Topic: The Nintendo Switch Rumor and Speculation Thread

@FishyS I have a tendency to feel a little self conscious both on and off forum. I just never know if I'm preaching to the choir, or am repeating topics that people are sick of reading about. But I appreciate anyone taking a minute to humor one of my silly little rambles.

@Novamii tbh, this forum is almost all rambles 😆 but it's fun.

You know, as much as there seems to be reason to believe the recent reports relating to the Switch that have come out from accessory manufacturers I'm not entirely sold. Specifically the magnetic JoyCons bit

In my mind I'm thinking of things like magnetic cables, magnetic cases, magnetic keyboards and such. I can't think of a magnetic mechanism that's robust enough to work in the way the JoyCon rails do. That's not really how magnets work. Usually the reason you use a magnet is because under force it pulls apart. Which isn't what you'd want from a controller attached to a relatively expensive tablet device

I mean who knows, maybe it's strong magnet that's assisted by a latch or something. Or maybe some kind of shape that when combined with the magnet forces the controller into a position that's stable. It could work. Just seems like an odd approach

Might just be one of those things that sounds odd when we first hear it but when we finally see it we go "oh, yeah, of course, that makes sense". Not unlike how the idea of the JoyCon seemed super wacky when they were first mentioned

So are we expecting something big next week, possibly related to the financial meeting?

@PikminMarioKirby

Nope, nothing but crickets on Switch 2.

chirp chirp

Just a bunch of rhetoric about how well the Switch continues to perform.

Investors will ask about the "future" and Furukawa will artfully navigate those questions.

@Magician 'We will continue supporting the Nintendo Switch with software going into the 2026 fiscal year as our primary console'

@skywake To me the idea definitely sounds bizarre yet functional enough to be a Nintendo plan. Magnetic controllers sound odd but potentially even a bit of a hook where your curiosity is peaked just enough to take a look at this new Nintendo thing. Similar to the fact that these are the people who brought us a fitness RPG using a bendy plastic circle with a controller strapped to it.

Honestly wrt the "magnetic joycons" - my assumption is that the "magnetic" part is being overplayed. Maybe the magnets are more of a device to help guide the actual locking mechanism into place. One potential flaw with the Joycons (though not the one that gets identified by the angry baying crowds online!) is that they could potentially bend or lodge awkwardly in the rail if forced incorrectly. A magnetic device to push back against incorrect insertion would be a remedy to this potential problem.

This is a bigger issue for the little covers that come with the Joycon to make them more independent controllers - the ones that most owners have never applied once. Certainly I'd be marginally more likely to use those rail covers if they were magnetically connected. I just don't trust that they won't snap or (worse!) get stuck on the Joycon rails preventing it from being re-attached to the Switch.

I've had an issue with several joycons where the left one would disconnect if I wiggled it ever so slightly, even if it was connected to the Switch as firmly as possible. I'd just be playing in handheld, my hand would twitch ever so slightly, and the joycon would disconnect for a solid 3 seconds. I could see the magnet helping tighten the connection so that the joycons wouldn't feel as loose. Anyone else have that issue, or at the very least feel a similar way about their looseness? At first I thought my Switch rails were busted, but it went away entirely after I got a new pair of joycons.

@PikminMarioKirby Depends on your definition of "big". I think they have to at least confirm the existence of new hardware, especially if it's coming in the next fiscal year, there's no way around it. Nintendo's slate is too empty and they need something to keep investors from jumping ship. That being said, I think it's too soon for a full reveal, that seems like it's going to wait until around September. My guess is we just get a codename and a release window and they tell us nothing else of substance (they'll probably have typically PR statements about it being a new "pillar" of hardware that "won't replace the Switch" but totally will and how it's going to be "innovative", but we won't see what it looks like or what it does until September).

