Hideo Kojima: the Nintendo Switch Is a "Gamer's Dream"

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The Metal Gear and Policenauts creator has taken a real liking to what Nintendo has cooked up. As you might imagine, his amusement has a lot to do with the fact that you can basically play a Switch game anywhere—the concept really gels with his prediction of how future media will behave, in that games or movies may be enjoyed on multiple devices and locations. I actually think portability is overrated, but I guess it will be cool playing a console Zelda on the toilet.

…Kojima said he especially likes the idea of starting a game at home and being able to continue on the go. “You might be familiar with the fact that for a previous game that I did, we had a specification that we called 'Transfarring' where you could take the saved data from the PS Vita and move it over to the PS3 and back and forth like that,” Kojima told IGN. “I believe [Switch] is an extension of that idea. The fact you can play something at home and take it outside, this is the gamer's dream. The Switch is an evolution of that.” “For example, often when you buy a Blu-Ray disc, it'll have a code on the inside for a digital version, so in the same respect you can watch it at home and then take it on the go on your tablet and smartphone,” he continued. “This is how movies and TV are moving, and this is how games should go.”
 
No... No it is not....

Yes, yes it is. this has always been my dream since the NES days to have a powerful portable to play games whether it be at home or on the road. (I couldn't afford the tg-16/express in '89) I can have one digi download or cartridge to play the same game anywhere. If this thing does that well, it will sell gangbusters. Maybe even Wii install base. I have 6-8 games in the first 90 days that are coming out to evenly pace my gaming experience, while unknowns are to be announced. To end the year with a AAA Mario game is the icing on the cake.
 
playing-video-games-outside.jpg


Playing home console games as a hand-held isn't a new concept. If you look at the SEGA Nomad, for example, it would allow you to play your SEGA Genesis games on the go... and drink your wallet dry from batteries at the same time. 6 AA Batteries.

It had the same battery life (2-3 Hrs) as the Nintendo Switch [Playing Zelda on the handheld will net you roughly 3 hours of battery life (Source)] and it was a failure as a portable. Until batteries get to the point where they can hold a lot more capacity I don't see this type of gaming feasible.


It was cool to play your full screen games at your friend's house. Until the batteries died for the 3rd time in a night. I love the idea and loved my Nomad but you need more battery life. Being attached to an AC Adapter sort of kills the idea of being portable.
 
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I can totally understand that viewpoint coming from a Japanese developer. Modern Japan, especially the big cities, is all about being on the go and not being home that often. So the game industry there is currently all about mobile and handheld gaming with console gaming starting to slow down and shrink.
 
I already have the ability to play a game at home or on the go...
As long as it's a game on my phone/tablet or on the 3DS. Work at home, when I'm traveling or even at the office.

I don't have any console games that I'm so hooked on they I need to play them on the go.
I sure don't want to lower the quality of my console games just so I can play them on the go.
 
playing-video-games-outside.jpg


Playing home console games as a hand-held isn't a new concept. If you look at the SEGA Nomad, for example, it would allow you to play your SEGA Genesis games on the go... and drink your wallet dry from batteries at the same time. 6 AA Batteries.

It had the same battery life (2-3 Hrs) as the Nintendo Switch [Playing Zelda on the handheld will net you roughly 3 hours of battery life (Source)] and it was a failure as a portable. Until batteries get to the point where they can hold a lot more capacity I don't see this type of gaming feasible.


It was cool to play your full screen games at your friend's house. Until the batteries died for the 3rd time in a night. I love the idea and loved my Nomad but you need more battery life. Being attached to an AC Adapter sort of kills the idea of being portable.


That's what battery packs are for.

Ni-Cad was the standard back then and really, really sucked.

Then came NiMH, which was way better and is still the standard for regular sized rechargeable batteries.

But now, most battery packs are either L-ion or Li-Po, which are way, way, way better.

If you need extra game time when not able to be plugged in, then you get a higher capacity or a larger quantity of battery packs.

That being said, if you are going over to somebody's house, it makes no sense to just play with the battery power unless they don't have electricity.. ie, in a cave in some backwards middle eastern country.
 
I don't have a problem with portability so long as when I'm home I have more power for my games. And while the Switch is trying to do that, it fails. For games to look and play as good as I want, I need a power source and a big bulky box.
 
