We are just into 2019 and Games Industry has rounded up a few notable analysts to find out what will happen to the gaming landscape this year. Many are predicting more gains from Nintendo this year including the prediction that the Nintendo Switch will be the best-selling system in 2019, while Sony and Microsoft focus on the PlayStation 5 and next Xbox respectively. Here are the Nintendo related highlights from the interviews:
Dr. Serkan Toto, Kantan Games:
Switch Pro and Lite – While the 2019 Switch Pro has been already reported to be in development by the Wall Street Journal, I also think Nintendo will offer a “Switch Lite” (or just keep the current version at a lower price) to cover the lower end of the spectrum and offset sinking 3DS sales.
More third-party Switch software – In tandem with hardware revisions and an increasing install base, I am expecting a lot more games from third-party developers in 2019, starting in spring. At least one new game from the mega-franchises owned by EA, Activision or Take-Two will launch on Switch.
Michael Pachter, Wedbush Securities:
Nintendo will launch a fully handheld version of the Switch at $199. I expect the device to have the same screen, but with Joy Cons built into the body and no docking station. Since it can’t “switch” from handheld to console, it’s hard to guess what they will call it, but let’s assume Game Boy (kidding).
Piers Harding-Rolls, IHS Markit:
Switch will be the best selling console in 2019 as PS4 and Xbox One shift into the late stage phase of their sales lifecycles. We could have several hardware announcements next year: Sony and Microsoft’s next-generation reveals, and we may get more details on how Nintendo aims to plug the gap in its portfolio left by the declining 3DS platform. One option is to do nothing and stick with the current Switch strategy. That simplifies the platform strategy but may not be the most commercially efficient. I also think we’ll hear more about a next-gen PSVR in 2019.
Mat Piscatella, The NPD Group:
In console hardware, Switch grows, leads market – I have Switch achieving more than 35 share of hardware unit sales in the US in 2019, with Pokémon and continued strength of Nintendo’s evergreen franchises driving the performance.
I don’t really see the Switch Lite as being technically viable without at least a die shrink. Look at any teardown of the Switch and you’ll see that like 45% of it is a battery and another 20% is heat pipe, fan, and a giant heat spreader. Reducing anyone of those just results in worse battery life and a hotter-running system.
Technically, allowing the controls to share the same housing as the system would allow it to be smaller by a joy-con’s length without changing either of the aforementioned things but that’s still a fairly large system and, like Pachter pointed out, I’m not sure that you can all it the Switch at the point.
Not to mention the games that use the Joycons in their detached form. Mario Party itself doesn’t allow handheld mode if I remember correctly.
You remember correctly.
I hadn’t even considered that!
I would purchase a switch “pro” honestly. I would probably also be fine with a switch with reduced bezels and larger screen.
If it’s not too expensive i’ll buy switch pro, but lol Switch lite sounds like torture.
Nah, I want a lite, personally I always play in handheld because if I use my switch in my room and it’s low, I need to unplug the power to charge. Then I have to reconnect to the dock. But I doubt a pro or lite will come. The purpose of a switch is to do both
Yea I always play in handheld too, but that’s just cause I don’t have any friends. For when people want to do multiplayer, TV mode is great.
“I don’t have any friends.” Hello, darkness my old friend…
I still don’t see why people are expecting a pro or lite version, considering the fact that this is a fusion of handheld and homeconsole, and even tho handhelds usually get an advanced verison of it selves, we still have to remember that homeconsoles don’t usually get an advanced version until like a few years after its relevance (examples: wii mini, nes classic, snes classic, etc), so tbh I’m neutral on the pro or lite, becuase it’ll either happen or it won’t, as for the fully handheld switch I practically think its a stupid idea since most games can’t be played in handheld SMP and other games are examples of nonhandheld games
I predict a SWITCH i. Same hardware but just a little change for avoid hackers doing their staff
Didn’t they already do that?
They did a patch that made some hackers be sad because some of things they made doesn’t work well but still the backdoor of the GPU makes the problem and this thing can’t be repaired by a patch (this is what I heard and think. I don’t know if there can be some sort of magic that can solve the problem)
Switch Pro is pointless.. unless if the switch pro is just a switch with a better battery life, and no dock but can still connect to your TV.
What makes you that the Switch Pro is pointless? The late Iwata had wanted the the Switch to be like the 3DS… a FAMILY OF SYSTEMS. Imagine– Nintendo Switch + Nintendo Switch Lite + Nintendo Switch PRO.
2019 could potentially be the best year so far imo. The exclusives lineup looks pretty solid and more ports are all but guaranteed. But, they really need to do something about Nintendo Switch Online. NES games don’t make up for the lack of basic features.
How about some SNES games? And/or some GBA games?
Did you realize that Nintendo is planning to bring Super NES games later this year?
Why? You guys will pay regardless. Nintendo knows you guys are stupid. Im mean more features, more games, more fun lol. They insult your intelligence and you still sub.
I mean*
I thought we all had a Switch Lite already…
Lol
I get to manny pop add when I use the mobile version of your website
I honestly don’t think most of these analysts know what they are talking about 😋. I’d be up for a “pro” Switch though if it were real and I’d give my current one to my kids 😉.
I wonder if Retro Studios will finally show what they are working on. They posted a job which they are searching for an art director.
Donkey Kong
Yeah probably
I’d like to see the rumored Star Fox racing game.
If so, I hope that it’s a 3D Donkey Kong platformer. I like Tropical Freeze but since they ported this game not too long ago, I hope to see an adventure type game for this franchise. And since they are a talent team, they are pretty much excellent for making the 3D sequel that Rare couldn’t do because a millionaire company that only divided that team.
lmao you should be posting rumors didnt you lean from last time?
i like how people are put off by “expensive” consoles yet go out and by phones that cost them a mortgage. i doubt these rumors are legit but should they be true then i will buy the Pro version, $400 isnt that expensive and i doubt $300 would be realistic considering the tech it will have, that is like asking for an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 on a Switch and have it cost $80, pu-lease, be more realistic on prices. $500 for the Pro would be a bit too much so $400 would be the sweet spot, $200-$300 is unrealistic unless the console has been out for like 5 years minimum.
I don’t think a handheld only version of the Switch will ever happen, at least not any time soon. It contradicts the whole purpose of the Switch. I could, however, see a price drop happening for the current model once a revision comes out.
Exactly. It’s called the Switch for a reason, it’s main gimmick is ‘switching’ between TV and handheld.
You might as well just make a 4DS with the same form factor.
Was Michael Pachter even taking this seriously? In any case, rule #1 when Michael Paher predicts something: either he’s predicting something that is obvious or he’s wrong. Since I don’t expect a handheld only Switch, it’s the latter.
Oh & I’m game for a stronger Switch if it’s possible with the current tech.
Oh, yeah, it’s very much possible. There are plenty with chips out there which can outperform Tegra X1. But I hope for an X2 or at least something Pascal related so it’s more power efficient. Might not have to clock down the chip as much as Nintendo are doing now.
Release a normal console please nintendo. The switch doesnt appeal to me.