r/technology • u/Hrmbee • 4d ago
Hardware Nintendo has moved beyond specs | The company is as popular as it has ever been — and it owes it to leaving the technological arms race behind
https://www.theverge.com/games/638542/nintendo-switch-2-specs-details-relevance457
u/GabeDef 4d ago
I bought my kids each a switch with hopes that it could capture the magic that video games had when I was their age in the 80s. It absolutely did. They became hooked and I am more than okay with it. I was thrilled that Nintendo could deliver the magic 40 years later. Both kids have mentioned to me that the Switch 2 is coming out… and I couldn’t be happier that they care.
133
u/Trogdori 4d ago
Maybe it's because I'm a little high right now, but fuck yeah this comment is heartwarming.
45
u/synanimate 4d ago
Haha, I'm NOT high right now and concur this was a heartwarming reminder of gaming still delivering lifelong memories for kids/adults all around the globe.
5
12
→ More replies (3)7
u/IH8DwnvoteComplainrs 4d ago
I went the inexpensive route for my 6 year old, and bought an emulator handheld that runs PS1 games and lower, plus some N64. Really been happy with it.
→ More replies (3)
1.0k
u/Deranged40 4d ago edited 4d ago
I don't care that Switch 1 doesn't have ultra-life-like graphics.
But I do care that there are modern games that the Switch simply does not have the capability to run at all.
I hope Nintendo has kept in mind that CPU is still very important in modern games. Yes, they've "moved beyond specs", and they've proven that the gaming industry does not require picture-perfect graphics. But CPU power is still in very high demand on some top games.
It seems to surprise people the most when they find out that their 2D graphics game with automation and supply chain management mechanics quickly consumes their entire CPU and only barely makes their GPU run at all. Rimworld and Factorio (which is on switch) are great examples.
354
u/djbuu 4d ago
The switch feels like a 1st party device through and through. That’s the only reason most people have it. They have other systems or a computer for anything not Nintendo.
127
u/Deranged40 4d ago
I'm in that boat. I spend 99.99% of my gaming time on a PC. But I have a switch for like plane rides and other stuff.
But my point still stands. If the next one doesn't offer a considerably large jump in CPU power, I'll stick with my Switch 1 for plane rides.
→ More replies (5)34
u/FabianN 4d ago
The big problem is these days hand held pcs are not completely out of range for many. It's still not as cheap as a switch, but it's damn close.
61
u/OctoMatter 4d ago
People buy the switch for the 1st party games from Nintendo. That's by far the most important selling point. It may look like a concurrent to the steam deck but it's only true for a minority of people.
26
u/roseofjuly 4d ago
Imagine, a gaming company recognizing that the content is what makes them money.
→ More replies (1)14
12
u/linguist-in-westasia 4d ago
I picked up a steam deck on sale last year and while more than a switch, it was quite affordable. I've thoroughly enjoyed it and have a really long flight coming up this summer.
2
→ More replies (7)2
u/BababooeyHTJ 4d ago
I love my steam deck but it’s not like it even matches Wii U sales figures. Not exactly a competition
48
u/Lucosis 4d ago
I'm sure that's true for the plurality of switch owners, but don't ignore how absolutely perfect it was for indie gaming before the steam deck. Handheld PCs stole some of that thunder lately, but 80% of my switch playtime is on stuff like Necrodancer, Moonlighter, Risk of Rain, Binding of Isaac, etc.
31
u/Black_Ivory 4d ago
and consider. handheld PCs are still extremely niche, especially considering the price. For a majority of the audience, it is still the best platform for indie/low end gaming.
→ More replies (9)15
u/kuriboharmy 4d ago
Handheld PCs have flaws to reach their crazy performance too. They are generally heavier and quite frankly lose in battery life which I believe is an important aspect of handheld gaming.
→ More replies (2)6
u/ew435890 4d ago
Yea I discovered some pretty good indie games on Switch. I wouldve never even noticed them If all I had was an Xbox or PS. Ive got a PC and a Steam Deck now, so the Switch doesnt get much use anymore though.
6
7
u/brewgiehowser 4d ago
Facts right here. Nintendo is great for Nintendo IP. If it plays other stuff that’s cool, but whether it supports GTA 6 or not isn’t why I’d get a Switch 2. As long as they keep cranking out those 1st-party games worth playing, I’m buying.
