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[Event thread] Nintendo Switch 2 Direct is 60mn long, TreeHouse on April 3rd/4th
- Thread starter Joseki
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It's already started for Express cards imo, Lexar released their PlayPro line on Tuesday alongside the Direct for pretty decent starting prices ($49.99 256GB, $99.99 512GB, $199.99 1TB) and they're already completely sold out. The demand is going to be huge for these cards driven by Switch 2, which will lead to a virtuous cycle of growing adoption / growing scale / lowering price, and it'll only accelerate as new phones, cameras and other handheld gaming devices increasingly adopt Express interfaces.
We're still waiting on Samsung's entire card line and SanDisk's higher capacity cards, currently they only have 256GB ($59.99) and 128GB ($49.99).
Man that 128gb one seems like a massive ripoff, only ten more dollars to double the capacity?
Oh, I mistyped, it's $44.99. Still a ripoff though, lol.
I would strongly recommend to read the TGB article on the Switch 2
Great overview overall, with talks of sales forecasts, tariffs, 3rd party devs desperate to get devkits and the growing share of 3rd party sales for Nintendo consoles.
www.thegamebusiness.com
Great overview overall, with talks of sales forecasts, tariffs, 3rd party devs desperate to get devkits and the growing share of 3rd party sales for Nintendo consoles.
Game devs scramble to join Nintendo Switch 2 gold rush
Tariffs on Japan and Vietnam hit Switch 2 pricing, but retailers and analysts remain bullish
www.thegamebusiness.com
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The most interesting thing about this article is that indie publishers were wary of expecting too much due to backwards compatibility plus increased third-party interest.I would strongly recommend to read the TGB article on the Switch 2
Great overview overall, with talks of sales forecasts, tariffs, 3rd party devs desperate to get devkits and the growing share of 3rd party sales for Nintendo consoles.
Game devs scramble to join Nintendo Switch 2 gold rush
Tariffs on Japan and Vietnam hit Switch 2 pricing, but retailers and analysts remain bullish
Like, let's compare the notable launch titles. Like... just the games. No services or Switch 2 Editions and whatnot.
NINTENDO SWITCH: 1-2-Switch, Fast RMX, I am Setsuna, Just Dance 2017, Shovel Knight, Skylanders: Imaginators, Snipperclips, Super Bomberman R, The Legend of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild, VOEZ
NINTENDO SWITCH 2: Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster, Civilization VII, Cyberpunk 2077, Deltarune Chapters 3 + 4, Fortnite, Hitman: World of Assassination, Hogwarts Legacy, Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess, Mario Kart World, Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S, Split Fiction, Street Fighter 6, Yakuza 0: Director's Cut
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That one makes perfect sense.
On switch 1, the competition was basically just nintendos own new games and whoever made a game for switch.
Now its Nintendos new games, but also all the games nintendo released in the last 8 years, and all the 15000+ third party games already on the switch.
Getting back to SD cards, it appears Gamestop is already offering their own branded cards to launch alongside the system and at a discount versus the Lexar cards ($49.99 256GB, $84.99 512GB, $149.99 1TB). No way would I touch these cards myself though, lol, but at least the competition's starting in earnest.
My big question is if Nintendo updated standards to be compatible with SDUC now? The 2TB ceiling for SDXC would be a real hinderance looking ahead and Sandisk already said they plan to launch 4TB and 8TB cards in 2025 (albeit on the older UHS-1 interface, not Express).
My big question is if Nintendo updated standards to be compatible with SDUC now? The 2TB ceiling for SDXC would be a real hinderance looking ahead and Sandisk already said they plan to launch 4TB and 8TB cards in 2025 (albeit on the older UHS-1 interface, not Express).
One thing i realized, Nintendo removed vouchers, but instead made every Switch 2 game automatically cheaper digitally than physical Switch 2 games. I wonder why they went that route, which probably angers retailers instead of using the voucher system which didn't anger retailers.
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Vouchers also had the advantage of expiring. If someone somehow forgets to redeem one, it's just free money.
Nintendo is going to sell Samsung branded cards themselves it seems.
www.nintendo.com
Samsung microSD Express Card – 256GB for Nintendo Switch™ 2 - Nintendo Official Site
Buy Samsung microSD Express Card – 256GB for Nintendo Switch™ 2 and shop other great Nintendo products online at the official My Nintendo Store.
www.nintendo.com
Couple of takeaways from my end focusing more on the Japanese market
- Game share is totally underestimated and under-reported. If you have a larger family with multiple Switches you can share a game with up to three other local systems at a time - including OG Nintendo Switch. While certain titles will provide online sharing option. Depending on the type of games Nintendo make compatible for online sharing... this could be huge and they might need to report number of players instead of just sales
- For a lot of younger people in Japan games like Street Fighter 6, Elden Ring, Cyberpunk 2077, Split Fiction, Final Fantasy VII Remake, Wild Hearts are unknown quantity & quality simply because they never owned a system that had those games
- Overall it will be much more packed launch year for third parties, as I think with the current economic situation there will be a big rush to port as many games to the Switch 2 as possible - leading to discoverability problems if you aren't featured in a direct and your game has already been released and marketed on other systems. There will be winners and hopefully the porting process is not that costly but for many studios and publishers absent on the Switch it will be a difficult task to find an audience with users in Japan lacking familiarity with their IPs.
