I don't think Nintendo is going to do the hybrid console because they make more money selling a handheld and a console than they would selling a hybrid. Likely.
If they release Advance Wars on a mobile platform, before releasing it on VC, or instead of releasing it on one of their consoles at all, I may have to bid Nintendo farewell. That would probably be the last straw for me. I can be patient, and definitely have been for many of their games. But I don't think I could watch them make the type of decision that would end up with existing series moving over to mobile.
Ugh! Again Nintendo. Why isn't this available for the 3DS?
Especially annoyed because I am 99% certain that they will one day release GBA games for the 3DS, but they're waiting until the end of the 3DS's life cycle.
And it will be a separate purchase. No crossbuy here!
(I absolutely refuse to buy a handheld game on WiiU. Not gonna happen, Nintendo. Not even grabbing a free one with my coins, I refuse to support this idiocy.)
I definitely understand this stand.
On the other hand though, I am in the middle of playing Advance Wars and Mega Man Battle Network for the first time ever, so I can't complain. They are my two main games right now that I play on my recliner while my wife watches tv. :P
Yeah, I did the Super Game Boy and Game Boy Player thing for years growing up, so it doesn't bother me-- not when I can get games I missed out on and/or are hard to find for cheap.
Like Mega Man Legends? Then check out my story, Legends of the Halcyon Era - An Adventure in the World of Mega Man Legends on TMMN and AO3!
I don't think Nintendo is going to do the hybrid console because they make more money selling a handheld and a console than they would selling a hybrid. Likely.
True, but obviously developing and manufacturing two systems is more expensive than developing and manufacturing one.
Yeah, I did the Super Game Boy and Game Boy Player thing for years growing up, so it doesn't bother me-- not when I can get games I missed out on and/or are hard to find for cheap.
For me, especially with GBA games, they are basically SNES games. I used to play SNES-quality games on the TV anyway. The GBA Player or Wii U VC is just doing that all over again. There's nothing particularly "handheld" or inferior about most GBA games! A lot of them were ports of SNES games anyway.
If you want graphics and performance on par with other consoles, in a handheld package, that's going to cost a large amount of money. Especially when you start figuring out remote streaming to your TV. Most folks will also need to buy some kind of box/stick to allow that wireless stream to the TV.
It would need to be a solid state device, if you're putting the processing into people's hands. You also run into massive heat issues.
I think if Nintendo actually merged their console and handheld into one unit, that would be a pretty good reason to continue their "generation behind" approach to power.
If I were designing this, I would have a base that remains hooked up to the TV. None of the actual processing guts of the console. Just dedicated TV-out, a disc drive (for BC with WiiU discs), a large HDD for downloading a huge library of games, and bluetooth for pairing with controllers. The portable unit would be otherwise self-contained, with an SD slot for taking downloaded games with you, and a card slot for 3DS games. The starter kit would have the handheld, the base, and a Pro Controller. You can buy additional handhelds by themselves for other family members.
It would also be really convenient for taking games to a friends house. Just drop your handheld into their base and use their controllers.
You're contradicting yourself though. You say the TV base wouldn't have any processing power but then what happens if someone wants to use the pro controller when no handheld is around? And I highly doubt that it would be super efficent to have all of the processing power in the handheld while all of the storage/media is in that same TV base unit.
Any scenario where the base can function without a handheld present will require processing power.
If you want graphics and performance on par with other consoles, in a handheld package, that's going to cost a large amount of money. Especially when you start figuring out remote streaming to your TV. Most folks will also need to buy some kind of box/stick to allow that wireless stream to the TV.
It would need to be a solid state device, if you're putting the processing into people's hands. You also run into massive heat issues.
I think if Nintendo actually merged their console and handheld into one unit, that would be a pretty good reason to continue their "generation behind" approach to power.
If I were designing this, I would have a base that remains hooked up to the TV. None of the actual processing guts of the console. Just dedicated TV-out, a disc drive (for BC with WiiU discs), a large HDD for downloading a huge library of games, and bluetooth for pairing with controllers. The portable unit would be otherwise self-contained, with an SD slot for taking downloaded games with you, and a card slot for 3DS games. The starter kit would have the handheld, the base, and a Pro Controller. You can buy additional handhelds by themselves for other family members.
It would also be really convenient for taking games to a friends house. Just drop your handheld into their base and use their controllers.
I'd like to reiterate how gorgeous the Vita's graphics are.
In a $200 system.
In another couple years...
Vita Screen resolution: 960x544. Going to 1080p on a TV would be quadrupling the pixels. I'm not saying it can't be done or that you're wrong, but it's not a good comparison. A closer comparison would be a modern smartphone with a 1080op screen. While 1080p gaming that looks good is possible on them now, but they have thermal issues, battery issues, etc that make it kind of unpractical on a smallish device.
