I'm never going to take something so big out with me, I'll continue to use my phone because it fits in my pocket and it's one device that does everything. If it can act as a handheld then fine, I won't be using that functionality but ok. However for me and like 99% of people who used a 3ds, w emus the used them at home, they were like an iPad, they never left the house.

So the biggest disappointment was when they said it has to be docked to play on your TV... why? The Wii U works so well, the technology is already there, all they had to do was reverse it and out the receiver in the dock, even if it only ran at 720p...

I was dreaming of being able to play 3ds and ds games on the Switch, but now that can never happen. Then with all this table mode, handheld mode and console mode, it makes me worried developers can lock their games into modes. We know gamefreak love to piss off their players, so it wouldn't surprise me if you cannot play it while docked. What if they add touch screen controls?

It's such a big let down, for me it's what makes the Wii u superior, i don't care about the handheld part, I just wanted to be able to carry it around in the house and have dual screen functionality.

I'm sure there will be more dumb decisions from Nintendo along the way, only 25gb of internal memory (that's usable) will mean there will be no aaa third party support too, most games these days use 50gb.

The Wii U was a step in the right direction. Don't know why they felt the need to go back to the gimmicks most people don't want.

I can't really argue with anyone who was disappointed by the reveal but I'm looking forward to it. I bought a Wii U at launch and never regretted it, I loved almost everything I played on it and it was absolutely worth it for me. I love the look of the Switch and I have faith that there will be amazing games on it.

I don't come to Nintendo consoles for third party support so it doesn't bother me if all I ever use this for are Nintendo's games.

If you had to decide between a Switch or PS4/X1 right now, the Switch is a bad value proposition and I completely understand why a lot of people are going to wait and see.

to me it's what the wii u should have been. but i guess we weren't quite there with the tech yet. i always loved off tv play and now it's properly realized.

One of the refrains I continue to hear from people who are already sold on the Switch is "I don't come to Nintendo Platforms for X", where "X" is literally any modern gaming quality of life feature. I understand managing expectations and I recognize the niche that Nintendo is targeting, but at some point this feels like making excuses for a company that refuses to be observant of global trends and what audiences (beyond its built-in fanbase) want.

I really want to love the Nintendo Switch, but it feels like another confused platform and it's launching with an unacceptably thin lineup. They didn't speak to their online capabilities enough, despite knowing that has been a pain point on their systems for generations now. Every component of the device is overpriced, and the very thin details on their playstation-plus style online offering sound insulting. Like it or not, we live in a world where consumers expect a certain amount of value from their myriad monthly subscription services, and offering a single 20-year-old game every month and then TAKING IT AWAY is just laughable.

That said, Nintendo's strength IS in its development... But here, they haven't done enough either. SnipperClips is cute, 1-2 Switch seems like a good tech demo. ARMS looks great! Mario Odyssey genuinely gave me goosebumps. But those aren't even all launching with the device. They have one core game launching with their hardware, and they've spread out the kind of launch lineup port-filler that plagues every console over 10 MONTHS. That doesn't say much about what's coming.

Indie support will help, and I hope they really focus on it. I don't want to sound overly negative, the hardware itself seems amazing and I would love to own one of these, but I'm going to wait for it to have some games that I care about before I plunk down 3 hundo. I fear I will be waiting a long, long time.

I'm drunk so accuse (excuse?) my nonsense, but this is a garbage stance to take. 'I won't take it out with me, therefor it's trash' and 'my phone does everything and is smaller' are examples of such nonsensical argumentation, it just doesn't matter in the slightest. It's not something you want, sure. But dismissing it on the premise of what it wants to be seems silly. The Switch is going to do much better than the Wii U, we can bet on that. While it might not (could, but probably won't) hit Wii numbers, it will at least be better in the eyes of the core gaming community than that one too.

Your phone won't play the games that will release on the Switch and nowhere else will Nintendo games release of that quality for that matter. While you can play it on the train or bus, the appeal of the Switch is to take it anywhere like to a friend's house and you can have fun there. I totally dig what they are going for, you obviously do not and that's fair. I didn't like the Wii one bit while others did and that's cool too.

But your requirements aren't the only true ones out there and I bet the Switch will do exceptionally well. Especially compared to the Wii U, but I bet it doesn't miss the mark on the Wii that much either.

