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StarTopic Future Nintendo Hardware & Technology Speculation & Discussion |ST| (Read the staff posts before commenting!)

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ziggyrivers said:
Next Smash will obviously be like Dissidia.

I’m being sarcastic, but I’d actually dig the idea.

Also, re: next gen patches:
• Would it be crazy to think that Nintendo could charge for them, but if you have the Expansion Pack of NSO, patches will be free?
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That isn’t too much of a stretch. Kid Icarus Uprising was already similar.
 
karmitt said:
And neither party needs to be aware of anything hardware related. Hardware reveal also doesn’t need to be imminent.
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Nobody is saying the retail workers involved in actually restocking the Amiibo know why they're being restocked. The point is Nintendo wants specific Amiibo in stores at a specific time, and they've always connected that with new announcements or releases.

We're not meant to know about these restocks. These were all leaked in mid-July. I feel like that's a point I should bring up more often, lol. If we were meant to know about restocks, then, of course, Nintendo wouldn't want it connecting to anything, but we aren't meant to know. That's the point.
 
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karmitt said:
And neither party needs to be aware of anything hardware related. Hardware reveal also doesn’t need to be imminent.
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Nobody is saying rebranding means hardware reveal is imminent either. IDK why that keep coming up either, I don't think anyonne else made that claim either.

It's an observation, one that should be taken in combination of other observations/rumors. Like Nov 10 restocking, rumored December production, Nate mention of March, Wii U/DS service ending April.
 
Another thing, Smash REALLY needs to unionize the English voice production next time. Stuff like Sonic & Sora relying solely on reused lines (from Generations & Dream Drop Distance respectively) as well as Cloud & Sephiroth only speaking Japanese stand out like sore thumbs.

JoshuaJSlone said:
Right. Throwing out their character lineup and selling more games rather than trying to sell one game for a decade has worked out for them.
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Nothing’s wrong with only doing one game per generation. Hell, Street Fighter does that while also starting from scratch each time.
 
ziggyrivers said:
Also, re: next gen patches:
• Would it be crazy to think that Nintendo could charge for them, but if you have the Expansion Pack of NSO, patches will be free?
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I have thought about the same idea before. In my mind it seems plausible, I don't think they would do it, but it's very Nintendo. But they would have to sell the patches separately too.
 
Meelow said:
Let's be real, this thread has turned into "Nintendo Switch 2 Speculation, Rumors, Discussion Thread" a while ago.
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Nintendo is very clear about this, it's not merely a console, it's an integrated hardware-software platform. No software without hardware, but the hardware is nothing without its software! 😜
 
Neoxon said:
Another thing, Smash REALLY needs to unionize the English voice production next time. Stuff like Sonic & Sora relying solely on reused lines (from Generations & Dream Drop Distance respectively) as well as Cloud & Sephiroth only speaking Japanese stand out like sore thumbs.
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Honestly, I never noticed it. I noticed Cloud and Sephiroth being JP only but that's the only voices I know from them so they sound like they always have for me, so nothing stood out.
 
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lexony said:
Summary of everything we know so far:
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81h95y.jpg
 
HankyPanky said:
i realise it's bunk but just thinking about that someone wrote about a possible T254 (which does actually exist in some form). 3-4 years down the line we get a Pro based on the next mobile arch which is easily scaleable with existing software due to DLSS. selling points - supports DLSS 4.5 (whatever it is by then), frame-gen, 120hz refresh OLED screen, you get the idea. plays the exact same software but can get even better 4k IQ by rendering at higher resolutions.

Nintendo & Nvidia is a pretty exciting combination and the Switch 2 could only be the beginning in terms of going toe to toe with the others. Nintendo could realistically have THE mobile gaming device if they leverage Nvidia's technologies to the fullest. there's increasing competition in the mobile gaming PC/handheld space but if the Switch 2 delivers what it promises it could be the new floor for Nintendo. not something to sit on for 7 years but a foundation to expand further into the gaming market.

there could also be a v2 and/or Lite Drake based on a smaller T239 if that becomes viable, no harm in that to give people options.
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Yeah this would be ideal. I also always wondered why people thought Nintendo never cared to improve tech or specs over time on their current generation hardware.

This is the same company that had modular add ons for the N64 to make certain games possible. Not to mention the numerous little improvements made to the DS and 3DS over time that improved things about the hardware and the performance of some games.

