Shuhei Yoshida, former head of PlayStation and currently an ambassador for independent games at Sony, has expressed his concern about the growth of subscription models in the video game industry. During a recent interview at Gamescom LATAM, Yoshida emphasized that while these services can be beneficial under certain conditions, their normalization could limit creative diversity and hinder the development of new games. PlayStation Plus will not imitate this model. The executive praised the strategy of PlayStation Plus, highlighting its ability to preserve the initial value of games. According to Yoshida, this approach avoids excessive promises and […]
Shuhei Yoshida, former head of PlayStation and currently an ambassador for independent games at Sony, has expressed his concern about the growth of subscription models in the video game industry. During a recent interview at Gamescom LATAM, Yoshida emphasized that while these services can be beneficial under certain conditions, their normalization could limit creative diversity and hinder the development of new games.
PlayStation Plus will not imitate this model
The executive praised the PlayStation Plus strategy,highlighting its ability to preserve the initial value of games. According to Yoshida, this approach avoids overpromising and allows major releases to be reserved for traditional platforms before being integrated into the subscription service, thus avoiding the risk of saturating the market with titles that do not meet player expectations.
However, Yoshida warned that if the subscription model becomes the only way to access video games, this could be “really dangerous.” In his opinion, this could restrict the variety of available proposals and give large companies control over what types of games can be developed, which could stifle the creativity of small studios and, therefore, innovation in the industry.
Despite his reservations about the Xbox Game Pass proposal, Yoshida acknowledged Microsoft’s technical effort in areas such as backward compatibility, noting that they have done remarkable engineering work. Still, he emphasized that a healthy ecosystem must allow for the proliferation of new ideas coming from emerging developers, calling for a balance in the game offerings that benefits the entire community.
The new Nintendo console, called Nintendo Switch 2, will be released on June 5 and promises to offer current gaming experiences that were not possible on the first Nintendo Switch. With this evolution, numerous third-party developers have already expressed their intention to support the new platform, opening the door to a considerably wider audience. Blizzard has no faith in how games as a service will work on Switch Among the companies that see potential in this new console is Blizzard Entertainment, which has begun to analyze the feasibility of bringing Diablo IV to the Switch 2. However, […]
The new Nintendo console, called Nintendo Switch 2, will be released on June 5 and promises to offer current gaming experiences that were not possible on the first Nintendo Switch. With this evolution, numerous third-party developers have already expressed their intention to support the new platform, opening the door to a considerably wider audience.
Blizzard has no faith in how live service games will work on Switch
Among the companies that see potential in this new console is Blizzard Entertainment, which has begun to analyze the feasibility of bringing Diablo IV to the Switch 2. However, Rod Fergusson, head of the Diablo franchise, has pointed out that while there is a clear opportunity, there are challenges associated with games as a service on this platform. According to Fergusson, this type of experience has proven complicated on the original console, but he hopes that with the new release, this situation will improve.
In a recent interview, Fergusson commented on the possibility of titles like Diablo III and Diablo II: Resurrected being compatible with the Nintendo Switch 2 thanks to backward compatibility. He emphasized that the hardware of the new console could support more demanding games, such as Diablo IV. However, he reiterated that the success of this transition will depend on how the features of games as a service are managed within the Nintendo ecosystem.
Meanwhile, Blizzard continues to develop content for Diablo IV, focusing on improving the current experience. The company has announced that Season 8 will feature a collaboration with the popular series Berserk, which has generated expectations among the community. The developers aim not only to introduce new features but also to adjust the difficulty to find a satisfactory balance in the game.
As the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 approaches, Blizzard’s future support for this console and the arrival of new additions to Diablo IV will keep the public’s attention on both fronts.
