in Japan from 2000-2015, I’ve seen fancy arcades with flags celebrating the release of Virtua Fighter 4, to no arcades except the really big multi-floor Sega and Taito buildings. Console-style games in Japan (my personal name for it is the “Famicom generation of gamers”) have been dying out for almost 20 years. Although it’s not as apparent from the outside looking in, you could see signs that everything was transitioning to mobile gaming even when PS2 was booming, and the dismal sales this generation isn’t surprising at all.
I guess I’m speculating, but I don’t see a scenario where Sony or Nintendo or anybody does consoles right, and the market it booming again for generations. Kids, teens and young adults aren’t into traditional gaming anymore, and that’s the new normal going forward.
Japan companies have to branch out to Asian countries, or try to make more Western-flavored games.
totenglocke
December 20, 2016 at 8:10 amActually you’re wrong. The N64 and Gamecube were much more powerful than the PS1 and PS2, but their choice of low-capacity storage gimped them on texture quality.
Guin
December 20, 2016 at 8:46 am>try to make more Western-flavored games.
They tried that a gen ago and except for Demon/Dark Souls, they all failed miserably.
They have been slowly expanding to other countries in Asia with their Asian versions being marketed.
To find a silver lining into this, maybe Japan will get to the point that they don’t need physical devices to their gaming. They’ll be the pioneers of chip implanted video gaming.
Malcolm_Ecks
December 20, 2016 at 8:53 amPeople didn’t want them until it could be done well. The Wii U’s tablet controller wasn’t good enough to drum up sales. I doubt a tablet controller will be the paradigm shift you’re trying to compare to.
Malcolm_Ecks
December 20, 2016 at 8:54 amWhen a console is released, the new generation has started. Doesn’t mean the current one ends. The Wii was the first 7th Gen console, that’s when 7th gen begun.
Feniks
December 20, 2016 at 9:32 amNintendo should just focus on handhelds and mobile. Stuff like Pokémon and Monsterhunter keeps them alive more than Zelda at this point.
Feniks
December 20, 2016 at 9:34 amHandhelds are a declining market though especially in the West.
Apple really fucked Nintendo up when they popularised smartphones.
Chino Gambino
December 20, 2016 at 9:43 amCalled it completely, Switch is a simple device. In typical Nintendo fashion they want a console that will deliver profit margin as quickly as possible thus they have to compromise their spec heavily. Essentially this thing is a gimped Tablet with TV out played with a standard controller. No gimmicks to fall back on this time as a console and as far as buying it as handheld the 3DS(and even Vita) will be streets ahead in software for years after Switch’s launch.
Nintendo are still trying to score with Iwata’s blue water strategy, launching between Sony and MS console generations hoping they won’t have to compete directly for the same dollars. Problem is the Switch doesn’t do anything we haven’t already seen, it won’t reach a new market demographic and it kind of has an identity crisis as a product the way I see it.
TheOnceAndFutureKing
December 20, 2016 at 10:04 amWhy bother replying if you’re too illiterate to read my post anyways? You didn’t even refute anything I said.
TheOnceAndFutureKing
December 20, 2016 at 10:06 amNintendo still nets a huge profit from handhelds, especially in Japan where there more popular. Consoles are doing way worse considering that PS4 and Xbone are both selling at a loss, while PC continues to dominate them both.
David Curry
December 20, 2016 at 10:45 amYou’re right, even though it’s sad to see gaming as I know it die off in Japan, it looks like it’s transitioning to something really innovative and it’s not all cynical.
Donwel
December 20, 2016 at 11:03 amSort of. It was on ebay, being sold by Argos. They were selling it for about £150 and ebay had a £50 off voucher deal thing going on.
Don’t know why they were only selling it for £150 though, maybe a sale.
Donwel
December 20, 2016 at 11:30 amI looked around and found one being sold by Argos on ebay for £150 at a time when ebay had a voucher deal going on. £150 is still pretty low, like I said to Ocelot, they probably had some kind of sale going on.
It’s not like I got any games with it though, it was just the console and controller.
PixelBuff
December 20, 2016 at 11:33 amNo surprise, Nintendo has always come in last in terms of console power.
That said, if used properly games can run and look fantastic ala Bayo 2.
Still don’t give a shit about the console though, they’re gonna need some great exclusives to fool me again.
Ainai
December 20, 2016 at 2:10 pmLet’s do some math…
A stock Nvidia X1 GPU can do 1024 GFlops at ~1000MHz (FP16). The Nintendo Switch runs at 768MHz docked, 307.2MHz undocked.
768Mhz / 1000MHz * 1024 GFlops = 786 GFlops docked
307.2MHz / 1000MHz * 1024 GFlops = 314 GFlops undocked
Wii U’s GPU is rated at 352 GFlops. The Nintendo Switch is slightly slower as a portable, but is twice as powerful when docked.