That's what battery packs are for.

Ni-Cad was the standard back then and really, really sucked.

Then came NiMH, which was way better and is still the standard for regular sized rechargeable batteries.

But now, most battery packs are either L-ion or Li-Po, which are way, way, way better.

If you need extra game time when not able to be plugged in, then you get a higher capacity or a larger quantity of battery packs.

That being said, if you are going over to somebody's house, it makes no sense to just play with the battery power unless they don't have electricity.. ie, in a cave in some backwards middle eastern country.

With better batteries, they're still getting less than 3 hours of game play.

Since it's supposed to use a USB C connector, any word on how many Amps the charger needs to be to supply power and charge at the same time? I've been looking but unable to find more specifications other than the port type.
 
Yes, yes it is. this has always been my dream since the NES days to have a powerful portable to play games whether it be at home or on the road. (I couldn't afford the tg-16/express in '89) I can have one digi download or cartridge to play the same game anywhere. If this thing does that well, it will sell gangbusters. Maybe even Wii install base. I have 6-8 games in the first 90 days that are coming out to evenly pace my gaming experience, while unknowns are to be announced. To end the year with a AAA Mario game is the icing on the cake.
So I guess you will still be waiting for that "powerful portable?"
 
The switch is a neat idea, but i just dont see it being practical (in my opinion) I mean are people really going to get together at a park bench and play together? I see it being feasible on a short plane ride. I mean how much is a normal working person going to be able to play this on the go? Instead of being on my couch after a day of work I am going to go outside and play it? The feature of it being portable is cool when you are sitting at home playing and then you have to take a shit all of a sudden and you can take it to the bathroom like someone else said, I dont see much use beyond this for a normal adult. Children will get more out of the portability side of it but that battery life of 3 hours is crap. Sorry for my wording, been drinking a little.
 
Well, I wouldn't call it truly portable, but it's portable enough to use in your bed or somewhere else in the house. Along with the great controller I think it's a pretty neat device.
 
Gamers dream? Only those that are obsessed and are the type to take any device into the toilet. That's just fucking disgusting and an obsessive self esteem unable to take control of themselves issue right there. The rest of us actually enjoy a break from games. To me the whole point of going outside is to do something else. Gaming belongs inside.
 
Gamers dream? Only those that are obsessed and are the type to take any device into the toilet. That's just fucking disgusting and an obsessive self esteem unable to take control of themselves issue right there. The rest of us actually enjoy a break from games. To me the whole point of going outside is to do something else. Gaming belongs inside.

And with this you can play a game anywhere inside. You're right, I like to take a break from using my computer once in a while.
 
With better batteries, they're still getting less than 3 hours of game play.

Since it's supposed to use a USB C connector, any word on how many Amps the charger needs to be to supply power and charge at the same time? I've been looking but unable to find more specifications other than the port type.

That is because they are not making the battery pack big enough.

Easy fix... use an external battery pack.

My workstation laptop had an additional external battery. With light use, it should have about 6-8 hours of battery use.

I don't cry because I have to have an external battery to do this.

On the other side, if the SWITCH came with a bigger battery that caused the unit to be heavier and thicker, people would be complaining that it was too big.
 
Yes, yes it is. this has always been my dream since the NES days to have a powerful portable to play games whether it be at home or on the road. (I couldn't afford the tg-16/express in '89) I can have one digi download or cartridge to play the same game anywhere. If this thing does that well, it will sell gangbusters. Maybe even Wii install base. I have 6-8 games in the first 90 days that are coming out to evenly pace my gaming experience, while unknowns are to be announced. To end the year with a AAA Mario game is the icing on the cake.

Well good on you, now come back and tell me how much it has cost you 2 months from now.
 
It might be the future in Japan, but it's not here in the States and will never be with my kids. They're already far too attached to phones and other devices from a young age. Giving my kids yet another screen that they can haul around and play anywhere is bad parenting, plain and simple. If we're driving somewhere or going outside, it's not to play videogames. If there's no separation between home and elsewhere, I also feel like it stops being something special and in some cases, even fun. Kids might bring their Switch along just because they feel the need to unlock that next item or the next achievement.
 
That is because they are not making the battery pack big enough.

Easy fix... use an external battery pack.

My workstation laptop had an additional external battery. With light use, it should have about 6-8 hours of battery use.

