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[Diablos]

Most games will probably use 32GB, larger games will require 64GB. In some rare cases I could see 128GB max.

 

[Durante]

I think 32 GB of storage space is the very last tech spec that could ever be a significant issue for an NX game.

 

[Haunted]

I think 32GB is ridiculously small these days, maybe the NX is less powerful than we thought (if we follow the general assumption that higher quality assets need more space).


I hope the dock comes with a big HDD or going downloadable will be a nightmare on the NX. It'll be the Wii fridge all over again. :lol

 

[Patrick Young]

It'll be perfectly fine to start. If these things really are 32GB, they'll be 64GB by the end of the NX's life.

It would be cool if they were actually heavier too.

 

[MacTag]

I think 32GB is ridiculously small these days and will either fill up in no time, or the NX is much less powerful than we thought (if we follow the general assumption that higher quality assets need more space).

Or the dock comes with a big HDD.

32GB is probably fine for a 540p handheld. Vita gets by with 4GB max.

In console mode then perhaps there are download packs with 1080p assets since you could plug in a USB HDD.

 

[zoukka]

I think 32GB is ridiculously small these days, maybe the NX is less powerful than we thought (if we follow the general assumption that higher quality assets need more space).

Or the dock comes with a big HDD.

Blu-rays are not much bigger dude and we are talking about a portable Nintendo console.

 

[Protome]

I'm most interested in how much space the NX will have to store digital games on (and how cheap it will be to expand.)

Physical media for portable devices is such an insanely outdated concept I can't imagine myself buying many games that way.

 

[Seik]

I don't think they'll use big sized carts for it, probably something like 16/32Gb for most as some of Nintendo's games even in the HD era are ridiculously small in term of space. :O.

The games will be on carts anyways, so no install. This will be a problem for those who will buy digital though as they will probably need a bigger SD card for storage.

 

[Vanillalite]

32 gig read only rom carts with an option for 64 gig for certain massive games will be fine.

The issue has always been internal storage.

 

[Haunted]

32GB is probably fine for a 540p handheld. Vita gets by with 4GB max.

In console mode then perhaps there are download packs with 1080p assets since you could plug in a USB HDD.

Downloadable packs with higher quality assets Xenoblade style (or as we've seen in some console -> Steam ports), that's a real possibility.

Blu-rays are not much bigger dude and we are talking about a portable Nintendo console.

I'm looking at my Steam and PS4 library and most of the AAA games already need more than 32GB. This is a new console that's hopefully going to stick around for a couple years and game sizes will continue to increase.


That said, I initially misunderstood the OP's phrasing, so I wouldn't call 32GB ridiculously small.

 

[Graphics Horse]

Eurogamer's use of the 'recommend' word was confusing to me too. I have decided it means that Nintendo can't guarantee anything above that to be available/affordable for launch, so they 'recommend' that as the upper limit to aim for.
I could be totally off with that, but either way I doubt the majority of Nintendo's launch games will exceed 8GB carts.

 

[MacTag]

The issue has always been internal storage.

I figured they'd throw in some flash but now I'm thinking they'll probably stick in a 32GB microsd card and call it a day.

Eurogamer's use of the 'recommend' word was confusing to me too. I have decided it means that Nintendo can't guarantee anything above that to be available/affordable for launch, so they 'recommend' that as the upper limit to aim for.
I could be totally off with that, but either way I doubt the majority of Nintendo's launch games will exceed 8GB carts.

I tend to agree Nintendo's games will go lower size (8-16GB) but the two ports we've gotten wind of will probably demand 32GB cards (Zelda BOTW and Smash U).

 

[LordOfChaos]

If that's the "reccomended" I expect the maximum will at least double it, maybe quadruple. Hopefully it doesn't make devs size limited by how much extra the larger carts cost, like happened with the N64.

Nice thing about carts is their scalability though, not a fixed max like BD.

 

[Camwi]

EDIT - Nevermind, misread.

 

[Koren]

Plus you'll need room on the card for patches which can be rather large.

Maybe the 32GB recommandation isn't because the assets needs 32GB, but to allow patches to be installed *on the cart* rather than in the internal memory/on SD...

Most Nintendo carts have rewritable memory, and with the tiny costs of SD, I wouldn't be surprised if the carts could have a large amount of rewritable memory.

Even better, you could buy "blank" carts, and download e-shop software on a cart rather than on SD.

 

[MacTag]

If that's the "reccomended" I expect the maximum will at least double it, maybe quadruple. Hopefully it doesn't make devs size limited by how much extra the larger carts cost, like happened with the N64.

Nice thing about carts is their scalability though, not a fixed max like BD.

Costs will always impact size. It even happens on 3DS, publishers avoid things like dual audio because they'd rather not spring for a 4GB card.

 

[Dee Dah Dave]

Seems like plenty of space to work with for the vast majority of games.