As a home console, it underwhelms compared to the Xbox One (1310 GFlops) and PS4 (1843 GFlops), but as a dedicated game portable it’s a beast. For comparison, PS Vita’s GPU is rated at 51.2 GFlops making an undocked Switch 6 times as powerful.
Big Caveat: Don’t take these numbers at face value! I’m comparing two GPU architectures that work differently and it doesn’t take into account the rest of the components. Use these numbers as an estimate and wait for software benchmarks that can show real-world performance.
Captain Vidya
December 20, 2016 at 2:29 pmSo… “It will replace the Wii U” is what you’re saying.
TheOnceAndFutureKing
December 20, 2016 at 4:35 pmThat explains it. Im assuming youre from the UK, and I checked the ps4 prices there and its around £349.99 for the pro.
Nagato
December 20, 2016 at 5:07 pm“unless they wanted it to also be it’s own unique version somehow”
I feel like that’d be the best case scenario for the device at this point; PS4/PC version graphics without the generic open-world gameplay, but rather the turn-based gameplay the series is known for.
Nagato
December 20, 2016 at 5:09 pmWell, we said the same of the Wii U back in the day, and look how that turned out.
But yeah, that’s too high, even if it will still be overpriced due to Nintendo tax.
Nagato
December 20, 2016 at 5:54 pmThe Japs were never gonna create games which require “strong” hardware again anyway; low budget and lower spec game development is pretty much their entire niche nowadays.
Uncle Ocelot
December 20, 2016 at 6:38 pmThe gamepad did kind of inflate the price a little bit plus Nintendo probably thought they’d be able to get away with a higher price after the Wii. Maybe they’ll be a bit more humble this time but who knows with them.
Uncle Ocelot
December 20, 2016 at 6:43 pmI’d be surprised if they ditched the turn-based combat.
thatsitimdone
December 20, 2016 at 6:58 pmI wouldn’t even care if it was ten times more powerful, I was a huge nintendo fan until they started censoring literally everything they touched in North America, even games they didn’t make (Fatal Frame on Wii U, Bravely Second, allegedly had something to do with swords being changed into sticks in Dragon Ball Fusions), let alone first party games.
Donwel
December 20, 2016 at 7:28 pmOh yeah, you’ll pay through the arse for a pro. I imagine the slim will be a bit cheaper and the original models cheaper still.
TheOnceAndFutureKing
December 20, 2016 at 7:59 pmThe slim is already out and its pretty cheap. Im just gonna hold out and get a Pro later because I heard rumors that some games might work better on it in the future.
Phasmatis75
December 20, 2016 at 11:24 pmOuya was a good idea, it would have offered a nice casual market along side hard core markets and a good emulator unit. Where they went wrong was pissing off the entirety of their original backers, while chasing consumer success.
Vita’s awesome for imports and Persona 5 golden.
Yes, but you’re already a Nintendo customer, there aren’t many of those these days. While it interests you as a Nintendo customer it’s a matter of will it interest others. The Niche Market doesn’t much care for Nintendo after it’s censorship, the mainstream market has consider them a joke for years, and the casual market moved onto mobile years ago. Hardcore might adopt it still, but I’m not seeing it. I saw a lot of hype talk around it’s announcement but that’s mostly died down to defenders and meh.
If it can’t manage some epic titles and Nintendo move away from their censorship ways I can see it being successful, but after the Wii U, it’s going to have to have a lot of good games, no region locking, good memory, for me to adopt it.
Phasmatis75
December 20, 2016 at 11:27 pmAgreed, but Nintendo doesn’t seem to know what they’re doing with their IPs. Take the last Metroid game for instance that flat out flipped the fans of the series the bird with the ending and once again broke cannon.
Nah a lot of them were mock ups. I know at least one other for sure aside from Skyrim was, can’t remember it’s name right off the bat, but only Skyrim was announced to not be confirmed so at least the others are in development.
I’m not too sure about the new Zelda game. Every play in whatever order you want Zelda games haven’t exactly been smash hits. It look okay but as time goes on I’m not seeing it as a console seller aside from Nintendo Loyalists. (no offense intended, and not a dismissal argument) Definitely a title to pick up if you grab a switch, but I think what Nintendo is going to see is a lot of people wait till around Xmas next year to decide if they’re going to get it.
Phasmatis75
December 20, 2016 at 11:30 pmI meant a handheld console hybrid. The Switch is basically an upgraded Nvidia Shield which failed horrendously. If they merge the 3DS and console markets I’m still skeptical but I can see it happen.
