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Soundwave on 23 June 2023
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javi741 said:
Soundwave said:

With ToTK and Mario Wonder ... Nintendo's late gen obligations to the Switch are largely complete. Those two games should carry the Switch for several years going forward. You really don't have a leg to stand on if you're going to say "they didn't support the system enough!", they've given it their all more or less at this point. 

And for Nintendo it worked out well because they were able to "save" the Switch's original 2D Mario to line up with the same holiday season as the Mario movie's release without having an adverse affect on the system, the other Mario platformers did more than just fine filling the Mario itch for several years, and now they have a late-gen title that can put the Switch on cruise control and they can relax about that. 

The next 3D Mario, Zelda, Mario Kart, Animal Crossing, Smash Bros., Splatoon, Xenoblade, mainline Luigi's Mansion really are all probably reserved for Switch 2, you can't even really do a 3D Mario for 2024 for Switch because it would create a huge problem for the Switch 2 where it can't then get a 3D Mario until like when? 2026? 2027 more realistically? With no new Zelda early in the product cycle for Switch 2, that's just putting that system at such a disadvantage that it's not worth even contemplating. You can't rob Peter just to pay Paul. 

I think they'll maybe do some games cross-gen, like maybe another Pokemon, maybe a Donkey Kong game, a Kirby game, Metroid Prime 4 I could see being cross-gen ... so there's that at least. 

But I think from 2024 onwards all major software development is either Switch 2-only or cross-gen. Smaller scale things like a F-Zero GX Remaster, Luigi's Mansion Dark Moon, Peach Platformer, Paper Mario: TTYD Remake maybe are Switch-only (though Switch 2 should be able to play them anyway), but I think after 2023, the Switch only projects that are major releases are going to start to thin out. As is too I suspect all the Switch games that have been coming out recently or are planned already may be 4K ready anyway, as in they'll run at 4K on Switch 2 with no fuss, all that'll be needed is a firmware update. 

Tbh I still think A-tier Switch exclusives are still possible before Switch 2 releases. I think I mentioned it earlier but we've seen numerous consoles release an A-tier game just months before the successor released. Yoshi's Island in 1995 before the N64, Majora's Mask only around a year before the GameCube, Pokemon SUN & Moon 3 months before the Switch. The Last of Us only a few months before PS4 released,ect.

Also, not every franchise needs to be ready at the launch window of Switch 2, lets say Nintendo releases a 3D Mario exclusively for Switch in Holiday 2024, while 3D Mario may not be ready for the launch window, Nintendo could still release a Smash Bros, Animal Crossing,Pokemon,Mario Party, and other various Nintendo franchises where their development cycles would likely finish by the time we reach the Switch 2 launch window. 

The Switch 2 definitely needs a 3D Mario early in the product cycle, probably within the first 8-9 months if I'm being honest. With no new Zelda already, not having a big Mario adventure game would leave a large void on the system even if you had an Animal Crossing and Smash Brothers for example, it would still be far from ideal. 

We also have to factor in games on the Switch 2 are likely going to require longer development times. Likely we are bumping up to a processing range somewhere above the PS4 with some feature set aspects that are on par with the PS5. That is going to be a full generation leap most likely and Nintendo is likely going to have some learning curve on top of just the added complexity. So if you're talking about letting one of the A-tier franchise teams work on a game for the old Switch, you probably are talking about them being out of service to help the Switch 2 quite possibly until 2027, 2028, etc. ... not very good planning. 

At this point, with the announcement of Mario Wonder and Mario RPG Remake, I don't think any one can really sit there and complain that Nintendo hasn't done everything required/expected for the Switch software wise and really probably even more. I mean I'd like an F-Zero or Star Fox, but these are extremely niche asks at this point. If they don't release even a single Switch game past what they've already announced, the system is already 110% well served. 

Realistically Nintendo cannot as a business make moves that just make 6 people on a sales message board happy, they have the future of their company to worry about as much (much) larger priority and the future is the Switch successor. Everything that can be done to ensure its success must be undertaken years in advance of its release. 

Rather than hyper focus on just things like release dates of the next console, I think the focus should shift to how long the cross gen period between the old and new hardware Nintendo will commit to and whether or not Switch will get a grace period of a few years like the 3DS did. Wanting those to be well served are more realistic asks.