Would you prefer if Nintendo abandoned hardware and became a third party publisher?

I don't buy Nintendo games, so it doesn't matter to me either way.

Nintendo stated this many times if they ever drop out of the console market, they would rather just go out of business for good. You'll never ever see Nintendo becoming 3rd-party publisher. Sega found out the hard way and going into 3rd-party was the worst mistake and paid the price for it.

It doesn't always land, but seeing what specific hardware gimmicks Nintendo will come up with in the next 50 years is something that genuinely excites me as a jaded adult. Little dumb things like the 3DS or the Wiimote or even the Switch's HD rumble (or the switch concept itself really).

Sure, I wish I could be playing tears of the kingdom with better graphics but even then it still benefits from coupling with Nintendo's bespoke hardware in a variety of ways and the occasional game being held back performance wise is a good trade.

@davillain: It is my understanding that Nintendo is a publicly traded company and I don't see Nintendo with its shareholders simply abandoning all of their IPs simply because they can't make hardware. That notion is ludicrous.

Nintendo hardware is too gimmicky and their games suffer because of it. They don't even try to make somewhat performant systems. The Switch is rocking 360/PS3 ish capabilities. That is two generations ago. If they do go third party, it would be good for the industry (the same can be applied to the others). It is time for console gaming to walk away from the traditional consoles because it doesn't make much sense these days and the console market is not growing but has remained stagnant for decades.

I would like to see Nintendo abandon hardware and become a third-party developer, but I also want Sony and Microsoft to do the same. Is there a need for home consoles to exist when there are PCs, tablets, and smartphones that are not closed platforms like consoles?

Yes to the need for consoles. Standardized systems are beneficial to the industry. I know that traditional console gamers and hardcore fanboys would hate the notion of each company releasing an equally capable system that can play any game but there is no benefit to the customer in having multiple systems that can practically do the same thing.

I got real mixed feeling about Nintendo going third party. If this was a decade ago I would have said absolutely not; but I don’t know how to feel now. Maybe pass the torch to the big 2.

I'm always supportive on console innovation if done right, I don't want to see Nintendo go as it seems they still favor innovation IMO. I can agree they don't take raw hardware seriously anymore but hoping they will have gotten better whenever they're ready for next-gen console it won't be paperweight this time around.

I have to disagree on this part, name 1 Nintendo game/ip that can't be made on the Switch?

Nintendo and its games are stuck in the 90's, so Nintendo don't need powerful hardware.

As for the last part about consoles as a whole, makes no sense and not worth debating.

All I care about is for Nintendo to keep making great games.

I'm indifferent over them leaving consoles, but I'm cool overall with them releasing games multiplat as I'm sure any other platform fanbase would love to enjoy Nintendo games without having to buy their hardware.

No. Their innovation and dedication to affordable gaming is a healthy thing for our community.

Where did I say they can't be made on the Switch?🤔

Nintendo hardware is too gimmicky and their games suffer because of it. They don't even try to make somewhat performant systems.

It is good practice that if you don't want to debate something you don't mention it. Otherwise you are just claiming something makes no sense without any substance.

They could do both. Release their games on other consoles like Sony started releasing on PC. They could probably release the games with better graphics as well on more powerful consoles.

Nintendo is doing well so nope. Now MS on the other hand who’s doing terrible with hardware should go 3rd party with their subscription only model

Switch is selling like hotcakes. Just wait until Switch 2 becomes a failure. Then Switch 3 becomes a major success. Nintendo will never die!

Wii da best man!

@Sonicplys: ya. Their consoles seem to be a hit or a miss. They’re all memorable, but some do waaay better than other consoles.

I don’t know. I really enjoy some things they bring to the table with their hardware. As long as they continue making the same great games then I probably wouldn’t mind too much. Having said that their games also sometimes use the unique features of their hardware in cool ways also.

The way it’s going right now console hardware will not exist. All you will need is an app and subscribe to it and you idiots are cheering for it. Apple Store and Google Store and mobile gaming is the future

I don't know if it would be good for Nintendo, but it would be good for me since I could just buy tears of the kingdom on PC instead of having to buy a switch

@Pedro: What Nintendo games suffer because the Switch is gimmicky?

Depending on what games come to it (and not the Switch 1) I might be skipping Switch 2.

So I'm completely on board with Nintendo going strictly software.

Every game with performance issues;Zelda, Pokémon comes to mind, and sub 720p resolutions. They focus on gimmicks at the cost of better performing hardware.

@Pedro: Yeah because the PS5 & X/S don't have performance issues, oh wait.

My point is Nintendo's games are 99% cutesy cartoon games, and as such don't require the best hardware to run.

While technically publicly traded, the Yamauchi family remains the majority stakeholder, and until that changes, I see them leaving the games market long before they go 3rd party. This is a company that's been around more than a century, after all, and for good or ill, they do it their way.

