And then he defaults to the standard PR response of "we're not killing the 3DS yet, don't worry!"
The question had nothing to do with 3ds. It was a nice question that would have gave him the chance to praise the Switch.
And then he defaults to the standard PR response of "we're not killing the 3DS yet, don't worry!"
The question had nothing to do with 3ds. It was a nice question that would have gave him the chance to praise the Switch.
I completely agree that it had nothing to do with the 3DS. Which is exactly why the fact that he quickly defaults to saying it still has games coming tells me this is a coached PR response.
It probably went something like "okay everybody, if an interviewer asks you anything at all in the realm of the Switch replacing handhelds or 3DS, say this:"
I completely agree that it had nothing to do with the 3DS. Which is exactly why the fact that he quickly defaults to saying it still has games coming tells me this is a coached PR response.
It probably went something like "okay everybody, if an interviewer asks you anything at all in the realm of the Switch replacing handhelds or 3DS, say this:"
It's like they don't really realize Switch success depends 500% on the virtual promise that it will have all Nintendo games and not a WiiU library..
Maybe they do think presenting it as a portable WiiU is enough after all.
Maybe they don't feel that's an important thing like the people on this forum do. I personally don't care. As long as the NS has games I want to play, I'm fine. If they want to make a new handheld, then so be it. If that's compelling, I'll buy that, too. I think people should get this notion that they're gonna be rolling with one piece of hardware going forward out of their heads. They'll do whatever they want to do in that space and if they see the NS as a console with a unique twist, but not as a handheld, then that's their call.
It's like they don't really realize Switch success depends 500% on the virtual promise that it will have all Nintendo games and not a WiiU library..
Maybe they do think presenting it as a portable WiiU is enough after all.
Even so, why? They already stated they will support 3ds, they announced quite a lot of the 3ds games already. It's an overdose of 3ds mentions.
We're one month before Switch's launch. You can still promote the 3ds afterwards. At this rate I'm surprised they don't show the 3ds at the end of the Super Bowl ad.
They also said the Gameboy wasn't going away when the Nintendo DS first came out.
If the Switch is a huge success and leeches into the 3DS sales substantially, I wouldn't be surprised if they do a 180 on this comment.
The question Aonuma is answering is this:
"How about speeding up development processes? Does the Switch architecture mean you can unify your handheld and console software teams, enabling you to get games out more quickly?"
Or are you saying he didn't understand the question?
The issue is not if they make another piece or hardware or not. I fully expect a Switch revision in a couple of years. The issue is if that other piece of hardware means Nintendo developing again for two separate devices with all the negative effects in terms of support and exclusives.
I think he understood the question and his answer makes sense to me. How does this confirm that there's a new handheld coming and it has its own exclusive games?
To me, all it means is that they have no intention of killing off the 3DS right now, that's my interpretation of it.
I think he understood the question and his answer makes sense to me. How does this confirm that there's a new handheld coming and it has its own exclusive games?
To me, all it means is that they have no intention of killing off the 3DS right now, that's my interpretation of it.
It just means they're keeping their options open and they don't want 3DS fans to cry.
Why so serious?
Yeah basically this. They don't want to get rid of one guaranteed revenue stream (3DS software sales) immediately until the Switch hits it's stride.
To me, all it means is that they have no intention of killing off the 3DS right now, that's my interpretation of it.
It just means they're keeping their options open and they don't want 3DS fans to cry.
Why so serious?
That's what it sounds like to me. It looks like he answered the question and then went off into the prepared "we're still supporting the 3DS" line, because the interviewer mentioned something about merging the teams.
If this is clear, why doesn't Nintendo have any 3DS or more traditionally handheld games for the Switch in their launch window? Why aren't they porting enhanced versions of 3DS titles to the Switch, especially their bigger franchises like Pokemon?Honestly, I think NCL has coached everyone there to speak about handhelds like this in all interviews.
Everything Nintendo said before the Switch was announced clearly pointed to a combined output for the console and handheld software teams, and I don't expect any of that to have changed since 2015. The only thing that's changed is the 3DS surging in hardware and software sales this past fall, which is why Nintendo should not be talking about replacing it anytime soon.
The question was about unifying console and handheld software development and the answer is "Somehow, but it doesn't mean for us that the concept of a dedicated handheld will just disappear.".
I you don't see the implication, fine. I can't explain it better than that.