Grayares Fakcot
December 21, 2016 at 12:52 am3ds has worse games than the ps4 though
Uncle Slick
December 21, 2016 at 12:57 amPS4 has maybe 5 good games, and by that I mean exclusives.
3DS has a ton of great games that can only be played on it.
Grayares Fakcot
December 21, 2016 at 5:10 amquality of the games are garbage thogh
Bashtarle
December 21, 2016 at 9:48 am“Ouya was a good idea” ….. No, no it wasn’t. The Ouya was an abysmal failure from start to finish. There where literally ~7 minutes where I gave it any serious consideration and then settled squarely on “Nope.avi”. Even then only because I was borderline interested in repurposing the hardware.
If you can’t recognize that…. I dunno.
I will agree that Nintendo did screw up throughout with the censorship, region locking and with the WiiU. Thankfully I also took a “Nope.avi” through all of that as well. So I wouldn’t exactly say I’m already a Nintendo customer. Hopefully they learned from those…. tho I doubt it. Much as I doubt Sony learned anything from their treatment of the Vita and while I love my Vita, Sony did very much mistreat that system.
Actarus07
December 21, 2016 at 10:40 amThe comments on this site are so incredible. I love how some people like to bash on Nintendo cause the console is weaker than the other systems, yet somehow try to justify in some games that “graphics” isn’t everything.
Uncle Slick
December 21, 2016 at 1:44 pmK.
Eden
December 21, 2016 at 7:36 pmFrom what I’ve heard devs seem to be ok with the switch so far. I’ve even heard that Dark Souls 3 was running on the switch at an “acceptable” rate.
I’m hyped for the Switch as well, and I can only hope that devs will find a way to either get the higher end games to work at an acceptable rate or see enough profit to make a Switch specific version of the game (even though the latter is unlikely).
Michael Richardson
December 21, 2016 at 7:56 pmIt’ll only get that kind of specialized effort if it sells Wii numbers, which… it won’t. Hopefully it’s a capable console.
Kain Yusanagi
December 21, 2016 at 10:31 pmSony is Japanese. Your argument is invalid.
Kain Yusanagi
December 21, 2016 at 10:35 pmIt’s bullshit but something they have to do because otherwise their investors don’t make money and then stock prices collapse as they sell their shares to invest in a new company that has growth potential, because it’s not about investing in a good product, but in investing in a product that will turn a quick, and preferably large, profit. This is why Smithian economics suck so hard.
Kain Yusanagi
December 21, 2016 at 10:40 pm‘Western-flavoured’ doesn’t necessarily have to mean Western aesthetic- it can just as easily mean ‘intended for Western audiences’; What they need to learn about that is that *we want Japanese culture*. We don’t want some bullshit Treehouse “Americanized” rewrite that throws out what was there to replace it with bullshit like “Love peace & chicken grease”.
Kain Yusanagi
December 21, 2016 at 10:42 pmBut they levied their power properly, and had the wide array of games by third parties to sate anyone’s gaming appetite.
Kain Yusanagi
December 21, 2016 at 10:43 pmOn top of that, 1080p is default for so many displays because any less just returns a blurry mess. They should at LEAST have it 1080 consistant, not 720.
Kain Yusanagi
December 21, 2016 at 10:44 pm…And nightmares of MonHun on PSP?
Kain Yusanagi
December 21, 2016 at 10:46 pmIt’s all about the hardware that lets you play the software. If so many of these games weren’t console exclusives, we’d see them die off big time. Some people would still use them- the die-hard fanboys and the like- but most people would just transition to a strong PC that can play them. That’s why the emulation scene is stronger now than it has ever been.
Kain Yusanagi
December 21, 2016 at 10:48 pm“…as well as the Wii could handle Dead Rising…”
Laughed so hard I woke up my roommate. Thanks m8!
Kain Yusanagi
December 21, 2016 at 10:54 pmBecause they aren’t, but being able to actually see what you’re looking at without it looking like a blurry, messy pile of pixels? That’s sort of important. It’s not graphical aesthetic we’re talking here, but basic graphical capability to provide a clean gaming experience.
Kain Yusanagi
December 21, 2016 at 11:02 pmFrom what I’ve seen of hardware benchmark tests, don’t bet on it. A lot of games also get “fixes” added to them, like forced motion blur where there wasn’t any before.
Zombie_Barioth
December 21, 2016 at 11:05 pmIts not so much ‘investors don’t make money’ so much as they would possibly lose faith in the company’s ability/willingness to manage their IP.
With SEGA the situation is a bit different since they themselves are a subsidy, owned by SEGA Sammy Holdings.
Guin
December 22, 2016 at 12:13 pm‘intended for Western audiences?’ You mean, cultural Marxist, sex-negative radical feminist propaganda right? Yeah, let’s keep that away from Japan. Ktnx.
