Takahashi: As a game software developer, if you ask me whether Nintendo Switch has sufficient performance, I would not say it is lacking. However, game developers generally want more, and will always want to incorporate a lot of elements that exceed the hardware limitations. Since the Famicom era, we have worked on how to fit these elements inside a framework with certain limitations, and our job is to figure out how to create a fun game within these constraints. I believe that some interesting content are created as a result of accommodating the limitations and we have actually been able to make this happen.
Shiota: We have been developing Nintendo Switch software for a long time and have used various methods to overcome performance barriers. Even now, the system developers are listening to game developers and continuously implementing initiatives to increase the smoothness and longevity of Nintendo Switch software development.
All_Rise2019
I think this is a good take, if you want just raw power there are 2 other choices in Sony & Microsoft, those options come with undoubtedly great games, but they also come with huge headaches as game’s constantly come out buggy and unfinished.
Nintendo in the scope of gradually increasing their hardware power I feel allows them internally to grow their talents gradually with the tech and put out a consistently more polished product, of course there are a few exceptions.
Do I want a 4K/60 Zelda, Mario etc? Absolutely but not at the expense of a well polished fine tuned experience AND the what I see as a trend for 3D gaming becoming very similar in style presentation.
I have all 3 current gen systems and I feel right now as a 40+ yr old gamer we are in a great place where all three companies are presenting unique experiences
zoozoo4567
I get what they’re saying. A lot of awesome stuff has come about by having to get creative due to hardware limitations. I don’t really like first-person Resident Evil, which is what the original was going to be had that been feasible at the time. I loved the third-person, fixed camera style.
I’m very impressed with FFXVI’s graphics, but I was content each time with how older entries in the series looked at their respective launches and didn’t require better visuals to enjoy any of them.
markaznar
I understand the point being made. The current form of the Nintendo Switch remains a strong entertainment platform as long as game developers can optimize their games within its hardware limitations. A game doesn’t necessarily require exceptional graphics to be enjoyable. However, developers aiming to create games for all three major consoles may encounter difficulties, particularly with more graphically demanding titles. These developers would need to allocate additional resources, leading to increased costs and yet, still potentially delivering an inferior version on the Switch. Even first party titles would benefit from a more powerful Soc – The Legend of Zelda TotK, would have been even more amazing! On the other hand, the Switch would be the only platform capable of running games natively in handheld mode, unless cloud streaming is employed.
Taking everything into account, while the Nintendo Switch can still be a viable gaming monster for another year or two – God forbids! having better hardware would greatly benefit both developers and end users.
My next Nintendo console whistlist:
1. A system-on-chip as powerful as or more powerful than the Steam Deck.
2. Improved handheld performance with at least 40fps, preferably 60fps. 120fps will only resort to less battery life, even with auto 1-120fps implementation, for marginal handheld gaming enjoyment. Even in TV mode, I do not mind 60fps.
3. Better or at the very least keep its current OLED battery life, even with a more powerful system-on-chip.
4. Minimum internal memory of 64GB or preferably 128GB.
5. At least 8GB of RAM for improved multitasking abilities. Does the Nintendo Switch even multi-task 😂
6. Micro LED display and larger screen size option for those sensitive to PWM flickering and poor vision.
7. A redesigned Joy-Con suitable for adult hands and COMPLETELY RECTIFYING Joy-Con drift.
8. An additional USB-C port on the top for easier charging in handheld mode.
9. A more robust paint finish for the console’s build.
10. An easier-to-open game cartridge cover.
Lastly…
A much needed COMPLETE OVERHAUL of the 🚮 Nintendo Eshop! And more frequent Eshop game sales, especially on first party titles! 😜
dsffff22
I don’t know why this article mentions that the Switch is 6 years old, that has barely anything to do with the technical age. Fact is, the Switch uses an 8.5-year-old mobile SoC with an 11-year-old CPU design, which is further restricted by down clocking the Chip. Also, It’s somewhat ironic that someone like Shinya Takahashi is saying this when the Switch fails to maintain 20 FPS in TOTK and the messy state of the Pokémon series these days.
