Topic: The Nintendo Switch Rumor and Speculation Thread

@Grumblevolcano Oh okay thanks! That actually helps a lot, I was gonna say usually it's not a month between meetings, so this one is a slightly unusual one compared to the others.

@PikminMarioKirby This is also the Gathering of the Shareholders, which happens once per year in the summer.

Furukawa said that the Switch successor is a "Switch new model" which most of us expected, but the real question is will there be some kind of new gimmick or will this just be a graphics bump? Because a new model doesn't necessarily mean the latter, after all you could describe the 3DS as a "DS new model" and they didn't just up the graphics, they added stereoscopic 3D.

I'm predicting the former. An Xbox/Playstation-esque graphics bump console is just so... un-Nintendoey. They always like to innovate. They pretty much have to innovate to stay competitive. I can't see them not coming up with something to add to the concept of the Switch (and no, magnetic Joy-Cons ain't it, that does nothing to improve gameplay). A graphics bump is going to be a huge disappointment.

@Bolt_Strike I sure hope you're right, because now I'm nervous. Nintendo better not go boring, but now we have official word they just might. Maybe it'll even still be called a Switch after all?

Ugh, please no. Let there be NO confusion. The million dollar question is: What can Switch 2 do that Switch 1 can't, besides look prettier? Here comes the marketing challenge. Sure, as a Nintendo fan, I'll still buy it when I can, but I sure won't be in a rush unlike the first Switch. I'm thinking beyond the fanbase, too. How will the casual crowd know that this is the start of something new? Fans like us might know better and buy it up regardless, but to them, this might just be the next Switch model like OLED was. How will this be essential to them?

If Switch 2 really is beautifully bland, its Year 1 games better be amazing like the first Switch's. I guess it all comes down to the games anyway. The lineup won't match or exceed 2017, but it still needs to be good.

@Croctopus @Bolt_Strike
People keep paraphrasing, but the official tweet says "successor to the Nintendo Switch." Where do they literally say, word for word, "the next Switch model?"

For all we know, this "successor" is still vague and detached enough that they could throw a curve ball and name it something entirely different.

All the rumors claim it will be a conservative, simple upgrade to the Nintendo Switch experience. However, the official quote doesn't make it immediately clear that it's a Switch model, but rather a successor to the current Nintendo platform.

@Ulysses There was another tweet posted later where an investor asked Furukawa about if it was going to be something new or similar to the Switch and that was where he said the words "next Switch model". Here is the tweet in question:

@Bolt_Strike Imagine if they actually called it Switch Next. That would be awful.

@Croctopus Exactly. A similar looking successor is going to be harder to market, and they're going to want to be very careful to avoid making that mistake especially when that's part of what made the Wii U such a disaster. They need to make it clear that this is a next gen device that can do things that the OG Switch couldn't do and can play games that the OG Switch couldn't play. Maybe even both of those things. So I do think some kind of marketable hardware feature that does something beyond just improved graphics and a strong launch lineup are going to be key to making this console a success.

Luckily, there's good reason to be confident in the latter, they do seem to have some big games that should be ready early. 3D Mario and Mario Kart are dying for new entries and would make perfect Year 1 titles, you could make arguments for Metroid Prime 4, Pokemon Legends Z-A, and DK, and there's several other big IPs that might not quite make it Year 1 but should be relatively early (like, by Year 3) like Animal Crossing, Luigi's Mansion 4, 2D Zelda, and 2D Metroid. The lineup should be fine, I'm not worried about it. I think them getting the right concept and marketing is going to be the bigger challenge for them.

I'm glad that there's less than a year left of people complaining that Nintendo's next console needs to be "more" than "just" a significant boost in performance that drags Nintendo's hardware capabilities 10 years forward

Found myself thinking this morning: with the games industry seemingly stagnating/receding a bit at the moment, and with all sorts of international shenanigans ongoing, releasing something that's more consolidation rather than breaking new ground kinda makes sense right now.

I don't think it's realistic to expect a direct Switch successor to be as successful as the Switch has been. It's not impossible, I just don't think it's likely. So why not just gently iterate for now, and save any bigger ideas for the next one.

@gcunit Besides, considering how restricted the hardware has been compared to the competition for the past 7+ years, an upgrade on par with something of last gen would be an incredibly huge step forward. If they want more gimmicks, incorporate them with stuff like Labo or Ring Fit. Make them extra, don't force them into the console itself too much, I don't want every new game to revolve around something that most people will find annoying in the long run. That way the transition can be seamless, everything can be carried over, and you can still add in the wacky stuff Nintendo does, just without forcing it.

tl;dr - I want the next system's "gimmick" to be able to maintain a great performance, not just good or decent. I'm tired of less than even a consistent 30FPS being the norm, especially with third-parties.

@Novamii I'm hoping the controller change magnetic whatever makes the joycons work better with accessories. I would love more whacky accessories like the ring. Slightly better sensors would be nice also.

It will be a long few months 😆 The complaints will never stop.

@FishyS Honestly complaints will always happen, people will always find something to complain about. I feel like it's usually a minority of the people though, most Nintendo fans just wanted a more powerful Switch anyways, since the Switch's gimmick is too good to give up.

@PikminMarioKirby Such is the way of the internet. The concept is new? "WHY? The Switch was so good!" The concept is a straight-up Switch 2? "Well, looks like Nintendo's becoming complacent from the Switch's success. They're done trying new things." Not everyone is like this mind you, most people (Especially here on NintendoLife, I want to make that clear.) are very rational with their thoughts and concerns. That's just how it is though, no matter what Nintendo does. Some people will like it, some people won't, and there's nothing that can change that.

@Novamii Very accurate. It's best to do things with an open mind. If you try something thinking negatively about it, you'll more likely stick with that opinion. If you give it a fair chance, you may actually think positively something you otherwise would've thought negatively.

Also we don't know that there's not a big gimmick, so no need to complain yet anyways.

@PikminMarioKirby Exactly the point of my profile signature. Idealism and realism, delicate balance. Don't let one consume the other.

@Novamii Oh wow that circled back quite well!

We haven't heard anything else from Pyoro from what I know. Nintendo World Championships NES Edition will likely be announced this week. Pyoro will likely leak a lot of the next Direct.

Wait, what if the magnetic sides to the Switch 2 tablet enable Labo-like accessories to be directly attached to the console? It could enable all sorts of fun peripheral attachments if the magnetic mechanism proves more accessible than the sliding design.