I don't cry because I have to have an external battery to do this.

On the other side, if the SWITCH came with a bigger battery that caused the unit to be heavier and thicker, people would be complaining that it was too big.

This would be the perfect idea! If a third-party developer to add a battery pack to the switch. From what it looks like with the dock, it'll be pretty easy to get a third-party "Dock" without the actual dock holder -- atleast that's what I have in my memory. However the switch's battery isn't user-accessible and a third-party device to increase the mAh would void the warranty. But this is why we're on [H], to void warranties! :D

I'd buy a larger battery. Heck, I still have a portable battery pack from my PokémonGo days.... However, if it can't charge & play at the same time, there's no point to it. I would assume that you can play and allow the battery to fill back up to full.

I'd be interested to know if it would accept quick charging like the Nexus 6P and take 3.0A charging. If not, hopefully a 2.1A would be good enough to play and charge Zelda.
 
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There's nothing wrong with playing games in public. If you think there is then you are far too obsessed with your own image and what other people think of you.

Right up until you walk under a bus. You're a bad friend, shame on you. ;)
 
Right up until you walk under a bus. You're a bad friend, shame on you. ;)

I'm perfectly capable of paying attention when walking. I almost never even pull my phone from my pocket while walking unless I know what's around me. I got hit by some asshat that ran a red light several years ago, I've been pretty paranoid when it comes to crossing streets ever since.
 
Well good on you, now come back and tell me how much it has cost you 2 months from now.
i'm at $300 for the system, $100 for Zelda, $70 for the Pro controller and $70 for the 128GB micro sd card. so what $540 for what i want...so far...might be more due to online downloads too.
 
This would be the perfect idea! If a third-party developer to add a battery pack to the switch. From what it looks like with the dock, it'll be pretty easy to get a third-party "Dock" without the actual dock holder -- atleast that's what I have in my memory. However the switch's battery isn't user-accessible and a third-party device to increase the mAh would void the warranty. But this is why we're on [H], to void warranties! :D

I'd buy a larger battery. Heck, I still have a portable battery pack from my PokémonGo days.... However, if it can't charge & play at the same time, there's no point to it. I would assume that you can play and allow the battery to fill back up to full.

I'd be interested to know if it would accept quick charging like the Nexus 6P and take 3.0A charging. If not, hopefully a 2.1A would be good enough to play and charge Zelda.

it was revealed that a Nintendo Switch with a completely empty battery will require a recharging time of three hours to get back up to full charge.
 
Well, I wouldn't call it truly portable, but it's portable enough to use in your bed or somewhere else in the house. Along with the great controller I think it's a pretty neat device.

how is the Switch not portable? If i'm in the car, i can play it, if I'm ANYWHERE, i can play it. This isn't the Wii U....
 
Gamers dream? Only those that are obsessed and are the type to take any device into the toilet. That's just fucking disgusting and an obsessive self esteem unable to take control of themselves issue right there. The rest of us actually enjoy a break from games. To me the whole point of going outside is to do something else. Gaming belongs inside.

Pokemon GO and StreetPass work great outside. Love going around find new pokemon in different cities and collection on all the street pass items and Street Fighter for 3DS passby battles and Mario Kart for ghost battles.
 
how is the Switch not portable? If i'm in the car, i can play it, if I'm ANYWHERE, i can play it. This isn't the Wii U....

OKay, so 3 hours to drain. 3 hours to charge. But that doesn't tell me if it'll play off an external battery pack and charge at the same time.
 
Portable to me means it fits in my pocket w/ ease and has at least 3DS battery life.. Basically a 3DS. That's portable.

The Switch is more in the realm of a tablet/notebook. Yeah - It's portable, but not like cell phone is.
 
i'm at $300 for the system, $100 for Zelda, $70 for the Pro controller and $70 for the 128GB micro sd card. so what $540 for what i want...so far...might be more due to online downloads too.

$540... so far... and i told you to come back in 2 months, fucking hell men, fucking hell...
 
It's not my dream. It's just Nintendo's solution to both their next console and handheld.
 
