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Nintendo President Says Longer Game Development Cycles Are "Unavoidable"

During the recent shareholder Q&A, Shuntaro Furukawa mentioned how game development today is "more prolonged, more complex, and more advanced", and to deal with this Nintendo must continually expand its "development resources" and make "necessary investments".

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nintendolife.com
gold_drake694d ago

i agree but i also think console generations need to last longer cause of it.

i mean we are half through the current gen and we havent had alot of games that took full advantage of the tech yet ha but Sony and Microsoft wont take that risk unfortunately, imo.

_SilverHawk_694d ago

I'm hoping that switch 2 games quality and scrutiny is as if they were ps4,ps5 and xbox games because too many times I've bought switch games where the performance issues and graphics were horrible but were glossed over by reviewers and other fanatics. There are so many powerful and affordable hybrid consoles available now so there shouldn't be any excuses.

Cacabunga694d ago (Edited 694d ago )

it always took them a complete gen to release a new Zelda game..
we also haven't got a new 3D Mario since Odyssey like 7 years ago. Same for Wonder that came out 10+ years after Bros U.

Michiel1989694d ago

@caca because they don't do sequels for their mainline mario games with the exception of Galaxy. I like it, means that you get a fresh experience every time. It also works for them since most of their blockbuster 1st party games become smash hits. There is in fact correlation between taking your time and making a good game.

Kneetos693d ago

What is with you people
You keep flip flopping between "the switch is a handheld and doesn't compete with the two main consoles to "why isn't the switch compared to the ps5 or xbs"

News flash, no one cares about graphics, and no one cared about frame rates till Sony started prioritising 60+ fps

VariantAEC692d ago

@Kneetos
"...no one cares about graphics, and no one cared about frame rates till Sony started prioritising 60+ fps[.]"

If that were even true, PS2 is when 60FPS became a normal target for PS games not PS5. Basically every game I own on PS2 targets and largely sticks to 60FPS. At this point PS1 and PS3 are the anomalies with even those systems having numerous 60FPS games however uncommon. On PS2 we have all the Ace Combat games (the holy trinity), Ratchet and Clank (4 titles), Jak and Daxter (3 games), Haven: Call of the King (the first No Mans Sky/Squadron 42), GT3/4. Even the majority of demos I remember were targeting or stuck to 60FPS. All PS2 platformers that I know of were 60FPS... Super Mario Sunshine was 30FPS, but it did have very good graphics. Uh, wait, I thought PS was the one pushing graphics, not Nintendo? In reality if graphics didn't matter Nintendo and really no one would be improving on that totally useless feature of gaming because it would be completely useless... but everyone is doing that. If no one ever cared about graphics why are better graphics the most requested feature of Switch 2? No one is saying I want 3rd parties at 60FPS with ugly smeary visuals at 300p they want better performance **AND** better graphics (at higher resolutions too).

But no one cares about graphics... 🤔

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 692d ago
franwex694d ago

Yep. If we’re simply talking about Nintendo, I feel like this gen did last a good while though.

P_Bomb694d ago

Switch gen has definitely lasted.

FinalFantasyFanatic694d ago

The Switch gen is insane, and the games' library for that thing is massive, the only reason it feels long in the tooth is that the hardware is so under powered.

DarXyde694d ago

We did have that moment with the X360 and PS3. That was a pretty long generation.

Personally, I didn't mind because the games were great, however the there is valid concern in trying to compete against mobile devices with static hardware. And in the age of AI, there is risk in not having the latest hardware to support the latest AI functionality. We know they're pushing for that.

CobraKai693d ago

I agree. Let them push the hardware till it’s completely exhausted like with the previous generations

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XiNatsuDragnel694d ago (Edited 694d ago )

Longer dev cycles are unavoidable doesn't mean you can't make them more efficient and cheaper with new technologies, and methods to things efficient.

