Nintendo Switch Launch

[Rammy]

screen resolution is the very very least of it's problems. Terrible online functionality/service, insulting pricing for peripherals/accessories (some of which startlingly don't come in the box), no 3rd party support, sketchy details on 1st party games other than 2 games in the next 6 months. It's DOA at the moment.

What doesn't come in the box? Everything needed comes with it. Hell, technically it comes with two controllers.

First Party Games - First 6 months
Zelda (March 3)
1-2 Switch (March 3)
Snipperclips (March)
Mario Kart (April 28)
ARMS (Spring)
Splatoon 2 (Summer)

I would argue SIX first party games in the first six months was pretty good going.

 

[Jockney]

The idea of a 2017 console only supporting TV output of 1080p maximum (and on some games not even that) is frankly ludicrous. This is definitely one for hardcore Nintendo fans and those that buy new consoles simply because they're new (ie Oaf). I'd put good money on this being a monumental flop, something even Nintendo knows I suspect which explains the lacklustre launch.

I think if anyone's main complaint about the Switch is that it doesn't support resolutions beyond 1080p, the issue lies less with the console and more their own toxic commodity fetishism. I can honestly barely tell the difference between 720 and 1080 as it is. If anything these limitations might free up funds for third party devs to hire better writers, designers and artists,.

 

[RavenBish]

What doesn't come in the box? Everything needed comes with it. Hell, technically it comes with two controllers.

First Party Games - First 6 months
Zelda (March 3)
1-2 Switch (March 3)
Snipperclips (March)
Mario Kart (April 28)
ARMS (Spring)
Splatoon 2 (Summer)

I would argue SIX first party games in the first six months was pretty good going.

Mate, did I really have to use the word 'good' before '1st party'?

 

[Rammy]

Mate, did I really have to use the word 'good' before '1st party'?

How do you know they're not good? Have you played them?

 

[MagpieBee]

I've got zero issues with the hardware. Who cares if it can output more than 1080, and people complaining that when in portable mode it only hits 720, no one would be able to tell the difference on screens that size.

As far as resolution and output wise, it matches the original PS4 and Xbox One. Fine it's not quite as good on pure specs as the re-release versions they've just put out, but you can take the console with you! That's freaking awesome. Give me that over a few extra pixels every day.

My main issue is the line up of games. It's pretty shocking. If the Mario Kart was a new one, not just a port, then I'd have very few complaints, but they haven't helped themselves here!

We should see more games announced pretty soon though, already since the main announcement there have been 2 more launch titles revealed, but it would be good to get a firm date on Mario, and for it to be sooner than Christmas.

I reckon this console will end up being a success, but initially it might struggle and that will stop there being as many good 3rd party games, which is a shame.

 

[MagpieBee]

Oh, and I can't wait for the 3rd, I'll only have Zelda at first, probably till MK and Splatoon, but still really excited for it to arrive.

 

[RavenBish]

How do you know they're not good? Have you played them?

 

[Pagnell]

I think if anyone's main complaint about the Switch is that it doesn't support resolutions beyond 1080p, the issue lies less with the console and more their own toxic commodity fetishism. I can honestly barely tell the difference between 720 and 1080 as it is. If anything these limitations might free up funds for third party devs to hire better writers, designers and artists,.

I very much doubt it would be anyone's main complaint given the other issues the console has (price being the primary one I suspect given that it's more expensive at launch than its two main, infinitely better supported rivals). Still, great use of the word fetishism.

 

[Jockney]

I very much doubt it would be anyone's main complaint given the other issues the console has (price being the primary one I suspect given that it's more expensive at launch than its two main, infinitely better supported rivals). Still, well done with your use of the word fetishism.

When you condescend to someone you're supposed to make the other person look stupid.

You fucking bank clerk.

 

[Pagnell]

I edited that post straight away to lessen the condescension so it must have taken you 9 minutes to compose that.

 

[Megaclyde]

Zelda alone will sell systems (hence pre-orders selling out everywhere), and Mario Odyssey will sell systems. Third party support will mean nothing to Nintendo, but I do expect to see more at E3. Hell, there's even talk of many publishers (including Rockstar for the first time ever) working on games. Year 2 will be even bigger when the big Pokemon game lands.