Will we get there, sure. Are we there now? Now. Will we be there in a couple years? Maybe.
If you want graphics and performance on par with other consoles, in a handheld package, that's going to cost a large amount of money. Especially when you start figuring out remote streaming to your TV. Most folks will also need to buy some kind of box/stick to allow that wireless stream to the TV.
It would need to be a solid state device, if you're putting the processing into people's hands. You also run into massive heat issues.
I think if Nintendo actually merged their console and handheld into one unit, that would be a pretty good reason to continue their "generation behind" approach to power.
If I were designing this, I would have a base that remains hooked up to the TV. None of the actual processing guts of the console. Just dedicated TV-out, a disc drive (for BC with WiiU discs), a large HDD for downloading a huge library of games, and bluetooth for pairing with controllers. The portable unit would be otherwise self-contained, with an SD slot for taking downloaded games with you, and a card slot for 3DS games. The starter kit would have the handheld, the base, and a Pro Controller. You can buy additional handhelds by themselves for other family members.
It would also be really convenient for taking games to a friends house. Just drop your handheld into their base and use their controllers.
I'd like to reiterate how gorgeous the Vita's graphics are.
In a $200 system.
In another couple years...
Vita Screen resolution: 960x544. Going to 1080p on a TV would be quadrupling the pixels. I'm not saying it can't be done or that you're wrong, but it's not a good comparison. A closer comparison would be a modern smartphone with a 1080op screen. While 1080p gaming that looks good is possible on them now, but they have thermal issues, battery issues, etc that make it kind of unpractical on a smallish device.
Will we get there, sure. Are we there now? Now. Will we be there in a couple years? Maybe.
If you want graphics and performance on par with other consoles, in a handheld package, that's going to cost a large amount of money. Especially when you start figuring out remote streaming to your TV. Most folks will also need to buy some kind of box/stick to allow that wireless stream to the TV.
It would need to be a solid state device, if you're putting the processing into people's hands. You also run into massive heat issues.
I think if Nintendo actually merged their console and handheld into one unit, that would be a pretty good reason to continue their "generation behind" approach to power.
If I were designing this, I would have a base that remains hooked up to the TV. None of the actual processing guts of the console. Just dedicated TV-out, a disc drive (for BC with WiiU discs), a large HDD for downloading a huge library of games, and bluetooth for pairing with controllers. The portable unit would be otherwise self-contained, with an SD slot for taking downloaded games with you, and a card slot for 3DS games. The starter kit would have the handheld, the base, and a Pro Controller. You can buy additional handhelds by themselves for other family members.
It would also be really convenient for taking games to a friends house. Just drop your handheld into their base and use their controllers.
You're contradicting yourself though. You say the TV base wouldn't have any processing power but then what happens if someone wants to use the pro controller when no handheld is around? And I highly doubt that it would be super efficent to have all of the processing power in the handheld while all of the storage/media is in that same TV base unit.
Any scenario where the base can function without a handheld present will require processing power.
I never suggested the base would stand alone. It's just a dock that gives the handheld the functionality of a console. I also didn't say ALL the storage would be in the base. An HDD in the base to hold your entire library, and an SD slot in the handheld to take your favorite games on the go.
I have no goddamn clue what Nintendo could do next.
The market for dedicated portable game systems is now maybe half what it was this time last generation. (That said the new 3DS was the top-selling console last month with over 300,000 sold; then again it's possible the burst of sales was from excitable nerds like us and it'll drop back down in the coming months.) The Wii U is doing horribly. Would a hybrid portable/TV console consolidate sales of the two systems, and be cool enough to add to it? Or would it get less sales? Would people consider it an underpowered TV console, or an overpriced handheld? (Remember, the 3DS didn't do well at $250.)
I dig Nintendo, but man, they're in a tough spot. I think there's a very good reason Iwata finally caved on the smartphone thing.
Maybe nintendo should make console games as third party for other systems, and keep making the portable systems.
I dunno. I'd never have said that not long ago.
I hybrid console with a unified online account system you interact with through all Nintendo platforms as well as smart devices, so even if you aren't carrying Nintendo hardware on your person you might still be interacting with Nintendo IP through the smart devices that never leave your side, which always try to nudge you back to the consoles whenever possible.
It seems like everyone is expecting the next Nintendo thing to be a hybrid console. It seems largely logical to me, but Nintendo themselves haven't said a single thing to hint towards it.
We didn't expect the Wii, so I certainly won't be surprised if the next thing is something completely out of left field too.