Mariko is probably the most recent example of this and you can actually test improved performance on these Switches with games like ToTK right now. So I think a NG Pro model with all the bells and whistles you mentioned are natural evolution of that since I think Nintendo's flirted with the idea of mid gen refreshes for the longest time. The OLED is a pretty solid example of that.

Perhaps if NVIDIA can cook them up something special they can't refuse we get it down the line. The mobile market just seems primed for some big advancements in the coming years.
 
Multiverse said:
And it tanked for a reason. Wii U itself is still smaller than competitors.

Context matters. Manufacturers TODAY are still struggling to make a handheld with that kind of power envelope in the size of the Switch. And the Switch Lite isn’t much bigger than the 3DS while being 30x more powerful.
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You're saying context matters but you're not even using it. That's my point. Remember when the Switch was released and the anticipation before it. No one imagined an oversized portable. Portable fans at the time were disappointed in its huge size and how non-pocketable it was. I still remember all that. Even the ones who were "ok" with its size were saying they'll just have to carry a bag for it, but they still weren't exactly happy. But as time went on, we found out it's actually ok. It's not an issue at all. Look at all the success it got.

Just think of back then, all the anticipation and reactions, and think now. What you may think now is oversized, might not be at all.

And of course the Lite is much bigger than the 3DS. You're actually proving my point here. Even with tech advancements, the best they could do with that price point and power, is that size.

So in conclusion, it's very possible with what tech advancements we've reached now and what max power can be achieved at a similar Switch price point, we get a bigger Switch. It's fine. Some will complain at first like with the Switch, then adapt.
 
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I hope the switch 2 has 120hz support right out the gate, at least in docked mode. That would be pretty freakin sweet for 2d/low poly games.
 
Serif said:
Switch is pretty small and light. About the width of a 3DS XL without joycon
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The Switch is anything but small and light. And who calculates its size without controllers? Then you ought to do the same for the 3DS and just calculate screen width without controls. C'mon now.

These are mine. Just look at that difference.

PXL-20231005-000500684.jpg
 
Bluntly, if Nintendo was embracing a considerably larger design, they wouldn't be working with a 9W GPU in T239.

T239 is impressive, yes, but at 4nm, it consumes only as much power, and produces only as much heat, as the original Nintendo Switch, while being PHYSICALLY SMALLER than the original Tegra X1 and the shrunken Tegra X1+.

So unless they've ever gone outside the design parameters of T239, or switched to a different SOC entirely, NG Switch isn't going to be some Lovecraftian horror of a brick, it's going to be just as slim as the Nintendo Switch, or they could even make it thinner, just inevitably larger in width and height thanks to a bigger screen, and likely this allows for a bigger battery, too, but they won't sacrifice portability to do that.

A thin device with chuuunnnky controllers is both portable and comfortable, and it appears T239 is perfectly positioned to deliver a device both thin and powerful.
 
Concernt said:
Bluntly, if Nintendo was embracing a considerably larger design, they wouldn't be working with a 9W GPU in T239.

T239 is impressive, yes, but at 4nm, it consumes only as much power, and produces only as much heat, as the original Nintendo Switch, while being PHYSICALLY SMALLER than the original Tegra X1 and the shrunken Tegra X1+.

So unless they've ever gone outside the design parameters of T239, or switched to a different SOC entirely, NG Switch isn't going to be some Lovecraftian horror of a brick, it's going to be just as slim as the Nintendo Switch, or they could even make it thinner, just inevitably larger in width and height thanks to a bigger screen, and likely this allows for a bigger battery, too, but they won't sacrifice portability to do that.

A thin device with chuuunnnky controllers is both portable and comfortable, and it appears T239 is perfectly positioned to deliver a device both thin and powerful.
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I don’t know how you know these things about drake.
 
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Concernt said:
Bluntly, if Nintendo was embracing a considerably larger design, they wouldn't be working with a 9W GPU in T239.

T239 is impressive, yes, but at 4nm, it consumes only as much power, and produces only as much heat, as the original Nintendo Switch, while being PHYSICALLY SMALLER than the original Tegra X1 and the shrunken Tegra X1+.