Profchaos694d ago

You can make tools better and hardware faster as Cerny stated ps5 has the fastest time to triangle to date but game Dev takes longer because they want to aim high. I think that's why there's so many companies delving into the vaults of their past and releasing games like quake 2 hd to just have something on shelves while their big games like doom are polished up

Demetrius694d ago

Some truth to it, but it would be dope for most devs to up support for certain titles, why is it only no mans sky devs are the main ones who refine their game. Gotham knights for example is so much fun I don't compare it to the arkham series. Gk coulda got more updates but support stopped, forspoken coulda atleast got more support and other titles, devs just give up so easily nowadays on certain games.

neutralgamer1992694d ago

That's because if publishers don't see their returns early they just give up to next game

Goodguy01694d ago

Well covid had a huge impact after all. And games are adding more content and upping their visuals more and more with each year.

Blad3runner00694d ago

Longer dev cycles on Switch?
It's not like the hardware is pushing any graphical boundaries.

If anything the Switch, to an extent, should not be having the same long development cycle issues that exist on PS5/SeriesX/PC. The graphics barely reach PS4 levels, and that came out late 2013?

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60°

Take-Two CEO Once Again Side Steps Grand Theft Auto 6 Price Point

Strauss Zelnick says price of GTA 6 is being carefully considered and that Rockstar is focused on "making the most spectacular piece of entertainment on Earth."

Kuma31d ago

If GTA 6 abandons everything that made GTA 5 great, it will crash and burn right out of the gate. GTA 5 was funny and not at all PC. My worry is that they will cave to the PC crowd and ruin the vibes.

Eonjay31d ago

They got freaking BBLs twerking on the top of trucks for the gram, the freaking Flordia joker, and dude running down the stree in their undies and you are worried about it being 'too PC'? The internet has runied gamers. It doesn't matter how non-PC they make the game, you will all listen to the grifters telling you not to believe your lying eyes lol.

gigoran831d ago

"Rockstar Games’ co-founder and former VP of Development Jamie King said he envisions GTA 6 as a game that’s “maybe not quite as edgy or quite as funny” as its satirical predecessors."

oh yeah, totally internet grifters spreading rumors...

blacktiger31d ago

That's part of the plan, they destroyed you but they need to destroy the shareholders? Only 1 shre holder is the true elite that don't care

1nsomniac31d ago (Edited 31d ago )

Meh.., if it’s above £55 I ain’t buying it.

Rockstar are genuinely not half the company they used to be. I was a die hard GTA fan I’ve purchased every game and expansion and spin off day 1.

My opinion of GTA6 is that I can take it or leave it. Not bothered. They burnt too many bridges.

DaReapa31d ago (Edited 31d ago )

So they're actually leaving the door open for an L.A. Noire sequel? Nice!

VaNdAl31d ago (Edited 31d ago )

He should just come out and say it already it's getting stupid it's going to be a 100 bucks $200 for the special edition🤡🤡; 29315;🤣♿

Storm2331d ago

I won't be getting this game until I can get it for $70. SHoot, I could wait for it to be even lower. I don't need the game that badly as my backlog is still huge and I am enjoying playing other things.

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40°

Talking Aliens: The Video Games With Author Mike Diver

Skewed and Reviewed have posted an interview with Author Mike Diver about his pending book on Aliens video games.

70°

Xbox boss: Memory crisis could impact next-gen hardware pricing

Xbox boss Asha Sharma has discussed how component shortages will impact the company's plans for Project Helix.

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gamedeveloper.com
Eonjay32d ago

When does this end? Its killing everyone. Consoles and PC. And for what? AI? The benefits of AI are completely outweighed by the negatives. And the government should have never allowed one company to buy up all the RAM.

Lexreborn233d ago

This kind of proves this is an after thought product, most products like this are in r&d 5 years before they start mass producing. So they typically have the cost of components and things worked out long before assembly starts.

This is an assumption still, but I wouldn’t be surprised if project helix is similar to Scalebound,perfect dark and sod3. They had an idea but no actual execution other than concept stage. Being impacted by the ram shortage likely would also put this device 3-4 years out.

I’m not even sure MS has that endurance with Xbox yet

Fishy Fingers33d ago (Edited 33d ago )

I mean.... what?

We're at a point that Samsung wont even provide their own phone department ram because they can sell it at higher prices to 3rd parties (AI). Its more profitable to sell the ram than make their own devices with it.

