Discussion How should Nintendo handle Cross Gen games for switch 2?

[lemonfresh]

When Switch 2 comes out the possibility for cross gen games is high imo. Nintendo in the past has launched with cross gen games like Twilight princess with the gamecube + wii and BOTW for the Switch and wii u. How do you think cross gen will work on the switch? Could Metroid prime 4 or the next mario be cross gen like the previous big Zelda games that launched. Also what about future titles like how big titles come out for both ps4 and ps5 this gen.

 

[Catsylvania]

How do you think cross gen will work on the switch?

I don’t.

The only reason Nintendo had dual releases for Twilight Princess and Breath of the Wild is because it promised a big new game on underperforming hardware. It would have been a waste to release them on consoles dragging themselves across the finish line. However, a little goodwill goes a long way.

Nintendo doesn’t have that problem now. Assuming Switch’s successor has some backwards compatibility solution, I expect a phasing out of Switch releases starting with that Princess Peach game being the biggest post-Wonder release then some smaller titles/ports and more drip feed of retro games on Nintendo Switch Online.

I’m on Team Prime 4 On Switch 2. Personally, I strongly prefer not to buy new hardware to play it. My gut is telling me development moved to the successor.

 

[BlackthornOrion]

If we assume full (or full enough) backward compatibility, then I don't really see any reason not to have a lengthy cross-gen period like the other two platforms had. They've got a 130+ million install base that's still buying games in big numbers, so why not ease them into the next-gen for that "smooth transition" Nintendo keeps going on about.

A lot of Nintendo games aren't exactly the most demanding, so I could see a bunch of titles working as cross-gen for the first year or so of the Switch 2's life. My guess is there'll be one or two big next-gen exclusives at launch or in the first few months (for example, the next 3D Mario or a new Mario Kart), but a lot of stuff will come out on both and just have better performance and visuals as the main motivator for upgrading to new hardware (not like a lack of next-gen exclusives has hurt the PS5's sales at all). So, like, let's say Nintendo publishes a total of 20 games in the first two years of Switch 2 (reasonably plausible imo, since they can often average a game a month some years), I'm figuring maybe 6 to 8 of those would be truly next-gen only.

Also gonna put on my tinfoil hat and predict Nintendo's gonna go with paid upgrades for next-gen versions of Switch games, but will also include those upgrades with NSO+Expansion Pack (or a new tier, NSO+Expansion Pack+). Because that just feels like the kind of convoluted thing they'd do.

If there's no backwards compatibility though, then yeah, I think it'll be more like the 3DS --> Switch transition; a couple dregs, ports, and remasters keep coming out on the old thing that we wish came out on the new thing instead, but otherwise development will have pretty much entirely shifted over to the new thing.

 

[ILikeFeet]

I’m on Team Prime 4 On Switch 2. Personally, I strongly prefer not to buy new hardware to play it. My gut is telling me development moved to the successor.

The game started development before Drake did. It's gonna a Switch game regardless of how they handle cross gen games.


I don't see many cross gen games. Just Switch gamed with enhanced BC at best

 

[xghost777]

Cross gen is going to be strong on Switch 2 compared to any prior Nintendo console for a handful of reasons. Switch is essentially their only form factor now and the audience is still hungry for games so they aren't going to have a hard stop between Switch and Switch 2 especially as the latter needs to build an install base when demand inevitably outstrips supply for a few years. The first Switch being powerful enough to hold the core design of most Nintendo games (especially the platformers) and it already being HD capable means it's not terribly complicated to have cross gen going for a solid year or two either.

 

[TreIII]

Much like the GB/C to GBA transition, I don't really see there being too many reasons to beholden to the previous gen hardware. Nintendo wants people to upgrade, after all, and it's on them to communicate "why you should".

A key thing would be to give us assurance that backwards compatibility exists. Do that, and you make the pill easier to swallow. People could grumble all day long about upgrading to the GBA, and then to DS, in turn. But at least their catalogs were carried forward.

 

[SpaceGodzilla]

with their hands

 

[Catsylvania]

The game started development before Drake did. It's gonna a Switch game regardless of how they handle cross gen games.

Ehh, development also completely restarted in 2019, and we’ve barely heard a thing about Metroid Prime 4 since. It isn’t a stretch for the game to have been delayed off of Switch.

I’m cheap so I’d rather not buy a whole other console to play it, but like, I would.

 

[ILikeFeet]

Ehh, development also completely restarted in 2019, and we’ve barely heard a thing about Metroid Prime 4 since. It isn’t a stretch for the game to have been delayed off of Switch.

I’m cheap so I’d rather not buy a whole other console to play it, but like, I would.

