Gaming Nintendo should make a powerful console.

[CastletonSnob 2,685]

People point to the N64 and GameCube failing as reasons Nintendo shouldn't make a powerful console, when power had nothing to do with why those consoles failed. The N64 and GameCube failed because Nintendo made stupid decisions with those consoles, like sticking to cartridges and using mini-discs.

Nintendo didn't HAVE to make a console/handheld hybrid. All they had to do was make a console on par with the PS5 and Series X in power, not make a stupid decision with the hardware like they did with the N64 and GameCube, and make it easy to develop for, and that console would get third party support, which means more sales. It's actually really simple to make a console that sells well.

[Brony Number 42 7,708]

51 minutes ago, CastletonSnob said:

It's actually really simple to make a console that sells

That's what Atari thought. 

But then Nintendo would not stand out as different from the others. Making a weaker console keeps the cost down. People still want it. The Wii was weak and it sold well.

[CastletonSnob 2,685]

2 minutes ago, Brony Number 42 said:

That's what Atari thought. 

But then Nintendo would not stand out as different from the others. Making a weaker console keeps the cost down. People still want it. The Wii was weak and it sold well.

Why is Nintendo having a cheaper console seen as a good thing? Haven't you heard the saying, "you get what you pay for"?

[Brony Number 42 7,708]

But as a consumer, do you need a 3rd console to play the same games on? A powerful Nintendo console would be nice, but what are you willing to pay for it? And would it be a good move for Nintendo?

[Megas 25,049]

Yeah they should totally make the Switch $500 instead because reasons

Nintendo's doing perfectly fine atm, they don't need to worry about cutting edge, superpowerful hardware so long as they know what they're doing, making the console both profitable and easy to develop for. 3rd parties will follow so long as they see potential with the console, I mean, the Wii U was one of Nintendo's biggest failures, and they rebounded with one of their most successful consoles, getting devs that have never developed for a Nintendo platform onboard(Bethesda for example) and getting games and franchises that have never appeared on a Nintendo platform(TES, The Witcher, Bioshock). Those games have also proven people won't mind playing games on weaker hardware for the sake of portability so long as they still have effort put into them

[Cash_In 17,350]

A huge part of why their current system is doing so well is because of portability. Nintendo's handhelds have always been incredibly successful, so logically speaking, making a console/handheld hybrid can easily cover both bases. Power is being sacrificed for portability, but that's where a ton of the appeal is at. I also don't know why people say the third party support is lacking, considering how much stuff we've been getting. I've got my issues with the way Nintendo has handled some aspects of the system, but the idea behind it is great.

[Splashee 24,548]

The future is all about power management. Right now, powerful consoles uses a lot of electrical power. Nintendo would probably like to avoid all that and just keep focusing on family game entertainment. However, handhelds need to have good battery life, and today, games do need to look better even if they are entertaining.

My guess is Nintendo will choose hardware that will never be cutting edge. Only if that cutting edge is battery life.

[Ganondorf8 10,395]

Nintendo will never do something like that.

The way the company operates was set in stone by the late Hiroshi Yamauchi in that the main focus is on innovation and creating a rich gaming experience. He did insist that they used cheap parts to make their consoles though. This was done to cut down on some costs.

[Photon Jet 5,473]

Isn't the Nintendo Switch powerful enough already graphic-wise?

Edited Saturday at 08:14 AM by Photon Jet

[Celli 4,140]

Dude, the Switch has sold 104 million units. You clearly don't know anything about marketing and how any of this works. Switches are still flying off the shelves. Power isn't the point. 

[ExplosionMare 16,065]

Would a console so small even be able to handle a great deal of power? Think about CPU fans, the real powerful ones are huge and couldn't all fit in a handheld device. Yes, those things can be made smaller, but then the console becomes similar to a phone at that point. A powerful console sounds fun but they might not be able to exist how we'd want them to without taking away the portable function (thinking along the lines of XBox and PS here).

