Mailbox: A More Powerful, Digital-Only 'Switch 2' And "Obscurer" Treasures - Nintendo Life Letters

All digital consoles / handhelds are terrible idea.
Not even cool in my opinion.
I hate that idea.
#keepplayingphysicalgames 🤟

I personally don’t like digital games that much. There is something about having the physical cartridge or disk that feels special

Nah, not for me. Each to their own if you prefer digital, but for me personally I'm old-school and I like owning the game and love cartridges. I still love all my chunky NES and Snes carts and they all still work too. Also, digital content can be removed at a moments notice, as has happened to me before for things I had previously paid for, which makes me a little paranoid about losing things if I can't redownload them.

I do think Nintendo is “stuck” with the hybrid console going forward. Ditching it would be a huge mistake. I know for me it’s been absolutely essential, since after having kids shortly after the Switch launched I basically lost control over the TV, lol. I would be happy with “more of the same only upgraded”. But Nintendo is usually reluctant to go that route.

What about VR - could that be the “new” thing? If the Switch 2 has a better screen, maybe something like labo could be more integrated into the system from the start. Would people even want that? How popular is VR anyway? It feels like interest has plateaued for now, but I could be wrong.

I think Nintendo should keep making "hybrid" consoles. (The Switch actually isn't a hybrid console, it's a handheld console with a dock) But I can see them making a new handheld only with a seperate TV box as well. (Similar to the Playstation TV, but better) That should then have a larger SSD built in and run games with better performance. And it should be easy to move games/saves between the TV box and the handheld as well.

Is that really the price point we're expecting for a Switch 2?

Or whatever. lol
I love the phrase “or whatever.”
In the reader’s letter it offsets their well-wishes and now the lot of us have been exposed to top-shelf “or whatever”.
Or whatever.
Another use allows one to lend doubt to an entire swath of words, which can be particularly effective if you are making what seems to be a significant point, only to impede one’s own momentum as well as the reader’s investment.
Or whatever.
Whichever(careful now) way one decides to use it is best done so sparingly as one will see diminishing returns on its comedic effect.
Or whatever.
Anyways, i gotta get going as i have some work to do or whatever.
(Thanks for the letter, MetaCrystal and to NLife for the selection and use of the word geddit. Mischief Makers is a great game and i need to try Just Shapes and Beats.(has a demo!)My “obscurer” game is The Speed Rumbler).

If Nintendo makes a digital-only Switch successor, even if it is only an option, I will lose my faith in them. Modern gaming feels so lifeless and corporate, I would feel like they are trying to kill gaming with greed, like X Box and PlayStation are doing now.

And I would not want to lose digital games I bought, because of political reasons. Just looking at physical media from the 90s especially, makes me want to play.

I have bought a ridiculous amount of games on Switch but only 6 of them are physical. So for me, I would have no problem with a digital only console but I realise I'm the minority. If they had a seperate digital only console for cheaper, it would be the one I choose.

My ideal Switch 2 would have a dock that gives the console a noticeable performance boost over handheld mode. And for my entire Switch library to carry over., performing better than before. If they can deliver that, I'll be very happy.

I'm fine with all digital. I like the convenience of switching games easily. A bookcase or shelf full of game boxes and special edition goodies doesn't mean much when I'm the only one who's gonna see it.

I would never buy a digital only console. I like being able to play my games whenever i want and know that years down the line they'll still be playable. Besides I'm not one of those collectors with wall to wall videogames stacked to the ceiling in every room of my house. If it's like that then yeah that'd be a problem.

Nintendo are partnered with a company that's at the pinnacle of portable silicon. I think there is every chance the Switch 2 will be state of the art when it releases. State of the art for it's design, not performance (for the points pointed out by the reply.) Of course, how that is percieved by digital floundering cultists will probably need filtering lol. But if you can't tell physical sales are a massive part of Nintendo's buisness strategy, then I can't help you. As much as I am happy for Nintendo's success at the moment, it does feel like most would be happy if they mimicked Sony and Microsoft once there...even though they got there by doing their own thing. Quite infuriating.

To be honest I feel like Nintendo would still make a game console with physical media but if they make 2 different versions (one that accepts physical media and one that’s digital only) I wouldn’t be against it since there are people that prefer digital over physical. Heck it would be like Sony back when they had the original PSP and the PSP go.

I definitely appreciate having the option to use physical cartridges, sometimes you can find games cheaper that way. But then again, I really don't mind Steam Deck being digital-only, so I don't think it would matter all that much to me in the end if Switch 2 was digital only.

If they are going to make 2 different versions, unless it's VR capable, I'd prefer to pay for a screenless, speakerless version with a dock built in. I only play on the TV so having that screen there has been a big waste, at least for me.

@sanderev What is not hybrid about a console that can be played handheld and can be connected to the tv in te same way as a Playstation or Xbox?

@dartmonkey Spicy Vinda-Goo with Pint Bomb/Splat Blast?! That would be so OP! Great idea!

@YunoboCo the special part is that you can sell them if you don't particularly like the game you bought

No way Nintendo releases a digital only console, let alone one with different physical capabilities.