WinterElfeas
They can put it how they want: the main issue is that 4K TVs are becoming more and more popular, it’s the case since the PS4 Pro era, which is already quite some times ago.
Still Nintendo keep forcing people to stay on sub-1080p quality that just looks horrible on those “modern” (aka already 4-5 years) displays.
Their games, especially first party, looks ***stunning*** in 4K on emulators. Even with simplified graphic style, they pack so many details completely annihilated by the low resolution it offers because of lack of power.
And don’t even get me started on ALLM, VRR, 40 fps on 120 hz container becoming more and more common especially useful for OLED with their fast response time that just struggle with 30 FPS.
You don’t need to push graphical fidelity to get all those technologies.
Gaming tech are evolving forward to give more and more smooth experience, IMO they are blind and incompetent when it comes to all this. There is no other explanation, they could have easily release a Switch Pro just for the resolution bump and maybe 40 FPS modes, it would have sold like pancakes.
NS4701
I understand what they are saying, and I think its fine for the most part. I just want developers to be able to use higher resolutions, I’m not even asking for 4K. Give us native 1080p when docked.
2 games deserve to be played at a higher resolution: Xenoblade Chronicles 3 and Tears of the Kingdom. Both are beautiful, but suffer from low internal resolution. The FSR upscaling just doesn’t produce a clean enough image. The constantly blurry image really detracts from the game play.
There are 2 things I ask for in Nintendo’s next console. 1. Backwards compatible. Let me continue playing ALL my Switch games. 2. Slightly more powerful hardware. Enough to give us a better resolution, like I said, 1080p is fine. Just let games actually hit that without sacrificing too much. (and 3. patch existing games to fix the resolution issue on the next console)
fcuk_the_king
I don’t expect a Nintendo console to provide cutting edge graphical fidelity and performance but the Switch is too far behind now. There is basically no expectation that 3rd party AAA or even some AA titles released today can be ported to the Switch.
In 2 years, we’d be getting compromised experiences for games released 12+ years ago. And Nintendo no doubt will be releasing great games, but they’d be further isolating themselves from a whole generation of gamers. I’d rather it not be the case, that Nintendo consoles become unusable for anything other than 1st party titles.
Spooky_Blob
In more honest words, switch is making them hot bank so they don’t want to do anything yet. Because I refuse to believe they think what we have is good enough. Not asking for 4k 120fps but we seriously need something a bit more beefier to actually have games at full native at all times both docked and handheld. Locked 30fps would be nice too, 1080p 30 without dips on TotK would be insane or the XC trilogy. More power would also mean better draw distances and less popins
laespadaqueguarda
All I want and need is for the switch to play current games at 720p native in handheld, that’s it.
IntrinsicStarvation
This has a considerable ripple effect that extends to when those devs get their hands on more powerful hardware.
It is not a coincidence botw and totk had developers from competing companies gobsmacked with the low spec solutions they came up with for things they had legitimate trouble creating on far more powerful hardware.
Totk is recent, so everyone knows what devs are chattering about.
But botw received its share of praise and respect from competing programmers as well. A particular favourite was the ingeniously simple ridiculously computationally cheap, and very convincing system that produced standing water puddles after the rain, that then evaporated when the rain cleared. I’d bet all me e bucks that one was Iwata. Screams Iwata.
toffee_fapple
I think the next Nintendo console should be more powerful than the PS4, perhaps closing in on PS4 Pro, but with a much better CPU.
If they continue to partner with NVIDIA there’s zero reason the next one shouldn’t support DLSS upscaling either. I’ve had it on my PC for years now and I can confidently say you get a very acceptable 4K image with DLSS in performance mode, which is natively 1080p. It will open the doors for a lot better looking games in general, and 60fps targets more often.
shrek3onDVDandBluray
They are more than right in their views. At the same time, expect to alienate third party titles. For example, if I had a choice between a switch version of something vs PC/other console, I will choose the other options every time because I know the switch version is a trimmed down version of what I’m wanting to play.