Honestly, I think the world would be a worse place without Nintendo and their toymaker mentality. They're the only ones trying to make anything that's not super high-fidelity tech wank anymore, and they've become an effective safe haven for smaller companies like Natsume to have success without being drowned out by the tech arms race. They're also the only ones who respect the notion of games ownership (though they're more than a bit dictatorial when it comes to piracy). Honestly, I can see Nintendo once again being the ones to pick up the pieces after the modern games industry collapses under the weight of its unsustainable excess, and I'd rather see them continue to do things their way than Nintendo degrade to nothing the way Sega did.

Nah, I enjoy their hardware (mostly).

No way. Without Nintendo, all we would have is massive consoles with zero portability. Portable console gaming will always have a place in our industry. Nothing beats playing Mortal Kombat while sitting on the toilet lol.

No, Nintendo hardware is the most innovative hardware ever made. Insanely low wattage, very compact, super durable, super quiet, extremely comfortable, amazing battery life, etc. And amazing innovative gameplay features. Without Nintendo wed all be gaming on keyboards and touchscreens.

God yes.

I mean, their hardware sucks. It has some unique aspects I'll give them that, but even that is done out of a need for a marketable gimmick, and not offered as a genuine means of improvement. And ultimately it is a vehicle for needless exclusivity, and I am therefore against it on principle.

There's literally no reason a Nintendo console exists except to keep Nintendo IP's off non-Nintendo platforms.

Yes that's a hot take and probably wrong, but I don't care. Come at me, fools!

Portability is arguably their only saving grace at this moment, and I don't find that so critical as to be worth keeping them around. People can read a book or stare out the window.

I mean most of their fortune came from plinko machines right?

Anyway despite my opinionated post above, I do likewise admire their "toymaker" spirit. I just think they've maybe taken it a bit too far.

I would like one of the console makers to stop dick measuring when it comes to who has the most powerful hardware and is therefore the best, but I also don't want to see underpowered offerings on the market, either (as Nintendo has done).

@mrbojangles25: Playing a portable game vs staring out the window. It’s going to take me all day to figure out which one is more entertaining.

@last_lap: Never stated anything about Nintendo needing to make the best hardware. I even mentioned in my comment that they don't even make performant hardware. The PS5/Series have games with performance issues not because they are using almost 2 decades old hardware but devs pushing for higher fidelity over performance. Nintendo even with it's cutesy games as you claim are still suffering from performance problems and significantly lower resolution in a world where 1080p is the minimum. That is just their games, third party games suffer even more. I am not sure what you are trying to counter argue because all of this has been documented.

Bigly, should have happened long ago since MonsterBoxX does what Nintendont. lol :P

@davillain: they will never stop making games, even if they stop making consoles. They say one thing, but money 💰 🤑 changes peoples minds real quick. Imagine a company stop selling games when they could be making billions of dollars. That's ridiculous.

Nope, but I would like to see Nintendo hire someone to design better online services, specifically with regards to user interfaces at both the console and executable software level, for my money that is the area that Nintendo are massively behind the curve on.

Yes and no. Yes purely because I'd love Nintendo games on other platforms such as PC. But no because I feel like Nintendo's presence in the hardware business is needed. The way I see it, this industry needs Nintendo for better or worse.

From Nintendos point of view it currently makes no sense for them to go third party of course so not going to happen in the forseeable future at least. They would need 2 Wiiu type disasters in a row and no backup before they would even think about it.

For me personally...i voted yes a I am currently leaning yes. I like many of nintendos games (man they are coming in thick and fast too at the moment). But would i play them on the switch if i had a choice? Mostly no (i am currently playing Cereza and the lost demon exlcuively in handheld mode). I mean Xenoblade 3 would flat out be better on a higher end system. It was arguably a bridge too far for the switch. Even if they kept the same art style, same assets and all that...just the amount of upscaling and post processing they added was narf. Necessary and credit to Monolithsoft for managing to get it to run at all...but narf. It wouldn't be technically cutting edge but running natively at 4K 60 on a PS5/PC/XSX...it would still be a nice looking game. Same with Breath of the wild. Metroid Remastered for the higher end system? Considering what they squeezed out of the switch..it would be really amazing on those systems (still a class game and everyone should play it).

The only concern would be dealing with expectations if they made games for new systems. Nintendo have many big hits that could justify much bigger production budgets. But they also have more niche stuff. They also take shortcuts that they, perhaps, wouldn't get away with if making a PS5/PC/XSX game.

On the one hand i would love for Nintendo to push for the cutting edge of tech of course. I'm secretly hoping (a fools hope) that they are working on a console that is optimised wholly for path tracing graphics as their next system. I mean they do minor miracles on the switch. Imagine what they could do with even a moderate PC. But far bigger companies than nintendo are struggling with the cost of producing modern AAA games. Nintendo are big in their own right...but they are no MS or Sony.

