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WSJ: No announcements planned for game titles or specs for Nintendo Switch in 2016
- Thread starter Enter the Dragon Punch
- Start date
Unknown One
Member
This is Nintendo, they will never release the actual specs.
RowdyReverb
Member
That's ok. I get it, they want to save some bombshells to boost hype prior to launch. I'm satisfied just to see the form factor and general concept at this point. Nitty gritty details can come later
orthodoxy1095
Banned
My biggest concern wouldn't necessarily be the software showing, which I don't think is actually too risky. It's that by restricting yourself to two(ish) months before release you're getting yourself into a very rigid position with far less flexibility and potential for recovery if something goes wrong or if some aspect needs more attention/exposure.
OrbitalBeard
Member
Yeah....no.
This is a very deliberate marketing move. If you don't like it, fine, but it likely has nothing to do with the hardware not being ready.
My guess is that Nintendo is incredibly confident in this device, far more than anything they've developed in recent memory, but yeah, there's certainly potential for this to backfire.
CrAzY FiNgErS
Member
Unless Nintendo NDA'd them. You never know with Nintendo. Bethesda won't even confirm Skyrim for the thing and it was in the unveiling video.
Jan Event would be kinda like the Sept event before Wiiu 2 months before launch, I remember when COD wasnt announced for WiiU until that Sept event, also wasnt Bayo 2 announced in that event
And the whispers of "please don't fuck this up" coalesced into a low murmur that shook the world...
SinCityAssassin
Member
Wonder if third parties are allowed to hype up their games during this time.
SolidChamp
Banned
How bad of a fuck up would that be if they region-lock this thing? That 3 minute introduction to the Switch literally screams "it's the GO ANYWHERE machine!"
Try watching the video again with the notion of a region-locked device...my brain imploded.
What are the chances they do this? Not having a region-free, multi-language support device in this day in age is fucking bafflingly stupid.
Try watching the video again with the notion of a region-locked device...my brain imploded.
What are the chances they do this? Not having a region-free, multi-language support device in this day in age is fucking bafflingly stupid.
Psychoward
Banned
..it comes out in fucking march
what???
what???
Well I would hope so, the WiiU launch was dreadful.
Jawbreaker
Member
I thought we were getting something related to BG&E? Has the source backed off or clarified on it?
SinCityAssassin
Member
So far the insider leaks have all been going region free, so I wouldn't down they lock it this time around.
On the one hand I'm real bummed out for that, but on the other hand, they probably wanna start a bit more marketing on their other game and the NES Mini.
KingdomHeartsFan
Member
Well that's disappointing.
CrAzY FiNgErS
Member
I hope you are right. It's almost an Apple like move, but Nintendo doesn't have clout like Apple. All of their launches have been near perfect, whereas Nintendo's record is more spotty in that regard.
AcademicSaucer
Member
I think its a mistake to not have pre-orders up before the holiday season
Casual consumers are not paying attention right now, especially with a holiday period in between now and then. Having two months to drum up interest among mainstream gamers is more than enough time.
Mihael Mello Keehl
Banned
Few more months of rumored games and baseless speculation
This just doesn't seem right. It would have been like if Sony back in 2013 told us everything about the PS4 in September for a November launch. It's just cutting it too close.
They have so much momentum and positive energy with the announcement today, and they're really just going to let all of it just slowly vanish over the next 3 months. Unreal.
NinjaCoachZ
Member
So obviously a strong launch is ideal but I think Nintendo are banking on Switch having strong legs through its first year. E3 will be big for it. That's right when school goes out, summer starts, and all the new games for the future start to be announced. That'll be a big time to start selling a product based around being playable at home and on the go. And of course there's the all-important holidays. That's three big sales-potential points right there.
What I'm thinking is Nintendo can get away with a short reveal-to-launch situation if
A) Their marketing is 100% on-the-ball and on-point
B) Early adopters have positive enough feedback that word of mouth spreads throughout the year
C) They can guarantee a consistent flow, which seems pretty likely
Basically I don't think having a quick turnaround time is necessarily a make-or-break deal. March gives them the most time possible to have a strong overall year. In many ways it's probably wise. A weak holiday launch could drown it. Nowadays the all-important first holiday is as far away from its launch as possible, theoretically giving them plenty of time to work out launch issues.