ArkBeetleGaming
Their reasoning leaned too much into creating game specifically for the Switch. So they don’t care about ports from other console that much?
zerocar2000
People should not be defending any of Nintendo’s technical performance issues. When the switch released, your smart phone had more GB of storage built in. OLED screens have been popular in production since the early 2000’s. Stable frame rates, a better UI to toggle between games, friends, settings, and other features should be mandatory. Was unacceptable at launch, and is unacceptable 6 years later.
ChickenFajita007
My problem with this response is that they could say the exact same thing if they were making games for hardware 10x faster than Switch, or 10x slower.
The limitations would still be there, just moved. They would still need creativity to make their ambitions reality.
There’s nothing special about the Switch’s specific hardware capabilities. It’s way faster than a 3DS, and way slower than a PS5.
The only true fact is they could make better looking/running, **and more ambitious**, games on better hardware. That’s simply a fact.
It doesn’t matter how good they get at utilizing the Switch. It could always be far better on faster hardware. The limitations wouldn’t be removed, just shifted.
Nawt_
The only thing holding up the switch is it’s first party games. If this was hardware released for third party support, it would’ve died within a year. The hardware on the Switch is objectively dog shit. We should’ve received a refresh around the same time PS5/Series X came out.
BebeFanMasterJ
While I–and many–would agree that a more powerful Switch would be better, I get what they’re saying. Loads of games are made with high-end hardware in mind and still ended up running terribly. Fallout 76, Crackdown 3, Cyperpunk 2077, Battlefield 2042, and Redfall are all prime examples of games made for powerful hardware that still bombed and were marred by loads upon loads of technical issues. Obviously there are still plenty of amazing AAA games out there, but it’s very sad when nearly every other major release is followed by a series of Twitter apologies on how the devs will do better when the game runs like shit at launch.
The Switch having less power results in more developers having to get creative and it works when it works. Astral Chain is a perfect example of a game that looks beautiful because it was made for Switch in mind and actually came out functional on day 1. The Xenoblade series is also visually stunning on Switch as well.
So if Nintendo approaching console development with lower power in mind gives us more technically-sound games, then I don’t mind. Better graphics don’t always equate to better games.
Stealthinater1234
The switch is very underpowered and outdated, has been since day 1. It’s quite an accomplishment what developers have done with the switch, but they’ve long outgrown what they can do with it. Zelda totk generally runs well @ 30fps when nothing is going on, but if the scene is even remotely busy, you start using ultrahand or get into a larger group fight, it doesn’t really have much headroom and drops like a stone, usually hard locks to 20fps. Playable, but it’s not really that good.
PizzaPino
What else are they supposed to say at a stakeholder meeting?
No_Worker_6270
Nintendo Switch: pushing the limits of fun within hardware constraints!
OddjobIsNotOP
That’s a nonanswer.
IN-N-OUT-
The switch has always been underpowered and anybody who says otherwise is lying to themselves.
The console is barely capable of running its launch title at a steady 30fps and can‘t even hold 1080p resolution in docked. Most of the third party support are indie titles, because those have way lower system requirements.
Because it’s a nintendo product this gets a pass but if we are being honest, the switch needed a hardware upgrade from the day it got released.
tubular1845
lmao they’re so full of shit
Big-Rip2640
Like others mentioned, when you see even exclusives struggling in your console, you cant blame multiplatform devs for that.
The Switch even back in 2017, wasnt considered a strong console hardware wise. Obviously Nintendo knew this, since they chose the hybrid way which had limitations.
You can also see that even in WiFi department, which is one of Switches worst aspects. The not so strong/unreliable Wifi signal.
BigHairyFart
>Since the Famicom era, we have worked on how to fit these elements inside a framework with certain limitations,
Straight-up admission that their hardware has been significantly underpowered since the ’80s
Extension-Basis-4837
If you got a new switch is gametime also transferred over?
McPearr
This man is coping so hard.