Nintendo has confirmed that its next console, the Nintendo Switch 2, will be backward compatible with a wide range of games from its predecessor, although not all titles will run smoothly. According to the company, backward compatibility will be achieved through an innovative hybrid solution that combines software emulation with hardware compatibility, without including components from the original Switch. 15,000 games, but not all. Is this enough? During a recent interview following the Nintendo Direct, Takuhiro Dohta from Nintendo’s Planning Department emphasized that the team’s main focus was on improving the performance and capability of the hardware, relegating the […]
Nintendo has confirmed that its upcoming console, the Nintendo Switch 2, will be backward compatible with a wide range of games from its predecessor, although not all titles will run smoothly. According to the company, backward compatibility will be achieved through an innovative hybrid solution that combines software emulation with hardware compatibility, without including components from the original Switch.
15,000 games, but not all. Is this enough?
During a recent interview following the Nintendo Direct, Takuhiro Dohta from Nintendo’s Planning Department highlighted that the team’s main focus was on improving the performance and capability of the hardware, relegating compatibility with older software to a secondary priority. This strategy contrasts with previous consoles, such as the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, which did incorporate hardware elements from their predecessors, facilitating the native execution of many titles.
The new backward compatibility system of the Switch 2 will convert data from the previous console into a format that can be handled in real time. This approach has the advantage of avoiding excessive battery consumption that a full emulator would generate. However, not all games will be compatible. Nintendo has released an initial list of titles that will not be able to run on the new console, highlighting games like Doom Eternal. Others, like Fall Guys, Factorio, and Alien: Isolation, will be playable but will suffer from compatibility issues.
Despite these limitations, Nintendo assures that more than 15,000 third-party games and 122 first-party titles will be compatible with the Switch 2. Additionally, the company does not rule out future updates to improve compatibility with more games in collaboration with external developers. In this way, Nintendo seems to be preparing a transition that, although it presents challenges, promises to expand the playable catalog on its new platform.
Nintendo Switch is a console that, right from its release, already had hardware that was quite behind that of the competition. That didn’t stop it from being a great problem thanks to being an eminently portable console. Nor did it prevent the seams from showing in the last three or four years of the generation. Many games have been played, but far from in a way that was optimal, or even desirable. And Nintendo knows this. That’s why it’s not surprising that Nintendo Switch 2 has promised that some games from the previous console will […]
Nintendo Switch is a console that, right from its launch, already had hardware that was quite behind that of the competition. That didn’t stop it from being a great success due to its primarily portable nature. Nor has it been unnoticed that, in the last three or four years of the generation, its limitations have become apparent. Many games have been played, but far from in a way that was optimal, or even desirable. And Nintendo knows this.
That’s why it’s not surprising that Nintendo Switch 2 has promised that some games from the previous console will play better on the new console. It’s a good selling point and a great reason to replay games we love, but perhaps didn’t play under the best possible conditions. Today we’re going to talk about that: the games that should receive a patch for Nintendo Switch 2 so they can finally run in optimal conditions. Because Nintendo Switch 2 has the potential to improve even the bad aspects of Nintendo Switch.
Bayonetta 3
Probably not the most flagrant case on the list, although it is certainly a particularly painful one. Although Bayonetta 3 can reach 60fps at times, it is always at the expense of the visual spectacle, something that goes against the very spirit of the game. This is something we could well sacrifice in exchange for being able to play it as smoothly as possible, which the new Nintendo console should be more than capable of.
But in all honesty, Bayonetta 3 would need more work than just a performance boost. It would need a patch to improve it to be a game worthy of Nintendo Switch 2. How likely is that? Given that its creator has left Platinum Games, the studio has suffered a massive exodus and they are busy making Ninja Gaiden 4, it doesn’t seem like it’s going to happen. Although being able to enjoy Bayonetta 3 at 60fps is already a delight.
Astral Chain
Astral Chain is the completely opposite situation of Bayonetta 3. It doesn’t need anything, for anyone to touch it, or to do anything with it. It only needs one thing and one thing only: more power. The original Switch was a very limited console for what Astral Chain wanted to achieve, and it showed in the 30fps it ran at, solid but insufficient for such a fast and precise action game like this.
