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4K Gaming Was Never Nintendo's Priority

The new Switch is at the center of controversy for not being a hardware upgrade, but Nintendo's philosophy has never revolved around high-end gaming.

waverider1790d ago (Edited 1790d ago )

Nobody expects that the next Switch is able to run games at 4k native. Even true next gen consoles got problems with that much less a portable device. What gamers expect is a portable console able to run all games at 1080p not just some docked in 2021. What gamers expect is a huge drop in price because the switch doesnt have tech that demands that kind of price, its weaker then the PS4 and Xbox one, but its selling like crazy and nintendo wont ever do that.

Amplitude1789d ago

I did. Even without DLSS, the first gen switch should have been able to output 4k. I'm not expecting Mario Osyssey to RUN at 4k but at least give me a 4k HUD and upscaled 1080p. Native res 2D games would have been nice too

The NVidia Shield could do 4k gaming with practically the exact same specs as the switch just saying

n1kki61789d ago

The nvidia shield absolutely cannot do native 4k. SMH. Gamers sometimes. All of the upscaling also takes battery power, there are alot of concessions that would need to to be made in the switch to keep it cool, provide battery that can last, and power modern dlss chips. It's not a trivial solution to drop that much tech in a handheld. ESPECIALLY at a price people would accept.

Amplitude1789d ago (Edited 1789d ago )

Hey man! No need to be a total jerk. Anyway, I made it really clear that I'm not talking about rendering games at 4k and I didn't say anything about adding DLSS into the mix. And I certainly didn't say in handheld mode.

For the shield, you're quite literally incorrect.
-The Shield can output at 4k
-The Shield can stream in 4k (games too, which Nintendo is currently supporting on their store)
-The Shield can play android games at 4k
-The Shield can output emulators at 4k
I even mentioned small 2D switch games in particular in my post.

I don't expect AAA switch games to render at 4k and I never once said that. Outputting the system in 4k (and for the love of god at least HDR) would provide a cleaner HUD and an overall nicer looking image even though the game is still rendering at a lower res. Digital Foundry literally just talked about this - but also it's common sense. The home screen alone looks really bad on a large 4k panel. It's ENTIRELY reasonable to expect a device released at the tail end of 2021 to support 4k screens. Sure, they're not the "norm" but it's an absolutely enormous market that my phone from 4 years ago can tap into extremely well (native rendering in Dex and though dongles too)

The Switch is really showing its age. The thing is almost half a decade old. It hasn't had a price drop once, and you can't say "it's cheap anymore. It is a 400 dollar device (here in Canada). Is it that unreasonable to expect better docked performance than what we have?
This new model is absolutely a disappointment. I've got a first gen switch and a switch lite, and over 100 games - I'm not being some sort of switch hater. I'm just really really disappointed in what Nintendo is doing instead of an actual upgraded model.

n1kki61789d ago

Fair points. Yes, the switch should be able to at the very least output 4k, and for the most part Nintendo is trash, but people continue to pay it. Until people stop buying 7 year old tech at a premium this is what they will deliver.

n1kki61789d ago

The switch in 2021 probably costs nintendo less than $100 to manufacture and I bet they actually saved money moving to an oled due to availability. A tegra x1 came out in 2015 and is likely cost Nintendo under $25 a chip.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 1789d ago
Vits1790d ago

There was definitely people expecting a 4K ready Switch with the help of DLS. And while that was inherit an impossibility because of what the mobile market have to offer an the nature of a DLS implementation.Having a upgraded Switch model would not be too much to ask. A better thermal solution for example would already allow the current Switch hardware to work on the X1 Stock clocks and that alone would give the console a slightly boost in performance. And the same goes for the amount of internal storage inside the console. Not only the upgrade was very little in size but it's likely still using eMMC. A older and slower standard.

But honestly my issue with the Switch OLED is more that it feels unfocused. The price tag is higher than the normal model. Meanwhile the upgrades are so little that I can't see someone that was on the fence before about the console finally deciding to get the console because of it. In my eyes I see a Switch Lite OLED making much more sense. It would nest between the Switch and the Lite in regard to price. And it OLED screen would appeal to the same public - people that play their Switch "undocked".

Knushwood Butt1790d ago

I said goodbye to Nintendo at the end of the Ganecube's life more than 10 years ago.

No regrets.

Jin_Sakai1789d ago (Edited 1789d ago )

I really enjoy Nintendo IP but I dislike their hardware. Specs are an afterthought when designing their consoles.

gold_drake1789d ago

same, their hardware is always two steps behind ms and sony.
i mean that is fine and all, but the switch is 4 years at this point and it shows.

nintendo sits comfortably on their 1st party titles cause there aint no other way to play them.

Elda1789d ago

I did after the SNES,no regrets.