What I'm thinking is Nintendo can get away with a short reveal-to-launch situation if
A) Their marketing is 100% on-the-ball and on-point
B) Early adopters have positive enough feedback that word of mouth spreads throughout the year
C) They can guarantee a consistent flow, which seems pretty likely
Basically I don't think having a quick turnaround time is necessarily a make-or-break deal. March gives them the most time possible to have a strong overall year. In many ways it's probably wise. A weak holiday launch could drown it. Nowadays the all-important first holiday is as far away from its launch as possible, theoretically giving them plenty of time to work out launch issues.
Sorcerer
Member
Didn't Iwata say that region locking was a bad idea sometime ago, but they couldn't reverse their decision for the current hardware at the time?
Umm guys. This is a logical move here
I mean, we still are getting
Sun and Moon
Super Mario Maker 3DS
NES Mini
Yoshi Wooly World 3DS
Mario Party Star Rush
All of those can bring huge number for Nintendo lol. And they sure don't want to miss that sweet sweet Holiday number which can be fatal if they overhype the Switch too fast.
I mean, we still are getting
Sun and Moon
Super Mario Maker 3DS
NES Mini
Yoshi Wooly World 3DS
Mario Party Star Rush
All of those can bring huge number for Nintendo lol. And they sure don't want to miss that sweet sweet Holiday number which can be fatal if they overhype the Switch too fast.
OrbitalBeard
Member
Yeah, it's definitely an Apple-like move and it will only work if they have an incredible amount of great stuff to show in January.
It's risky but I kind of like it. I'm glad Nintendo is trying a different approach, as much as I want to see the games NOW.
How is 2-3 months not enough time for games to build some hype? Releasing new info in January seems fine to me, and it avoids the mess of announcing all of that stuff during their holiday season for Wii U & 3DS (not to mention the excitement around all of the fall blockbusters, GOTY discussions, etc.).
Makes more sense to me to talk about everything during the lull after the holidays, so they don't have to compete for attention.
Makes more sense to me to talk about everything during the lull after the holidays, so they don't have to compete for attention.
You could exchange that last part with "is SO Nintendo!"
Astral Dog
Member
She actually said the first year of NS would blow away all of Wii U, something thats a bit hard to believe
orthodoxy1095
Banned
My interest in their marketing direction aside, this is the real personal interest I have in the news for sure.
I know insiders have said it's not region locked, but I just want to know for sure. That way I know if I need to start saving money or if I can spend it on something else.
Yeah, I'm kinda puzzled why people feel so enraged unless they're worried Nintendo won't have the time to market the thing.
At least there's Pokemon next month.
blankempathy
Member
Its cool i have other games to play. When Nintendo decides to show off games and a price etc then I'll know if or when to put down my money. At least I know what the damn thing is now though.
Sorcerer
Member
If we assume that Nintendo has been at work on this thing when they realized that the Wii-U was a failure, they really might have a solid lineup to show us in January.
I don't really understand Nintendo's idea of promotion. They showed nothing of the Switch at E3, and then released months later a trailer revealing several games although they refused to expand further on any of them. Now they're not revealing anything else until January? Yeah that's not a great way to build hype for your system. In fact that's kind of an awful way to do it.
Jorok Goldblade
Member
The only way this works is if it's a non-stop blitz from January to launch.
TreasureHunterG
Banned
This is dumb and unnecessary, really.
This strategy might as well be the same as announcing the thing and releasing it the same day as far as the general consumer is concerned. I feel like with so little lead-up time to give specifics and show off games, most people are going to walk into a store some day in March and be like "oh what? Nintendo released a new thing??".
Gentleman Jack
Member
By this logic, they shouldn't even have announced the console until January to preserve that 'hype.'
SolidChamp
Banned
Precisely. I'm all in if it's region-free and has similar language support options like the PS4 (e.g. I could buy a console here in Taiwan, change the system language to English, any game I buy, regardless of where it's from save for Japan, plays with English).
Expats are waiting with baited breath.
North American Wii U consoles still sell for a premium on the second hand market here, and the games still go for upwards of $40, used.
ViewtifulJC
Banned
so reveal in January then...
Well the WiiU software line up is pretty weak overall. Combining their software output and 3rd party support could realistically take a big dump on the WiiU library pretty quickly.
None the less if they are indeed waiting til next yesr to discuss the more of the system strikes me as bizarre. That's a very brief window to build up attention in the general consciousness.m maybe it doesn't matter since it's launching in March though.