Nagato
December 22, 2016 at 7:43 pmSony Computer Entertainment is and has been a Western-run subsidiary for quite a while now, precisely because the Jap market buckled under the weight of the PS3.
asdfghjkl
December 23, 2016 at 8:35 pmYeah, like the PS2 which was behind the Xbox and the Gamecube in terms
of hardware, and the SNES and NES which were also weaker than their
competitors. Even the PS1 was outpaced by the N64 in some areas and god
knows cartridges were a leagues better format than the disk/disc.
Novelist3
December 24, 2016 at 11:33 pmWhen even a cheap $99 phone like like the ZMax Pro has a 1080p screen, a game console with anything less seems a bit silly.
Novelist3
December 24, 2016 at 11:59 pmIt’s a little more… complicated than that.
TLDR version- Nintendo did this to themselves.
Longer version-
Nintendo’s business wing in the 1980s was, quite frankly, a bit of a beast. Purportedly to avoid the missteps of the third party titles that flooded the market during the Atari era, when they brought the NES stateside they put in practice some tactics that were draconian, to put it mildly. The use of the 10NES chip meant that licensees had to get their cartridges from one single source- Nintendo themselves. This also meant bowing to Nintendo’s stark, heavy-handed censorship. It meant that if you made a game for the NES, you could ONLY make that game for the NES (with very limited exceptions). It meant that you had to adhere to their strict five-game-only-per-year rule.
Companies HATED this. They tried everything they could to deal with it, because the NES was huge. But Nintendo during this era made very few friends in business.
Skip ahead to the launch of the PS1. Sony brought forward a console that allowed developers to wriggle out from under Nintendo’s thumb. It had an easy to use processor that allowed them to make the 3D games they wanted to. It used standard media, which meant no more having to deal with a singular cartridge distributor.
Other companies had tried, but Sony was the company that got it right, and in a big way.
Nintendo’s response was to double down on the cartridge format, and it cost them the generation.
The PS2 brought to the market a console that was a DVD player (something normally exorbitantly expensive at the time), coupled with absolutely perfect backwards compatibility for PS1 titles, AND it was a system that had the power play the games developers wanted to make for that generation.
Nintendo’s response? The GameCube, which once again used a limiting, proprietary format. It was more powerful, technically, than the PS2, but people didn’t care. Neither did third parties. People were buying the PS2 en-masse, and third parties were more than happy to continue making software for Sony.
Kain Yusanagi
December 25, 2016 at 2:17 amUh, no.
Kain Yusanagi
December 25, 2016 at 2:21 amUh, no it isn’t, and no it hasn’t. The only thing that has changed is the shift of the headquarters to San Francisco this past April.
Kain Yusanagi
December 25, 2016 at 2:23 amOh yeah, I know it is more complex. Thus the vague “they levied their power properly”.
Kain Yusanagi
December 25, 2016 at 2:26 am“lose faith in the company’s ability/willingness to manage their IP” is just a roundabout way of saying “isn’t making me as much money hand over fist as it used to, and not seeing a bigger share of the cut because of increasing profits”, or more succinctly, “investors don’t make money”.
Zombie_Barioth
December 25, 2016 at 3:17 amNot necessarily, but true none the less.
Its not about not making money, its about making LESS money.
If they see anything that could cause stock to drop, they’ll flip out, which includes things like copyright infringement.
That makes them a risky investment.
Kain Yusanagi
December 25, 2016 at 3:34 amStocks dropping is a direct correlation to investors losing money. -.- Since the stoccks they hold thus being worth less, so they will sell to try and liquidate as much as they can from the stocks they own and then go invest it somewhere else.
Zombie_Barioth
December 25, 2016 at 5:29 amYeah, I know, and when a company does something the investors think will cause stocks to drop, they’re likely to bail, preferably BEFORE shit hits the fan.
That’s the point. That’s why just a mere announcement can effect stocks.
If you prove yourself too big a risk, they may never come back either.
AR7777
December 25, 2016 at 6:49 amPeople weren’t buying 3ds at $250. How much do you think switch will cost?
I have a 3DS but will only buy a switch if it’s less than $200 and I’m sure there’s lots of people who think just like me, I doubt it will cost less than $300 though.
Even at an unlikely $200 pricetag I’d probably wait a few years because I dont trust the launch console will be the only version of the system which sadly seems to be the new standard
3rdStrike_Ebi
December 25, 2016 at 7:13 amHonestly? I rather they did try doing third-party games for other consoles. Maybe we’ll actually see different IPs being given a shot for once.
Guin
December 25, 2016 at 3:48 pmThat seems to be the only option mainstream Western games are going for.