AspiringProGenji1789d ago

I did after Virtual Boy, no regrets

Yui_Suzumiya1789d ago

I said goodbye after N64 but I recently got a Switch Lite and love the third party support on it. Doom, Resident Evil, Wolfenstein, Doki Doki Literature Club, Gal*Gun, Bayonetta, BioShock, Lovekami and upcoming ports of Life is Strange and Fatal Frame 5. It's amazing!

Babadook71789d ago

I’m expecting the switch pro to be 4K capable and ship early next year. This oled model is a surprise but doesn’t override all the insider info that is out.

jznrpg1789d ago (Edited 1789d ago )

Maybe in 2-3 years is my guess maybe 4 . They will milk this cheap to make console hybrid or the lites as long as they are selling well .

glennhkboy1789d ago

Nintendo has never change the cpu nor graphic output in the middle of their console life.

Babadook71789d ago

What about “new” Nintendo 3ds?

Amplitude1789d ago (Edited 1789d ago )

@glennhkboy
Well that's not true lol. The console they released before the Switch was the New 3DS XL with a better cpu and gpu, screen, 3D, faster loading, two extra trigger buttons and a c stick. Even had some exclusive games on it

Babadook71789d ago

Exactly. Perhaps the first “mid gen” upgrade.

Nerdmaster1789d ago (Edited 1789d ago )

I wanted a little bit more power, not necessarily for 4K, but for current games to run better. Games like Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity and Rune Factory 5 run terribly. If a new model could squeeze in a few more frames per second, it would be a sure buy for me.

Show all comments (33)
40°

You Didn’t Just Buy a Console. You Joined an Ecosystem

Modern consoles aren’t one-time purchases. How PlayStation, Nintendo, and Xbox keep you inside their ecosystems.

Read Full Story >>
4scarrsgaming.com
140°

Nintendo wants to avoid Switch 2 scalping by making enough for demand

President Shuntaro Furukawa says he doesn’t think component shortages will be an issue due to new plan.

Read Full Story >>
videogameschronicle.com
ZycoFox701d ago

Probably be using 3+ year old chips by the time it launches

Tacoboto700d ago

The 2017 Switch is based on the 2015 Tegra X1 so even if Nintendo is using technology from 2022, that alone still represents a significant improvement.

Outside_ofthe_Box699d ago

How many decades has it been since Nintendo consoles been about power?

Inverno700d ago

Should open pre-orders through the E-shop for a period before making it available through stores. And now that COVID is out the way, you can make in store preorders mandatory too. People interested wouldn't have much of an issue driving by if it meant keeping scalpers at bay for a bit.

CrimsonWing69700d ago

I mean, the problem is these a-holes have bots that eat up every sites inventory. Then they sell it on eBay for stupid prices. No matter what you try to do we’re still going to have to fight through these human pieces of sh*t to get these damn consoles at launch.

phoenixwing700d ago (Edited 700d ago )

Well I'll either see if I can get one online against bots or wait till they're saturated and buy in a brick and morter store. Waiting isn't an issue anyway I have enough games to wait out the shortage

FinalFantasyFanatic699d ago (Edited 699d ago )

I can't really understand people rushing out to buy a console at release, I'll wait a year, two years, etc... until I can walk into a store and buy one if I have to, I'm not paying scalper prices.

Show all comments (15)
330°

Are the Console Wars Over? Welcome to the Handheld Wars.

Looks like the epic console wars might be coming to an end, and a new battlefield is heating up: the Handheld Wars. With heavy hitters like the Steam Deck, Lenovo Legion Go, and the trusty Nintendo Switch, portable gaming is taking the spotlight. These handhelds bring the power of consoles to your hands, offering a variety of gaming experiences for both casual and hardcore gamers. While PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo aren't going anywhere, the rise of handheld gaming is giving us more ways to play than ever before.

Read Full Story >>
gamegeeked.com
darthv72725d ago

console wars are stupid to begin with... let alone handheld wars.

GameGeeked725d ago

Console wars, and possibly handheld wars, may seem silly, but they persist because there will always be passionate fan.

darthv72725d ago

Being passionate about the games is fine. The plastic boxes... not so much.

InUrFoxHole723d ago

Passionate is one thing. But fans went full retard

Cacabunga723d ago

Darth

You need some kind of plastic box to play them games.. and people tend to choose the best one. Console wars allows games and consoles to reach new heights.

S2Killinit723d ago

You really don't get to speak. Come on.

