Streaming Services Will Disrupt Nintendo Switch's Handheld Dominance - TheGamer

[Deleted member 249]

The Nintendo Switch has been an incredible success for Nintendo and it will keep growing in the years to come when the system titles like Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Metroid Prime 4, and Pokémon Sword & Shield are finally released.

The biggest threat to Nintendo's position in the market in the future is cloud gaming services, which will allow high-end PC games to run on almost any device. If services like Google Stadia and xCloud work in the wild as they have been advertised (and that's a pretty big if), then the Nintendo Switch's status as a portable system will be threatened.

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In order to play Nintendo Switch games, the customer needs to purchase a system that costs around three hundred dollars. What makes services like Google Stadia such a threat is that they work on devices that the consumer likely already owns.

The fact that cloud gaming services work on smartphones means that the potential audience is so much bigger, as it's estimated that they are owned by over five billion people around the world. Not all of those people will have access to cloud gaming at first, but the big markets like the US will, which will act as the testing ground for these services in other regions in the future.

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If cloud gaming services work as promised, then pretty much any major release will run at its highest possible performance settings on devices that normally couldn't handle them. The Nintendo Switch's limited hardware has meant that some games have slowdown issues compared to versions on other consoles (like Dragon Quest Builders 2), but services like Google Stadia are promising to run games like Watch Dogs: Legion on old smartphones.

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More at the source.

 

[Jawmuncher]

By the time Streaming is a bigger piece of the pie, we'll likely be on the switch 2 or higher. I guess there's a point to be discussed about Switch having 4G/LTE Access like the Vita did with earlier models that could rectify some of these worries. But so many plans now include your own Hotspot from your phone that once again the only real limiter I feel are the ISP themselves.

 

[TheGummyBear]

I can just imagine how awful playing Watch Dogs: Legion on my old android would feel.

No joysticks, presumably no haptic feedback and, if on the move, likely to eat through my data plan within an hour.

 

[tolkir]

Sure, because the main reason to buy Switch is to play third party games.

 

[Herb Alpert]

Each time something new is looming, there's somewhere someone who will write an article about how it will kill something else.

 

[Jawmuncher]

The controller aspect is also a big one. I'd much rather carry a switch around over these alternatives. Though I understand the lack of applications on the switch itself could be a problem. But it's still far more viable even with games potentially at weaker specs, since the streaming performance and latency can vary greatly.

 

[Team_Feisar]

Let's see how well my shiny, streamed 4k games run in the subway or on the plane or outside in general where my phone already constantly looses wifi.

 

[It’s Time To Go]

Remember all those articles written about how mobile gaming would kill Nintendo's handheld business? Or the PSP even.

 

[pswii60]

So it seems streaming services are going to kill off traditional console gaming, PC gaming and now Switch too.

 

[ZeroX]

We'll be well beyond the Switch before game streaming to mobile devices is commonplace worldwide.

 

[MrMattatee]

likely to eat through my data plan within an hour.

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Yeah, there are a lot of limitations to accessing streaming. The author brushes the issue off with basically "hey, we all have easy access to unlimited cellular data," but then they aren't comparing the added cost of those plans with its discussion of the switch's price.

 

[AllEchse]

Maybe in specific places.
But I also can't see that happebing everywhere.
Also cheap unlimited data plans are not a thong in many countries, so Ibdon't think the convenience of "just having it on your phone" would outweigh the other problems.

Switch:
- Is dedicated device that you would have to carry around
- Games have to be adjusted to work meaninf lowrr graphics or performanxe if they come from other consoles
+ Has actual controls
+ Has Nintendo games


Streaming
- You need internet and that costs depending where you are, if you use mobile data or some wifi
- Connectivity issues are a thing
- Would need touchscreen controls or bluetooth controller that you have to carry around
- When the servers are down theres nothing to play, on the other hand Stadia is google
+ I guess its usable on anything that has internet and somekind of input device like a touch screen or a keyboard or a gamepad.


I would give it more years but even then its will always have the problem thatbits an online experience, but things around it should improve.
I giess theres also the rumor that Nintendo cpuld allow xCloud on their device, but then theres also the problem that the current switch doesnt have mobile data.

