Topic: Does anyone else feel like this is more "Switch U" than Switch 2?

I think the only negative people could potentially point at is the game line up, and that's a matter of perspective. If you've already played Cyberpunk 2077, Hogwarts Legacy, Yakuza, Hitman etc then you may be disappointed but there are many Switch fans (like me) who haven't played any of those games, and for us the line up is great!

Pretty bored with S2 launch. Still no reveal of Monolithsofts new IP.

I didn't buy Switch1 on launch though.. it wasn't until E3 that Octopath Traveler and XBC2 were shown that got me ultra pumped and sold on the console. Since it's summer game fest right now and no clue of when something exciting is coming out it's hard to be excited yet.

I know the console will be great though and MKW is really fun.

@Eel Lol. @Metazoxan 'Beat Em Ups' is one that I think was becoming a bit like that, but I have not watched anything by him in a while, so not sure what his current attitude is.

He was a guy who was REALLY REALLY into Nintendo till they dropped him from the Ambassador problem for promoting modded Breath of The Wild content. He was fixated with how 'evil' they were after that! Tiresome.

I don't see how the wii u was a step backwards in wii compatibility it actually had the same hardware inside for full compatibility plus you got higher quality hdmi output over the original wii's scart RGB or component output. It was a big improvement. Later on with homebrew you could also run Gamecube games on it as ISO files etc with pretty much full compatibility again with high quality output. The wii u was Nintendo's largest ever generational leap going from the wii's 12 Gflop GPU to 176 Glops in the wii u plus the wii's own GPU which was also used to generate the gamepad's graphics and I think was slightly upclocked in wii u mode, perhaps 20 Gflops or more. I don't remember any issues however I didn't buy my wii u at launch, perhaps 2-3 months after launch. I'm not going to lie I spent more time playing wii and gamecube games on the wii u than wii u games but that is mainly due its commercial failure and games drying up after a while that I wanted.

I complained a lot about the wii u performance level which I could see was very weak overall. I personally didn't see the point in defending the weak hardware I was just factual about it same as any console I've owned, I'm not really a defender of consoles that I own and feel no loyalty to the companies that make the consoles. I feel like this time around the Switch 2 will not achieve the success of Switch 1 that doesn't mean I won't buy the console when I feel motivated enough to buy one based on the value of the console to me. It could well achieve higher than Switch 1 sales I just don't feel that is likely to happen at this point but it may well do.

I enjoy discussing the technical spec of consoles for some reason and always have done. That doesn't mean I think hardware is instantly useless if it doesn't reach a certain performance level. I've gone through the years enjoying Nintendo software on weak hardware.

I remember back then with the wii u I was saying how weak the wii u was and was getting a lot of abuse about it with others claiming the wii u was a much more powerful system than it was and getting really angry in their responses claiming all sorts of high figures, 700+ Gflops comes to mind and then later it could have been either 352 Gflops or 176 Gflops based on its configuration but I knew it was 176 Gflops it was obvious it was but for a long time people argued that it was 352 Gflops which made little sense when the PS3 and 360 was easily outperforming the wii u with GPU's with older architecture. I also knew the wii u was not drawing enough power for its fabrication process to be 352 Gflops. It was confirmed as 176 Gflops in the end which was about a third to a fifth of the power of what many people had been claiming at the beginning.

I write that as many people do seem loyal to Nintendo. We know the Switch 2 is on a shared memory system just like the Switch 1. The Switch 1 had 21.3GB/s memory bandwidth in portable mode but the Switch 2 has 68GB/s so just over 3x the memory bandwidth for moving 3x as much data and for docked we have 102GB/s where as the Switch 1 was 25.6GB/s so 4x the data can be moved. Yes there is cache memory but ultimately that gives us a rough baseline for the performance level increase. Of course DLSS takes pressure of memory bandwidth as you can send lower resolutions to the GPU like 360p and get video output of 1080p. This is really where the Switch 2 shines and why games like No Mans Sky and Cyberpunk can perform so well graphically.

The reason I stated the spec is I feel like the Switch 2 is overpriced for the underlying performance level that relies on DLSS a lot. I've seen laptops with RTX 2050 mobile graphics go as low as 500 pounds in the UK and that is much more powerful graphics processor also with DLSS. I think the Japanese pricing of Switch 2 (jap market model)is fair but European and US pricing is not.