Ironmike723d ago (Edited 723d ago )

S2killinit u just as bad

S2Killinit723d ago (Edited 723d ago )

@Ironmike
I’m not as relentless as some on here. In fact, I only respond in kind and I got pulled into this site after seeing how some commenters were always rushing in to be the first comment and detail conversations in favor of their box. Now that their console of choice is doing badly, they preach kumbaya. Just saying.

crazyCoconuts723d ago

Is it implied that "console wars" refers to the fans warring vs. the war the platform holders are constantly in?
Obviously the platform holders have been at war and will be as long as they have to compete for our dollars.

ravens52723d ago

They're fine, as long as you know this isn't REAL. I can say how much distaste I have for MS but still have a best friend that only games on Xbox. Its not that serious .

Charlieboy333723d ago (Edited 723d ago )

Darth, do you not have preferences for certain things in life ? You know like a certain brand of phone, car, clothing, restaurant, etc.

Or are you one of those boring limp people that like to sit on the fence with everything because the 'conflict' is too much for you to handle?

There is fuckall wrong with having a console war....it keeps things fun and interesting. Well unless you're a supporter of Xbox that is.

Most of the intelligent self respecting Xbox supporters have jumped ship and all that's left now are the mouth breathing knuckle draggers.

Ironmike723d ago (Edited 723d ago )

So u resort to insults to win argument, u already lost bro .

Charlieboy333723d ago

@ Ironmike Whatever you say sunshine.....yawn

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 723d ago
Knightofelemia724d ago

Console wars were great when it was SNES vs Genesis. Was always a great topic in the school yard. You got the Genesis port the friend got the SNES port. Always fun to compare who was better. I always looked forward after the school week and rent a game for the SNES. Now the console wars are pretty much done and over with PS3 vs XB360 was pretty much the last of the console wars. Anything after that is pretty much one sided with almost everybody going PS4 and PS5. To me the console wars started to drop after the PS3 and XB360 ran their course. Be interesting to see the handheld wars I am in the market for a new handheld system.

GameGeeked724d ago

The SNES vs Genesis days were definitely memorable. I was lucky to have both consoles :) It's interesting to see how the focus is shifting now. Handheld wars could bring back some of that excitement. Which handheld system are you considering?

anast723d ago

I was on the Genesis side. We see how well that went.

RaiderNation723d ago

I had both but I preferred the Genesis for the sports games and I liked Sega's 6 button controller better for fighting games. That D pad was a godsend to pull off Street Fighter moves!

RaiderNation723d ago (Edited 723d ago )

The "golden age" of gaming to me was between 1995 and 2000 when it was a 3 horse race between Sony, Nintendo, and Sega. For me, there WAS no console war because I genuinely loved all 3 platforms, with each bringing something unique to the table. I miss that era.

anast723d ago

I switched to Sony day 1.

PhillyDonJawn723d ago

Anast, no one would've ever thought that about you. Totally surprising news/s

Fist4achin723d ago (Edited 723d ago )

Mortal Kombat was superior on the genesis!

FinalFantasyFanatic722d ago

It also helps that back then, they used very different hardware, today's consoles have very similar internals to each other, especially modern Playstations and Xboxes.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 722d ago
fsfsxii723d ago

Handheld wars aka which system is gimped more and destroys your hands faster.

anast723d ago

I would say with the defeat of Xbox and Nintendo being it's own thing in family friendly handheld gaming, the console wars are over. For those of us that enjoy that kind of entertainment and are aware of this aspect, it was fun while it lasted.

There is no handheld war Nintendo owns the handheld landscape.

-Foxtrot723d ago

" There is no handheld war Nintendo owns the handheld landscape "

If the Xbox handheld is true I won't how it will do against Nintendo, even Sony couldn't keep up and the PSP was fantastic

RaiderNation723d ago (Edited 723d ago )

The Steamdeck has currently sold around 3 million worldwide. A handheld Xbox would be lucky to double that. As others have suggested, there IS no handheld war. Nintendo owns it.

Ironmike723d ago

The defeat of xbox my god u for real it's a console u talking g like its real war the defeat that's saddest statement I read in here

anast723d ago

"that's saddest statement I read in here"

Your not very self aware. I get it.

The Wood723d ago

The xbox as a console is a shadow of what it was during the 360 era. IF the term war offends you then I guess that you lean towards the green brand.. Just a guess mind you.. Regardless, the brand has been mismanaged for way too long and that's a key factor as to why the gappage as increased yoy between it and its closest rival.

DarXyde723d ago

In a handheld war, Nintendo cannot be beaten.

PSP was a surprisingly robust effort, and it came the closest... While doing half as well as the DS.

badz149723d ago

closest? By any metric imaginable, it was not even close. it's easy to assume the that the PSP might as well be considered a success but it sold over 80mil vs over 150mil by the DS. It was not until the failure of Wii U, Xbone and Vita did people finally realize how well the PSP actually did. before all those, it was generally called a failure by many, considering how badly the DS crushed it in sales.

NotoriousWhiz723d ago

If the PSP's 80 million isn't a success, then what is the 3DS' 75 million?

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