Edit: 3ds is already mentioned in the answer, separately.
If this is clear, why doesn't Nintendo have any 3DS or more traditionally handheld games for the Switch in their launch window? Why aren't they porting enhanced versions of 3DS titles to the Switch, especially their bigger franchises like Pokemon?
The question wasn't about 3ds. Wasn't even about what Switch replaces. The question was simply about if it will be easier to develop for Switch and if they will make games faster.
The consolidation of handheld and console development is the sole thing about the Switch that's genuinely super exciting.
If they walk back on that with making a conventional handheld that won't share the library with Switch, that'll be a huge mistake.
But the 3DS is their current "dedicated handheld" so it just appears to be a way of referring to the 3DS again when he says that. Nothing Nintendo has said to their investors has indicated a dedicated handheld with completely different architecture will be coming, while the opposite (a family of devices sharing a common architecture) has been explicitly mentioned many, many times.
I choose to believe that over PR-like answers to interview questions.
Pretty much.Remember how Iwata said NX would be like a family of systems?
Well there we go.
Might be because they don't wanna kill off the 3DS right now. After all, they wouldn't wanna kill off their more successful line of products in case the Switch does poorly. If the Switch proves successful, then the 3DS will be dropped like a rock. Even now, it's not getting much support from Nintendo themselvesIf this is clear, why doesn't Nintendo have any 3DS or more traditionally handheld games for the Switch in their launch window? Why aren't they porting enhanced versions of 3DS titles to the Switch, especially their bigger franchises like Pokemon?
Pretty much.
A "Switch Micro" without removable Joy-Cons will happen, I'm sure of it.
But the 3DS is their current "dedicated handheld" so it just appears to be a way of referring to the 3DS again when he says that. Nothing Nintendo has said to their investors has indicated a dedicated handheld with completely different architecture will be coming, while the opposite (a family of devices sharing a common architecture) has been explicitly mentioned many, many times.
I choose to believe that over PR-like answers to interview questions.
I would like to believe this too. But it's not easy to believe in it. There is too much emphasis into another direction lately.
The consolidation of handheld and console development is the sole thing about the Switch that's genuinely super exciting.
If they walk back on that with making a conventional handheld that won't share the library with Switch, that'll be a huge mistake.
I'm worried. I pre-ordered the Switch because I though it would be the next main platform to play Pokémon lol
Have you noticed any discussion about a separate handheld that isn't the 3DS in their IR meetings? They talked about the NX (not by name) for years before it was revealed, so if there is a new dedicated handheld device coming within 3 years why haven't they told there investors about it?
The company is saying one thing to their investors and another thing to the press. Which statement would you believe is more accurate?
Have you noticed any discussion about a separate handheld that isn't the 3DS in their IR meetings? They talked about the NX (not by name) for years before it was revealed, so if there is a new dedicated handheld device coming within 3 years why haven't they told there investors about it?
The company is saying one thing to their investors and another thing to the press. Which statement would you believe is more accurate?
If this is clear, why doesn't Nintendo have any 3DS or more traditionally handheld games for the Switch in their launch window? Why aren't they porting enhanced versions of 3DS titles to the Switch, especially their bigger franchises like Pokemon?
I thought NX name was dropped so early because of the mobile games deal with DeNA. Wasn't this the usual excuse for announcing NX and then not talking anything about it for 1 1/2 years?
Of course they talked about the NS. The Wii U was dead in the water and they needed to let folks know that they were ready with something else. This isn't the case with the 3DS. It's still going fairly strong so there's no need to "poison the well". Once the 3DS starts dying down, we'll start getting wind of a successor for that hardware. No point in it now.
If just porting games from handheld to console is a sign that Switch will replace 3DS than Nintendo porting games like Super Mario Maker or Yoshi's Wooly World from WiiU to 3DS would be a sign of 3DS replacing WiiU, which is definitely not the case. Pokemon is just a gamble at this point, the sparse use of the dual screens on the 3DS and the Eurogamer leak all point to Pokemon coming to Switch but in the end it's all just a rumor until Nintendo confirms it, which wont be until late spring/early summer because Nintendo wants you to buy Sun/Moon and not wait around for the definitive edition.
The consolidation of handheld and console development is the sole thing about the Switch that's genuinely super exciting.
If they walk back on that with making a conventional handheld that won't share the library with Switch, that'll be a huge mistake.