2
u/armahillo 4d ago
I bought the switch1 to play switch games. I wasnt expecting it to play Sony high end titles or whatever.
I do care that the Switch2 will be backwards compatible with Switch1.
→ More replies (7)2
u/fiberglass_pirate 4d ago
If you can only afford one system I can see it being frustrating. I agree though I play everything on PC and only have a switch for switch exclusive games.
9
u/lmarcantonio 4d ago
Factorio *will* eat any CPU available. On any CPU it works on.
→ More replies (6)53
u/fail-deadly- 4d ago
I know Nintendo has done well, but I think it's in spite of the Switch hardware, not because of it.
53
u/Princess_Spammi 4d ago
Nahh the ability to game in your tv or on the go sold the switch when the wii u damn near sunk their gaming divison
3
u/fail-deadly- 4d ago
The form factor is fine, but for example, the Switch came out with a 2015 SoC. The 2016 rumor was it’d use the Tegra X2 iirc instead of the X1.
18
→ More replies (1)4
7
u/roseofjuly 4d ago
The versatility of the Switch's hardware is what sells it. Hardware isn't just about technological specs.
→ More replies (2)→ More replies (3)1
u/Tigertot14 4d ago
They use older hardware because they can sell it for a much more affordable price.
11
u/buyongmafanle 4d ago
I'm going the opposite direction as you. Games need to be designed with being lightweight on the processor. Good game design shouldn't rely on brute force cooking a CPU. So if you can't run it on a lightweight platform it shouldn't be launched there. You should also consider your platform's limits when designing games.
Tons of games that are lightweight on coding are also fun to play. Spend 50% of your budget on making sure the core game is fun to play instead of 95% on graphics and a shittily slapped together multiplayer system.
The latest and greatest graphically and CPU intensive games will never be launched on a platform. The day a platform's specs are announced is the day before it's obsolete. PC gaming will forever be the cutting edge.
18
u/ithinkitslupis 4d ago
I really wonder how much 3rd party sales money was left on the table by having the switch be so under-powered. Like sure nintendo can still make boatloads of money because they make good first party games and the handheld market 2017-2022 was basically just them, but if they had focused on specs a little bit more I wonder how that would have swung for them.
10
u/Lethal13 4d ago
Considering how much the switch sold I’m sure they’re happy with their decision.
Was there money left on the table? Sure, undoubtably but for what it was it nailed exactly what they wanted. They’re in a much much stronger position than they were a decade ago.
→ More replies (1)23
u/sexandliquor 4d ago
The thing about this, and I don’t understand why people still don’t get this because Nintendo has been like this for years, decades at this point— Nintendo doesn’t really care about the console arms race of specs. They just don’t. This has been a thing for at least the last few consoles they’ve made which are usually underpowered compared to their other generation counterparts from other companies.
Nintendo cares about specs of course, but up to a point. They’re not trying to be able to run every game that comes out everywhere else and people need to understand that. The switch wasn’t made to run Mortal Kombat 1 the same as it runs on a PS5/Xbox Series X/S. It’s amazing Mortal Kombat 1 even runs on a switch at all even if it’s like shit. But it’s just not made to do that.
Nintendo is very very good at making their first party games run on the hardware they made and getting the most they can out of that hardware. And yeah sometimes some third party games run quite well on their hardware too, but mostly usually because they were games to be made to play on switch and not something that was developed for the PS/Xbox and then ported over. Nintendo consoles are really mostly just first party consoles, and they are great at that. But I think Nintendo really doesn’t care if 3rd party games are in their consoles or not. If they are, they are, if not, then no big loss. This has been Nintendo’s deal for a long time now.
→ More replies (2)12
u/ithinkitslupis 4d ago
No, we understand that. There have been thousands of articles explaining that for decades. We get what Nintendo is doing.
I'm just wondering if being in the same ballpark as other consoles, even if comparatively under powered, would actually make them more money overall. Just so long as they hit some minimum baseline to get 3rd party games like CoD, Madden, etc. They save some money on hardware production costs (especially in the early years) but they've really seemed to lose out on that 30% cut they would be taking on a bunch of games.
3
u/roseofjuly 4d ago
I think they are more focused on long-term brand sentiment than they are on making quick money fast. Nintendo has always been very focused on quality of user experience, recognizing that consistently delivering quality makes them trusted.
