A Switch in Time (General Switch Chat II)

I penned a reply to some of the posts in the previous thread, but our mighty Czar, Zero locked it up before I submitted

Anywho, let's keep the chat's flowing eh?

In response to the idea that Casuals will flock to the PS4/XB1 on basis of value I.... Disagree! What I saw in the direct was the best elements of the Wii tied into a new, instantly marketable concept, in its portability. I see a machine that has a place in every family home, with its easy to access motion controls and party functionality, while also being great to give to a little one on a journey in the car. On top of that, we've got a system capable of offering some traditional belters like Zelda

I get the PS4 value argument, it's definitely a good price and stuff. But when we're talking about what a casual is going to choose, how are we defining casual? Is a casual yer gramps and nan? I'd say the Switch is the console for them! Are they perhaps gamers who no longer have much free time, or people who only play fifa and the odd big budget game? Then sure, they PS4 value argument works best for them, but are they Nintendo's market anyway? I don't think they necessarily are.


And I wouldn't make too many comparisons between the Switch and Wii U. One has a unique marketing concept, the other wasn't even recognised as a new console by many.

Will your grandparents what to pay over £300 by the time you get a game as well, I would think not.

When I was thinking casual I was thinking the FIFA lot and the PS4 can't be the best selling console in the world for the past 4 years for no reason as it will do them.

I do think the Switch will do well and from the games coming it seems to be stuff that you may have found on 3DS, VITA and a bit niche but do well in places like Japan where they do well and then it is also replacing the Wii U.

It could replace three markets in one go, if what comes continues.

My apologies, Mr. Muss. We traditionally lock threads as close as possible to 990 replies, because Forumotion's forums have a reply limit of 1,000.

I am totally in agreement with your argument on the Switch being more of a casual console, but then we meet the price point (or projected price point). I suppose Nintendo feel that you're replacing your handheld and home consoles in one fell swoop, but it's still a little much. Nintendo tend to be a bit more successful when they're positioning their machines as a gamer's second system as well as a big family adventure party machine (yeah, I do mean the Wii ) and £280 will put people off. Gjones said something about a price cut in time for Christmas; that would be an ace move, but I feel sad talking about it before the thing's even out.

Speaking of out, March 3rd! That's much earlier than I expected.

No worries zero, just an unlucky timing coincidence! It just meant I lost that post.

I'm not trying to say old folk and the like well be piling into game trying to get a switch at launch. But I do think it'll do very well with non traditional gamers in the long run.

Edit, also like zero, looking forward to 1,2Switch at a GNamer meet up!

Ninendo Enthusiast don't seem to keen

@Muss have non traditional gamers moved on to mobile but that may work in Nintendo favours just going by Pokemon Go and Sun & Moon

I'd argue that gaming is daily becoming a more accepted part of our culture among an ever broadening amount of people. Mobile has helped that and is the single must popular platform, but I don't think that means there won't be some people who go from mobile to consoles, and yeah the success of go and Mario on mobile could help facilitate more interest in the switch.

I think the peripheral costs are going to be more of a millstone around the Switch's neck than the console's, at least globally. We're stuck with a shoddy exchange rate (as apparently are the Ozzies?), while US people, from what I understand, thought $299 was pretty much all right. Then they saw the peripherals...

A bit of a sad point - those Virtual Console games that you get monthly with the paid online service are only available to play for that month before new games replace them. To be honest, that's a bit pants. Building up a library of indies or older AAA titles with my PS Plus subscription that I can play as long as I'm a subscriber is a good selling point for the service. Imagine a service where you could build up a library of Nintendo's classics to dip into at any time - that's an even bigger selling point in my opinion! With how they're actually presenting it, it's like it's a month long demo for a game.

@Balla: Nintendo peripherals are expensive, though. Anyone who's bought a Pro Controller knows this. I'm aiming to invest wisely, in the knowledge that most of my Switch gaming will be as a single-player.

@Jay: that's a sick joke. There had better be a cheap way to keep them - like Cappa, I've had enough of forking over cash to play the same pool of old'uns.

It's mind-boggling - surely the well has run dry for selling Super Mario Bros. for the 40th time? Why not sweeten the deal with your online system and allow you to retain access to the NES and SNES games thrown your way? It's a troubling sign for the online platform on Switch.

I've ordered a Pro as the Joy-Cons even in the grip look small also my Switch will likely always been docked that I'll just pick up the Pro when I play.

On the bonus games I hope were given the option to buy them cheaper then someone who isn't in the paid scheme.

Outside-of-prediction-thread prediction: the online service includes Miiverse.

Is that how it definitely works with regards to the monthly games? If that's the case, and it's not just poor wording on Nintendo's part, then that's a real stinker. I still want to give them the benefit of the doubt on their online subscription until we know more about how much it's going to cost, but even so that's bad news.

I'm 98% sure that's how it works with what is being called a loan system.

masofdas wrote:

I've ordered a Pro as the Joy-Cons even in the grip look small also my Switch will likely always been docked that I'll just pick up the Pro when I play.

On the wore bonus games I hope were given the option to buy them cheaper then someone who isn't in the paid scheme.

For what it's worth, I follow an American guy on Twitter who has huge hands and went to a Switch event, and he said that though they were still quite small, the design meant they were really comfortable to hold.

And I hope they can at least throw us that bone for the VC games coming with the paid online subscription. It's still not a great look when positioned next to Sony and Microsoft's equivalent offerings, especially considering Nintendo's online doesn't have the best track record.

Muss: Sadly, it has been confirmed by NOA according to this journo...

Hmm I will see but I always get a second controller anyway and sooner have a Pro then another set of Joy-Cons.

Bloody hell, we've moved into Switch-related despair already. We're no better than the rest of the Internet, lads. No better!

(You're not wrong though, that does sound a bit toss.)

On a happier note...

THE LEGEND NEVER DIES WORTH SEVEN POUNDS ALL YEAR EVERY YEAR

Aye, let's cheer things up. Firstly there's this adorable bugger, and secondly, says that Snipperclips is surprisingly good.

I reckon Drunka's parents bought him a switch so they could troll him with those parental controls

Also, I'm still really excited for the Switch and even though that online news is there's still time for Nintendo to change their minds on how it works. Nobody would have thought Microsoft would have done such a huge U-turn on the ONE back in the day, for Nintendo to revise their policy here wouldn't be half the turnaround which that was.

BOWSER'S WALLPAPER IS PEACH. AMAZING.

Also, Snipperclips deserves a thread, that looks ace!

Muss: I'd be surprised if Nintendo did a u-turn on this, but then again, they have stripped away region locking with the Switch, so who knows?

Oh yeah, highly doubt they'll change course on it, but stranger things have happened.

Looks like the battery life is going to be 3-6 hours depending on graphics settings. That doesn't sound like much, but I think that'l suffice for most trips so I'm alright with it.

I think the USB-C charger is going to help with that though - that's meant to charge really bloody fast, right?

Yeah, I reckon I'll be tethering it to something to keep that juicy charge high as often as possible. Don't want to be miles between save points with a flashing battery warning...

An interesting take on the "one rented game per month with your subscription" issue.

Read the whole chain, natch, but it's certainly made me think a bit differently on the issue. I don't know if I agree as I see more value in building a library of old classics which would give you reason to stay subscribed so that you don't lose access to said classics.