So unless they've ever gone outside the design parameters of T239, or switched to a different SOC entirely, NG Switch isn't going to be some Lovecraftian horror of a brick, it's going to be just as slim as the Nintendo Switch, or they could even make it thinner, just inevitably larger in width and height thanks to a bigger screen, and likely this allows for a bigger battery, too, but they won't sacrifice portability to do that.

A thin device with chuuunnnky controllers is both portable and comfortable, and it appears T239 is perfectly positioned to deliver a device both thin and powerful.
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Also they'd probably want to make it backwards compatible with Switch joycons, docks, carrying cases, etc. to incentivize Switch owners to upgrade.
 
redmutineer75 said:
Also they'd probably want to make it backwards compatible with Switch joycons, docks, carrying cases, etc. to incentivize Switch owners to upgrade.
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I doubt they'll be able to make everything compatible for a bunch of reasons, but my basic expectations would be:

Fully compatible with Nintendo Switch Dock with LAN Port.
Compatible with original dock at 1080p max output.
Charges original Joy-Con, but might not work in handheld mode with them due to the increased size. (But the rail could only be part of the side now rather than the full length, and just have OG Joy-Con hang lower on the body.)

Carrying cases will vary hugely, with most not working due to the larger screen, thus larger body, and likely much thicker Joy-Con successors.
 
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darthdiablo said:
Yet you're kind of going "hmm hmm" about Nov 10 restocking date, lol. I mean, that wouldn't be hard evidence of imminent announcement either by its lonesome. For the record, I didn't say it was a sign of imminent announcement either.

I'm merely adding this to the growing pile of observations and rumors: Wii U and 3DS online terminating in April 2024, the rumored December production, something about March 2024 Nate mentioned, the November 10 amiibo restocking, Sharp entering production THIS fiscal year for an unnamed console and more observations/rumors I'm probably missing.
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Oh, I know. Like I said, it is compelling, and personally I think it's a good sign that the announcement is sooner than a lot of people think. But someone earlier mentioned how Nintendo slacked off on this last time, so the idea of them really getting ahead of the problem this time and changing the packaging really early does seem possible, at least enough that I can't really argue against it. But with the Amiibo restocks, I think anyone who disagrees with the theory really needs to offer up an alternative explanation for why they would be happening, other than a Switch 2 announcement. Only because of all the data clearly showing that every single Amiibo restock is ALWAYS connected to something relevant.
 

I know Centro's track record is iffy, though this isn't their information. It comes from "Riddler_Khu.". It looks like Black and White remakes could happen next year.
Original Source
A little more context (YT Video)

If this is accurate, then I think this means the launch of new hardware isn't in November 2024, which is the probable month such games would be released (They tend to have yearly mainline releases, it's been three years since BDSP, the team who worked on that could easily be "ready" to release another set of remakes next year.). I don't see them releasing a system the same month we get these remakes. They've never launched a system with a mainline Pokemon game before, let alone a remake of one. I think people either heard or are expecting the 3D Mario to be the launch game if it isn't Prime 4, and I don't think they would want to cram a 3D Mario, Black and White remakes, and a new console release in the same month, especially if they want to avoid stock problems. I don't think people were expecting it to be in November anyway, for the most part.

If Riddler_Khu has a spotty history as well, please let me know. I'm pretty sure they don't, but I'm not entirely sure.
 
TLZ said:
The Switch is anything but small and light. And who calculates its size without controllers? Then you ought to do the same for the 3DS and just calculate screen width without controls. C'mon now.
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It's just a reference point for context. The Switch is fairly light, ~398 grams vs 336 grams of the n3DS XL, you could still reasonably carry it between your fingers. We've left the realm of super light Game Boys a long time ago. As more handhelds come to market the Switch and its successors will end up among the thinnest and lightest as screen sizes and power consumption grow bigger, the exception being niche emulation and homebrew devices.

I was joining in on the conversation above my post discussing whether or not Nintendo would ship an oversized handheld.
I was making the argument that the Switch isn't particularly oversized (hence me saying pretty small), and made a comparison to the width of the 3DS XL. The reason I mention the detached controls is purely for comparison i.e. 'look how small this device actually is, the tablet by itself is the width of the 3DS XL'. I obviously know the device in its full handheld form is wider. (And yes, it is valid to include the size without controllers due to tabletop mode, which is usable, you can't remove the controls from a 3DS). But again, this is just for comparison's sake, to make the argument that even with their biggest portable, Nintendo has tried to keep it to a reasonable size.