I guess I kind of agree. I was very disappointed that they were going back to stupid motion controls and gimmicky games like 1, 2, Switch. The lineup looks bad, because I'm about the only person in the world who isn't maintaining a permanent erection over the new Zelda game. I like Mario games and smash bros. If the online is priced well and offers enough, I may consider getting one, but I didn't get a Wii U because of the games available (no matter how much I really wanted to try splatoon). If I were taking a portable platform with me, besides my phone, I'd probably take my iPad. There are plenty of $1-$2 games that I bought on sale as well as the ability to play movies and music.

I just wish I wasn't so disappointed. I really do.

As someone who skipped the Wii U (and the Wii for that matter) the Switch presentation made the Wii U look really good in comparison... I'd be more likely to buy one of those than the Switch based on it.

It's already got Splatoon, Mario 3D Land, Bayonetta 2, Mario Maker, and it'll have Zelda too. So why would I pay more for a Switch?

The only gameplay gimmick of the Switch is Wii shit. That is done. The WiiU had the second screen, like the DS which allows some conveniences in games. Ill say it again, the Switch is a bigger PSVita with Nintendo games instead of Sony games... that actually kind of sold me a bit if they can get the same indie action going on too.

This is exactly how I feel about the Switch. The value that Nintendo is putting forth, to me, just isn't worth it right now. It just may be another one of those situations with a Nintendo device where I wait and I wait to finally buy it, but then decide against it because it just doesn't seem worth.

To say its worse than WiiU is a bit too hyperbolic I reckon.

To be fair with "I don't come to Nintendo platforms for X", that's mainly referring to 3rd parties and not just AAA stuff. An indie example, Shovel Knight came to WiiU and if I bought it on PSN at launch it was around $25, about $27-28 on 3DS. In stores on the WiiU it's a $50 game.

Who in their right mind would pay that much if they have cheaper alternatives? You hit the nail on the head with them not being observant of global trends. I want Nintendo to stay in the hardware side but damn they make it hard for themselves.

I'm not superhot on the launch lineup, but once it gets some more games I'm interested in on it, I don't think I can not buy one.
The online stuff seems questionable, but with the way I expect I'll ever engage with Nintendo's games and services, I doubt it'll bother me much.

For me, I also think the Switch is what the WiiU should have been. And because I have not owned a Nintendo console since the N64, I am excited.

I love the idea of playing classic Nintendo/Switch games in bed. That combined with what would have been handheld games coming out in the next two years being on here. I'm basically sold. I will mostly likely grab one by the end of the year.

I think the portability is good, but its the Wii stuff with the Joycons that is lame. Its going to bring a lot of the garbage games that the Wii got. I think Jeff nailed it on the stream when he said that he thought that the Switch was going to be about Nintendo getting serious about games again but nope, they're still into the gimmicks.

I liked what the Wii U was going for, so for me the Switch is everything I want out of a new Nintendo system. Just make it the Wii U but I can actually pick it up and take it with me to work so I can play console games on my break. It doesn't seem to be focusing too heavily on gameplay gimmicks. Sure it has motion controls, but I doubt a lot of games are going to make those mandatory, and the few that do seem goofy and fun enough that I'm willing to give it a try. The main thing holding me back is a lackluster lineup of software, not just at launch but for the whole year. ARMS, Splatoon 2, and Zelda are probably the only games that I'm interested in at this time. Launch lineups usually aren't anything amazing, but the Switch's lineup seems more mediocre than usual too. Zelda seems great but I can wait on it, and I'll probably stick this out until a revision or bundle drops.

I am pretty surprised by the backlash on this. Having one system for nintendo to focus all of their dev efforts on is fantastic. Also the portability is fine - it's the size of a small tablet. How many people actually would carry around their 3DS in their pocket? If you are commuting or traveling you have a bag - use your damn bag.

@atomicoldman: you basically summed up all my feelings. I wanted a portable nintendo console that I can play on the go and on my tv and that's what I got.

Nintendo once again missed the point again. It wasn't the console that was the problem, it was the lack of games. You're gonna tell me Mario Odyssey isn't possible on the Wii U? My ass it's impossible.