In Japan the Japanese market model is less than 300 pounds but the hardware identical model that you can select non-Japanese text and use internationally is about 360 pounds and these models are what tourists would need to buy. They are exploiting export markets with much higher prices even to the point that the model sold in Japan that can be used in other countries is over 60 pounds more than the Japanese market model price despite being identical hardware. This is one of my big annoyances with Nintendo and the Switch 2. Also games like Mario Kart World physical cartridge is 50 pounds in Japan but 75 pounds in the UK etc. I do think the Switch 2 is a great console but I don't think the performance level merits the hardware price or games prices. I do think it merits the prices they charge in Japan though. Even controllers seem ridiculously expensive here in the UK which probably cost Nintendo less than $5-10 factory door price. At this point I think many more casual gamers will be more resistant to this pricing long term and Nintendo may have to adjust pricing but I may be wrong people maybe happy to pay up to 75 pounds for a game or 430 pounds for a console with a digital download. This pricing mainly is why currently I think the Switch 2 will be successful but not as successful as Switch 1. It's not about hating Nintendo if anything its about Nintendo exploiting their customers outside Japan because they think the market will bear that higher pricing.

Just don't watch Youtube since 99% of its "content" is pure trash now. It's no secret that Nintendo gets so much more hate compared with Sony, Microsoft, Valve etc.
No doubt that majority of them are Sony-paid trolls now. The presence of Sony fans on the internet is more than overwhelmingly, they are everywhere.

Just ignore all those tragic attention seekers with AI-generated and click-baity thumbnails, they're not worth that. It was so different during the Wii-U era when Nintendo was at its lowest ever. It's so obvious that the success of Switch 1+2 is hurting many now.

The internet is a joke right now filled of mentally ill people who needs constant attention and affirmation from others. It's almost impossible to finding a decent gold nugget anymore from the never-ending growing pile of turd on the internet in nowadays. They're even prepared to even outright lie or doing illegal things to getting attention and more views. It's a constant 24/7 competition.

"Everyone" wants to ruining for Nintendo. You doesn't sees the same thing with Sony (especially), Microsoft or Valve &c co in the gaming world. In the end they just wants Nintendo's games on their non-Nintendo console so badly, that so they're spreading Nintendo related hate by sheer bitterness and malice.
They knows that you can never play Nintendo games legally on PS, Xbox & co. It's a so much bigger chance that Sony goes third-party than that Nintendo does the same thing. SEGA and Microsoft already does it now and Sony actually even does it, but only with PC now.

The internet is in a really pathetic state right now. 99.9% of the intternet is just about bad things now. Since it gets more views than good things.

I had the same thought yesterday evening 😶

• it's eerilie quiet about Switch 2 online. The tactic of not providing outlets with review units & copies seems to have backfired. I'm browsing the web for reviews or interesting coverage from trusted outlets and can't find any! Instead sites like IGN focus on Microsoft's and Sony's presentations. Nintendo wasted their shot at dominating the conversation, which you only get with this accumulated "bang" when suddenly everyone talks about the same game.
• The supply issues surely exacerbated the problem: Around the world it seems to be a quiet launch, little advertising visible. Makes sense, because if you can't serve customers, why would you put up signs?
• Mario Kart World, while fantastic, is not universally loved, it seems to take a while to grow on people. And the aspect they chose to highlight - the "World" - is objectively underwhelming.
• There's very little exclusive content. MK World is the big one (and it started out as a Switch 1 game), but apart from that?
• ... it's all updates / crossgen. Crossgen Metroid Prime 4. Updates for BOTW and TOTK, plus 12 others. Late ports of Cyberpunk, Hitman, Yakuza, Street Fighter 6, Hogwarts etc. On top you get framerate boosts for Switch 1 games. If we're being honest: That's exactly what Sony does with their "Pro" consoles, the pricing too. Or Microsoft with their higher tier system. It's all super nice, but the ominous fact is: The market for "Pro" console variations has proven to be very limited.
• "Welcome Tour" is "Nintendoland". Shortlived, quirky tech demo, should have been free (I now agree having played some of it. It's more like an interactive Pdf manual really)

Sooo... I've seen the headline about it being the biggest launch weekend ever, we'll get confirmation tomorrow. But I don't think that's an indicator of anything necessarily. The hardcore fanbase all bought one, that's what it is. Didn't even Wii U have a strong launch?

The next weeks will tell. Maybe I'm wrong and we'll get a steady trickle of Switch 2 / Mario Kart World reviews, and it keeps them on the front page for longer. Maybe local advertising will ramp up once the console is back in stock. Maybe Nintendo has a strong exclusive lineup to announce in a Direct soon, and they were merely leaving the launch window to third parties.

@NintendoWife Nintendo were never going to compete well when up against Summer Games Fest, PlayStation Showcase and Xbox Showcase as well as the others that also took place. Of course sites are going to focus most of their resources on those events. They can create absolutely loads more articles, videos and therefore easy clicks by simply doing one for each new trailer showcased. Switch 2 requires a lot more work and most the games outside Mario Kart World are old third party games so there’s no real need for them to get a second review.

Well but that's what I was trying to say. Nintendo should have competed against that, what they have at hand is not too shabby after all: The successor to one of the bestselling games of all time. I worry that they might have messed it up. And like you say, the rest of the lineup doesn't make for much of a headline.