I like digital personally, since I get more gold points and I can take advantage with the Nintendo Switch Vouchers. Just as long as Nintendo provides enough storage for the next console, I'd be okay if it was digital only.

@Yosti Because it's not the same as a Playstation or XBOX. For it to be hybrid the Switch would've been different between handheld and docked. Which it's not. (a higher profile on the CPU isn't enough)

It's basically the same as plugging a laptop into a USB-C dock. That doesn't make the laptop a desktop pc.

@NinjaNicky that’s a good idea, particularly if it fits the existing dock.
I can’t see them deviating too far apart in terms of different devices. It doesnt seem very Nintendo.

@sanderev Ask the people who docked their Switch 7 years ago and played it exclusively on their TV if it's just a handheld and you'd probably get very different opinions.

There is a lot here to reply to besides the prospect of a digital-only console. However, I just so happened to stumble across the article below right before reading this which has an interesting take on the matter:
https://www.thegamer.com/nintendo-switch-cartridge-play-best-console-kids/

Tl;dr: Download times and gigantic install sizes are fine for those already committed to gaming. But they are underappreciated barriers to entry for those who might otherwise become gamers. The Switch cartridge format is currently the best way around this.

My commentary: Other inferior solutions to this are cloud gaming and only having shallow mobile-type games. Those whose ideal is digital-only but not cloud/streaming, they should see physical media advocates as allies in allowing for a gateway medium so that cloud gaming doesn't become the new normal.

The reason I am mostly digital is because I play mostly indie games. All my mainline games are physical. I would have gone more physical but because they are so niche there is a huge markup and scalping which I didnt want to be part of.

"I added a joke poll in the article below about a digital-only SKU with an OLED screen upgrade"]

"If 'Switch 2' ended up with multiple SKUs, would having more power make you go all digital?"

"SKU"?

@sanderev Why did you decide it has to be different and why is a higher profile not enough of a difference? Your reasoning seems vague. Why can't a laptop plugged into a USB-C dock not be a desktop PC? It fits fine on a desk and you can plug in a screen, keyboard and mouse.

The same goes for the Nintendo Switch. Connecting it to the tv via HDMI and using a wireless controller works exactly the same as a Playstation and Xbox. And power doesn't matter. It's not like the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 are no consoles because they are less powerful.

Digital is the future. All other media is already there. Let’s be open minded.

@PoeTheLizard
I know people who keep their laptop docked all the time. It doesn't change my point.

@Yosti
Except it's not. I can connect a wireless controller to the Switch when it's used outside of the dock. So that comparison goes flat as well. I can't take a PS3, XBOX 360, Wii U, PS4, PS5, XBOX ONE, XBOX Series X outside and play on the bus. Or in a train. I can do so with the Switch. And having a decent USB-C powerbank and external monitor I could even 'dock' it.

Also power is relevant since if you compare the Switch to the competition (PS4 and XBOX ONE) it's very underpowered. Comparable to a mobile version of a desktop CPU. (and those are actually closer) in a laptop.

The Switch 2 should be comparable to the PS5 and XBOX Series for it to be considered a hybrid console. But if it is comparable to the PS4 and XBOX One (which rumors suggest) it is still a handheld with a TV out.

If it was a PS4/XB One comparable handheld + a PS5/XSX comparable TV box (like I suggested) it could be considered a hybrid. (same games running on both devices)

Well I have a question for you. How would you classify the Steam Deck? A console, a hybrid console, a laptop or a desktop PC? Because you can actually use it like any of those.

Just like ubisofts you'll own nothing and be happy!

"Do you like to own your games?" Yes, I do.

A "digital only" console only makes sense when you are talking about disk media. Even at wholesale, optical drives can cost $15 for DVD and $30 for Blu Ray. They are also a point of failure that ups warranty cost due to moving parts. Not having one in your system saves a lot of money. It can also easily account for 15% of your systems total power draw (and if you have a sku without an optical drive, you can use that model when talking about power usage in advertising). In fact, common wholesale DVD and Blu Ray player used in other consoles draw more power then the current Switch's total power draw at max load.

For cartage games, this simply isn't the case. The hardware costs nothing and draws almost no power. It would literally cost more for Nintendo to include a LAN port on a Switch then they are currently paying to include a cartage reader.

Given a LAN port would be a necessity, a digital only switch (or future cartage based system) would cost MORE then the base model to manufacture.

I don't forsee nintendo offering a digital only option for the switch successor. I could be wrong but their current digital model has digital games that are no cheaper than their physical counterparts. If anything I think Nintendo might offer a backward compatible model and a non-backward compatible model.

I don't believe it makes sense for Nintendo to release a digital only console. As @HeadPirate has stated the benefits of omitting a card reader just aren't there compared to omitting an optical drive.

I think having a $450 for SKU for card reader switch, and $400 for digital only switch would be perceived similarly to the Wii U's two SKUs. People will view the $450 SKU as the true skew and it would be too expensive. (This would be a $150, and 50%, jump from the previous generation console price.) People would also think $400 is too expensive for a limited version.