I thought the presentation was just painful to watch and totally killed any excitement I had for a new Nintendo console. Just more of the same gimmicks, painfully Japanese-centric, and about a generation (or two) behind everything else. I agree with others saying that the Switch is what the Wii U should have been, but even then I still don't think that's enough to save it from the same problems the Wii and Wii U have.

Maybe I'm just being overly cynical here, but to me it just seemed like the Wii U 2.0

Most dual-screen functionality consisted of inventory management and a map which can be done another way quite easily. Mario Maker is the only game without an elgant work-around but that could work in tablet mode. The Switch is replacing both Wii U & 3DS it will get all those games, Nintendo has said all games must work in three modes, the only stipulation is a developer can lock a game in portable mode on the TV but not vise versa. Zelda is only 13GB Xenoblade is one of the bigger Wii U games its 20GB SD card are not that expensive 64GB £20/$30. The Wii U has already been sunsetted if you want new games after Zelda Nintendo has made the choice for you the 3DS won't be far behind. Nintendo explaining functionality ad nauseam with 1-2 Switch doesn't sound like motion gaming 2.0, Nintendo Land did bugger all with dual-screens until Mario Maker & Star Fox. The Wii U basic came with 8GB you couldn't install Lego City, atleast Zelda fits on the Switch if you get the cart you don't need an install and you'll get much better load times.

I want to preface this by saying that I've never owned a nintendo system. That being said:

Give it a chance, it's not even out yet. You don't have to but it immediately so just see how things work out. They can't do the same thing as the Wii U because the tablet needed the processing power of the console. it's a different thing and it was a financial bust for them.

@zevvion: I'm interested to hear why you think the "core gaming community" will embrace the Switch over the Wii U. The Wii U was aimed at that community as it got rid of the gimmicks for the most part and was on par with what was available at the time.

Now the Switch is underpowered compared to what's available but still has an elevated price because they doubled down on the motion gimmick. It's probably going to do worse than the Wii U because of the price and even the Nintendo fans are going to get tired of buying a console just to play the same Nintendo games again.

Do you really want to play games on a tablet with your friends?

The Wii U didn't fail because of it's gimmick, it failed due to poor launch marketing and an inconsistent lineup of games. There was never the game to convince enough consumers to go buy a Switch.

Essentially you should buy a Switch if you think it'll be useful to you, and if you like enough of the games coming out in 2017. Otherwise wait, make Nintendo prove to you why you should buy one.

Not sure if I agree that the Wii U is better, but I agree with some of the things you've said. For instance, why would anyone want to bring this with them out of the house? The battery isn't good, it is bigger than your normal handheld, and finally, it doubles as a console as well. I wouldn't want to take the risk of bringing and losing a console either. That all said, I don't really care to play handhelds, and I never plan on un-docking the Switch. I know Nintendo doesn't want to be a direct competitor (part of me thinks they're scared for some reason), and they make great games, but come on, they really should make a more powerful system and start getting on track with the two other systems we all play. I don't want Nintendo to be a console maker that makes systems to be secondary, otherwise, they really should stop and start putting Zelda on the PS4 and Xbox One, as much as I hate to say that. I plan on getting the Switch, but I am a bit fed up with the way they do things.

I honestly see the Switch selling even worse than the Wii U. I don't think 3rd party developers will stick around, just like the Wii U. And I really don't know how many games Nintendo will put out there, maybe the same amount as Wii U? Either way I see it getting absolutely trashed by PS4 and XB1. If it sells 10 million units in its lifetime I will be impressed.

@casepb: are you serious? Please please please remember that this is not only here to replace the Wii U, it's here to replace the 3DS. I think a lot of people are just completely ignoring this fact.

I kind of liked the presentation. I was watching the GBU archive where they synced Jeff's Mixlr with the presentation and it was ok. If I was still an avid gamer I would bemoan the lack of content, but Zelda and Mario look pretty cool. I could see owning it with my busy schedule and have 2-3 quality games to play a year. That said, that is a low bar.

I don't think 1-2 Swtich is such a great pack-in though and that one use case is it relying on the tablet's sound alone is a bit much.

The thing I'm most curious about is how people will take to the smartphone app. People bemoaned the Xbox Snap feature, it'll be interesting to see if this is a more acceptable solution.