[Splashee 24,548]

1 hour ago, ExplosionMare said:

Would a console so small even be able to handle a great deal of power? Think about CPU fans, the real powerful ones are huge and couldn't all fit in a handheld device. Yes, those things can be made smaller, but then the console becomes similar to a phone at that point. A powerful console sounds fun but they might not be able to exist how we'd want them to without taking away the portable function (thinking along the lines of XBox and PS here).

@ExplosionMare is true here.

[SharpWit 2,192]

Nintendo has been through its competitive phase and found its niche.

It'd be kind of like asking Minecraft to be something other than what it is.

Spoiler

 

Lower manufacturing cost, portability, and relative success in recent times have all been mentioned as why the company hasn't made a more powerful console. These can all be tied together, as part of their strategy to not compete with the other consoles.

By maintaining a lower standard that still carries a wide appeal, Nintendo targets a demographic left largely unattended by Sony and Microsoft, and ensures they'll stick around as long as they continue developing new and/or highly replayable games. And by new, I mean more of the same, rather than taking the next step in gaming or doing anything hugely innovative. A push for this has the potential for even greater success, but why bother making a risky move when the going is good?

 

 

[TheGleaner 585]

12 hours ago, ExplosionMare said:

Would a console so small even be able to handle a great deal of power? Think about CPU fans, the real powerful ones are huge and couldn't all fit in a handheld device. Yes, those things can be made smaller, but then the console becomes similar to a phone at that point. A powerful console sounds fun but they might not be able to exist how we'd want them to without taking away the portable function (thinking along the lines of XBox and PS here).

Have you heard of the "Steam Deck" by Valve?

I mean that's basically what you described in a way 

[ExplosionMare 16,065]

12 hours ago, TheGleaner said:

Have you heard of the "Steam Deck" by Valve?

I mean that's basically what you described in a way 

I believe I have but it's been a while so I don't really remember the details of it.

Edited Sunday at 08:52 PM by ExplosionMare

[Splashee 24,548]

12 hours ago, TheGleaner said:

Have you heard of the "Steam Deck" by Valve?

I don't think Steam Deck can defeat Nintendo Switch in sells and popularity, but if that happens, then, Nintendo do need to release something more powerful.

[TheGleaner 585]

10 hours ago, Splashee said:

I don't think Steam Deck can defeat Nintendo Switch in sells and popularity, but if that happens, then, Nintendo do need to release something more powerful.

In a way, they're not competing against each other, as the Steam Deck is aimed more towards just being a portable PC in a way.

That being said, technology wise it does have the switch beat, it's just up to Valve to market it decently, and reviews have been positive. The main problem is orders are backed up well into 2023.

10 hours ago, ExplosionMare said:

I believe I have but it's been a while so I don't really remember the details of it.

Low to medium end gaming laptop in a switch sized hand held device. 

[Megas 25,049]

On 2022-05-15 at 1:07 AM, TheGleaner said:

Have you heard of the "Steam Deck" by Valve?

I mean that's basically what you described in a way 

Steam Deck's significantly more expensive and made for a much more niche, PC enthusiast market compared to the Switch

[ExpitheCat 4,237]

Yeah... I don't agree. The Switch is selling like hot cakes as it is, and the kind of audience that likes the Switch isn't looking for powerful hardware, but rather unique game experiences, and aside for the Wii U (which had other problems in terms of marketing), that has been serving Nintendo well for the past decade and a half.

[Celli 4,140]

Didn't you make this thread before as well?

[TheGleaner 585]

5 hours ago, Megas said:

Steam Deck's significantly more expensive and made for a much more niche, PC enthusiast market compared to the Switch

I'm finding prices of $200-400 US for the switch...

I wouldn't call it made for the PC enthusiast only, since it can function as a normal pc

[-Buttercup- 19,581]

Nintendo should be bought and owned by Sony or merged with it.