Why would I want to bend anything into anything? I've bought the thing after all (just like I've bought every Nintendo console since the 80s including the Wii U). I'm worried, that is all. Oh and I don't care what I make myself look like on an internet forum.

I've seen the numbers. They are great. But it's all preorders, Nintendo was basically unable to serve anybody going into a shop. And as a result shop presence seems to have been very limited.

And what's your response to the rest of my points? What about the lineup?

@NintendoWife I think Nintendo were kinda unfortunate to be in between a rock and a hard place. Between the economic crisis the world is in, the rising costs in hardware and game creation and time needed, I think it caused a lot of issues for Nintendo getting the Switch 2 out the door. It was rumoured to have been pushed back a year because Nintendo were struggling to get their games ready. I still think Nintendo wanted more time but couldn’t let it be delayed any further.

I'm not worried.

The best Switch 1 launch game was a Wii U port.

@NintendoWife As someone who didn't buy mario kart, the day 1 line up for me is non existent. That did make me a bit worried... but then I started playing Hello Kitty which I am in the middle of and testing a few other games I have which had serious performance or other issues and wow.... a lot of them magically run so much better even without a Switch 2 update. And the fact that I can now download games quickly over wifi.

So many little improvements. I know people don't like to think of Switch 2 like an iPhone upgrade, but it kind of is and as an update it's a great one. I never had a PS5, but I assume many people felt the same updating to PS5 from PS4 even though there weren't many exclusives. And PS5 has sold well, almost as well as PS4 year by year.

As for games this year:

• Surely there is something for Mario anniversary. Whether it's something big or e.g. a Switch 2 version of Wonder, time will tell.
• I suspect Prime 4 will be pretty major, possibly a GotY contender. And even though it's not technically exclusive, the Switch 2 version will be the best version.

This year won't have enough exclusives to entice everyone, but I'm guessing Nintendo has some major plans lined up for next year to keep momentum going.

@FishyS Hate to say this but no I don’t think we will see any Mario games, either new or upgraded, for the anniversary. Donkey Kong Bonanza is taking that spot this year. They’ll save anything Mario related outside of Mario Kart obviously, for next year. As I said in a previous comment, I think Nintendo wanted more time but since they apparently delayed the console by a year to begin with, they couldn’t afford to do it a second time. So this is what have. Two major exclusives, a bunch of old third party games and some Switch 2 upgrades.

@NintendoWife
I can go point by point if you really want to:

it's eerilie quiet about Switch 2 online
Two thoughts if we're speculating. Firstly, the people who are trying to generate outrage bait are struggling to get as much traction as they did pre-launch now the product is in people's hands. Much harder to make a nonsense claim when people can easily call it out. Secondly, the console is out. The people who were most engaged with this before launch content are, you know, playing games now

The supply issues surely exacerbated the problem
I'm not sure where you're coming at with this one. It sold out fairly quick, yes, without question. You could argue that there is a supply problem as a result. In raw economic terms you are correct. But warehouses, ships and stores can only hold so many units. And it seems to me, from how things played out, that they had a fair amount of supply. It's just the demand was crazy

And your argument before was that "the Wii U had demand also", but you're creating a bit of a unfalsifiable argument here. If they hadn't sold out you'd be talking about how there isn't any demand for it right? You're not making an argument here, you're pushing a belief. Unless you can drop some numbers to support your claim which runs counter to what I would say are the self evident facts maybe wait until you can make that case. There's a reason why the 3mill report matters here. They had supply, they still sold through, which means demand was high. Period

There's very little exclusive content
I would note that this thread is comparing the Switch 2 to the Wii U. That's where we're coming from, that's the delusion I'm pouring cold water on.

At launch it has Mario Kart World, Welcome Tour and Enhancements for Switch titles (BotW/TotK/Free Updates). Next month is DK Bonanza and DLC for SMP Jamboree. Then August is the DLC for Kirby and October is Legends Z-A. Then outside of that a new Hyrule Warriors for "Winter" so probably December leaving September and October with nothing in particular lining up with Prime 4, Drag x Drive and Kirby Air Riders left over. First 6 months, every month with a Nintendo published game

For Wii U Nintendo Land and New SMB U were on day 1 then, November 2012. Then Game and Wario in June 2013, Pikmin 3 and New Super Luigi U in August, Wonderful 101 September, Wind Waker HD and Wii Party U in October, 3D World and Mario & Sonic in November.... and we're now a year out from launch rather than 6 months and, I think I could strongly argue, not particularly competitive vs Prime 4, Mario Kart, Kirby, Pokemon, Hyrule Warriors and DK