Honestly, my only problem, besides the launch lineup, with the system is the stuff like the motion controls, IR camera, and so on. I don't mind the idea of those features so to speak, but I'm concerned how much developers, including Nintendo themselves, will make use of them. Remember how the WiiU gamepad just became a second screen shortly after launch? Remember how pretty much no game used the analog nub on the 3DS? Shit, remember how almost everyone stopped using 3D on the fucking 3DS as time went on? That's the shit that bothers me.

I'm not even remotely surprised at how much the peripherals cost because look at all the shit they put into those controllers. But like...a year from now, I'm just worried I'm gonna be paying for controllers where I can't even make use of 80% of the features because every game just uses regular-ass-regular controls.

I will admit Zelda looks amazing.

I'm honestly debating just getting a WiiU if I can find one instead of a switch

From USA Today

Switch is not meant to replace the handheld Nintendo 3DS video game system that the company has been selling for years, and which Fils-Aime says had six straight months of year-on-year growth at the end of last year, with Nintendo selling more software for the system in October, November and December than it ever has.

“The 3DS business is incredibly vibrant and with a continuing flow of software it’s going to stay vibrant,” Fils-Aime insists.

@sadsadsad: LOL I stand by what I said.

Yeah, they'd be dumb to ask 60m 3DS owners to part with another handheld.

The Switch isnt made for me either but I could see people who enjoy mobile gaming getting a kick out of it. Personally i've always hated playing games in public and the few instances where it's viable (no glaring sunlight or crowds) i've still got my endless supply of PS+ shovelware for the Vita. It also doesnt require a damn back pack.

I've always enjoyed the Wii U. It's just a DS console. If they had ported more 3DS games to it (like PS4-Vita) there would be plenty of games. (I think MH3U was the only 3DS port)

And since that seemed like such a given I dont understand why people are assuming the Switch is going to be this all-in-one Nintendo console everybody wants.

Yes it would be a smart thing for Nintendo to do but if anything that almost confirms Nintendo arent going to do it.

1, 2, Switch isn't a pack-in, which is pretty baffling.

Speaking as someone who hasn't preordered but intends to get a Switch on launch (because I'll get one eventually and I have a short commute so may as well get Zelda on Switch), it seems fine to me...but there are so many design decisions that confuse the hell out of me. What's the point of the touch screen? Are we going to have a section of the eShop devoted to undocked games? That'll be weird. And that smartphone app, like what. the. fuck. They say the online services are launching in a trial state, which I hope means "We're gonna put all this shit on the OS, but not right away" and isn't just "Don't have to pay". I mean, I have my phone on me all the time, and I'll occasionally use it to Skype my buddies instead of voice chat on the system, but I'd like the option to access online features from the system too. I can only imagine that it was a way to offload the need for a data connection, since they intend for you to be able to have online features while out and about? But what the shit. Or maybe the app is just optional? I hope it is.

That's just marketing bullshit though. What is he going to say? 'With the launch of the Switch the 3DS will become obsolete, please do not buy it. We made the Switch to replace it so please don't buy our excess stock and games for it'.

It's right there along the lines of: 'We will continue to support the PS3 after the PS4 launches' and 'The Xbox 360 will be a cheaper option that we will continue to offer and support and we show that with this revamped Xbox 360E' and all that.

@boozak It absolutely will be the default and only Nintendo console though. Sure, the last couple games that will release on 3DS probably won't make it on there, but if Nintendo ever makes another handheld, it will be a cheaper and smaller version of the Switch that is dedicated for on the go gaming. It will play Switch games and Switch games will play those games.

Also, while I'm not taking away intend from anyone else, the reason I like the Switch is not because of the prospect to play on it while out and about, but to take it with me easily to a friend's house and play there. As someone who travels a bunch and stays in different locations often, even bringing a large laptop is sometimes annoying because it takes up so much space and you still need the mouse and then you still can only play by yourself and whatnot.

Being able to just throw the Switch in my bag, go somewhere and then play a fun game for an hour or so with someone else is super appealing to me.

According to Digital Foundry some of the games weren't running at 1080p even when docked, games like Disgaea and Bomberman which aren't even demanding games. Hopefully that's just temporary but boy, that's worrying.