I own multiple handhelds and I'm aware of the relative size of the Switch. So, I don't need the attitude or another comparison pic that you took yourself for something I said four pages ago as a part of a specific conversation and that I provided another comparison photo for on that same page (with joy con attached). Thanks.
 
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Paraspikey said:
If Riddler_Khu has a spotty history as well, please let me know. I'm pretty sure they don't, but I'm not entirely sure.
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Pretty sure they have a relatively decent history, just really annoying they gameify telling leaks for interactions.

Also I dont think centroleaks is even a leaker, they never really claim to be, just a hub for leaks.
 
Black and White remakes being "authentic" and cross gen would be basically poetic, hahaha.
But what on earth will they do with Black and White 2, release them seperately? As DLC? Included as a ridiculously long post game?
 
eye0h said:
Pretty sure they have a relatively decent history, just really annoying they gameify telling leaks for interactions.

Also I dont think centroleaks is even a leaker, they never really claim to be, just a hub for leaks.
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I recall them claiming to know some stuff, and it ended up not happening, though I'd have to dig back to find that.
 
ILikeFeet said:
we know so damn much about the hardware, it's boring to talk about the hardware

very first world problem, I know
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Do we? What if Nintendo throwed away T239 because it couldn't meet their energy efficiency requirements and went with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and the glorious Snapdragon Game Super Resolution. Would explain the "analysts" takes about Switch 2 not having BC
In case it isn't clear, I'm joking
Paraspikey said:

I know Centro's track record is iffy, though this isn't their information. It comes from "Riddler_Khu.". It looks like Black and White remakes could happen next year.
Original Source
A little more context (YT Video)

If this is accurate, then I think this means the launch of new hardware isn't in November 2024, which is the probable month such games would be released. I don't see them releasing a system the same month we get these remakes. They've never launched a system with a mainline Pokemon game before, let alone a remake of one. I think people either heard or are expecting the 3D Mario to be the launch game if it isn't Prime 4, and I don't think they would want to cram a 3D Mario, Black and White remakes, and a new console release in the same month, especially if they want to avoid stock problems. I don't think people were expecting it to be in November anyway, for the most part.

If Riddler_Khu has a spotty history as well, please let me know. I'm pretty sure they don't, but I'm not entirely sure.
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Oh no. No, no, no, no, no. No, God, please no. NO!!!!!!!!

Imagine remaking the most ambitious 2D Pokémon game on f........ BDSP style. I cannot even fathom such thing happening. Black and White needs a Legends like GFX remake and a 3rd game to finish off the loose points. If GF does a cookie cutter remake, I'll be soooooooo mad.
lemonfresh said:
if the screen is lcd I wonder if people will wait until the oled model is out to upgrade and just stick with the oled switch 1 until then
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Nah. Great games will be released and will make people buy it. No one will hold off for OLED when Zelda 3D Next is show off with insane GFX, new gameplay ideas and being a huge leap over ToTK.
 
Concernt said:
But handhelds are a bit different. There just isn't going to be an RTX handheld that isn't Nintendo for a long while, if ever. They won't have Tensor Cores, they won't have RT Cores, or OFAs, and even the most cutting edge handhelds today aren't punching above the power of T239 without serious trickery (like advertising over 8TF by saying dual-issue doubles it.)
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I don't think that's true with respect to ray tracing.

Meteor Lake's iGPU, which is based on the Intel Arc architecture, does have Ray Tracing Units (RTUs), which is Intel's equivalent of Nvidia's RT cores. Intel Arc GPUs did achieve level 3.5 ray tracing (p. 26) before Ada Lovelace GPUs did. And Intel did research on ray tracing for a long while.
 
Dakhil said:
I don't think that's true with respect to ray tracing.

Meteor Lake's iGPU, which is based on the Intel Arc architecture, does have Ray Tracing Units (RTUs), which is Intel's equivalent of Nvidia's RT cores. Intel Arc GPUs did achieve level 3.5 ray tracing (p. 26) before Ada Lovelace GPUs did. And Intel did research on ray tracing for a long while.
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I did mean "RT Cores", proper noun, Nvidia's solution, not that other handhelds won't or can't have RT acceleration. Thanks for the additional information on the industry at large, though. I wasn't aware of the extent of Intel's RT investments.
 
