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potato_hamster on 18 December 2015
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zorg1000 said:
potato_hamster said:

I think if Nintendo does go with this route it's not how many people think. It will be the same console in mutliple form factors - Let me explain. Picture a Wii U gamepad with dual screens, and the console built into the gamepad. Picture a docking station that connects to the TV and handles things like multiple controller inputs from things like WIi U gamepads sold seperately. No performance improvement, maybe minor image upscaling of the top screen with some image smoothing effects, similar to how Blu-ray players upscale DVDs.

Along side that, picture Wii-U style console with the exact same specs as this new handheld, but has all the functionality of the dock built into a single unit, and uses the wii u gamepad as the controller, but multiple gamepads are supported as secondary controller.

Both the handheld and the core system would be functionally equivalent in terms of a development point of view, with very very minor additional testing needed. One version of the game. One standard for inputs. One standard for outputs.

 

I agree for the most part, I don't think we will see a Wii U level handheld along with a PS4 level console and expect them to share a library, to me that is unrealistic. When I say improved performance I'm only talking something similar to the N64 expansion pack that for the most part upressed games from 320x240 to 640x480 and sometimes increased frame rate and a few games had exclusive features that reguired it.

Also what do u feel are realistic price points for the devices u outlined above?

It depends. If you're talking PS4 levels of performance on a handheld that will not be cheap. It would be slightly cheaper in console form because size, power and heat is less of a concern, but then the market dictates that handhelds can't really be as expensive as home consoles. That presents a challenge

However, Nintendo might not care, and release the console cheaper than the handheld.  I wouldn't expect either of these form factors to be less than $200. If I were to hazard a guess (and this is not my forte), such a solution might be $229 for home, $249 for handheld, and $299 for handheld + base? Something like that might be competitive. If Nitendo wants to keep it traditional, they might eat the margin on the handheld, and make up for it on the console, and invert the price on both, so $229 for handheld, $249 for console, $299 for handheld + base, and sell the base for $100 separately?

Honestly I have no idea though. Blatant guess based on where I think they might need to price it, not based on where I think it should be to be successful.