Rumor: Switch’s CPU and GPU clock speeds revealed
Posted on 7 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Rumors, Switch | 149 Comments
Digital Foundry and Eurogamer have a new report about the specs surrounding Switch. The big takeaways here concern the console’s CPU and GPU.
Below is a notable excerpt from the new report today:
“As many have speculated, the new Nintendo hardware does indeed feature two performance configurations – and the console is categorically not as capable in mobile form, compared to its prowess when docked and attached to an HDTV. And we can confirm that there is no second GPU or additional hardware in the dock itself regardless of the intriguing patents that Nintendo has filed suggesting that there might be. With battery life and power throughput no longer an issue, the docked Switch simply allows the GPU to run much faster. And to put it simply, there is a night and day difference here.
Where Switch remains consistent is in CPU power – the cores run at 1020MHz regardless of whether the machine is docked or undocked. This ensures that running game logic won’t be compromised while gaming on the go: the game simulation itself will remain entirely consistent. The machine’s embedded memory controller runs at 1600MHz while docked (on par with a standard Tegra X1), but the default power mode undocked sees this drop to 1331MHz. However, developers can opt to retain full memory bandwidth in their titles should they choose to do so.
More: top
Rumor: Pokemon GO no longer coming to Apple Watch
Posted on 7 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Mobile, Rumors | 3 Comments
9to5Mac is reporting that Niantic is scrapping plans to bring Pokemon GO to Apple Watch. When it was originally shown in September, the app was apparently an “unfinished port.”
Niantic is thus far not officially commenting on whether Pokemon GO has been cancelled for Apple Watch. However, one user claims to have heard from the company in a customer support email response that plans have ceased, though “if demand for an Apple Watch port increases, we will continue development of a port.”
More: Niantic, Pokemon GO
Rumor: Switch makes use of NVIDIA’s Maxwell architecture
Posted on 7 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Rumors, Switch | 86 Comments
According to a GamesBeat report, Switch will be making use of NVIDIA’s Maxwell architecture for its graphics as opposed to the chipmaker’s newer Pascal technology. The site writes that Wii U’s lack of success prompted Nintendo to move quickly, and avoid waiting on the updated Pascal version of the graphics technology. Had Pascal been pursued, Switch would not be able to launch in March as currently planned. The chip would have required a redesign to fit within Nintendo’s “mobile, low-power constraints” as well.
GamesBeat goes on to say that “Switch doesn’t have as much visual horsepower as the PS4 when played on a television, and it may not be able to handle 4K graphics, either.” It’s unclear if Switch is weaker than the Xbox One since “performance may be close.”
More: top
Evidence pointing to April launch for Yooka-Laylee
Posted on 7 years ago by Zack in Rumors, Wii U | 15 Comments
If the Xbox store webpage is anything to go by, it seems that Yooka-Laylee will be released in April.
The page has Yooka-Laylee listed for release on April 11. A Brazilian retailer also posted its own release date of April 7 for physical versions. While this is by no means an official confirmation, one could assume that we’re likely close to an actual official announcement from Playtonic in the near future.
The only slightly concerning thing here is that a physical version of Yooka-Laylee is nowhere to be seen. Missing out on a retail release wouldn’t be entirely surprising given the state of the console, but we’ll have to see what Playtonic and Team17 are planning.
More: Playtonic, Team17, Yooka-Laylee
Rumor: Super Mario Run needs 75 MB of data per hour with “constant, involved” play
Posted on 7 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Mobile, Rumors | 3 Comments
If a new report from AppleInsider is to be believed, Super Mario Run will require 75 megabytes of data per hour with “constant, involved” play. However, the site says “significantly less” data will be needed in “most cases”.
AppleInsider’s article indicates that data usage will vary depending how you play. The site sadly doesn’t provide any specifics. Could the mode you’re playing in have an impact?
More: Super Mario Run, top
The rumored Switch exclusive game seems to be Seasons of Heaven
Posted on 7 years ago by Matt(@OnePunchMaz) in News, Rumors, Switch | 40 Comments
Laura Kate Dale teased that a Switch exclusive game will be revealed in December, but didn’t give any details beyond that. However, it seems like we may already have a pretty good idea of what the game is going to be.