You think because R&D starts 5 years ago the 3rd party component manufacturers will honour that price? They'll sell it to whomever is paying the most today, not some gentlemens agreement they made years ago. AI farms will buy more volume at higher prices than any console manufacturer will. It'll be the same for Playstation.

Lexreborn232d ago

Contractual agreements are not the same as “gentlemen” agreements. If you think that they work with their distributors a month before production then their entire business model is trash. They work with companies like nvidia constantly for building the graphics cards they need. They work with companies that build motherboards years in advance. This is what proper business planning does.

They are not buying components on a whim like a consumer. So again, considering the ram isn’t a singular module and is integrated into the motherboard I highly doubt they wouldn’t have a final schematic that they are supposed to be building around.

If they are delaying production another 3 years then it’s obvious again this is an after though project and is just trying to be responsive to their bad execution they had the last 14 years.

It also isn’t far fetched to use their failure to produce first party titles the last 7 years including the highly anticipated games I mentioned all being cancelled. That they would continue to you know… lie

Sitdown33d ago

You don't really know how this works huh?

Profchaos33d ago (Edited 33d ago )

Helix is going to be stupidly expensive

Instead of leaning into smarter upscaling techniques they're brute forcing hardware that will cost them dearly and it remains to be seen if it's genuinely going to provide a meaningful differential

I know in the oc.doace people like to brag about not using frame gen or dlss to get to high on a game but for the majority of players they happily use those technologies without a second thought

That's going to be ps6 vs Helix

Eonjay32d ago

Yeah with FSR 5 they should be able to offer a much cheaper version of Helix.

Eonjay32d ago

While this does seem to be the case, I am encouraged by the statement from Microsoft about wanting to provide affordable options. If this means a Series S style Helix, at least there will be something affordable being offered.

XBManiac32d ago

Series S is what has killed Xbox Series so... Will they dare?

blacktiger33d ago

It's called systematic inflationary. Yes we get it Microsoft, keep raising in the name ofall kinds of stuffs

pwnmaster300033d ago

Honestly if there was thing I learned from this generation is that new consoles arnt day one anymore.
I can wait 1-3 years.

DarXyde33d ago

Another important lesson from this generation: while Nintendo showed us that prices don't necessarily need to ever drop, we've now learned that waiting 1-3 years does carry some risk that prices increase. This generation is just bizarre in all the wrong ways.

LucasRuinedChildhood33d ago (Edited 33d ago )

The factors are largely external. Covid and Russia-Ukraine war causing inflation led to the first price increase in 2022.

Then we get Trump's tariffs increasing hardware prices, AI boom causing a RAM crisis, war on Iran causing a worldwide fuel crisis which impacts the cost of everything.

Gaming doesn't exist in a vacuum. The last few years have been a shitshow and lot of it was definitely avoidable.

DarXyde32d ago

LucasRuinedChildhood,

For sure. No disagreement on the external factors doing a lot of this. Where I have to gently push back however is on two fronts:

1. The pandemic definitely caused some issues: asynchronous development was a big issue and really complicated timelines and affected game quality. At the same time, when it comes to price hikes, it's really difficult to know what was genuine necessity and what was taking consumers for a ride. The pandemic brought about "stag-flation" which was increasing prices and stagnant wages, which was a problem caused by supply chain constraints. There was also "Greed-flation", where companies that were slightly affected or had no issues took advantage of the situation and squeezed everyone citing supply chain issues when there were none.

2. It's definitely true that the tariffs, AI boom, and RAM crisis were all things enabled by tech broligarchs throwing money at this caricature of a world leader, one of them being Satya Nadella. I don't think Sony and Nintendo have contributed much to this problem if at all, but Microsoft's Nadella I feel was instrumental in causing every one of those issues. Microsoft as a company contributed to both candidates (though they gave Harris 4x as much if I recall), but Nadella was all in on letting AI run wild. He paid for unregulated AI, and got a war that's not a war (even though Trump called it that at least five times on television) that screwed up helium access. So for me, I feel that one of the players in the gaming industry is a key architect of these issues, and for that reason I struggle a bit to think of it as "external".

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