I agree with @Bolt_Strike, whether it be at this weeks meeting, or next month's shareholder meeting, it wouldn't be unreasonable to at least her word about it sometime soon. Not a reveal, not a trailer, but Nintendo finally giving some details to confirm that it is indeed happening. If the rumors are true and next spring is go time for next-gen, they have to say something, at least a little. I also agree with the general consensus that base Switch will be treated in a similar fashion to the 3DS. Cutting off support abruptly at next-gen's launch wouldn't be a smooth move. Not everyone's going to migrate right away, and even if they want to, cost and supply are factors to consider when making the purchase. That is to say, Nintendo need people to naturally and comfortably ease into next-gen. While the base Switch WILL still receive games for a period of time, they're either going to be very small-scale or very cut-back in terms of their graphics and such. The 3DS received some cool titles at the end of it's life, but they were either very small games or remasters. They're not going to stop support abruptly, but over time those titles are going to become slimmer and slimmer. If they're not going to go all-in with next-gen eventually, then what's the point of making the jump, right? The two will co-exist for a time, I'm sure, but I'm also sure developers are getting very tired of having to squeeze every last drop out of the base Switch just to get a semi-decent performing game. It's been that way for several years now, there's only so much patience they're going to have before they decide it's just not worth the effort anymore.

td;dr - Switch 1 & 2 will co-exist for a time, but not forever. It's safe to say that devs won't have the patience to cram what they can onto an underpowered system forever. We'll probably receive word either this meeting or next, with a reveal towards the middle or end of fall.

With the coming of Switch 2 games will come with the new cart design so only it fits Switch 2 console. Since they are going to start production with only Switch 2 console and sell the reset of remaining stock of Switch v2 OLED until depleted. And all new games coming for Switch 2 in 2025 most likely will become the new physical cart design so it will only be for the Switch 2 and not be confused with older gen system. Eventually they will phase Switch OLED.

@StuTwo
Good point re: the little JoyCon covers. They're frustrating enough that I forgot they even existed! I think like most I only used them for like a day and the only other time I think about them is when I buy new ones. "Oh yeah, these things" (aggressive drawer noises)

Certainly an area for design improvement

I think the reason Nintendo hasn't done a TotK Tetris 99 theme yet is waiting for closer to the release of a $80 Switch 2 remaster (think TLoU 2 Remastered but with price accounted for that TotK was already a $70 game).

I had doubts about the "music is too ambient for Tetris 99" theory that got brought up but Endless Ocean Luminous definitely discards that theory.

What acolour do you think the game boxes will be? I hope they go back to PAL SNES games and allow any art on the spines.

@GrailUK
I really don't like the Switch box cover with red spine color, generic font, PSP rectangle size.
I want something like PS Vita box cover with different fonts on the spine, more PS4 rectangle size cover or 3DS style box cover with square shape.

@GrailUK GameCube’s spine art was wonderful in my opinion. I hope they have something like that again. My guess is it’ll be red again with generic font, sadly.

@GrumbleVolcano I doubt they’d make the game $80 since $70 was already kind of controversial (although it didn’t really affect sales), but $80 for a remaster of a game most people got really recently would not appeal to many people, especially if the console is backwards compatible.

Not every single game gets a Tetris 99 event, and for some reason this seems to be one of them. If I’m right Splatoon 3, ScarVi, Legends Arceus, BDSP, Metroid Prime, Pikmin 1+2, Everybody 1-2 Switch!, Detective Pikachu, Another Code, Mario Vs. Donkey Kong, Sparks of Hope, and Mario Strikers Battle League (as of recent games) didn’t get them either. Recently it’s just been EOL, Peach Time, Super Mario RPG, WarioWare, Mario Wonder, Pikmin 4, (maybe) FE Engage, and the 3 recent Kirby games. Seems to be favoring more with the Kirby/Mario series.

You never know, it could still happen. Sometimes they wait a while to do an event for a game, so TotK is still possible to get an event, although less likely now.

@PikminMarioKirby
I think Wii U & 3DS spines look the Best in my opinion as I love Baby Blue and White color, the Wii U & 3DS spines have their game app icon on it.

Yeah, I would imaine they would differentiate Switch 2 and Switch by going for something other than red.
Once you get a few titles on your shelf it looks very angry (but I get the colour red has a different connotation in Japan than 'warning!')

Honestly it’d be really fun if they did purple again. Such an elegant color and it calls back to the GCN and SNES, their other “iterative” console evolutions.