RockD79
The reality is, it’s time. The developers are starving for more flexibility. The Switch will be 7 years old without a successor next March. That’s unprecedented. I think this year will be the final major push. They just need to get through one more holiday. Then all bets are off after the holiday. As we enter that inevitable announcement window.
29 Comments
Here’s the article without all the useless fluff
Takahashi: As a game software developer, if you ask me whether Nintendo Switch has sufficient performance, I would not say it is lacking. However, game developers generally want more, and will always want to incorporate a lot of elements that exceed the hardware limitations. Since the Famicom era, we have worked on how to fit these elements inside a framework with certain limitations, and our job is to figure out how to create a fun game within these constraints. I believe that some interesting content are created as a result of accommodating the limitations and we have actually been able to make this happen.
Shiota: We have been developing Nintendo Switch software for a long time and have used various methods to overcome performance barriers. Even now, the system developers are listening to game developers and continuously implementing initiatives to increase the smoothness and longevity of Nintendo Switch software development.
I think this is a good take, if you want just raw power there are 2 other choices in Sony & Microsoft, those options come with undoubtedly great games, but they also come with huge headaches as game’s constantly come out buggy and unfinished.
Nintendo in the scope of gradually increasing their hardware power I feel allows them internally to grow their talents gradually with the tech and put out a consistently more polished product, of course there are a few exceptions.
Do I want a 4K/60 Zelda, Mario etc? Absolutely but not at the expense of a well polished fine tuned experience AND the what I see as a trend for 3D gaming becoming very similar in style presentation.
I have all 3 current gen systems and I feel right now as a 40+ yr old gamer we are in a great place where all three companies are presenting unique experiences
I get what they’re saying. A lot of awesome stuff has come about by having to get creative due to hardware limitations. I don’t really like first-person Resident Evil, which is what the original was going to be had that been feasible at the time. I loved the third-person, fixed camera style.
I’m very impressed with FFXVI’s graphics, but I was content each time with how older entries in the series looked at their respective launches and didn’t require better visuals to enjoy any of them.
I understand the point being made. The current form of the Nintendo Switch remains a strong entertainment platform as long as game developers can optimize their games within its hardware limitations. A game doesn’t necessarily require exceptional graphics to be enjoyable. However, developers aiming to create games for all three major consoles may encounter difficulties, particularly with more graphically demanding titles. These developers would need to allocate additional resources, leading to increased costs and yet, still potentially delivering an inferior version on the Switch. Even first party titles would benefit from a more powerful Soc – The Legend of Zelda TotK, would have been even more amazing! On the other hand, the Switch would be the only platform capable of running games natively in handheld mode, unless cloud streaming is employed.
Taking everything into account, while the Nintendo Switch can still be a viable gaming monster for another year or two – God forbids! having better hardware would greatly benefit both developers and end users.
My next Nintendo console whistlist:
1. A system-on-chip as powerful as or more powerful than the Steam Deck.
2. Improved handheld performance with at least 40fps, preferably 60fps. 120fps will only resort to less battery life, even with auto 1-120fps implementation, for marginal handheld gaming enjoyment. Even in TV mode, I do not mind 60fps.
3. Better or at the very least keep its current OLED battery life, even with a more powerful system-on-chip.
4. Minimum internal memory of 64GB or preferably 128GB.
5. At least 8GB of RAM for improved multitasking abilities. Does the Nintendo Switch even multi-task 😂
6. Micro LED display and larger screen size option for those sensitive to PWM flickering and poor vision.
7. A redesigned Joy-Con suitable for adult hands and COMPLETELY RECTIFYING Joy-Con drift.
8. An additional USB-C port on the top for easier charging in handheld mode.
9. A more robust paint finish for the console’s build.
10. An easier-to-open game cartridge cover.
Lastly…
A much needed COMPLETE OVERHAUL of the 🚮 Nintendo Eshop! And more frequent Eshop game sales, especially on first party titles! 😜
I don’t know why this article mentions that the Switch is 6 years old, that has barely anything to do with the technical age. Fact is, the Switch uses an 8.5-year-old mobile SoC with an 11-year-old CPU design, which is further restricted by down clocking the Chip. Also, It’s somewhat ironic that someone like Shinya Takahashi is saying this when the Switch fails to maintain 20 FPS in TOTK and the messy state of the Pokémon series these days.
