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Comment by maxsilver | Hacker News Reader

> Nintendo needs to deliver a device that can run low to medium quality graphics at 1080-1440p @ 60fps.

You say this like they didn't spend the last decade selling 75 million devices that barely pushed ~360p, and making a small fortune from it. I get wanting Nintendo to bump the hardware (I'd love a beefier Switch too), but they've proven over and over again that they don't need to do anything.

If anything, I kind of like that Nintendo has chosen to cede the market of "indie/port" titles, their decision to mostly ignore that market is a big part of what's allowing Steam Deck to flourish right now. And the Steam Deck might be the healthiest new development the industry has seen in 20 years.

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I actually think they've walked the line historically very well. I agree with you. I'm not criticizing their past decisions. They're wildly successful. I've purchased 4 Switches (between two people). The part I'm criticizing is that in hindsight I don't think the current gen Switch hardware specifically aged well. I want everything Nintendo has to offer in terms of product, I just don't want it to struggle to drive my modern 77" 4k OLED. Yeah I'm an edge case. I'm just saying it kinda sucks. Tiny violin I get it. If the Switch was marketed only as a handheld I wouldn't be saying anything. But it was marketed as a console hybrid that you plug into your tv. It's like the only TVs they accounted for were 42". I am pretty confident the next Switch or whatever it's going to be will fill the gap. I just wish they'd give me the option so that I could match one of their products to my display hardware a little better. Literally like "to the dev it's indistinguishable hardware the graphics look exactly the same but it can output 1440p@60fps" and to the consumer "it cost you $200 more sucker have fun". I'm just rambling now.

Back to the Steam Deck, I guess that's silver lining. I'm lamenting that my Switch can't really do what the steam deck can do because it does get a lot of indie/ports "attempts" they just kinda suck and especially when there's a PS5 sitting next to the Switch why would I hamstring myself. I'm happy the Steam Deck has spurred a bunch of gaming compatibility layer love. The industry's needed that. I have a pc for pc games, and a switch for console games (and a ps5). As cool as it looks, I don't see myself dropping money on a steam deck at the moment because I got a switch pro last year. Maybe the steam deck will force Nintendo to get a little more serious about hardware? One can dream.

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