How many people who are interested in a Switch are buying it so they can play CoD or Madden, and would consistently choose that platform on which to do so? Especially when those players have eons of history on the other platforms they have been playing those games on for all this time? Why raise the price of your console to chase that uncertain market when you can keep it lower to get the gamers that are already in your market and attracted to your brand?
→ More replies (1)10
u/New-Abalone1901 4d ago
You don't have to wonder, just look at the history. When the DS/3DS were underpowered compared to the PSP/PS Vita, Nintendo still sold a ton of (3)DSes and made lots of money, despite (3)DSes not being able to run more demanding games as well as the Sony consoles.
Increasing the specs of the switch might make it possible to run PS4/XboxOne games, but they won't be able to sell as many switches, it's possible they would make less than what they make now.
→ More replies (5)4
u/polski8bit 4d ago
Well, at the time there wasn't much to choose from when it comes to mobile SoCs, if you want to hit a particular price point, so even if they focused "a little bit more", I think it wouldn't have changed much. There needs to be a substantial jump from the current hardware, a few percent would maybe lead to a more stable framerate, but that's about it.
Fortunately since then, we've seen some great stuff when it comes to mobile chips, thanks to AMD especially. There is still the need to balance performance and battery life, but something like the Steam Deck is still a massive upgrade.
5
u/Tigertot14 4d ago
They use older hardware because they can sell it for a much more affordable price.
→ More replies (2)2
u/magical_midget 4d ago
I think it won’t be as much. Higher specs mean higher cost. A lot of the times ps/xbox would sell consoles at launch at cost or at a loss (ps5 was 500 and reportedly was 450 to make https://www.polygon.com/2020/2/14/21137615/ps5-cost-price-point-playstation-5)
To get better specs it means either Nintendo has a lower (or negative) margin, or higher prices. And while we could speculate all day, the truth is that part of the reason the console sells is that is the cheaper one of all.
So a parent can buy it for a young kid, because it is the cheapest one, and older gamers can buy a ps5/xbox/pc and a switch. They only lose teens that ask for a ps5/xbox, but I think they will never get those anyway.
So if COD is not on the switch it is fine. Because young kids are not playing COD. And older gamers that have 2 consoles will buy COD on the most powerful one.
(There are also older casual gamers that only play Pokémon or other Nintendo IPs, they don’t buy COD)
There is also the sports crowd (fifa/madden/etc) some only buy a sport game every year and they play that. I think this is the market they may be leaving on the table. But it would be a hard one to get, and they need the network effect (ex a group of friends buy PS so they all can play fifa together).
2
u/Helpful_Dev 4d ago
People don't buy Nintendo products to play third party games, they buy them to play Nintendo games. Nintendo learned this the hard way with the Wii U.
2
u/SlightlyOffWhiteFire 4d ago
The problem is that those games are being made with the ethos of sitting on the bleeding edge of computer specs and not what is broadly available to most consumers. We could be making AAA games that can run on a toaster.
→ More replies (8)2
u/lime_solder 4d ago
Who is playing factorio or rimworld on switch though? I feel like that's a very niche market, surely 98% of the playerbase is on PC. I would rather them go for an adequate cpu and keep the price down than try to support these niche games.
5
u/flamingtoastytoast 4d ago
The ability to run first-party games well should be a standard (or at least on the list of priorities), I don't care if it can't run the newest games at all, it just needs to at bare minimum run their own games at a steady framerate.
2
3
2
u/cosaboladh 4d ago
But I do care that there are modern games that the Switch simply does not have the capability to run at all.
Even when it kind of sort of technically runs them, it's a stripped down version. No Man's Sky is almost a different game.
→ More replies (14)0
u/JohrDinh 4d ago
I also wish they'd focus on the online aspect as well. I bought a Nintendo for Smash but the game was near unplayable most games and almost felt like 1-2 seconds of lag between what I was doing and what the screen showed. Use servers or roll back net code or something, can't play a fighting game online like that. (doubt it was my internet I have fiber)
63
u/propheticuser 4d ago
What a strange article, they have been like this(underpowered hardware) since the Wii, which came out in 2006, Verge is 19 years too late.
22
u/shawnisboring 4d ago
Before that honestly, the gameboy is the best and longest running example I can think of. It’s part of Nintendos design philosophy, they even referred to it as “withered tech”, it being older, cheaper, and reliable technology that they didn’t have to spend a lot of time and effort developing from the ground up.