I do think it is likely we will see a mid-gen pro version released, but I don't see a reason this would be tied to including a card reader. Xbox has greater incentive to push all-digital console given its primary objectives are to grow gamepass subscriptions and in the future move to cloud gaming.

Just Shapes and Beats is an absolute legend of a local co-op Switch game --with some cute storytelling to boot. I second the recommendation.

If you have an extensive physical Switch library, then yeah, it has to be digitally AND physically backwards compatible. Or else it will piss off millions of fans.

@sanderev The Steam Deck is all those things because indeed you can use it that way.

I don't understand why you think everything that is less powerful like a PS3 or Xbox 360 isn't a console anymore. Function doesn't change over time.

Very weird discussion

Not only would I not buy the digital. I would be so disappointed I would probably hold off in buying all together.
There would be two possible outcomes I think. Either most games would be adapted to run well on the less powerful hardware anyway. Or it would not, and everyone would be angry. Also, the decision to make a game for the system would still have to consider the less powerful hardware, or people would be even more angry. I think it's a loose/loose situation.

@Yosti That's just because you aren't getting the point I'm trying to make.

I all classify these devices as handhelds (SteamDeck, ROG Ally, Lenovo Go, GPDWin, Switch, PSVita, Gameboy Advance, etc.) them having a docking station, power limiter, or video-out options doesn't matter that much.

@sanderev I get your point. I just don't agree with your selfmade rules of what a console is. I don't know why you are using the Game Boy Advance as an example. It is known to be handheld only. But the PSP for example can connect to a tv with a cable that was sold separately. You could argue that the PSP doesn't deliver a great console experience but that doesn't change the fact that it can be used as a console. Not that I recommend it.

But the Nintendo Switch is sold with a HDMI cable in the box and has a controller (Joy-cons) that can be used wirelessly. It has the same accessories in the box as a Playstation or Xbox to connect to a tv. It has the same user experience (less power doesn't matter and isn't a rule). The Switch is being sold as a device that can be used as a console and as an handheld out of the box.

It just doesn't make sense what you are saying. Adding functionality like a screen and battery doesn't remove functionality like being a console. Naming it differently like a handheld with a TV out doesn't matter that much.

@Yosti I never said it's not a console. I said it's not a hybrid.

Also before the Switch the GBA was the last Nintendo handheld that had TV connectivity...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_Boy_Player

And any definition you use, it's always made by a person or a group of people. And I like making my own definitions. I still call my iPhone an iPod. Because, it basically still is an iPod Touch you can call with Yes I'm weird.

@sanderev Why is it not a hybrid if it functions as a console and handheld? Hybrid consoles combine elements of both home and handheld consoles.

Game Boy Player is not a Game Boy Advance, it is a different device that makes it possible to play GBA games on the GameCube. It does not connect the Game Boy Advance itself to a tv.

@Yosti The GameBoy Player had all the hardware of the GBA (it was not an emulator), also it allowed your GBA to be connected to the GameCube (not the TV, I know) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GameCube_%E2%80%93_Game_Boy_Advance_link_cable

@sanderev I don't have a GameCube myself but I know about the accessories. The GameCube Game Boy Advance cable is a different product than the Game Boy Player.

You make it all seem very complex while it is rather easy to understand that the Nintendo Switch is a hybrid.

@Yosti they are different products but can be used together to make a very nice package. For example I used this combination to play a lot of Golden Sun and Pokémon on my GameCube back in the day. Even more, if I may add, than I currently do with a docked Switch.

Also no, you haven't convinced me that the Switch is a hybrid.

That is fine. But you also use different or incorrect arguments that have nothing to do with the discussion. It makes it impossible to discuss if the Switch is a hybrid or not. But I also don't mind if you are not convinced. You can have your own weird definitions.

Except the fact that you haven't made any truly convincing argument that the Switch is a hybrid.

Your best argument right now is "it has removable controllers".
Which doesn't make it a hybrid. Because we've also seen that in the past on other non-hybrid devices.

For me it remains a handheld console with wired video output.

@MSaturn
really im hoping they lean even more into the idea of "choice" when it comes to how you play the games, the switch felt like a big improvement over previous systems in that regard in that you can play most games with a controller of your choosing but i still feel like there are certain aspects which could be improved such as having game-by-game button remapping as a standard and more viable "accessibility" options (there was that article a while back about the person who had to make a custom controller to play mario galaxy)

@MontyCircus
Yeah physical and digital backwards compatibility is also something im really hoping happens with the next system.

@Yosti
while im not too up on what constitues a "hybrid" I feel like the switch is similar in a way to the psp-go which was a handheld you could "dock" and play on the TV (iirc the "dock" was called a "cradle") though the switch definitely went more in on the idea by having the dock come with the system (again iirc the psp-go "cradle" was sold as its own thing) and having the idea at the forefront of its marketing alongside the detachable controllers.

really however its labled im hoping the ability to "switch" between handheld and TV is retained in the next system.