I agree with these points, Zeldas already testing me for long I can hold out before eventually crumbling and getting one and a Bayonetta 3 would be an instant buy but you really can't look too much into the sold out preorders. Nintendo always deliberately manufacture small amounts of consoles to fabricate shortages/sell outs, they did it with the mini NES, they do or at least did with Amiibo's ect and I'd be surprised if that wasn't the cause for the shortges of Wii's when they were new.

 

[MagpieBee]

I very much doubt it would be anyone's main complaint given the other issues the console has (price being the primary one I suspect given that it's more expensive at launch than its two main, infinitely better supported rivals). Still, great use of the word fetishism.

PS4 was £350, Xbox One was £400 when they had just come out.

I don't see the pricing as being too bad - it should have been better, especially with accessories, but it's significantly cheaper than other previous launches from the other manufacturers.

 

[Pagnell]

PS4 was £350, Xbox One was £400 when they had just come out.

I don't see the pricing as being too bad - it should have been better, especially with accessories, but it's significantly cheaper than other previous launches from the other manufacturers.

If Nintendo had brought the Switch out three years ago that would be a valid point. But despite being older, the PS4 and Xbox One are the current competition, so unless the buyer already owns their choice of those two and is buying the Switch for the reasons I previously stated (ie they would buy any new Nintendo console because they simply have to play the latest Zelda/Mario no matter what or they buy new consoles simple because they're new) then the price is a massive factor. I can't picture many people with a previous generation console and wanting to upgrade paying the extra cash for the Switch, especially looking at the current games lineup and the spec falling short of Sony's and Microsoft's 3 year old offerings.

In short, for everyone bar Nintendo fans, the PS4 and to a lesser extent the Xbox One are the current consoles of choice and that won't change after the 3rd of March. Whether that results in enough sales for the Switch to be viewed as a success remains to be seen. I'd say most sales are going to be to people who already own a PS4 or Xbox One and perhaps that will be enough. I doubt it though.

 

[Rammy]

Nintendo always deliberately manufacture small amounts of consoles to fabricate shortages/sell outs, they did it with the mini NES, they do or at least did with Amiibo's ect and I'd be surprised if that wasn't the cause for the shortges of Wii's when they were new.

Actually, that's a myth. There are 2m available for launch, which is around the same amount Sony and Microsoft had for the PS4 and Xbox One. And both of those were released in the run up to Christmas. The Wii was genuinely the ridiculous demand.

The NES Classic though was what you say. They only made 200,000.

 

[Oaf]

I feel sorry for the idiots who gives a shit what the tv output is. Who gives a fuck? As long as the games are fun, why does it matter?

Year 1 of the Switch is better than the entire history of the Wii U, so I don't really understand people on here slamming it's lineup. Zelda alone will sell systems (hence pre-orders selling out everywhere), and Mario Odyssey will sell systems. Third party support will mean nothing to Nintendo, but I do expect to see more at E3. Hell, there's even talk of many publishers (including Rockstar for the first time ever) working on games. Year 2 will be even bigger when the big Pokemon game lands.

I do think Nintendo have fucked up on the price though. Much more than I expected, and could well have put a fair number off.

Now that could be the game to save Nintendo. I still do think that the year one lineup is dreadful with only two games that will really elicit excitement from most people, but that could be their ace in the hole. For years, people always said that Square had a emergency "Final Fantasy VII remake" button for when they were in trouble, and I've always thought the same of Nintendo with a proper console Pokemon game.

The rumour is a Sun/Moon spin off which would basically be the same with slight upgrades. That'd do. But down the line, I feel like a proper, dedicated console Pokemon could work magic. Look at what Pokemon Go did for mobile gaming? Probably became the most successful mobile game of all time... Pokemon still holds a lot of power.

Of course, it's different enticing people to play a free game they can easily get on their phone vs actually making them buy the console to pay for a new Pokemon game. But Go brought Pokemon back and Sun and Moon sold amazingly well. Pokemon is at a peak right now, the most popular it's been in 10/15 years or so. Nintendo is at a low... maybe that's the thing to bring them back a bit?