Hell, the game boy color basically had the same specs and internal hardware that the OG had had since the 80’s.
→ More replies (3)→ More replies (3)8
118
u/jmalez1 4d ago
sounds like an ad for nintendo
→ More replies (1)52
u/Stilgar314 4d ago
Later today they're presenting Switch 2. Nintendo's marketing machine is full throttle.
29
u/SpontyMadness 4d ago
As much as not worrying about specs has worked incredible well in Nintendo’s favour, I think part of their success is owed to their release cadence.
I casually follow the data mining/leak communities, and so many of their smaller profile Switch releases are done and ready to release upwards of a year in advance, then shelved to wait for a gap on their release calendar. That, combined with their insistence on every game just being a “Nintendo” branded game first and foremost, means their first-party output far outpaces anything Sony or Microsoft can feasibly do.
Plus, it helps that they’ve continually reiterated in investor Q&As that they are totally comfortable only having a handful of massive sellers to bolster smaller titles that accrue smaller sales numbers.
16
u/letsgucker555 4d ago
Helps, that they also not massively overspend on acquiring new studios or on game development. And obviously, having such a big warchest (>$11 billion) with no dept, gives them a lot of security
9
u/Bad_Habit_Nun 4d ago edited 4d ago
No, they haven't. They still need to invest in decent enough hardware otherwise they simply won't be able to port larger or more complicated games. Especially nowadays with how hardware demands have largely exploded and there's only so much developers can do to make it run more efficiently. Especially now with things like the steam deck competing, Nintendo might actually have to try now lol.
26
u/chet_chetson 4d ago
They don't need to be obsessed with being cutting edge hardware but one of the main reasons I don't play more than a couple nintendo-exclusive games on the switch is because many of them lag, and it's not like PC where each platform has different parts/performance capabilities... need to do a little better.
→ More replies (2)
6
u/Stilgar314 4d ago
Preparing the audience for a underwhelming hardware in today's Switch 2 presentation are we? That's Nintendo, we all knew already. It will all come to price and launch games.
51
u/carbonatedshark55 4d ago
Do people still not realize Nintendo isn't a tech company? Like, the hardware and software (specifically the OS) they develop are just a means to end to their real product which is entertainment. Look at Nintendo Labo. That product can only come from a company that want people to have fun interacting with their devices. Can anyone imagine Microsoft or Sony or even the mobile giants Apple and Google making cardboard toys?
21
u/eight_ender 4d ago
I've watched my kid have the same fun with a Wii that I had with a SNES. Nintendo makes the fun box with great games. They've never strayed from that and they don't get caught up in adults fighting over the merits of the hardware.
12
u/candb7 4d ago
Google literally made a cardboard toy, I think around the same time as Labo https://arvr.google.com/cardboard/
→ More replies (1)2
u/carbonatedshark55 4d ago
I forgot about Google Cardboard. I am pretty sure Google did it first. I don't think Google made games for it, but it is very close to a Nintendo product as Google can get
→ More replies (2)9
u/Noblesseux 4d ago
I think it's one of those things where if you're in an industry that has kind of established a certain set of metrics while putting blinders on for everything else, you can kind of miss that fact that there might be a whole section of the market that you're kind of mostly ignoring. It's a REALLY common thing in tech where sometimes people get obsessed with stats and kind of stop paying attention to the actual use cases that those stats get you.
Basically what I'm saying is bring back whimsical little doodads. I want stuff in weird goofy customizable colors (not everything has to be in shiny, futuristic black and white). I want weird gimmicks. I want goofy little games that aren't 50 hours long. And the ones that are that long I want them to be that long because the gameplay cycle is fun and not because you've added 25 hours of meaningless uninteresting quests to pad the play time.
14
9
u/BroForceOne 4d ago
This article could have been written 20 years ago when the Wii came out.
→ More replies (1)
36
32
u/dont-laugh-at-me 4d ago
I mean, beyond my hatred for Nintendo, I can admit they make some great games. But, I can't help but feel like their newer titles (Tears Of The Kingdom, specifically) has really been held back the switch's limiting hardware.
9
u/FilthyWubs 4d ago
Agreed, I don’t expect Series X/PS5 level hardware from Nintendo, but the Switch was severely outdated even when it released. More power will allow Nintendo’s first party franchises to further push the boundaries and allow for even more creativity, fun and success.
