Nintendo should make a powerful console.
 

I've heard people make the argument that "Nintendo shouldn't make a powerful console to directly compete with Sony and Microsoft, since the N64 and GameCube, both powerful consoles, failed!"

Here's the thing: The N64 and GameCube didn't fail because they were trying to compete against Sony and Microsoft, they failed because Nintendo made stupid decisions with those consoles, like sticking with cartridges and using mini-DVDs. A Nintendo console on par with the PS5 and Xbox Series X would most likely do very well. Imagine a Nintendo console with amazing first party AND third party games, and having Mario and Zelda in 4k and 60 FPS.

Nintendo didn't HAVE to make a console/handheld hybrid. All they had to do was make a console on par with the PS5 and Series X in power, not make a stupid decision with the hardware like they did with the N64 and GameCube, and make it easy to develop for, and that console would get third party support, which means more sales. It's actually really simple to make a console that sells well. If I can figure this out, why can't a multi-billion dollar company like Nintendo?

Yeah, Nintendo hasn't been even trying to compete on the "main stage" since the N64. They're resolved to be mostly a toy company, generally introducing some kind of gimmick with each new system since then.

For me personally, 1080p is more than good enough so I'm happy enough with the Switch (to say nothing of how gorgeous 720p looks in portable mode). Perhaps Nintendo will transition to 4k for their next console, while Microsoft and Sony go for the next big thing in terms of graphics.

Yeah, that's smart, split the market three ways so all three brands do worse. Yeesh.

Nintendo's carved out a niche as the system parents who don't play games buy for their kids because it's cheap, while the more expensive Xbox and PS brands are more "for everyone". They make a lot more money that way. The market can't support yet another $500 console; frankly even having two of them is too many since they play 99% the same games.

If Nintendo even tried it in the modern day they'd get slaughtered, and "jacking up prices" would cost them the Soccer Moms who do most of the buying of Nintendo consoles for their kids. There's no strong upside to it for them as a company, they're doing better off as they are.

Plus since the N64 with their odd controller, Nintendo has kinda become the gimmick system. At this point their next console probably connects to your car or something. Between the N64 controller, the WiiMotes and the handheld hybrid, they don't want to make more conventional consoles. Hell even the SNES had a 6 button controller back then which was odd for anyone not interested in street fighter. it felt like a lot of games felt the need to use those extra L and R buttons for something to justify them being there.

Nintendo's only 1 gen behind. The Switch is roughly at early PS4/Xbox One levels of power. The Wii-U was basically a PS3/360.

You guys are posting as if we still have N64 graphics or something.

Nintendo should just go full Japan and make some sort of super VR where you can **** Samus or whoever and the woman on the other side will feel as if she's getting boned by Solid Snake or whoever.

NOW you're playing with power.

That still puts it behind the later generations of PS4 (like the PS4 Pro) and X-Box One (like the X-Box One S) AND the current generations with the PS5 and X-Box Series X. Not way behind, but behind enough that Nintendo will likely hold back certain 3D remasters to the next generation because they might as well at this point.

... I'll grant you that Nintendo Switch performance isn't as rough compared to the contemporaries as the Nintendo 64 would be compared to like a PS2... And indeed, we are living in a time with a lot of budget games developed to run on almost anything, it wouldn't shock me if a PC from 2006 or so could run a lot of them.

But the problem is that we are still dealing with some compromises here. So for example, the Switch version of Dragon Quest XI had to be tweaked at the source code, receive alterations to the assets and recompiled from scratch in order to work on Switch. The result is still a really good game but the way the game loads in assets is... Rough...

Look at it this way: Wii U had graphics of up to 1080p. Switch has graphics of up to 1080p. So they plateaued. The regular Wii had 480p graphics... so between the Wii and Wii U, it more than DOUBLED its resolution. Between the Wii U and the Switch it didn't go anywhere, but at the same time the later generation PS4s and later generation X-Box Ones doubled their resolution, going from 1080p to 4K (2160p).

"There's not a big difference between 1080p and 4K!" says a lot of yokels. But there is literally twice as much resolution going from 1080p to 4K.

Aw, yeah, I was blown away by HD Nintendo. Loved that Wii U even if it didn’t turn many heads back then.