Wouldn't be too surprised about the hybrid either though.
It seems like everyone is expecting the next Nintendo thing to be a hybrid console. It seems largely logical to me, but Nintendo themselves haven't said a single thing to hint towards it.
We didn't expect the Wii, so I certainly won't be surprised if the next thing is something completely out of left field too.
Wouldn't be too surprised about the hybrid either though.
Also, Nintendo is crazy pants and doesn't know what logic is.
But it would be a good idea if done properly. I'd love to carry around my personal computer on my wrist/in my pocket and use the monitor at my desk purely as a screen for my portable PC. Something like that with a Nintendo console could be really great.
I mean, I still want SNES VC on the 3DS and a decent system for internet access instead of the bonkers stuff they have now more than a portable console though.
I don't necessarily want the next console to be hybrid, however I would love for the next handheld to interact with the console in a strong way. For example, I'd like to sit down, throw my 3DS top screen to the TV and be able to play Zelda on my TV. I'd also like to have more games use the 3DS for same room multiplayer gaming.
I know it's anecdotal, but I've talked to a lot of people who think the WiiU is a hybrid. They get really disappointed when I tell them the gamepad isn't portable.
I don't think Nintendo is going to do the hybrid console because they make more money selling a handheld and a console than they would selling a hybrid. Likely.
I'm not sure that line of thinking flies in a world where you can fill all of your entertainment media needs with an iPad.
Nintendo needs to consolidate down. Heck, Microsoft intended to have Windows phones be able to seamlessly hand off games between your phone and console but I think the idea was a little ahead of it's time.
Computer technology gets smaller and smaller all the time. Hybrid portable consoles are the next logical step.
Maybe nintendo should make console games as third party for other systems, and keep making the portable systems.
I dunno. I'd never have said that not long ago.
Nintendo is more likely to just exit the home console space entirely then they are to ever make console games as a third party. If Nintendo stopped making home consoles of their own, then they would simply have no dog in that fight anymore. Microsoft doesn't make 3DS games, after all.
I don't necessarily want the next console to be hybrid, however I would love for the next handheld to interact with the console in a strong way. For example, I'd like to sit down, throw my 3DS top screen to the TV and be able to play Zelda on my TV. I'd also like to have more games use the 3DS for same room multiplayer gaming.
Technically, you shouldn't even need a 3DS to accomplish any of that. Imagine just popping your 3DS cartridge into the Wii U, using the TV as the top screen and the gamepad as the bottom screen.
This would already be possible if Nintendo had used the same architecture for the Wii U and 3DS. Next gen, they'll be doing exactly that.
When Etrian Mystery Dungeon releases on April 7, people who own the game will be able to get all the DLC for free. This offer lasts through May 5, so don't dawdle! The DLC consists of five quests that have various bonuses! After May 5, the DLC will revert to paid, with the prices indicated below.
The first three DLC quests require you to find a lost adventurer in the dungeons. Once you do, they will give you recipes that unlock meals prepared by the NPC Niralda in the Amber Cafe. Players can purchase the meals for each of the party members to apply buffs that last until they leave the dungeon!
Find a Wanderer for me! Find the master chef Wanderer to unlock three new recipes for the Amber Restaurant! ($1.49)
Find a Princess for me! Find the stray Sovereign to unlock a meal fit for a king in the Amber Restaurant! ($1.99)
Find a Landsknecht for me! Find the adventurous Landsknecht to unlock three new recipes for the Amber Restaurant! ($1.49)
The last two DLC quests are repeatable quests that players can get from Niralda as well:
Know the Red Pookas? Slay a Red Pooka wandering around the dungeon to receive a Golden or White potion for extra experience! ($1.99)
Slay the Gold Guardian! Defeat an elusive Gold Guardian in the dungeon to receive a Nugget of Gold fragment for extra gold! ($1.49)
Paid Theme!
Beginning March 31 (a week before the game launches!), an Etrian Mystery Dungeon theme will be available on the Nintendo eShop for 99 cents! The static theme has scrolling character art (hand-drawn and 3D), plays the main Etrian Mystery Dungeon theme song, and has custom folders.
Wanderer Character Class
Like to roam around around around around? Well then they should call you the Wanderer! Someone who never sheaths their sword and keeps ferrets and/or any other small animal friends hidden at all times. They've found that through being defeated over, and over, and over again, that survival is an absolute must. Thanks to expert studies at the school of hard knocks, they've learned to make their own escape route, because losing all your items in the mystery dungeons is akin to losing a part of your soul.