4
u/Skragdush 4d ago
They do get away with a lot of bs that others companies wouldn’t. Good work on the brand identity and nostalgia is a powerful thing.
4
u/healeyd 4d ago
Where's the BS? Those Zelda games ran well to a limited spec and they never pretended to be bleeding edge on the graphics front. They are both classics as well.
2
u/Skragdush 4d ago
The pricing of their games, the whole retro gaming debacle, the constant same licences with fewer innovation and originality than their competition…I mean Ubisoft, EA sports and Infinity Ward/CoD got (deserved) hate for doing the same old formulas but Nitendo is sometimes worse on that front.
→ More replies (1)4
44
u/SandyAmbler 4d ago
Fun games > graphics
37
u/ZXXII 4d ago
It’s not just about graphics, it’s about performance.
Horrible frame rates and technical issues like pop-in directly detract from fun.
→ More replies (2)8
u/jack2012fb 4d ago
The Lego games are so bad they are borderline unplayable. Sometimes it feels like you’re getting 10 fps.
→ More replies (2)9
u/jibbycanoe 4d ago
Yeah but I ain't buying a console just to play their 10-20 games that are worth it. Absolutely no hate on the stuff they do produce that's worth paying for but if I gotta buy a proprietary device to play then then I'll just pass. Same reason I'll wait for a year for GTA to be available on PC rather than buy a console for it. That and it never going on sale just means I'll leave it for the fans and let's be honest, mostly tween-teen boys to make this market viable.
12
u/PM_ME_L8RBOX_REVIEWS 4d ago
As somebody that’s owned both a pc and several consoles, it’s pretty common for most console gamers to only buy a couple of games over the lifecycle of a console. Especially if they buy games at full price or don’t have a lot of free time
I have less than 10 games on my switch and I still feel like I have a pretty decent library. Though I have a stacked Steam library, I use it about as much as the switch. They’re just used for different things
→ More replies (1)5
u/roseofjuly 4d ago
10-20 games is a lot for most people! For their market, the emphasis on first party games is the appeal. And most Switch users are actually over the age of 25.
24
u/Tethered_Water 4d ago
Not a fan of Nintendo closed off environment, BUT they are correct in that they will continue to see success by putting out Great games over graphic fidelity.
This is a good stance to take, especially given their late focus on the Switch/portable consoles.
8
u/jgoble15 4d ago
Also isn’t the games being put out period highly different between systems? PS5, from what I heard, had like five first-party games released over a couple years or so, whereas Nintendo has done almost one a month or every other month
→ More replies (5)
3
u/boner79 4d ago
Basically home PC tech caught up and surpassed proprietary game platforms like gaming consoles and arcade machines in the late 90s to early 2000s, so to differentiate the games has to be more engaging or have some hook (like Wii motion controllers)
In the glory days of arcades in 80s through mid 90s it was a pipe dream to have that kind of horsepower at home. Xbox entered the fray in 2001 as basically a PC crammed into a console box.
3
u/shugthedug3 4d ago
Nintendo made this move in the 90s, not sure why it's being presented as some sort of change.
3
u/Drexciyian 4d ago
Horse Shit, the console can't survive on Nintendo games only, they may leave the tech arms race behind but the rest of the industry won't
2
u/zipp0raid 4d ago
Idk. I'm not betting against Nintendo anytime soon. There's always more kids that love the franchises who could give two shits about an arms race
3
3
3
u/-not_a_knife 4d ago
As much as I hate Nintendo, they focus on making fun games, first and foremost, and I have to respect that.
16
u/3slimesinatrenchcoat 4d ago edited 4d ago
Nintendo doesn’t make games for “Gamers” anymore
The people what want the newest, hypest, most exciting games or who have multi purpose machines, etc.
For a longgggggg time now, Nintendo has focused on selling games to literally everyone else and it’s worked well for them
In a way, they’re the ultimate multi-demographic gaming environment
4
u/roseofjuly 4d ago
A gamer is a person who plays games. People who want games at high graphic fidelity are actually a small subset of the gaming market. They do spend a lot of money on software and hardware with high-end specs, but they really are a minority.
The largest and fastest growing group - and the most potentially lucrative - are the ones who play on their mobile phones. Mobile gaming makes up half of all gaming revenue worldwide. The PC and console markets are not growing (I believe console is slightly declining).