 

[Peru]

Streaming works in Nintendo`s favor.

They can still lock their games to their streaming service and their hardware but won`t have to compete on hardware power for the games to look current gen.

Of course now everyone can stream to phones. But Nintendo get to keep their IPs locked to their service, and their IPs are what matters for them to stay in their big niche.

 

[DXB-KNIGHT]

Just the Switch?
I think Nintendo will be there least impacted.

 

[Deleted member 10737]

Just the Switch?
I think Nintendo will be there least impacted.

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exactly. nintendo has the most important IPs that won't be available anywhere else. all the other big IPs will be available on all platforms and streaming services.

 

[Shard Shinjuku]

I guess it is that time again, Nintendoomed.

 

[Deleted member 8791]

To me it's the opposite. Streaming lets Nintendo fill out their library with games it otherwise couldn't run, which is mainly the big 3rd party AAA games. It basically makes the Switch the ultimate device with access to everything but other first party exclusives anywhere.

 

[cw_sasuke]

They are gonna impact traditional consoles much earlier than a portable. Let alone the fact that Nintendo is providing systemsellers en masse for the Switch.

 

[Mistermetz]

When the network infrastructure is ready, maybe by 2030 or so and everyone has unlimited data plans, it might become true. Until then we will have Switch 3 or so with Xbox One X power(or more?!) in our hands.

 

[Irikan]

Can't wait to stream games on my phone and hit data cap in 2 hours

 

[HaremKing]

Maybe in Japan and other places with an extremely strong wireless infrastructure, but certainly not in places like the US. I don't see streaming via handhelds doing much of anything here in the near future.

 

[Sampson]

Actually I think streaming will be good for the switch.

As others have pointed out, lugging a controller around for your phone is impractical. Instead, get a Stadia app running on switch and you have the perfect console. Just do a second gen with a 5G chip.

 

[bane833]

No they won't.
Even if some journalists in their delusional bubble seem to forget that quite often, content is still king. And Google has absolutely fuck all to offer in that department.

 

[7threst]

Odd that they would single Nintendo out here as the company most affected by streaming services. I guess Nintendo really is doomed.

 

[nsilvias]

Let's see how well my shiny, streamed 4k games run in the subway or on the plane or outside in general where my phone already constantly looses wifi.

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i cant even get 4g in my house and i live in a major city

 

[Master Chuuster]

Nitendoomed again

 

[Zealuu]

Unless I've missed something huge and you can actually play Nintendo games on the Stadia this analysis has some glaring flaws

 

[SPRidley]

Lets see if google stadia actually survives more than 2 years, then we can talk (and i dont think there we can even talk about nintendoomed, becuase thats as stupid as every 10 years is said). Google doesnt have the most impressive track record with their services.

 

[IneptEMP]

Is there ever a point in history where is Nintendo not doomed?

 

[abellwillring]

They won't play Nintendo games. And that's really all that matters.

 

[Deleted member 10737]

Is there ever a point in history where is Nintendo not doomed?

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they've been doomed since 1889

 

[NippleViking]

By the time Streaming is a bigger piece of the pie, we'll likely be on the switch 2 or higher. I guess there's a point to be discussed about Switch having 4G/LTE Access like the Vita did with earlier models that could rectify some of these worries. But so many plans now include your own Hotspot from your phone that once again the only real limiter I feel are the ISP themselves.

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Pretty much put a pin in the issue with first post.

It'll be at least a decade before video game streaming is pervasive. Nintendo have plenty of time to devise a solution.

Everything we've seen suggests that MS will probably offer XCloud on Switch anyway.

 

[HOUSEJoseph]

Isn't there a strong chance XCloud is coming to Switch?

 

[darz1]

Holy smokes. I guess we should sell our nintendo stocks since they will be closed for business in no time

 

[SaidTheTickTockMan]

Most of the major problems with this argument have come up already- one that hasn't is the switch's local multiplayer. For me, half the appeal of the switch was that I could play smash with my friends at a brewery. You can't possibly replace that with a smartphone.