The screenshots of the game that Laura has posted bear a striking resemblance to artwork shown on the homepage for the book “Seasons of Heaven” (original French title: “Les saisons du paradis”). This book by French author Nico Augusto has been adapted into an audio book – more interestingly, however, a game adaptation of the book is also in the works; the “game” tab on the book’s website doesn’t show anything at the moment, however. The rest of the website is nonetheless worth checking out – the art shown there focuses heavily on the little boy wearing a backpack, his dog and the distinctive tower in the distance – all elements that are present in the screenshots Laura has posted. More tellingly, Augusto tweeted the following on Monday:
https://twitter.com/NicoWav/status/806241075769839616
A not-so-subtle hint at a possible Switch game, right? Any Arts Production seems to be the developer of the game.
None of this is an official confirmation just yet, but all signs seem to be pointing at this being the Switch game that Laura Kate Dale talked about.
More: rumor, Seasons of Heaven
Rumor: new Switch exclusive game will be revealed in December with a gameplay trailer
Posted on 7 years ago by Matt(@OnePunchMaz) in Rumors, Switch | 12 Comments
Laura Kate Dale has once again delivered another report on the Switch – or rather, she’s delivered a juicy bit of info and some screenshots this time. According to her, a new Switch exclusive game (shown in these screenshots) will be revealed in December via a gameplay trailer. She doesn’t offer any details beyond that, like who the publisher or the developer of the game is. It seems unlikely that it’s Nintendo however, since they would probably save a big announcement like that for the big Switch event in January.
As always, take rumors like this with a grain of salt, even if they come from a reliable source like Laura. Either way, if this is indeed real, we should hear about it pretty soon since we’re already well into December.
More: top
Rumor: Details on plans for Switch’s Virtual Console, include specific GameCube games
Posted on 7 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in GameCube, Rumors, Switch | 54 Comments
A few hours ago, Tom Phillips from Eurogamer tweeted that GameCube support is planned for the Virtual Console on Switch. The site now has its full report up about the situation.
Super Mario Sunshine, Luigi’s Mansion, and Super Smash Bros. Melee are the first games Eurogamer claims Nintendo has been focusing on. The original Animal Crossing is also being looked into, with all of its NES games included. Eurogamer adds that Nintendo is considering support for the GameCube controller adapter on Wii U, though “a final decision has not yet been made.”
More: top
Rumor: Koei Tecmo pitched Star Fox Warriors game to Nintendo, but never progressed
Posted on 7 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in General Nintendo, Rumors | 84 Comments
Believe it or not, LetsPlayVideoGames isn’t finished with its Nintendo rumors for the day. This time around, the site shares some information about an unconfirmed pitch from Koei Tecmo.
The Japanese company, who previously worked on Hyrule Warriors (and Legends), allegedly made a pitch for a Star Fox-themed Warriors title. Melee combat would have been the focus with some space dogfighting segments mixed in. Motion controls would have been absent, “focused on alternating missions between ground combat and a simplified space combat system designed to be simple to control and visually over the top.” It would have been comparable to Hyrule Warriors in many ways.
Nintendo is said to have turned down the pitch “due to questions regarding the future of the brand.” It never left the design stage, and it’s unknown which system it was targeted for.
Despite the Star Fox pitch not progressing, Koei Tecmo remains interested in giving another Nintendo franchise the Warriors treatment. Additionally, Nintendo is apparently open to that as well.
More: Koei Tecmo, Star Fox, top
Rumor: Dark Souls III running on Switch, all three games with DLC a possibility
Posted on 7 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Rumors, Switch | 39 Comments
FromSoftware is one of many developers named as a partner for Switch. LetsPlayVideoGames may now give us an idea about what the studio is planning.
One of the site’s sources claims that Dark Souls III is running on Switch “with a level of performance they are happy with.” A small team has been working on the port for several months.
FromSoftware has been taking a wait-and-see approach with potential ports. The company wanted to see how Dark Souls III performed sales-wise before moving forward. However, if FromSoftware pursues ports, Switch (and other consoles) would receive a re-release of all three Dark Souls titles with DLC bundled in.