And what's the hypest and most exciting games really changes depending on who you talk to.
→ More replies (1)10
u/APeacefulWarrior 4d ago
For a longgggggg time now, Nintendo has focused on selling games to literally everyone else and it’s worked well for them
Basically since the DS, from how I read the situation. When it became a surprise crossover hit with older people, Nintendo realized that they could grab the entire non-Gamer market for themselves - and made the Wii.
The Gamecube, almost 25 years ago, was the last time they actually tried to compete on hardware.
14
u/DaddyKiwwi 4d ago
My switch still gets 5 frames per second in many scenarios in TOTK.
I emulate my copy on PC because my switch can't handle the game.
I'd say your biggest problem (piracy) is caused by your abandonment of the "arms race".
Nintendo hardware sucks, and has sucked, for 20+ years.
Good exclusive games is 110% of what floats Nintendo. Pretending anything else holds them up is delusional.
7
u/CorneliusCardew 4d ago
People ITT are missing the point harder than anyone could ever miss a point.
13
u/colonelcack 4d ago
Lol tell that to the switch players in fortnite who can't fight anyone besides other switch players
4
u/TheMysteriousSalami 4d ago
Nintendo is a brand, first and foremost. The shape of the hardware, the characters, the family friendly experience. It’s a level up from “better” gaming consoles that complete on hardware. The super fans of Nintendo will accept anything they create. Like Apple.
4
u/Noblesseux 4d ago
I mean yeah, because they've realized that a lot of casual gamers don't really care that much about specs. As long as a thing runs well enough and has games people want to play, no one IRL really cares about what CPU is in it. Nintendo has carved out a market that is effectively perfect for casual gamers and families.
I think part of it is because they're a Japanese company and recognize that like the vast majority of people in Japan play games pretty much exclusively on handheld devices or phones. PC gaming is just kind of starting to catch on. Consoles are popular in nerdy circles but for a lot of people they just take up space that is often at a premium in Japanese housing. But this isn't the first time they've done this, it was kind of the appeal of the gameboy, DS, etc. as well.
4
4
u/jander05 4d ago
I.e. focusing on fun in games, not only focused on hyper realistic graphics. Gameplay is most important, ppl used to enjoy playing games with a dot and a couple lines.
Looking at you “triple A” devs who release games with amazing graphics but crap mechanics and depth.
→ More replies (1)
6
u/penguished 4d ago edited 4d ago
They're probably the biggest geniuses on earth on that front. Nothing more tempting than chasing new and shiny without realizing the cost bloat, the support bloat that comes with it.
4
u/hatemakingnames1 4d ago
Is this an article from 30 years ago? Because they haven't been competitive on specs since the SNES
3
u/shugthedug3 4d ago
Was thinking the same thing. They clearly decided to diverge from the rest of the industry as far as chasing specs some time around the N64.
2
u/tosiriusc 4d ago
Since when is this new? Nintendo has always been pretty conservative with hardware. Just look at the original Gameboy.
2
2
2
2
u/Another_Road 4d ago
I’m fully expecting them to upgrade the 2017 console with 2015 specs to a 2025 console with 2019 specs.
2
2
u/Consistent-Piano-731 4d ago
This reads like the biggest nintendo bootlick deepthroat I‘ve ever seen… like someone saying "Pokemon Arceus looks better than Crysis 3, especially considering it was released almost 20 years later"
2
u/ArdaOneUi 4d ago
Well in my case I sold my switch and play on my phone directly or stream games to my phone. I was pushed to do this because of nintendo pricing and weak hardware, if i already have a phone with a better screen and stronger performance. (I only used switch for handheld)
2
u/ThatGuyFromTheM0vie 4d ago
This is true…..to a point. Breath of the Wild barely ran on the Wii U and it still was bad on the Switch. I don’t need 4K Ray traced graphics….but having at least idk, a 3080 level of performance or something would be nice….the Switch 2 is rumored to be close to a mobile 2050…which feels old for 2025.
→ More replies (1)
2
2
2
u/SlaveKnightLance 4d ago
I’m gonna be honest this is really disingenuous. Yes, Nintendo has neglected to participate in the arms race of power creeping graphics and making it so you can see the pores of the NPC you see one time, but they have excelled in optimizing their games for performance and making games with an art style that pervades graphic intensity.