Not comparable, even remotely

... it's all updates / crossgen
On day 1 when there aren't many brand new titles to hype other than the one big hype launch title? Sure. The main appeal of the Switch 2 right at this moment is the fact that it plays most Switch titles better than the Switch did. The Wii U didn't have that, hell the Switch didn't have that. At this point on the Wii U we were playing New SMB U and Nintendo Land and would have little else to do other than VC and that Rayman Legends Demo for the next 8 months or so. Trust me, I was there, I remember the Wii U launch

I don't see the existence of "TotK is higher res now" and "wow, this game is now playable" as a negative. Or how you could reasonably argue that case. Especially when it doesn't come at the cost of actual new content

"Welcome Tour" is "Nintendoland"
Yeah, it isn't, Nintendo Land was great. I would've paid to get Nintendo Land. Technically I did pay to get Nintendo Land given it wasn't free, you had to buy the more expensive SKU to get it. In terms of comparisons Nintendo Land is more like Mario Kart World

Also FWIW I didn't see the value in Welcome Tour so I didn't buy it. Problem solved, drama averted. I didn't buy 1-2 Switch either, remember when the Switch launch also had a title like this? Seems some of you don't. And 1-2 Switch wasn't as cheap. Really, I don't see why people need to get worked up about being charged for a thing that is optional and not particularly interesting. If you're interested? By all means get it. But if you're not? .... don't buy it, you're not interested

Don't forget survival kids 😆

We'll see what happens Mario anniversary wise.

@NintendoWife in regards to competing against the showcases. Don't forget gaming news was DOMINATED by switch 2 speculation, leaks, and more since January.

It was to.the point people were legitimately disappointed with the reveal trailer because it didn't surprise them ... As if it's somehow Nintendos fault people spoiled everything with leaks.

They're falling off the front page a bit because actual new games and announcements are happening while everyone has already largely talked about Nintendo. The only news left is tech breakdowns.and performance reviews.

So it's fine for them to lose the spotlight for a bit. Nintendo doesn't need to be front page all of the time. They held the spotlight for months all the way up to release. If you weren't already sold on a switch 2 you're either not a customer at all or a late adopter.

So I get what your saying but I don't think they needed to compete during the showcase. Plus if Nintendo has a direct in the next month or two then they might grab the spotlight back. Who knows.

The problem right now though is there is a weirdly passionate anti-fanbase who have seemingly made it their life purpose to hate Nintendo and attack it at every turn.

So while I agree Nintendo doesn't exactly need us white knighting for them ... We have a right to set the record straight instead of letting a bunch of idiots that just want to complain control the narrative.

Yes some can get overly passionate defending what they like ... But again the opposite is true too and I think it's better to at least be an overly passionate fan than an overly passionate hater.

Btw I'm a more casual fan myself. I like Nintendo but I don't think they can do no wrong.

Definitely, regarding the world / economic situation. But in terms of 'readiness' I'd expected it to be almost the other way round: They finalized the Switch 2 four (?) years ago, and could have launched earlier, but decided against it because the Switch 1 was still selling so well. Which gave them the luxury of resting their biggest IP for a while and polish the upcoming entries to perfection. Which we're seeing with Mario Kart World, and I hope it's the same situation for 3D Mario, Animal Crossing and Smash Brothers - all the giant franchises they haven't had to update for ages.

Ah interesting, I didn't even think of the people not interested in Mario Kart. I'd be at a loss what to do if I'm honest 😶 But I couldn't even try the enhanced Zelda versions yet cause I've lent all the cartridges to my niece & nephew at the moment.

The enhancements are most welcome, I'm just coming to the conclusion that Nintendo needs exclusives, ideally one of 3D Mario caliber this year still. Cause what you are describing is really a "Playstation Pro" usecase. Nothing wrong with that, but most people wouldn't make the jump for that. The hardcore will, and they buy early, that's why I'm cautious about those early numbers. PS5 Pro sold quickly and then flatlined.

Not too positive about a Mario anniversary, we've seen many occasions come and go without any commemoration.

@skywake I think you're misinterpreting my intentions - I wasn't going to hate on the Switch 2 no matter what. I absolutely acknowledge that selling out such a large number of preorders is a success. I was merely noting that right now there's little coverage, no hype, no lines. I was a bit shocked to open up IGN (which used to be the Nintendo friendly site) and all they had on Switch 2 was an editorial about the absence of hype. Buried between 48 stories from the other presentations.

As for the lineup: Even after reading your list I'd argue it's thin on new exclusives. I was looking at the launch lineup mostly, but you're right, there'll be something about once a month.

Why would I see that as a negative? Of course not, it's fantastic! Will it sell systems? Not sure.

As for the Welcome Tour / Nintendoland comparison: I was half joking. But the two games do have in common that they seem a little bit out of touch in that occasional Nintendo way. The Wii Music way.

Fair enough, yes. I thought I remembered earlier launches differently, with more coverage exploding on day 1. But I totally agree, the next Direct is going to be enlightening.