By the way, if you see the Wanderer with their bamboo hat tilted downward, don't be confused. Wanderers just aren't huge fans of talking. Maybe this is because they don't have much to say. Or maybe they think that for some reason their ferret will do the talking for them. But you know what they ARE huge fans of? Clearing hidden paths and using skills targeted towards insects, plants, animals, and even dragons, that's what! Oh, and rice balls. They're fans of rice balls too.
Systems Videos
The Etrian Mystery Dungeon official site has been updated with new videos that examine some of the game's systems! Take a look at how the Blast Gauge can turn a losing scenario into a glorious victory and some of the shops players will find around Aslarga village! www.atlus.com/etrianmd/adventures.html
Nintendo Console Codes
Switch (JeffConser): SW-3353-5433-5137 Wii U: Skeldare - 3DS: 1848-1663-9345
PM Me if you add me!
Maybe nintendo should make console games as third party for other systems, and keep making the portable systems.
I dunno. I'd never have said that not long ago.
Nintendo is more likely to just exit the home console space entirely then they are to ever make console games as a third party. If Nintendo stopped making home consoles of their own, then they would simply have no dog in that fight anymore. Microsoft doesn't make 3DS games, after all.
I honestly don't understand what you meant. My point is that releasing big classic high profile games like Zelda and Mario on XBone and PS4 (or their successors) would be more profitable than making a commercially failure like the WiiU and then releasing those games there.
sure they'll make less money per unit of software, but they should sell a fuckton more units.
OTOH, they still sell a lot of portables (even if less portables than before) and the Vita (however amazing it is) sells a lot less than the 65 DS variations, so they shouldn't exit the portable market.
Maybe nintendo should make console games as third party for other systems, and keep making the portable systems.
I dunno. I'd never have said that not long ago.
Nintendo is more likely to just exit the home console space entirely then they are to ever make console games as a third party. If Nintendo stopped making home consoles of their own, then they would simply have no dog in that fight anymore. Microsoft doesn't make 3DS games, after all.
I honestly don't understand what you meant. My point is that releasing big classic high profile games like Zelda and Mario on XBone and PS4 (or their successors) would be more profitable than making a commercially failure like the WiiU and then releasing those games there.
sure they'll make less money per unit of software, but they should sell a fuckton more units.
OTOH, they still sell a lot of portables (even if less portables than before) and the Vita (however amazing it is) sells a lot less than the 65 DS variations, so they shouldn't exit the portable market.
Nintendo don't see themselves as a software company. Nintendo see themselves as a hardware company that also makes software for the sole purpose of pushing their hardware.
And if you actually stop a moment to think about the way their business model is structured, it becomes clear why.
Let's say that Nintendo assigns half their development studios to making 3DS games, and the other half to making PS4/XBO games. The 3DS games make Nintendo bank like always, and the PS4/XBO games make some nice little side profit. Pretty good.
Now say that instead Nintendo assigns all their development studios solely to making 3DS games. Nintendo gets the full profit from every game sold, so they end up making more money than they would have from the third party games. And because they are producing double the amount of 3DS games, the 3DS has a fuller release schedule, which makes it look like a more attractive product. Significantly better.
With third party support ever decreasing, Nintendo barely has enough development studios to meet the increasing demand for their first party games. Surely they would see bowing out of the home console market as a means to kill two birds with one stone, and refocus all their efforts to supporting their handhelds.
A future where Nintendo does not make their own home consoles is not a future where they make third party games for PS4/XBO. It is a future where Nintendo simply does not make home console games at all.
Probably gonna skip EMD myself - getting pretty cooled down on the turn-based roguelike griddy RPGs what with Z.H.P., Guided Fate Paradox, Sorcery Saga and the like already out.
Maybe nintendo should make console games as third party for other systems, and keep making the portable systems.
I dunno. I'd never have said that not long ago.
Nintendo is more likely to just exit the home console space entirely then they are to ever make console games as a third party. If Nintendo stopped making home consoles of their own, then they would simply have no dog in that fight anymore. Microsoft doesn't make 3DS games, after all.
I honestly don't understand what you meant. My point is that releasing big classic high profile games like Zelda and Mario on XBone and PS4 (or their successors) would be more profitable than making a commercially failure like the WiiU and then releasing those games there.
sure they'll make less money per unit of software, but they should sell a fuckton more units.
OTOH, they still sell a lot of portables (even if less portables than before) and the Vita (however amazing it is) sells a lot less than the 65 DS variations, so they shouldn't exit the portable market.
The point is the 3DS becomes less attractive when it is no longer the only way to get your Mario or Zelda games. Nintendo also would get 100% of the profit if they were exlusive to their own system..