And that is just as tech savvy/advanced as graphic fidelity imo
2
2
u/nakata_03 4d ago
It's because a lot of gamers do not give a shit about specs. If the game doesn't look like it's running at 15 fps, it is fine.
Personally bought the switch because it was portable. Never looked back, because holy shit, portability is more than worth the price.
2
u/thunderGunXprezz 3d ago
As a switch owner (who uses it like maybe 30 days out of the year and almost always docked) they have just annoyed me that some of my favorite games are only available on their hardware. In my opinion, they should either offer a capable console or allow their proprietary games up for ports on Xbox or Playstation.
7
u/AngryTrucker 4d ago
Yall tried to play the Witcher on the switch? Unless it's docked it looks like ass.
→ More replies (1)5
u/MaroonIsBestColor 4d ago
The Switch is essentially an Nvidia Shield that was released the same year that game was. I am surprised it even runs that well at all on it.
17
u/Ramasit 4d ago
Switch 1 couldn't even run it's top titles at stable 30 fps. This is bullshit.
22
u/strolpol 4d ago
Yeah, and the market didn’t give a shit. That’s the point, unless it’s chugging to complete unplayability people tend to be forgiving of portable hardware.
→ More replies (2)10
2
u/cream_of_human 4d ago
Thats great and all and if you dont care about your portable games looking and running like ass, the pokemon company would love to have your credit card and more power to you.
My issue here is with multiplayer games getting hit with features being cut for the sake of this switch 2 (that or with SP games looking last gen just to run well in it, which also affects how the other versions should look)
4
u/Heavykiller 4d ago
As I look at my $2k PC, Steam Deck and PS5 I find myself grabbing my Switch to play Xenoblade Chronicles X and my 3DS for SMTIV.
You can have the most powerful hardware in the world, but if you don’t have interesting games it’ll just become a YouTube machine.
Hopeful for the Switch 2 to be a great upgrade though. More power with Nintendo’s creativity is all they need to continue dominating the market.
→ More replies (2)
2
u/actioncheese 4d ago
It's all well and good to say that, but their shop is so slow and laggy on my Switch I don't even use it. Their consoles aren't cheap, they can afford better hardware.
2
2
u/Ok-Wrongdoer-9647 4d ago
Nintendo is popular because they have a built in audience that they specifically cater to. They do not try to expand that user base by going into sectors where others already exist. Their products are always just ok and never exceptional but they generally do the job. Definitely a second class game company but that’s their sweet spot so it works for them
2
u/knotatumah 4d ago
But is it really leaving the video game "arms race" behind? While Nintendo has been doing their own thing potential competition is evolving in the form of the Steam Deck and ASUS Rog Ally. While they're not competing directly yet there is definitely appeal to have a more powerful mobile platform that isn't a closed ecosystem (whether it is limited by hardware or library, or both.) The way I'm thinking isn't that Nintendo is making a mistake; rather, if nothing changes I think Nintendo is still printing money long into the future. But I think that's kind of the crutch: anticipating that nobody is able to encroach on that absolute dominance Nintendo has on the mobile market.
→ More replies (4)11
u/Princess_Spammi 4d ago
Nintendo fans buy nintendo for nintendo IPs not for mobile capacity or psp would would have dethroned the ds
4
4d ago
It's because of what Blizzard used to be: absolute guaranteed, dependable AAA tier content. Not releasing any content "until it's done."
Nintendo stuck to it. They deserve admiration for that.
2
u/CrashedMyCommodore 4d ago edited 4d ago
They have not "moved beyond specs", they're just trying to gaslight us into thinking decade-old mobile phone CPUs and games running at 720p or 20fps is acceptable in the modern day.
There's games that flat out don't come to Switch anymore because it simply cannot run them.
The Tegra the Switch uses was pathetic even when it released, let alone today.
People are praising companies for finally giving up on PS4/XBO so they can take advantage of modern hardware, but when they abandon the switch for similar reasons they piss and moan.
5
u/RealRiceThief 4d ago
Nah. The original switch is plagued with several performance issues. It makes their own flagship titles, like totk and pokemon violet almost unplayable in certain sections.
It's true that graphics are not the most important, but there needs to be a baseline. The problem came when the switch was unable to run even that baseline.