 

[Jockney]

I edited that post straight away to lessen the condescension so it must have taken you 9 minutes to compose that.

I type with two fingers!

 

[Pogogacy]

stop making consoles Nintendo and just develop games, make them available on all platforms and rake the money in.

I'd be sceptical about championing this strategy too fervently.

The quality of Sega's software declined massively after they went 3rd party. Granted, that situation isn't entirely analogous with the one Nintendo are now in, but it's not inconceivable that they could go the same way if they did stop developing consoles.

 

[MagpieBee]

Got mine arriving on Friday, and I can't wait. Especially with pretty much every review of Zelda saying it's a potential candidate for Greatest Game Of All Time.

 

[Pagnell]

Greatest game of all time? You can't beat a bit of over the top hype, which is nothing new with Zelda or Mario games in particular.

 

[MagpieBee]

Greatest game of all time? You can't beat a bit of over the top hype, which is nothing new with Zelda or Mario games in particular.

Meh, Edge have given it 10/10, which they've only done for 20 or so games ever, doesn't seem then that they go in for "hype". Lots of other reviewers also giving it perfect scores.

But I guess it's easy for you to dismiss it as hype when you haven't played the game at all yourself?

Anyway, I'm damn excited for it, regardless of whatever BS you might spout

 

[Pagnell]

Someone's a bit defensive. Sorry to have suggested reviewers can sometimes get caught up in the buzz of this type of release, it was indeed a far fetched claim.

To be serious for a minute, part of my point was claiming a game to be "the greatest of all time" is hyperbolic in itself, and sets aside things like game genre and the fact each game player has a preference in that respect. For someone who loves RTS games, I doubt they'd view it as being such. Or FPS addicts. Or even people who prefer this genre of game with a more adult/gritty theme.

But I'm sure it's a fantastic game, I've certainly enjoyed my fair share of Zelda in the past. I simply don't take "greatest of all time" claims that serious. I've seen and heard it before.

 

[Jockney]

With platforms for genuine critique like Youtube growing bigger and bigger we can definitely start to move away from consumer reviews as a principal source for discussion about the value of games. Maybe we might move towards a stage where video games and video game players have enough confidence in their own medium to not care about questions like whether they are art or not.

Maybe, along with capitalism, the industry will collapse in on itself and we can democratise video game production...

 

[Rammy]

Got mine coming Friday too. Although possibly Saturday, as I'm only getting it if a neighbour is in to sign for it. Might not mean too much as Zelda isn't coming until Saturday anyway, according to Amazon.

Got so hyped about Zelda now, having seen all the pre-reviews this week! Many saying Ocarina of Time has been displaced.

 

[Relentless]

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2017-03-02-friend-codes-return-for-nintendo-switch


Enjoy?

 

[Rammy]

Amazon still haven't dispatched my Switch ffs. Zelda's on its way though, so at least I can look at the box of the greatest game ever made whilst I wait for my Switch.

 

[MagpieBee]

Amazon still haven't dispatched my Switch ffs. Zelda's on its way though, so at least I can look at the box of the greatest game ever made whilst I wait for my Switch.

Fingers crossed mine arrives early tomorrow, live near a distribution centre so hopefully it will.

New Zelda up in 4th on Metacritic's all time list at the moment, only beaten so far by GTA 4, THPS2 and OOT.

 

[MagpieBee]

Come on Amazon, hurry tf up!

 

[MagpieBee]

Everything I ordered is available on Prime Now, would probably get it quicker if I hadn't pre-ordered and just got it from there

 

[Pagnell]

Not any more, its sold out and not back in stock until next Friday.

Just seen the prices of the games. Ridiculous. People will be best waiting for the bundles to start appearing.

 

[Relentless]

Not any more, its sold out and not back in stock until next Friday.

Just seen the prices of the games. Ridiculous. People will be best waiting for the bundles to start appearing.

60 quid for the digital version of Zelda from their store too

52 fucking quid I think it was for Bomberman which looks the same as the previous tenner Xbox live arcade one which was like a tenner.