Of course, as with Bayonetta 3, this is a Platinum Games title whose director has left the studio. That means that any possible patch seems impossible. But if Switch 2 can run it at 60fps, because its framerate isn’t capped at 30, the game could have a second life on Nintendo’s new console. One that is more than deserved, considering it is the most interesting game that Platinum Games released in the past generation by a wide margin.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity
Now that Dynasty Warriors Origins has shown that musou games are cool, it’s time to revisit some of the great modern classics that Omega Force left us on Switch. Especially on Switch 2, a console that will be able to run them. Not well. Run them. Because Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is an absolutely excellent game that perfectly combines the idiosyncrasy of Breath of the Wild with the principles of musou which has a problem: it can drop below 15 frames per second.
With Nintendo Switch 2, we hope that we can simply play the game the way it was intended: with a stable framerate. We don’t need more draw distance or any kind of added gimmick. Just not having frame drops would already allow us to appreciate the absolute delight of the game, as its only problem has always been that Nintendo Switch was no longer up to par in 2020.
Pokémon Legends Arceus
Few games have suffered more from technical and budgetary limitations on the console than Pokémon Legends Arceus. The best Pokémon of the generation is also a game that, in terms of performance and visual quality, is very, very limited. Its draw distance is nonexistent, its FPS do what they can, and it is not a great example of a polished game technically at any level. But in terms of mechanics and artistry? The best Pokémon in decades, probably.
That’s why, Nintendo, if you have to give a second life to a game and only one, let it be this one. You have a second Pokémon Legends on the way, what better way to promote it than to show the public that you can do justice to the previous one? You would demonstrate that you can do things right, that there should be faith in what you are doing with it, and you would also show that you are aware of the problems with the franchise. Something that can only bring you great dividends. Think about it, Nintendo. You can only win.
Xenoblade Chronicles X
This is almost cheating because we basically know what’s going to happen. Xenoblade Chronicles X is one of the last exclusive games that have been released for Nintendo Switch, and all the rumors have pointed to it having a version for Nintendo Switch 2. Why? Because it’s normal. Their studio works closely with Nintendo and they released the game a few months before the console’s launch, how could they not have a devkit for the new console to be able to launch a version when it comes out?
Xenoblade Chronicles X is not the game that will benefit the most from the generational leap. More FPS, upscaling, better textures, or draw distance are not something that a game already excellently crafted will particularly need. But it is a demonstration of principles: we can do it, and we will. And the fact that they can do it and they do it is something we should celebrate.
Nintendo has revealed that the highly anticipated Nintendo Switch 2 will include a robust backward compatibility feature, allowing players to enjoy a wide variety of video games from the original Nintendo Switch. However, the Japanese company has warned that this feature will not be infallible and has published a list of the issues detected in backward compatibility. In total, 187 games present complications, divided into two categories: those that do not start and those that start but have errors during their execution. At least the company has been clear from the beginning and has not promised something that it might not be able to deliver
Nintendo has revealed that the highly anticipated Nintendo Switch 2 will include a robust backward compatibility feature, allowing players to enjoy a wide variety of video games from the original Nintendo Switch. However, the Japanese company has warned that this feature will not be infallible and has published a list of the issues detected in backward compatibility. In total, 187 games present complications, divided into two categories: those that do not start and those that start but have errors during execution. At least the company has been clear from the beginning and has not promised something that it might not be able to deliver.
Trying to solve these problems with more than a hundred games
The current issues are under investigation, and Nintendo has left the door open for developers to decide to release fixes. A particular case is Fortnite, which will not receive the typical fixes, but a completely new version will be developed for the Nintendo Switch 2. Among the problematic titles are also several that have only been available in specific regions, which could affect their compatibility with the new console.
In this regard, Nintendo fans should be aware of the updates the company provides regarding the status of these games and their future gameplay on its new platform. The initiative to allow backward compatibility is a significant step for Nintendo, as it seeks to facilitate the transition for gamers to its new console. However, the warning about exceptions and technical issues also serves as a reminder that not all games will function smoothly from launch.
This announcement adds to the growing anticipation surrounding the Nintendo Switch 2 and its game lineup; we already know some of them, but many others are yet to come.