- Game share is totally underestimated and under-reported. If you have a larger family with multiple Switches you can share a game with up to three other local systems at a time - including OG Nintendo Switch. While certain titles will provide online sharing option. Depending on the type of games Nintendo make compatible for online sharing... this could be huge and they might need to report number of players instead of just sales
- For a lot of younger people in Japan games like Street Fighter 6, Elden Ring, Cyberpunk 2077, Split Fiction, Final Fantasy VII Remake, Wild Hearts are unknown quantity & quality simply because they never owned a system that had those games
- Overall it will be much more packed launch year for third parties, as I think with the current economic situation there will be a big rush to port as many games to the Switch 2 as possible - leading to discoverability problems if you aren't featured in a direct and your game has already been released and marketed on other systems. There will be winners and hopefully the porting process is not that costly but for many studios and publishers absent on the Switch it will be a difficult task to find an audience with users in Japan lacking familiarity with their IPs.
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makes sense given that press release from months ago from Samsung with a "undisclosed partner" that helped develop the Express technology. they're just releasing them with the company that will make the most use of Express for the time being and that most likely requested this R&D.Nintendo is going to sell Samsung branded cards themselves it seems.
Samsung microSD Express Card – 256GB for Nintendo Switch™ 2 - Nintendo Official Site
Buy Samsung microSD Express Card – 256GB for Nintendo Switch™ 2 and shop other great Nintendo products online at the official My Nintendo Store.
I'm still curious to see if Nintendo will get any RoI for helping develop this technology assuming it becomes standard for the mass market.
This just makes me want Panzer Dragoon, Sin & Punishment, plus a Pilotwings revival!
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I also think it's crazy game share, a feature we've not seen since the DS, was pushed under the carpet by the internet discourse. that's a massive pro consumer move. Arguably of course in modern times it's less likely for people to meet up in real life, so its benefits might also be reduced.Couple of takeaways from my end focusing more on the Japanese market
- Game share is totally underestimated and under-reported. If you have a larger family with multiple Switches you can share a game with up to three other local systems at a time - including OG Nintendo Switch. While certain titles will provide online sharing option. Depending on the type of games Nintendo make compatible for online sharing... this could be huge and they might need to report number of players instead of just sales
- For a lot of younger people in Japan games like Street Fighter 6, Elden Ring, Cyberpunk 2077, Split Fiction, Final Fantasy VII Remake, Wild Hearts are unknown quantity & quality simply because they never owned a system that had those games
- Overall it will be much more packed launch year for third parties, as I think with the current economic situation there will be a big rush to port as many games to the Switch 2 as possible - leading to discoverability problems if you aren't featured in a direct and your game has already been released and marketed on other systems. There will be winners and hopefully the porting process is not that costly but for many studios and publishers absent on the Switch it will be a difficult task to find an audience with users in Japan lacking familiarity with their IPs.
They didn't remove vouchers btw.
They just said that Switch 2 games won't be included with the current ones. Which makes sense given the price increase.
Once the exclusive catalog is larger, they will probably introduce Switch 2 vouchers.
Game Share also works online btw
The original voucher program didn't launch until a little over two years after the Saitch launched, for some perspective.
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I think it's super underestimated. The fact that you can share to Switch 1 consoles locally is insane and will be incredibly valuable to families.
Also you can share select games online to people with a Switch 2 via GameChat, which might actually be THE reason to use that feature over Discord.
AruanaRiva
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Top JP Predictor
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Atlus, Harada, Night game is the new Alliance!!!
Agreed. Everyone is locked on for Mario 3D Platformer and Nintendo can still deliver us huge surprise with brand new 3D DK game.
After Retro is done with Prime 4. I hope they will deliver the ending trilogy for 2D DK as well for completion.
Will they finally let us have the Kremlings back one last time for closure too?
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I think Bananza is a great move, it will undoubtedly become the best selling DK game on a home console, I think it should easily become a 15M seller, and after that EPD Tokyo has a secondary IP to expand and become a fully 2 team studio. also will allow us to get 2 different 3D Platformers per generation instead of one (3DS and Wii U were sequels to one another so they played it smart).
On Vouchers, I think with players aware of the monthly release cadence for First Party titles, they could easily bring in vouchers in August/September, many people would buy one and know they'd have a second game to get in early 2026. Also if NS2E games are included the catalogue is already pretty substantial.
AruanaRiva
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Analyst
Top JP Predictor
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Atlus, Harada, Night game is the new Alliance!!!