 

[Peltz]

Why do you need system storage when they are using carts? You will not need to install games. HDD space would only be needed for digital downloads and patches. System will probably include some type of flash storage but the sock will allow hdd

Downloadable games? You think Nintendo would ever go back to retail-only? It'd make no business sense.

I'm betting that every single retail game will be downloadable.

 

[MacTag]

Maybe the 32GB recommandation isn't because the assets needs 32GB, but to allow patches to be installed *on the cart* rather than in the internal memory/on SD...

Most Nintendo carts have rewritable memory, and with the tiny costs of SD, I wouldn't be surprised if the carts could have a large amount of rewritable memory.

Even better, you could buy "blank" carts, and download e-shop software on a cart rather than on SD.

There won't be patches to cards, it just doesn't make much logistical sense and 3DS/Vita didn't do it either. In fact I think saving to cards directly might be dropped too and moved to system memory/cloud so Nintendo can cut costs further by dropping the EEPROM pool.

 

[Okami Haundo]

My bets are firmly on 32GB for almost all games, with 64GB cards being there for the rare few that would exceed 32. Then again, I'm firmly of the belief that we won't see many multi-platform games on NX. The Playstation 4 has been leading the Xbox One in terms of sales per platform for third party games. I don't think Nintendo wants to put in a ton of effort just to get sloppy thirds in that category.

 

[clem84]

The mere existence of an SD card with that kind of capacity just floors me. Didn't realize we were at a point where something like this would be possible.

 

[Graphics Horse]

I tend to agree Nintendo's games will go lower size (8-16GB) but the two ports we've gotten wind of will probably demand 32GB cards (Zelda BOTW and Smash U).

That's why I said majority . I think Zelda could be surprisingly small file size though, like Skyrim's was.

Assuming Smash NX has 1080p video files then additions could easily push beyond the Wii U version's 16gb, but even then it could be squeezed onto 16 if they really want.

 

[MacTag]

That's why I said majority . I think Zelda could be surprisingly small file size though, like Skyrim's was.

Assuming Smash NX has 1080p video files then additions could easily push beyond the Wii U version's 16gb, but even then it could be squeezed onto 16 if they really want.

True Zelda may end up being smaller than we expect. I was basing things on Xenoblade X (23GB) but it really depends on the amount and quality of audio and assets, plus if there's any fmv. Skyrim's somewhat small (about 13GB with all expansions) but it also uses heavy compression and a relatively small pool of repeated assets versus other open world games, plus no fmv. Even Twilight Princess HD is 4.5GB and that's only with improved textures and was just over 1GB on Gamecube.

Smash is less likely unless they drop the character intro videos entirely. The Wii U version didn't even include all of them and it's 16GB on disc, not to mention the additional 2GB of dlc added on top.

 

[diaspora]

I doubt the system is going to get games that take advantage of more than 32GB tbh. It's not like this thing is getting stuff like Shadow of Mordor.

 

[Sectorseven]

Maybe the 32GB recommandation isn't because the assets needs 32GB, but to allow patches to be installed *on the cart* rather than in the internal memory/on SD...

Most Nintendo carts have rewritable memory, and with the tiny costs of SD, I wouldn't be surprised if the carts could have a large amount of rewritable memory.

Even better, you could buy "blank" carts, and download e-shop software on a cart rather than on SD.

Aren't Nintendo carts ROMs? Allowing the SD card to be re-writable sounds incredibly dangerous.

 

[StereoVsn]

Aren't Nintendo carts ROMs? Allowing the SD card to be re-writable sounds incredibly dangerous.

Game carts will certainly be encrypted ROMs.

 

[Okami Haundo]

Aren't Nintendo carts ROMs? Allowing the SD card to be re-writable sounds incredibly dangerous.

Yeah... Nintendo would not make their game carts re-writable. The NX would likely adopt the same system the 3DS uses right now. The cartridge holds the print copy of the game, while any and all updates are stored on system or external memory.

 

[PotionBleue]

Downloadable packs with higher quality assets Xenoblade style (or as we've seen in some console -> Steam ports), that's a real possibility.

I think Xenoblade X's downloadable packs were not higher quality assets, rather the exact same assets which were installed in the console's memory for faster loading than disc.

 

[MiketheBSG]

With the ability to install games, 32GB should be enough, but they might have 64GB cards for special games like Resident Evil 2 on N64.

Also SDXC will be supported (like 3DS) so a 512GB+ card should be possible at launch.

Not sure why this hasn't been pointed out yet, but N64 games were 32 to 512 megaBITS, not megabytes. So Resident Evil 2 is 64 MB, or 512 megabits.

 

[yurinka]

Considering some PS4 games use almost 50GB, I think 64GB is a good option for big AAA 3rd party games, or 32GB if you compress a bit the audio or cutscenes.

But for many games including the ones from Nintendo 8GB will be more than enough.