Nintendo will continue to make home consoles until they are financially incapable of doing so.
It seems like everyone is expecting the next Nintendo thing to be a hybrid console. It seems largely logical to me, but Nintendo themselves haven't said a single thing to hint towards it.
Yeah they have. In the past couple of years there have been loads of references about one unified architecture, where games might be able to be played both on a console and portable. It's difficult to search for now with the web cluttered up with NX speculation, but seriously, there's been a lot of talk straight from Nintendo that hints at it.
"The question of whether or not we want to take a portable system and a home console system and decide if maybe, as the computer processing power improves, we could just simply say we'll stick with a portable and make it something that could also be a home console system is a question that ties directly into product strategy, and is something I can't really go into detail on," Miyamoto explained.
"But what I can say is that, for the time being, our focus is really on developing and building these environments that will allow us to have a smooth transition from one hardware system to the next going forward. Other than that, you can look forward to what comes next."
Last year Nintendo reorganized its R&D divisions and integrated the handheld device and home console development teams into one division under Mr. Takeda. Previously, our handheld video game devices and home video game consoles had to be developed separately as the technological requirements of each system, whether it was battery-powered or connected to a power supply, differed greatly, leading to completely different architectures and, hence, divergent methods of software development. However, because of vast technological advances, it became possible to achieve a fair degree of architectural integration. We discussed this point, and we ultimately concluded that it was the right time to integrate the two teams.
For example, currently it requires a huge amount of effort to port Wii software to Nintendo 3DS because not only their resolutions but also the methods of software development are entirely different. The same thing happens when we try to port Nintendo 3DS software to Wii U. If the transition of software from platform to platform can be made simpler, this will help solve the problem of game shortages in the launch periods of new platforms. Also, as technological advances took place at such a dramatic rate, and we were forced to choose the best technologies for video games under cost restrictions, each time we developed a new platform, we always ended up developing a system that was completely different from its predecessor. The only exception was when we went from Nintendo GameCube to Wii. Though the controller changed completely, the actual computer and graphics chips were developed very smoothly as they were very similar to those of Nintendo GameCube, but all the other systems required ground-up effort. However, I think that we no longer need this kind of effort under the current circumstances. In this perspective, while we are only going to be able to start this with the next system, it will become important for us to accurately take advantage of what we have done with the Wii U architecture. It of course does not mean that we are going to use exactly the same architecture as Wii U, but we are going to create a system that can absorb the Wii U architecture adequately. When this happens, home consoles and handheld devices will no longer be completely different, and they will become like brothers in a family of systems.
Still, I am not sure if the form factor (the size and configuration of the hardware) will be integrated. In contrast, the number of form factors might increase. Currently, we can only provide two form factors because if we had three or four different architectures, we would face serious shortages of software on every platform. To cite a specific case, Apple is able to release smart devices with various form factors one after another because there is one way of programming adopted by all platforms. Apple has a common platform called iOS. Another example is Android. Though there are various models, Android does not face software shortages because there is one common way of programming on the Android platform that works with various models. The point is, Nintendo platforms should be like those two examples. Whether we will ultimately need just one device will be determined by what consumers demand in the future, and that is not something we know at the moment. However, we are hoping to change and correct the situation in which we develop games for different platforms individually and sometimes disappoint consumers with game shortages as we attempt to move from one platform to another, and we believe that we will be able to deliver tangible results in the future.
There's been a ton of undercurrent of "hybrid console" and "unified architecture" and "cross-platform development" for a long time now.
Reading through that I wouldn't be surprised that instead of a hybrid console (2 in 1), we got the exact same system in two form factors and games were cross-bought between them.
Buy the console version or buy the handheld version. Your games will work in either and you wouldn't be punished for swapping back and forth because of a working account system.
Reading through that I wouldn't be surprised that instead of a hybrid console (2 in 1), we got the exact same system in two form factors and games were cross-bought between them.
Buy the console version or buy the handheld version. Your games will work in either and you wouldn't be punished for swapping back and forth because of a working account system.
Ahah. This is Nintendo, they still haven't figured out unified accounting or general internet usage.
Wii U sucks, but my NNID is da66en. Steam is route66. 3DS is 2938-8099-8160.
Neo Geo Big Red owners club.
2009 PAX Puzzle Quest Champion
I have beat Rygar on the NES and many of you have not.
Reading through that I wouldn't be surprised that instead of a hybrid console (2 in 1), we got the exact same system in two form factors and games were cross-bought between them.
Buy the console version or buy the handheld version. Your games will work in either and you wouldn't be punished for swapping back and forth because of a working account system.
Ahah. This is Nintendo, they still haven't figured out unified accounting or general internet usage.
