Current Events > Nintendo alludes to next console; promises it'll use existing Nintendo accounts

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://www.ign.com/articles/nintendo-plans-smooth-transition-from-switch-to-next-console-by-using-players-nintendo-accounts

Nintendo plans to give Switch players a "smooth transition" to its next console using Nintendo Accounts. Speaking during an investors Q&A session, translated by Genki on Twitter (below), Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa indicated that Nintendo Accounts would be a staple for users going forward.

"As for the transition from Nintendo Switch to the next generation machine, we want to do as much as possible in order to smoothly transition our customers while utilising the Nintendo Account," he said.

Nintendo isn't historically known for a strong or consistent online infrastructure as Nintendo Accounts were only introduced with the Switch. The Wii U and 3DS both utilised a Nintendo Network ID, and while these can be connected to the modern service, the transition was considered far from smooth by many. Furukawa said there are now more than 290 million Nintendo Accounts in use across console and mobile, however, seemingly giving the company a strong foundation to build its next generation infrastructure on.

This will therefore be a move similar to what Sony and Microsoft have been doing for years, with users' PlayStation Network and Xbox Live accounts now having transitioned between three generations of hardware.
Chatter around a next generation Nintendo console has been slowly increasing recently, with Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot saying earlier in June he regretted releasing Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope on the Switch, instead wishing he'd waited for the console's successor. Nintendo maintains the Switch is good for another year at least, however, saying in May a Switch successor won't be released until April 2024 at the earliest. This comes despite a decline in Switch sales.

The console sold close to 18 million units in the last financial year, down from 23 million sold the year before and 28 million the year before that. Rumours surrounding a new console have been circulating for years, with even analysts unsure if Nintendo was planning to release the Switch 2 (for lack of a better name) as early as 2021. The new console was said to offer boosted graphics akin to the PlayStation 4 and its Pro model, but there is no official information regarding the next piece of Nintendo hardware yet.

Nintendo, famous for their smooth transitions.

If history is anything to go by, this'll be a flop. The switch isn't amazing but it's leagues better than the Wii U (which I actually kinda liked <_<)

About damn time.

At this point it fucking NEEDS to be backwards compatible too.

Nintendo: "Keep buying from the Switch eshop nothing to worry about at all for next gen"

*Nintendo has the right to reverse this statement at any time they choose*

It'll still be weaker than a PS4, in game voice chat still not allowed unless the game explicitly supports it, and no wireless microphones.

What I really want to know is will the next console be using technology that will put it on par with the PS3/360 or will it still be nothing more than an overclocked GameCube and using less powerfull hardware than a mobile phone?

As for the topic at hand big deal. Nintendo just loves showing just how many decades they are behind Sony and Microsoft.

Well yeah, I've had the same Nintendo account since the GCN days.

EmilyTheCEman posted...

At this point it fucking NEEDS to be backwards compatible too.

All Nintendo needs to do is "New Switch", but we all know they're not doing that.

Starks posted...

It'll still be weaker than a PS4, in game voice chat still not allowed unless the game explicitly supports it, and no wireless microphones.

A PS4 is a weaker PC with no portability so that goes without saying.

I just can't get exited over hardware.
The graphical leaps haven't been the same since the GC/PS2/Xbox era.

At the end of the day it's about what toys are on it.

CassandraCroft posted...

What I really want to know is will the next console be using technology that will put it on par with the PS3/360 or will it still be nothing more than an overclocked GameCube and using less powerfull hardware than a mobile phone?

I've seen this pasta before

People give the GC shit but it and the N64 were more powerful than the PS2 and PS1 respectively,
and they sold like crap comparably. So Nintendo don't play it from that angle anymore.

The Wii U was basically 3 GameCubes bolted together.

Avirosb posted...

So Nintendo don't play it from that angle anymore.

If the next one is a x86 that's functionally a box for gimpy PC games, we know Nintendo has given up.

I don't think I need a new console. Will probably just stick with the switch for a while

Questionmarktarius posted...

If the next one is a x86 that's functionally a box for gimpy PC games, we know Nintendo has given up.

All console games are gimpy PC games. They're all made using computers.

Questionmarktarius posted...

All Nintendo needs to do is "New Switch", but we all know they're not doing that.

"New Switch", "Switch 2", "Switch Pro", etc. will put them in the same position they were in with the Wii U, where the average consumer won't know if it's a new platform entirely or just a revised Switch model.

CassandraCroft posted...

As for the topic at hand big deal. Nintendo just loves showing just how many decades they are behind Sony and Microsoft.

I'm pretty sure Nintendo isn't seeking to compete with Sony or Microsofts hardware.

They have been pretty consistent on that stance.

CRON posted...

"New Switch", "Switch 2", "Switch Pro", etc. will put them in the same position they were in with the Wii U, where the average consumer won't know if it's a new platform entirely or just a revised Switch model.

Dumbass marketing did that.
Gameboy Color, DSi, and N3DS didn't have that problem.

I expect an ARMv9 Nvidia piece of garbage.

That's not to say that a beefy Switch 2 is impossible.

It can be done with off the shelf parts, particularly an Immortalis GPU reference design.

CassandraCroft posted...

As for the topic at hand big deal. Nintendo just loves showing just how many decades they are behind Sony and Microsoft.

That's precisely it. They rely a lot on legacy. It saves them a lot of money in the long run.
Meanwhile the AAA industry takes a full 7+ years to crank out a sequel nowadays, it's wholly unsustainable.

DLSS equivalents and ray tracing should be non negotiable for any new console.