This would be the perfect idea! If a third-party developer to add a battery pack to the switch. From what it looks like with the dock, it'll be pretty easy to get a third-party "Dock" without the actual dock holder -- atleast that's what I have in my memory. However the switch's battery isn't user-accessible and a third-party device to increase the mAh would void the warranty. But this is why we're on [H], to void warranties! :D

I'd buy a larger battery. Heck, I still have a portable battery pack from my PokémonGo days.... However, if it can't charge & play at the same time, there's no point to it. I would assume that you can play and allow the battery to fill back up to full.

I'd be interested to know if it would accept quick charging like the Nexus 6P and take 3.0A charging. If not, hopefully a 2.1A would be good enough to play and charge Zelda.

Just have something that clips onto the unit and connects through the charging port.... same as extended/charging bricks for any usb device.

Oh, look, there is already something that you could use.

https://www.monoprice.com/Product?p_id=16240&gclid=CNSg0buK-NECFRc2gQodUgwL-w

And, the powerbank outputs 3.0A over USB-C

So.. sounds like there is no actual new solution needed unless you actually want to have it be mounted to the SWITCH.
 
Kojima said he especially likes the idea of starting a game at home and being able to continue on the go.
Go where? Aside from elementary school kids who have recess at lunch and nothing else better to do with their day who the hell wants to be able to "game anywhere"?
 
Go where? Aside from elementary school kids who have recess at lunch and nothing else better to do with their day who the hell wants to be able to "game anywhere"?

People that take long trips on public transpiration? Long waits in an airport? On a plane? And for the hipsters: Starbucks/random local "organic" coffee shop.
 
It had the potential to be a game changer. I was extremely excited for it and was planning on buying it day one right up until the point they started releasing additional details in the new year.

Such a good idea being brought down by shoddy execution. Love the idea of a portable console, but the price is too high for what it does, the game lineup is anemic, the software (from what I've seen) seems extremely flawed, and they've started charging for multiplayer.

I stil think there is potential in the device, but only time will tell at this point.
 
$540... so far... and i told you to come back in 2 months, fucking hell men, fucking hell...

i average about $1000ish on each Nintendo console since the N64. I don't collect anymore, but I have about 22 games just this year not counting VC games I'm going to buy.
 
It had the potential to be a game changer. I was extremely excited for it and was planning on buying it day one right up until the point they started releasing additional details in the new year.

Such a good idea being brought down by shoddy execution. Love the idea of a portable console, but the price is too high for what it does, the game lineup is anemic, the software (from what I've seen) seems extremely flawed, and they've started charging for multiplayer.

I stil think there is potential in the device, but only time will tell at this point.

yeah because the 23 games for the Wii U launch was just A+ titles...I like that Nintendo is releasing "their AAA" games every 90 days or so. It gives me time to really play them without feeling rushed to finish them. Fast RMX can't get here fast enough for me!!!
 
OKay, so 3 hours to drain. 3 hours to charge. But that doesn't tell me if it'll play off an external battery pack and charge at the same time.

not all games will make it last 3 hours, Zelda will be one, but the range depending on the game is 3-8.5 hours. That's a flight for me from DFW to Vegas and I can charge it on the plane as well. Hell sitting at the airport now, I have my phone on a wall charger so i don't waste my back up battery. I made need to upgrade my 10,400 to 26,800mah Anker backup battery. That should solve all my issues...LOL
 
not all games will make it last 3 hours, Zelda will be one, but the range depending on the game is 3-8.5 hours. That's a flight for me from DFW to Vegas and I can charge it on the plane as well. Hell sitting at the airport now, I have my phone on a wall charger so i don't waste my back up battery. I made need to upgrade my 10,400 to 26,800mah Anker backup battery. That should solve all my issues...LOL

Ya, the 3 hour drain time kind of sucks, but it really isn't a deal breaker for me. I'm very rarely away from a wall socket for more than 3 hours at a time.
 
Ya, the 3 hour drain time kind of sucks, but it really isn't a deal breaker for me. I'm very rarely away from a wall socket for more than 3 hours at a time.

I'm lucky to get that on my New 3DS when i'm doing street pass and playing Pokemon Moon. I'm tethered
Ya, the 3 hour drain time kind of sucks, but it really isn't a deal breaker for me. I'm very rarely away from a wall socket for more than 3 hours at a time.

Agree, but this is definitely going to work with me....If they release pacman or ms pacman on VC my wife is down to play this system. I haven't sold her on 1,2 Switch yet.
 
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