They've been heading in the right direction for a short time now. Also:
"Unlike the Club Nintendo membership service that Nintendo has been operating, the new membership service will include multiple devices and create a connection between Nintendo and each individual consumer regardless of the device the consumer uses," Nintendo president Satoru Iwata said.
I got that from PocketGamer, so I assume its a real quote. That doesn't necessarily mean full cross-buy, but since they've been experimenting with it, it might.
Reading through that I wouldn't be surprised that instead of a hybrid console (2 in 1), we got the exact same system in two form factors and games were cross-bought between them.
Buy the console version or buy the handheld version. Your games will work in either and you wouldn't be punished for swapping back and forth because of a working account system.
The other advantage of an account system is the multigenerational aspect. Imagine not having to keep all your old consoles around the house, because the newest console will always be able to play any game that you've ever purchased digitally.
I'd like to imagine that one of the factors motivating the creation of the gamepad was Nintendo envisioning a future where a single console would be able to play their entire back catalog. But you can't port over DS or 3DS games without a second screen, hence the need for a controller with a screen in it.
Reading through that I wouldn't be surprised that instead of a hybrid console (2 in 1), we got the exact same system in two form factors and games were cross-bought between them.
Buy the console version or buy the handheld version. Your games will work in either and you wouldn't be punished for swapping back and forth because of a working account system.
I can also see Nintendo surprising us. Some of what we're discussing is too obvious. They're a company that wants to do something weird and different.
What is this I don't even.
+1
Xavier1216Bagu is my name. Show my note to river man.Greater Boston AreaRegistered Userregular
edited March 2015
This is a very interesting proposal if it is indeed a hybrid system, but now I have another idea.
So, particularly with digital downloads now and the idea that you're downloading the right to play a game, that opens up the ability to have multiple platform digital downloads where you can download on one and download on another. Certainly from a development standpoint there is some challenge to it, because if you have two devices that have different specs and you're being told to design in a way that the game runs on both devices, then that can be challenging for the developer—but if you have a more unified development environment and you're able to make one game that runs on both systems instead of having to make a game for each system, that's an area of opportunity for us.
Alternatively, it looks like they could be talking about a unified OS for future hardware. That comment from Iwata mentions the Apple and Android platforms as examples of software being compatible on multiple devices because of their shared foundation. Maybe they're building such a system to be run on their next console and handheld. Instead of splitting their resources to develop for the two machines, they could pool them to create games that could be shared between them. If they were to share an online store and common physical storage format, like some sort of souped-up game card, you would be able to release a game once and have your customers play it on whichever machine they desire. A single software library playable on both your handheld and home console, with a mature account structure to tie the systems together.
Either suggestion might be a pipe dream, but I'd love to see Nintendo try to pull it off.
Handsome CostanzaAsk me about 8bitdoRIP Iwata-sanRegistered Userregular
edited March 2015
Okay this is actually legit, maybe. A guy named stealth predicted the last nintendo direct and said a new one is coming, then deleted his tweet. There was also a press event in seattle that is embargoed until the date of the direct. Europe recently had a Splatoon related press event.
If they were to share an online store and common physical storage format, like some sort of souped-up game card, you would be able to release a game once and have your customers play it on whichever machine they desire. A single software library playable on both your handheld and home console, with a mature account structure to tie the systems together.
As a weird aside, reminds me of the R-Zone made by Tiger back in the mid-'90s. Release the games once and then play them on one of 4 different consoles. One head mounted, one projected onto a big screen with color background, one a "normal" handheld, and one with extra personal organizer features.
Wasn't very successful. I have the stupid head-mounted one. I know it's not really relevant to the discussion but you made me think of it. :P
Can confirm that you do look exactly like this while wearing it.
Reading through that I wouldn't be surprised that instead of a hybrid console (2 in 1), we got the exact same system in two form factors and games were cross-bought between them.
Buy the console version or buy the handheld version. Your games will work in either and you wouldn't be punished for swapping back and forth because of a working account system.
Ahah. This is Nintendo, they still haven't figured out unified accounting or general internet usage.
They've been heading in the right direction for a short time now. Also:
"Unlike the Club Nintendo membership service that Nintendo has been operating, the new membership service will include multiple devices and create a connection between Nintendo and each individual consumer regardless of the device the consumer uses," Nintendo president Satoru Iwata said.
I got that from PocketGamer, so I assume its a real quote. That doesn't necessarily mean full cross-buy, but since they've been experimenting with it, it might.
Yeah, that might be a side benefit of the DeNA deal -- using their expertise to finally build out a strong, unified online system.