CRON posted...

"New Switch", "Switch 2", "Switch Pro", etc. will put them in the same position they were in with the Wii U, where the average consumer won't know if it's a new platform entirely or just a revised Switch model.

I don't think "Switch 2" would have that issue.

EmilyTheCEman posted...

At this point it fucking NEEDS to be backwards compatible too.

Thats difficult with proprietary carts, and expensive. Although the DS pulled it off. For the best chance at BC, Nintendo would have to move to a comic media format, such as Blu-ray because chances are unlikely that their next few systems will use the Switch cart form factor.

pnut027 posted...

Thats difficult with proprietary carts, and expensive. Although the DS pulled it off. For the best chance at BC, Nintendo would have to move to a comic media format, such as Blu-ray because chances are unlikely that their next few systems will use the Switch cart form factor.

Id even take digital only backwards compatibility as a compromise. Im all digital nowadays anyway.

if its backwards compatible and lets you redownload older games you already bought, then the Switch 2 will do great numbers...

Really Nintendo doesn't have to rebuild the wheel here...

Just make a more powerful switch and a lite version and there right back in the front...

Heck allow for MicroSDs again and you can just put your old SD in the new Switch to make it even easier...

Starks posted...

It'll still be weaker than a PS4, in game voice chat still not allowed unless the game explicitly supports it, and no wireless microphones.

It won't be weaker than a PS4. It would actually cost more at this point to make something weaker than base PS4. Switch 2 will probably be on par with XSS

AndreLeGeant posted...

It won't be weaker than a PS4. It would actually cost more at this point to make something weaker than base PS4. Switch 2 will probably be on par with XSS

It's all but confirmed to use a Tegra T239. Without any special optimization it performs somewhere between a launch PS4 and PS4 Pro but it has proper DLSS and RTX capabilities.

invertedlegdrop posted...

Heck allow for MicroSDs again and you can just put your old SD in the new Switch to make it even easier...

The weird unit-specific crypto would screw that up.

That's still leaves the PS5 as more than twice as powerful. More on par with Galaxy S23.

I also call into question whether consoles need to remain so large.

Putting 5 to 10 teraflops in something the size of a Mac Mini should not be that hard anymore.

how do I buy multiple items at the same time in the Nintendo e-Shop?

Jupiter posted...

I don't think "Switch 2" would have that issue.

Yeah. Thing 2 being a successor to Thing is something consumers are used to.

Red flags are swinging high, but if Nintendo can really pull this off as a smooth transition I would be impressed lol.

CRON posted...

"New Switch", "Switch 2", "Switch Pro", etc. will put them in the same position they were in with the Wii U, where the average consumer won't know if it's a new platform entirely or just a revised Switch model.

People knew what the Wii U was, even with the gaming media doing everything in it's power to convince people that a console with a screen in it's controller was the most confusing thing beyond the understanding of mortal human brains.

We're in the post-Iwata era of Nintendo. Nintendo are all about playing it safe and following trends now.

Not sure how a more powerful Switch is going to be a second Wii U. The concept is solid: a portable console that docks to your TV that plays Nintendo first party games and a bunch of indies and ports.

They still have that withered tech Yokoi-ism bs. Nintendo shouldn't be shocked when their console can't even last an entire generation or keep third party developers.

Starks posted...

Nintendo shouldn't be shocked when their console can't even last an entire generation or keep third party developers.

The console that's chugging along six years later, and has vastly more exclusives than any other?
Switch is the only console that's not just a box for playing crippled PC games.

What is stopping Nintendo from releasing a console that competes with the others so people don't have to make that choice?

Starks posted...

What is stopping Nintendo from releasing a console that competes with the others so people don't have to make that choice?

Nintendo has been a pile stingy bastards since 1889. That's what.
It will not loss-leader the hardware.

why are people upset about this? The Switch came out almost a decade ago. it's normal for a new console to come out every 6 years.

If they don't simply do Switch 2, Switch 3, Switch 4, they're idiots. There is no reason to try to do anything stupid or experimental at this point. Their competition at this point is the Steam Deck and DumbName, against which they still have their own unique niches.

Starks posted...

What is stopping Nintendo from releasing a console that competes with the others so people don't have to make that choice?

They have evidence to back up their decision on sticking with underpowered hardware. Ever since the SNES their hardware sales have been dwindling when they were focusing on competing with rival hardware, but Gamecube was actually one of their lowest selling consoles. So they refocused efforts with innovation on an overclocked Gamecube (Wii) and it was highly successful, so they're sticking with that plan.

They're afraid to go back to making more powerful hardware because it might cause them to lose out on sales again.

If a Switch 2 could do 1080p 60fps for most games on handheld mode (40fps would actually be okay too given what we've seen with the steam deck), 1440p with the potential for 120hz, and the use of an nvme SSD (like the steam deck but better accessibility) I think they'd do great.

Even better if existing games could get an fps and resolution bump like older games get on the series s/x

Nemu posted...

There is no reason to try to do anything stupid or experimental at this point.

Inverted joycons would be nice.

I dont feel inclined to congratulate Nintendo for doing something that theyre two biggest competitors have been doing for over a decade.

Also, build a console thats up to par with Sony and Microsoft so that software developers actually want to use it.

Starks posted...

What is stopping Nintendo from releasing a console that competes with the others so people don't have to make that choice?

Those consoles sell at a loss, and Nintendo refuses to sell consoles at a loss.

Nintendo fucking up already. They don't even need a new console. Just beef up the switch and it can rid out for another 6 years or so.