Kremling is deado brotha. Let it go ma pal.
They have one Switch 2 Special Edition per month during the Summer (Zelda in June, Mario Party in July and Kirby in August).
If this is a monthly thing and taking into account Metroid and Pokémon, we could have 1-2 additional Switch enhanced games.
If this is a monthly thing and taking into account Metroid and Pokémon, we could have 1-2 additional Switch enhanced games.
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It's abundantly clear Nintendo has lots more news to show, from rumored cross-gen titles that aren't even announced, to suspisciously absent third party (Atlus, SEGA, Konami and their bigger projects), to the leaked 60fps mode for Xenoblade X.
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I think NS2E will be the new dripfeed for the early years of the console, alongside GCN drops on NSO+EP.
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Great article, but they're still making the mistake of comparing third-party sales with first-party sales. They can't judge the health of third-party sales based on that ratio, they need to compare it to third-party sales on other platforms instead.I would strongly recommend to read the TGB article on the Switch 2
Great overview overall, with talks of sales forecasts, tariffs, 3rd party devs desperate to get devkits and the growing share of 3rd party sales for Nintendo consoles.
Game devs scramble to join Nintendo Switch 2 gold rush
Tariffs on Japan and Vietnam hit Switch 2 pricing, but retailers and analysts remain bullish
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It wouldn't strange me they have in development NS2 Editions of Mario Wonder (October?), Pikmin 4 (December?) and Bayonetta 3 (January/February?)
There is a "leaked" Yoshi Woolly World that would say is coming in January as it was a month Nintendo usually drops WiiU ports and can be in anticipation of Mario movie that should heavily feature Yoshi. So well, I would also add that as NS2 Edition.
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Tbf it is not just the ratio they are basing it on. However, I don’t think that would work either as a whole approach considering the different business models. It would have to be on an individual per game basis but for an article like this becomes a little wordy & too in the weeds.
I thought the consensus that it was just a mistake and the 3DS art render had accidentally been used for the icon in just the US stream, since it was indeed Crafted World in the JP and EU/UK streams.
Man DK Bananza was the best showing for me. It’s an absolute joy to watch.
It looks delightful. It is definitely my most anticipated switch 2 game.
Big day for Mario Kart today.
Hands-on were universally positive, now to see how much they are still keeping under wraps.
Hands-on were universally positive, now to see how much they are still keeping under wraps.
Mario Kart World Direct just aired. It didn't really show off too much new information and thus probably won't convince anyone who was turned off by the $80/€90 price tag.
Biggest new things of note is that there will be a Prince of Persia-style rewind mechanic, as well as hundreds of mission objectives scattered throughout the open-world in Free Roam.
Biggest new things of note is that there will be a Prince of Persia-style rewind mechanic, as well as hundreds of mission objectives scattered throughout the open-world in Free Roam.
The people turned off by the price will likely just by it from regular sales later on.
I don't see what hold up remains when it comes to preorders, because Nintendo is unlikely to ever get clarity when it comes to the US tariffs situation, so there isn't much use to waiting, in this scenario.
Canada is apparently starting next week (April 23th). US should happen around the same time.
But wouldn't they announce that this week if it starts next week? Or will they shadowdrop the preorder opening in NA?
they can announce it on Monday, April 21st to open them on the rumored Wednesday, April 23rd
it's not that you need to pre-order a pre-order
the thing is, sales wouldn't give the discount that buying the bundle would. hell, $120 vouchers doesn't even give you that discount. the bundle is designed to get that game in as many hands as possible despite the sticker price
The MKW bundle is stupidly good and no one talks about it. There is literally no reason not to buy it outside of not liking MK.
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It’s only that ‘good’ due to MK:W high price if MK:W was a regular priced game it would just be a decent launch bundle.
'Normal' price MKW would be $70 since that is the new industry standard. Which is why I find all the bellyaching about MKW's price funny since you're basically crying over $10. So, it's still a god-tier bundle.
That Direct was a waste of time. They should have aired that two weeks ago, either with the reveal Direct or within a few days of it. There's very little new in it that wasn't already hinted at or inferred from the Treehouse and hands-on coverage. Team Drop the Price won this round.
do oyou understand how drastically different/wider is the target audience of a 15min Direct, compared to a hours long hands-on Treehouse?
we can't negatively judge a Direct because they already had a deep-dive specifically aimed at "us" few days ago
I don't even know what the Drop-price team is and I don't want to knwo lol
Core gamers never understand that Treehouse is for core gamers and not for casuals. That and people saying 'it could have been an email', are the same dweebs who don't read their Nintendo email. I know since Nintendo sent out an email after the Switch 2 Direct that had MKW and other games prices on it, but everyone ran with the $90 for MKW.
That's why they should have aired this back then. That wider audience doesn't care about when they see this Direct. Instead, they let their core audience speculate for 2 weeks about what they must be holding back. That's not the audience you want to underwhelm.