BreakAtmo said:
Oh, I know. Like I said, it is compelling, and personally I think it's a good sign that the announcement is sooner than a lot of people think. But someone earlier mentioned how Nintendo slacked off on this last time, so the idea of them really getting ahead of the problem this time and changing the packaging really early does seem possible, at least enough that I can't really argue against it. But with the Amiibo restocks, I think anyone who disagrees with the theory really needs to offer up an alternative explanation for why they would be happening, other than a Switch 2 announcement. Only because of all the data clearly showing that every single Amiibo restock is ALWAYS connected to something relevant.
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Yeah. And I’m saying the console branding being removed, in combination to November 10 restocking, strengthens the theory that it’s tied to something even more. Doesn’t have to be an imminent announcement.

Keep in mind nobody was supposed to know about November 10 restocking. And also nobody was supposed to know about the branding change as well.
 
Ghostsonplanets said:
Oh no. No, no, no, no, no. No, God, please no. NO!!!!!!!!

Imagine remaking the most ambitious 2D Pokémon game on f........ BDSP style. I cannot even fathom such thing happening. Black and White needs a Legends like GFX remake and a 3rd game to finish off the loose points. If GF does a cookie cutter remake, I'll be soooooooo mad.
Click to expand...
It sounds like that's exactly what's happening lolololol but there is also an interpretation for translation that there will be an additional game with the legends formula.

If it's just a barebones remake it'll just be made by ILCA and it'll be pretty mid. I think the only way we get decent games is if they're exclusive to the new console tbh.
 
darthdiablo said:
Yeah. And I’m saying the console branding being removed, in combination to November 10 restocking, strengthens the theory that it’s tied to something even more. Doesn’t have to be an imminent announcement.

Keep in mind nobody was supposed to know about November 10 restocking. And also nobody was supposed to know about the branding change as well.
Click to expand...

What's this about an Amiibo rebranding?
 
eye0h said:
It sounds like that's exactly what's happening lolololol but there is also an interpretation for translation that there will be an additional game with the legends formula.

If it's just a barebones remake it'll just be made by ILCA and it'll be pretty mid. I think the only way we get decent games is if they're exclusive to the new console tbh.
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I know they could easily release new hardware in September with a 3D Mario, and everything will end up being fine, but honestly, if the remakes are lower quality, would they even want to launch new hardware during the Holiday season at all? It seems so weird to me for them to open the gate and then instantly have the big Holiday game possibly be remakes that could be very barebones.

The more I sit on things, the more I lean toward a June launch honestly. It could be March, but TTYD could easily be an April or May game, and if the holiday games are those remakes, then I feel like they would want a little more breathing room so they can build up software for the new hardware.
 
Meelow said:
What's this about an Amiibo rebranding?
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The new restocks for November 10, that was leaked back in July and no one is supposed to know about, has console branding removed from back of amiibo boxes, after 6.5 years of using the same branding since May 2017

I also shared an image of the changes few replies ago.

If November 10 restocking isn’t tied to anything then it would make it pretty odd.
 
darthdiablo said:
The new restocks for November 10, that was leaked back in July and no one is supposed to know about, has console branding removed from back of amiibo boxes, after 6.5 years of using the same branding since May 2017

I also shared an image of the changes few replies ago.

If November 10 restocking isn’t tied to anything then it would make it pretty odd.
Click to expand...

I hate to be that guy but...Link (from Zelda) to post?
 
eye0h said:
It sounds like that's exactly what's happening lolololol but there is also an interpretation for translation that there will be an additional game with the legends formula.

If it's just a barebones remake it'll just be made by ILCA and it'll be pretty mid. I think the only way we get decent games is if they're exclusive to the new console tbh.
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Legends Unova where you're the Pokéverse equivalent of Lewis and Clark.
 
eye0h said:
It sounds like that's exactly what's happening lolololol but there is also an interpretation for translation that there will be an additional game with the legends formula.

If it's just a barebones remake it'll just be made by ILCA and it'll be pretty mid. I think the only way we get decent games is if they're exclusive to the new console tbh.
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Just f..... kill me if true. B/W were the Pokémon games that reignited my passion for Pokémon series. Amazing and very soulful games. It will be sad to see them being lost to the modern soulless and corporate grinding machine called The Pokémon Company.
 
GameFreak needs an overhaul or to be replaced by a company that can do the series justice.

I think Bandai could do a better job lol.
 
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