I bought a Wii U and I really like it, but it kept pissing me off that all the games they announced that I was interested in were for 3DS, so I bought a 3DS also.
I'd much much much rather play on the Wii U. The second touch screen is already there, Nintendo.
I bought a Wii U and I really like it, but it kept pissing me off that all the games they announced that I was interested in were for 3DS, so I bought a 3DS also.
I'd much much much rather play on the Wii U. The second touch screen is already there, Nintendo.
You're the one person they made Kirby Rainbow Curse for, then.
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Yeah, I did the Super Game Boy and Game Boy Player thing for years growing up, so it doesn't bother me-- not when I can get games I missed out on and/or are hard to find for cheap.
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True, but obviously developing and manufacturing two systems is more expensive than developing and manufacturing one.
For me, especially with GBA games, they are basically SNES games. I used to play SNES-quality games on the TV anyway. The GBA Player or Wii U VC is just doing that all over again. There's nothing particularly "handheld" or inferior about most GBA games! A lot of them were ports of SNES games anyway.
You're contradicting yourself though. You say the TV base wouldn't have any processing power but then what happens if someone wants to use the pro controller when no handheld is around? And I highly doubt that it would be super efficent to have all of the processing power in the handheld while all of the storage/media is in that same TV base unit.
Any scenario where the base can function without a handheld present will require processing power.
Vita Screen resolution: 960x544. Going to 1080p on a TV would be quadrupling the pixels. I'm not saying it can't be done or that you're wrong, but it's not a good comparison. A closer comparison would be a modern smartphone with a 1080op screen. While 1080p gaming that looks good is possible on them now, but they have thermal issues, battery issues, etc that make it kind of unpractical on a smallish device.
Will we get there, sure. Are we there now? Now. Will we be there in a couple years? Maybe.
I want to say the Vita TV hits 720p.
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I never suggested the base would stand alone. It's just a dock that gives the handheld the functionality of a console. I also didn't say ALL the storage would be in the base. An HDD in the base to hold your entire library, and an SD slot in the handheld to take your favorite games on the go.
The market for dedicated portable game systems is now maybe half what it was this time last generation. (That said the new 3DS was the top-selling console last month with over 300,000 sold; then again it's possible the burst of sales was from excitable nerds like us and it'll drop back down in the coming months.) The Wii U is doing horribly. Would a hybrid portable/TV console consolidate sales of the two systems, and be cool enough to add to it? Or would it get less sales? Would people consider it an underpowered TV console, or an overpriced handheld? (Remember, the 3DS didn't do well at $250.)
I dig Nintendo, but man, they're in a tough spot. I think there's a very good reason Iwata finally caved on the smartphone thing.
I dunno. I'd never have said that not long ago.
I think it's all but done that the next system will be a type of hybrid system.
Also, Nintendo going third part (even just in the console space) would be a terrible idea and I think would hurt the company more than help it.
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We didn't expect the Wii, so I certainly won't be surprised if the next thing is something completely out of left field too.
Wouldn't be too surprised about the hybrid either though.
Also, Nintendo is crazy pants and doesn't know what logic is.
But it would be a good idea if done properly. I'd love to carry around my personal computer on my wrist/in my pocket and use the monitor at my desk purely as a screen for my portable PC. Something like that with a Nintendo console could be really great.
I mean, I still want SNES VC on the 3DS and a decent system for internet access instead of the bonkers stuff they have now more than a portable console though.
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I'm not sure that line of thinking flies in a world where you can fill all of your entertainment media needs with an iPad.
Nintendo needs to consolidate down. Heck, Microsoft intended to have Windows phones be able to seamlessly hand off games between your phone and console but I think the idea was a little ahead of it's time.
Computer technology gets smaller and smaller all the time. Hybrid portable consoles are the next logical step.
Nintendo is more likely to just exit the home console space entirely then they are to ever make console games as a third party. If Nintendo stopped making home consoles of their own, then they would simply have no dog in that fight anymore. Microsoft doesn't make 3DS games, after all.
Technically, you shouldn't even need a 3DS to accomplish any of that. Imagine just popping your 3DS cartridge into the Wii U, using the TV as the top screen and the gamepad as the bottom screen.
This would already be possible if Nintendo had used the same architecture for the Wii U and 3DS. Next gen, they'll be doing exactly that.
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I honestly don't understand what you meant. My point is that releasing big classic high profile games like Zelda and Mario on XBone and PS4 (or their successors) would be more profitable than making a commercially failure like the WiiU and then releasing those games there.
sure they'll make less money per unit of software, but they should sell a fuckton more units.