 

[CarthOhNoes]

When everyone has unlimited 5g data plans (costing £85 per month or something) and we have universal 5g coverage, including on planes, in subway tunnels and in the middle of the countryside then we'll talk about streaming killing Nintendo's handheld market. Until then? I'll go back to playing The Switcher 3.

 

[Fredrik]

Well yeah, I would assume that $0/month game streaming will compete with anything, if you actually can play games in 60fps relatively latency free with PC settings without hassle, noisy fans, installs, patches and without having to buy a console/pro/x.

 

[giapel]

New technologies will always threaten Nintendo. Mobile games for example killed the casual line of DS offerings.
However Nintendo has a way of reinventing itself and use existing technologies in smart and efficient ways. So as long as their software side is as good as it currently is, they'll be fine.
That said, the switch line of hardware may indeed become obsolete.

 

[Deleted member 32018]

Why entertain such uninformed articles that bring up the same nonsense that we have heard before, that also don't give any of the real drawbacks of streaming...

 

[Numberfox]

These articles always read to me like folks who haven't really gone to places where game streaming is nowhere near feasible due to a lack of infrastructure. It may very well replace Nintendo handhelds for a well-off group of folks, but I feel the vast majority aren't going to have such an uncompromised luxury for literal decades.

 

[score01]

Everybody really expecting streaming to really take off in a big way? I don't see it myself but hey. Isn't it better to wait and see what happens when the services launch rather than spreading doom and gloom just now?

Personally, as a mainly PS gamer who has access to PS Now, access to streaming from my own PS to my computer and mobile from outside. I would still much rather play on Switch.

 

[Deleted member 32018]

It may very well replace Nintendo handhelds for a well-off group of folks

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Even then, it won't have Nintendo games on it. Another extremely important factor in why Nintendo hardware sells in the first place.

 

[Deleted member 45414]

No, because there won't be nintendo games on the streaming platforms.

 

[Jonneh]

Your average person isn't going to carry around a controller to play games on their phone, if they were then all those existing mobile games with controller support would be disrupting the Switch. These two portable markets are extremely different

 

[Numberfox]

Even then, it won't have Nintendo games on it. Another extremely important factor in why Nintendo hardware sells in the first place.

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I assume that doesn't matter to the hypothetical folks that the author believes is a large enough audience for Nintendo to be under threat. A group of people who literally only buy the Switch because it's the main portable gaming device and not for the Nintendo IPs at all. It's basically the crux of the entire argument on why Nintendo is the most threatened, which just gets more questionable the more I think about it...

 

[blaze]

It won't because Nintendo develop good exclusive games. Outside of that streaming on a smartphone has the problem of draining the battery of a device people use primarily for other more important things to them, streaming games will still just be a short burst session rather than people willing to play for a few hours.

 

[neonneongod]

I assume that doesn't matter to the hypothetical folks that the author believes is a large enough audience for Nintendo to be under threat. A group of people who literally only buy the Switch because it's the main portable gaming device and not for the Nintendo IPs at all. It's basically the crux of the entire argument on why Nintendo is the most threatened, which just gets more questionable the more I think about it...

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it's a very myopic article.

 

[Aostia82]

Remember all those articles written about how mobile gaming would kill Nintendo's handheld business? Or the PSP even.

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Well, actually the mobile boom halfed the hw numbers from ds to 3ds and this, alongside their struggle in the home segment, led to the hybrid concept

But I agree: they survived, reinventing their proposition

And yes, Nintendoom ia always funny to read

Even more here, imho, because an actually working streaming service would probably benefit the Switch (2), considering how convinient would be to have a device with proper controls and form factor to be played everywhere and how its original contents (Nintendo IP) are seen as valuable.

So, a Switch (2) with gamepass and xcloud would be an even stronger proposition

 

[Kyuuji]

I'm pretty excited to see what Stadia will bring but it's not going to make a dent in my Switch play and I've barely considered the two related considering the connection need for the former.

 

[spman2099]

In the distant future? Sure. Any time soon? Not a chance in hell.