The big fear is if they went 3rd party then games like Xenoblade and Metroid and Pikmin etc. will stop being made as they just dont sell enough to justify the effort. In the modern gaming world, for technically cutting edge games, a couple of million sales is just not enough. So they could just be a Zelda/Mario/Animal crossing house. One of the great things about the PS3/360 gen was that it was at a point where AAA games were expensive to produce but still not so bad as to become highy risk averse. You had a lot more games that didn't have a number in the title. Some of them were great and failed. Some of them were pants. Some of them live on now. But the AAA sector of the industry was at least interesting.

But then look at the latest hit on the PC. Battlebit something something (forgot the whole name). Potato games like PUBG doing big numbers. Maybe most of the market won't mind if a game from Nintendo is not on the bleeding edge tech wise as long as the art direction is on point and the game is good.

So i'm leaning yes...but with reservations.

No. The fact that we still ask this in '23...

In addition, if anyone should go this way? It's Xbox with whatever claims Phil Spencer has been justifying with Activision and Bethesda.

No, even before that could be a consideration, Nintendo would have to up their capacity as a developer. They sit on a wealth of IPs but their internal capacity to develop them barely exists, which is why they rely on partnerships of third parties to make a lot of their games.

There was a good video someone on here posted a while back illustrating the point. The point of the video was to respond to idea Nintendo needlessly sits on their wealth of IPs but pointed out they don't have the capacity to keep each one alive with timely releases and pointed out their history of third party support to keep certain franchises going.

If they went to the publishing side, they could do the same, but the dynamics would be very different. Scheduling projects would take longer with multiplatform considerations and cost more. They'd also lose platform royalties which would be considerable.

It's a catch-22 IMO because they'd have to be in fat pickle to compel them to become a multiplatform developer/publisher, and if that happened, they'd have to have considerable reserves to kick off multiplatform development/publishing as well. They'd have to plan such a transition ahead of time, and make further investments to make sure such a pivot would be worthwhile. There'd be a huge adjustment phase, probably more notably with projects to re-release older titles on the current platforms while they get on their feet.

Honestly though with the Switch kind of being in its own uncontested market at the moment, can't see them doing anything to move away from their safe footing. Perhaps Steamdecks could give them a run for their money later, but, doesn't appear to be an immediate threat.

@lamprey263: SEGA has a wealth of IP's, but they've done F all with them as a third party unless a Hedgehog, a Yakuza, or Atlus is involved. Last time they tried was Gen Six, then they stopped.

@Pedro: I should have said better hardware, because their games just don't need it. As their games aren't hardware heavy, if there are performance issues then that a dev thing, not the hardware because the games aren't pushing the tech.

Also where does it state that the minimum is 1080p? I didn't get that memo. The minimum is what the hardware can handle. Besides wasn't 1080p the "minimum" last gen, I thought the "minimum" is 1440p these days? See it just sounds silly, but I'm sure you will disagree because YOU stated 1080p 🤣

You can say their games don't need it but their games suffer from framerate issues. It is only so much any developer can do on 360/PS3 hardware in 2023. Let us not get into the tech and claims that the fault lies on the developer. I reckon you are not prep for such a discussion.

Also, I am sorry you didn't get the memo but HD is 1080p not 1440p. Don't struggle with the basics.😎

Obviously the staring out the window option. I mean, no contest, really 😋

The Switch shook the industry. Nintendo shook the industry. Again… We gotta stop ignoring the impact that their innovation has on the industry.

What was the innovation?

Taking the same games and experience to/from the TV and on the go. They seamlessly merged handheld and console gaming while still releasing high quality, GOTY type games against the “fauxK” twins across 2 generations. I would say consumers responded to what Nintendo was offering…

Yes absolutely. There is zero reason that games like BOTW, TOTK, Bayonetta 1-3, Mario Odyssey etc are locked behind garbage hardware from three generations ago.

I get that PC can bypass that somewhat, I myself got CEMU for BOTW, Baynetta 2/3 and will eventually get something for Zelda:TOTK once I have gone through my back log.

Running the game in 4K/120 instead of 720p/20fps is in its self an absolutely monumental difference in performance, but I would love for Nintendo games to run natively on PC, on Steam so you get your achievements, hour records, etc as well as optimised engines for modern hardware.

BOTW etc is gorgeous on PC, but it still could look better. Imagine BOTW/TOTK with Ratchet & Clank levels of graphics? Sheeeeesh

No way. They'll just become another Sega if they abandon hardware.

I thought Sega is doing well?

Consoles mean nothing to me whatsoever. I would be happy if Sony, MS, and Nintendo all went 3rd party and they just came up with some standardized method that all this us vs them crap could be over for good. Waste of time and not great for the customer.

They've recovered in the last few years. But only after struggling for 15 years.