OTOH, they still sell a lot of portables (even if less portables than before) and the Vita (however amazing it is) sells a lot less than the 65 DS variations, so they shouldn't exit the portable market.
Nintendo don't see themselves as a software company. Nintendo see themselves as a hardware company that also makes software for the sole purpose of pushing their hardware.
And if you actually stop a moment to think about the way their business model is structured, it becomes clear why.
Let's say that Nintendo assigns half their development studios to making 3DS games, and the other half to making PS4/XBO games. The 3DS games make Nintendo bank like always, and the PS4/XBO games make some nice little side profit. Pretty good.
Now say that instead Nintendo assigns all their development studios solely to making 3DS games. Nintendo gets the full profit from every game sold, so they end up making more money than they would have from the third party games. And because they are producing double the amount of 3DS games, the 3DS has a fuller release schedule, which makes it look like a more attractive product. Significantly better.
With third party support ever decreasing, Nintendo barely has enough development studios to meet the increasing demand for their first party games. Surely they would see bowing out of the home console market as a means to kill two birds with one stone, and refocus all their efforts to supporting their handhelds.
A future where Nintendo does not make their own home consoles is not a future where they make third party games for PS4/XBO. It is a future where Nintendo simply does not make home console games at all.
So many games coming out in Spring.
The point is the 3DS becomes less attractive when it is no longer the only way to get your Mario or Zelda games. Nintendo also would get 100% of the profit if they were exlusive to their own system..
Nintendo will continue to make home consoles until they are financially incapable of doing so.
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Resident hybrid/flap cover expert.
Yeah they have. In the past couple of years there have been loads of references about one unified architecture, where games might be able to be played both on a console and portable. It's difficult to search for now with the web cluttered up with NX speculation, but seriously, there's been a lot of talk straight from Nintendo that hints at it.
One of the hints was that they merged their console and handheld development teams a few years ago.
And here's something from Miyamoto last year:
More things Miyamoto said in an interview last year.
Comments Iwata made to investors a while back:
There's been a ton of undercurrent of "hybrid console" and "unified architecture" and "cross-platform development" for a long time now.
Reading through that I wouldn't be surprised that instead of a hybrid console (2 in 1), we got the exact same system in two form factors and games were cross-bought between them.
Buy the console version or buy the handheld version. Your games will work in either and you wouldn't be punished for swapping back and forth because of a working account system.
Ahah. This is Nintendo, they still haven't figured out unified accounting or general internet usage.
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They've been heading in the right direction for a short time now. Also:
I got that from PocketGamer, so I assume its a real quote. That doesn't necessarily mean full cross-buy, but since they've been experimenting with it, it might.
The other advantage of an account system is the multigenerational aspect. Imagine not having to keep all your old consoles around the house, because the newest console will always be able to play any game that you've ever purchased digitally.
I'd like to imagine that one of the factors motivating the creation of the gamepad was Nintendo envisioning a future where a single console would be able to play their entire back catalog. But you can't port over DS or 3DS games without a second screen, hence the need for a controller with a screen in it.
I can also see Nintendo surprising us. Some of what we're discussing is too obvious. They're a company that wants to do something weird and different.
To quote this interview:
Alternatively, it looks like they could be talking about a unified OS for future hardware. That comment from Iwata mentions the Apple and Android platforms as examples of software being compatible on multiple devices because of their shared foundation. Maybe they're building such a system to be run on their next console and handheld. Instead of splitting their resources to develop for the two machines, they could pool them to create games that could be shared between them. If they were to share an online store and common physical storage format, like some sort of souped-up game card, you would be able to release a game once and have your customers play it on whichever machine they desire. A single software library playable on both your handheld and home console, with a mature account structure to tie the systems together.
Either suggestion might be a pipe dream, but I'd love to see Nintendo try to pull it off.
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Resident 8bitdo expert.
Resident hybrid/flap cover expert.
Also, arent the models in Pokemon XY good enough for console graphics? I recall them being crazy high poly counts or something.
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As a weird aside, reminds me of the R-Zone made by Tiger back in the mid-'90s. Release the games once and then play them on one of 4 different consoles. One head mounted, one projected onto a big screen with color background, one a "normal" handheld, and one with extra personal organizer features.
Wasn't very successful. I have the stupid head-mounted one. I know it's not really relevant to the discussion but you made me think of it. :P
Can confirm that you do look exactly like this while wearing it.
Yeah, that might be a side benefit of the DeNA deal -- using their expertise to finally build out a strong, unified online system.
But who knows what we'll actually get.
I'd much much much rather play on the Wii U. The second touch screen is already there, Nintendo.
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You're the one person they made Kirby Rainbow Curse for, then.