They can put it how they want: the main issue is that 4K TVs are becoming more and more popular, it’s the case since the PS4 Pro era, which is already quite some times ago.
Still Nintendo keep forcing people to stay on sub-1080p quality that just looks horrible on those “modern” (aka already 4-5 years) displays.
Their games, especially first party, looks ***stunning*** in 4K on emulators. Even with simplified graphic style, they pack so many details completely annihilated by the low resolution it offers because of lack of power.
And don’t even get me started on ALLM, VRR, 40 fps on 120 hz container becoming more and more common especially useful for OLED with their fast response time that just struggle with 30 FPS.
You don’t need to push graphical fidelity to get all those technologies.
Gaming tech are evolving forward to give more and more smooth experience, IMO they are blind and incompetent when it comes to all this. There is no other explanation, they could have easily release a Switch Pro just for the resolution bump and maybe 40 FPS modes, it would have sold like pancakes.
I understand what they are saying, and I think its fine for the most part. I just want developers to be able to use higher resolutions, I’m not even asking for 4K. Give us native 1080p when docked.
2 games deserve to be played at a higher resolution: Xenoblade Chronicles 3 and Tears of the Kingdom. Both are beautiful, but suffer from low internal resolution. The FSR upscaling just doesn’t produce a clean enough image. The constantly blurry image really detracts from the game play.
There are 2 things I ask for in Nintendo’s next console. 1. Backwards compatible. Let me continue playing ALL my Switch games. 2. Slightly more powerful hardware. Enough to give us a better resolution, like I said, 1080p is fine. Just let games actually hit that without sacrificing too much. (and 3. patch existing games to fix the resolution issue on the next console)
I don’t expect a Nintendo console to provide cutting edge graphical fidelity and performance but the Switch is too far behind now. There is basically no expectation that 3rd party AAA or even some AA titles released today can be ported to the Switch.
In 2 years, we’d be getting compromised experiences for games released 12+ years ago. And Nintendo no doubt will be releasing great games, but they’d be further isolating themselves from a whole generation of gamers. I’d rather it not be the case, that Nintendo consoles become unusable for anything other than 1st party titles.
In more honest words, switch is making them hot bank so they don’t want to do anything yet. Because I refuse to believe they think what we have is good enough. Not asking for 4k 120fps but we seriously need something a bit more beefier to actually have games at full native at all times both docked and handheld. Locked 30fps would be nice too, 1080p 30 without dips on TotK would be insane or the XC trilogy. More power would also mean better draw distances and less popins
All I want and need is for the switch to play current games at 720p native in handheld, that’s it.
This has a considerable ripple effect that extends to when those devs get their hands on more powerful hardware.
It is not a coincidence botw and totk had developers from competing companies gobsmacked with the low spec solutions they came up with for things they had legitimate trouble creating on far more powerful hardware.
Totk is recent, so everyone knows what devs are chattering about.
But botw received its share of praise and respect from competing programmers as well. A particular favourite was the ingeniously simple ridiculously computationally cheap, and very convincing system that produced standing water puddles after the rain, that then evaporated when the rain cleared. I’d bet all me e bucks that one was Iwata. Screams Iwata.
I think the next Nintendo console should be more powerful than the PS4, perhaps closing in on PS4 Pro, but with a much better CPU.
If they continue to partner with NVIDIA there’s zero reason the next one shouldn’t support DLSS upscaling either. I’ve had it on my PC for years now and I can confidently say you get a very acceptable 4K image with DLSS in performance mode, which is natively 1080p. It will open the doors for a lot better looking games in general, and 60fps targets more often.