Plus it makes me wonder why the Switch is going to cost £270.

@machofantastico: There wasn't any doubt in my mind that this thing would not be powerful. PS4 and Xbox One routinely do not hit 1080p as it is, even the Pro and Scorpio won't on all games and I never thought the Switch would be on par with those. I'm not surprised. Also not really worried. Nobody here is thinking Nintendo is going for strong 3rd party support are they? It's going to be Nintendo games and indie stuff in some sense.

@zevvion: thank you. Anybody that read that bullshit statement and actually doesn't think Nintendo wants this to replace 3ds is crazy.

Thing is you can buy a 3DS primarily for third-party stuff. If this is suppose to replace it and there's not as much third-party support for it, that's a problem. Sure there's more stuff coming, and it will have Pokemon and Monster Hunter in its back pocket, but right now the first year looks like the Wii U all over again.

I'm fairly sure Nintendo said exactly the same thing about the GBA around the time the DS was coming out, so I'd take that with a pinch of salt.

The only thing I can say, or think, to people that aren't stoked about a new product (regardless of where/who it comes from) is "sorry?" It legitimately sucks to not be enthralled by a new tech, but judging from the internet's majority this seems to be exactly what people were hoping for/expecting. I, someone who doesn't travel, still sees a benefit in taking the console with me in such an easy fashion. It's not a gimmick. That word needs to stop being used so lightly when people notice a product simply utilizing a feature that may not be as structured or normal as we are use to.

I won't be buying one day one, however. I don't do that for pretty much any system. The launch line-up isn't beefy enough for me, but I do have faith in Nintendo for putting out something I want. I don't go into the whole thing with outrageous expectations of monthly "must-buy" release solely because I wouldn't be able to afford it (as well as other things that interest me) even if they did. The Wii had plenty of titles making it's purchase sensible, the Wii U had plenty of titles of make it's purchase sensible, and judging from the direction of the Switch, it will also have enough titles to make a purchase sensible. I mean, hell, I own a PS4 and have roughly 4-6 games on it (barring a couple of small indie titles) and that is still worth the $400 I originally paid for it.

Again, it sucks to see others not stoked about a new "thing" in the industry, but I'll wait and see what people really think down the line when the system is at it's peak support for video games, which is when any sensible, or non-Nintendo fan would make their purchase decision anyway.

If they actually plan on this being the sole nintendo platform (and I have my doubts based on the stated success of the 3ds) then at very least I would wait for an inevitable hardware revision, because right now it comes off as another gimmick that looks too awkward to ever take out into public. By that time it will be streamlined and have a proper launch "window" worth of games out.

The idea that Nintendo is planning to go out to third-party developers with list of system specific demands (potentially similar to the one that chased developers away from the WiiU) worries me more than it reassures me.

To me, the Switch is not as bad as the Wii U, which I never wanted in my living room because the tablet looked and felt cheap and tatty. The Switch at least, looks, and by all accounts, feels more like a slick piece of hardware. I never wanted a Wii U, but I could see myself wanting a Switch for the right price, if that right price materializes any time soon.

@frodobaggins: Nintendo have combined their portable and console development teams last year and now have a device that can do both, while the 3DS still sells the Switch is a home console. 3DS sales have been slowing down for awhile with some quite severe droughts it'll need replacing soon, my guess is when the Switch price starts to comes down in the next year or two they'll phase out the 3DS.

Techtimes 3DS Sales Decline

@thepanzini: yes, I completely agree.

@professoress: A game can't be crap in portable but good on the TV is not an unreasonable ask, tbh third partys were never onboard anyway. The Switch's carts max capacity is 16GB and its network will come after launch in what capacity and how it'll work we don't know.

I mean, are you expecting the first year of a new console launch to be amazing? It never is. When was it ever? The first year of PS4 and Xbox One was dry as hell. Xbox 360 and PS3 same story. There are always a few games, but nothing lasting enough to not create a drought. Switch has Mario, Zelda and Splatoon. It will have enough for a first year and things should pick up after that.

@kindgineer: A "new" thing doesn't automatically make it a "good" thing, which might be the reason for the dissonance you're seeing in this thread. People have certain expectations and when they're not met it doesn't matter how shiny and new the technology is.