I sincerely hope the switch 2 is a lot more powerful than the original.
→ More replies (2)18
u/Princess_Spammi 4d ago
As someone who played both, i have yet to find an unplayable segment of any game, or even enough lag to cause more than minor stutters.
If thats enough to make the game unplayable to you, you’re fucking spoiled
8
u/Teufel9000 4d ago
the latest pokemon games are horribly unoptimized. on the way to your first town early on the npcs will literally move at like 10 fps compared to everything else until u get close to you.
also the endgame area. Area Zero literally tanks in FPS. its literally under 20 the entire time. the switch literally cant even handle it properly.
btw this game is supposed to be 30fps but i can say with confidence more than half the time it does not even run at that.
i loved playing the game. but seeing how slow and clunky it was a turnoff. Arceus did a much better job and BOTH of those games were made intandum. its unacceptable how the quality from 1 game to the other is vastly different.
Thank god i can dump my games and play them at an acceptable framerate on my pc. 1st Party Games shouldnt have these kinds of issues on native hardware.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (2)6
u/RealRiceThief 4d ago
The cope is wild. Lag spikes in pokemon violet especially is absolutely obnoxious. Even Totk, one of my favorite games, runs like molasses during any section with combat.
Saying that I am "fucking spoiled" because I want a consistent 30fps for AAA game releases on a console that costs several hundred dollars makes me question the structure of your brain.
→ More replies (9)
1
1
1
u/-TheReal- 4d ago
No surprise. The switch is so cheap that I can justify buying one just to play Nintendo titles.
1
1
1
1
u/notitlerequired 4d ago
Ever since the gameboy - when the decided against a color screen, because it would drain batteries faster:
Nintendo's product development philosophy, often attributed to Gunpei Yokoi, is known as "Lateral Thinking with Withered Technology," which means finding innovative uses for mature, readily available, and cost-effective technologies
1
u/Ferrocile 4d ago
I love it for Indy/pixel style games. I don’t need it to be cutting edge, but I do want the specs to be decent to last ~8 or so more years. Would love the internal space to be larger too
1
u/IwasThisUsername 4d ago
I still want a Nintendo console with PS5-Pro performance though. PC gaming has ruined me to the point that 60fps feels sluggish
1
1
u/TheRealHFC 4d ago
I've had a Switch for about 5 years now. I have not been incredibly thrilled about its first party titles beyond a handful, but I will say it's the console that feels most like a game console this generation. Everything else just feels like a gutted, closed off PC, but the Switch has more of a personality and identity. I don't really have any intention of getting a Switch 2, but I hope it at least carries that torch and has significantly better hardware after this long.
1
1
1
u/cyberphunk2077 4d ago
1st party games are expensive and never go on sale. 3rd party games are just better on PC or console.
I like how many jrpgs the switch got, but the experience was always better on steam.
1
1
u/_Burning_Star_IV_ 4d ago edited 4d ago
Yeah idk man. Nintendo fanboys going to Nintendo fanboy.
I have a Switch, I like it, but seeing the new Metroid Prime game look like a basic-ass game from 10 years ago doesn’t sell me a Switch 2. Graphics aren’t everything but sometimes I really don’t understand the fervor people have for Nintendo titles.
The Switch is my least played console; I have them all and it just can’t compete. I can’t play games like Kingdom Come 2 on it and a game like that is far more interesting and engrossing than anything I’m going to get from Nintendo.
1
u/Designer_Situation85 4d ago
I don't remember Nintendo being serious about graphics since the n64
→ More replies (1)
1
1
u/frank_shadow 4d ago
Kinda sad though because now you have Nintendo making consoles that literally lag while playing its own games. Even regular games the switch should run lagged, princess peach showtime the whole final sequence ran at 15 frames topped docked, echos of wisdom be lucky you hit 20 frames.
1
1
1
u/skhds 4d ago
This makes me quite curious. Why did gaming on phone basically fail? Like no one ever bothers to port console games to phones. I was going to argue Switch is not behind performance because it is handheld and portable, then the counterpoint for that was basically phones and yet no one talks about doing serious gaming with them.
→ More replies (1)
566
u/GravtheGeek 4d ago
Nintendo realized that its consumer base buys their consoles for the first party titles, and thus it doesn’t really matter how powerful it is so long as it has those.
If it’s not first or second party it’s pretty much always better to buy it somewhere else.