Yes, I'm referring to Retro's version, not BN's. I don't believe the announcement was the hard start date, Retro was cookin before the announcement was officially made. The Drake project didn't get started until 2020, so I don't think they dumped Switch after already promising the game for it. They'd just add some features on top of it at best

 

[Terrell]

I think that it will depend on the game.

Mario Party? Cross-gen. The new Peach game? Cross-gen by virtue of when it is releasing. Luigi's Mansion 2? Cross-gen.
But the next 3D Mario, Mario Kart, Zelda, etc? Nah. If MP4 has dragged on in development too long, I also see that foregoing Switch.

And I don't expect new retail SKUs either, just day-one patches for the new hardware to take advantage of what it offers for pre-existing Switch titles or the patches coded into the Switch cart if released after the hardware announcement as preparation.

 

[Pokemaniac]

Switch 1 releases should continue for several years after the successor is released, functionally all of which will be cross-gen. Nintendo will not fully abandon it until the audience does. It'll just be one cart for both platforms. No need to complicate it further.

This is not to say that there won't be games exclusive to the new hardware from day one, but it will be a fairly gradual transition. Many of the bigger tentpole releases will probably make the jump pretty quickly, depending on various factors.

If MP4 has dragged on in development too long, I also see that foregoing Switch.

This just isn't happening unless hardware is specifically the reason the game gets stuck in development hell. There's little to gain from moving it off of Switch 1 otherwise.

 

[saodaje]

I expect the next 3D Mario game to launch at a lower framerate (Bowsers Fury in handheld mode sets a precedent for them being fine with 3D Mario going back to 30fps) 378p undocked/612p docked with FSR on the original Switch with all promo for the game being done on the Succ at something like 60fps 900p/1440p (maybe 1080p/1800p with DLSS).

I think most first party titles will follow something like that for the first 2 years as I doubt they’d want to throw away 130 million users when it comes to software sales. Could see less taxing games like the Mario Sports games, 2D Metroid, 2D Zelda, HD remasters of older games, etc releasing on the OG Switch for possibly 3-4 years after the Succ launches.

Animal Crossing and Prime 4 will probably be cross gen. Could see Splatoon 4 being the first Switch 2 exclusive timeline wise, if they decide to do a battle royale mode, splitscreen, and/or make the physics better or something. The next 3D Zelda will almost certainly be Switch 2 only.

 

[TheSpaceBetween]

About 2 years of mostly crossgen games.

 

[Rampo360]

I expect Nintendo to release exclusive and cross gen initially.
Indie dev will probably support both for a few years.
3rd parties on the other hand will probably wait for the new console to have a decent userbase and go full on exclusive.
But you know there's always the option to support switch through cloud for games that can only run on the new one natively.

 

[AngryAlchemist]

The way I see it crossgen will be there and prominent, but also a bit overhyped relative to how much it's been talked about. You'll probably see a lot of games be crossgen, but most of what drives enthusiast talk or early adopter sales will be exclusive.

 

[Semi Lazy Gamer]

All new first party Nintendo games, excluding Pokemon, released past launch of next-gen will be exclusively next gen.

Pokemon will be cross-gen until gen 10.

Some third-party games will be cross-gen.

First-party ports, remasters, and remakes will be cross-gen for a couple of years.

Some of the more recent games will also get cross-gen upgrade patches.

 

[oomoepoo]

Assuming backwards compatiblity, I expect some big games being exclusive but most small to midscale titles appearing on both machines. Kind of easing people onto the new console for the first year or two.

 

[Dardan Sandiego]

I expect a significant cross gen period (2 years if not more) but not necessarily all games to come to the older system. It’s in Nintendo’s interest to drive a fairly swift transition to the next system and the best way to do that are exclusives. Key titles like 3D Mario, Mario Kart and software targeting enthusiasts (Bayonetta 4 or Astral Chain 2) will surely target the Switch 2.

 

[Ojoloco]

Free patchs

 

[Brofield]

I expect their smaller Garage team games to be cross platform, but I think the only heavy hitter 1st party crossgen games going forward from Switch 2 that will also be playable on OG Switch will be the Gamecube/Wii/3DS ports that don't require a ton of overhead (plus whatever the launch title is).

Third parties can juggle between '150+m install base' or 'better tech actually suits our vision more' when deciding. I don't believe we'll see many more miracle ports after No Man's Sky coming to OG Switch.

 

[SuperFakerBros]

Aside from remasters, smaller or AA games (Mario Party, maybe the next Kirby, etc.), and MP4 because it's been promised since forever, I don't think there will be too much. Definitely less than Sony or Microsoft because their games are the biggest drivers for their systems. I can't say I see the next 3D Mario or Animal Crossing or Splatoon on the current Switch