They are more than right in their views. At the same time, expect to alienate third party titles. For example, if I had a choice between a switch version of something vs PC/other console, I will choose the other options every time because I know the switch version is a trimmed down version of what I’m wanting to play.
Their reasoning leaned too much into creating game specifically for the Switch. So they don’t care about ports from other console that much?
People should not be defending any of Nintendo’s technical performance issues. When the switch released, your smart phone had more GB of storage built in. OLED screens have been popular in production since the early 2000’s. Stable frame rates, a better UI to toggle between games, friends, settings, and other features should be mandatory. Was unacceptable at launch, and is unacceptable 6 years later.
My problem with this response is that they could say the exact same thing if they were making games for hardware 10x faster than Switch, or 10x slower.
The limitations would still be there, just moved. They would still need creativity to make their ambitions reality.
There’s nothing special about the Switch’s specific hardware capabilities. It’s way faster than a 3DS, and way slower than a PS5.
The only true fact is they could make better looking/running, **and more ambitious**, games on better hardware. That’s simply a fact.
It doesn’t matter how good they get at utilizing the Switch. It could always be far better on faster hardware. The limitations wouldn’t be removed, just shifted.
The only thing holding up the switch is it’s first party games. If this was hardware released for third party support, it would’ve died within a year. The hardware on the Switch is objectively dog shit. We should’ve received a refresh around the same time PS5/Series X came out.
While I–and many–would agree that a more powerful Switch would be better, I get what they’re saying. Loads of games are made with high-end hardware in mind and still ended up running terribly. Fallout 76, Crackdown 3, Cyperpunk 2077, Battlefield 2042, and Redfall are all prime examples of games made for powerful hardware that still bombed and were marred by loads upon loads of technical issues. Obviously there are still plenty of amazing AAA games out there, but it’s very sad when nearly every other major release is followed by a series of Twitter apologies on how the devs will do better when the game runs like shit at launch.
The Switch having less power results in more developers having to get creative and it works when it works. Astral Chain is a perfect example of a game that looks beautiful because it was made for Switch in mind and actually came out functional on day 1. The Xenoblade series is also visually stunning on Switch as well.
So if Nintendo approaching console development with lower power in mind gives us more technically-sound games, then I don’t mind. Better graphics don’t always equate to better games.
The switch is very underpowered and outdated, has been since day 1. It’s quite an accomplishment what developers have done with the switch, but they’ve long outgrown what they can do with it. Zelda totk generally runs well @ 30fps when nothing is going on, but if the scene is even remotely busy, you start using ultrahand or get into a larger group fight, it doesn’t really have much headroom and drops like a stone, usually hard locks to 20fps. Playable, but it’s not really that good.
What else are they supposed to say at a stakeholder meeting?
Nintendo Switch: pushing the limits of fun within hardware constraints!
That’s a nonanswer.
The switch has always been underpowered and anybody who says otherwise is lying to themselves.
The console is barely capable of running its launch title at a steady 30fps and can‘t even hold 1080p resolution in docked. Most of the third party support are indie titles, because those have way lower system requirements.
Because it’s a nintendo product this gets a pass but if we are being honest, the switch needed a hardware upgrade from the day it got released.
lmao they’re so full of shit
Like others mentioned, when you see even exclusives struggling in your console, you cant blame multiplatform devs for that.
The Switch even back in 2017, wasnt considered a strong console hardware wise. Obviously Nintendo knew this, since they chose the hybrid way which had limitations.
You can also see that even in WiFi department, which is one of Switches worst aspects. The not so strong/unreliable Wifi signal.
>Since the Famicom era, we have worked on how to fit these elements inside a framework with certain limitations,
Straight-up admission that their hardware has been significantly underpowered since the ’80s
If you got a new switch is gametime also transferred over?
This man is coping so hard.
The reality is, it’s time. The developers are starving for more flexibility. The Switch will be 7 years old without a successor next March. That’s unprecedented. I think this year will be the final major push. They just need to get through one more holiday. Then all bets are off after the holiday. As we enter that inevitable announcement window.