Nate The Hate

A recent Bloomberg article provided substantial evidence supporting the existence of new, upcoming Nintendo hardware designated to the Switch-family of products. However, Nintendo quickly denied claims made in the article & one developer named in the report publicly refuted the information. The truth: there is new Switch hardware in the hands of developers; but what kind of hardware? 

Nintendo's September Direct has aired & with it came official news that Nintendo Switch Online will be getting a new tier known as the "Expansion Pack" and this will feature the exciting addition of Nintendo 64 & another new NSO platform. 

Furthermore, Nintendo reveals new titles for 2022 and gives a first-look at the long absent Bayonetta 3. We discuss our thoughts & reaction to the new NSO inclusions and the new game announcements made during the Nintendo Direct.

The Nintendo Switch Online service will soon be entering its third year of service &, beyond Game Boy & Game Boy Color, Nintendo may be looking to other avenues to retain & grow their subscription base. Enter the Nintendo 64. 

However, could Nintendo consider exploring a more premium service tier with the introduction of N64? We discuss how Nintendo 64 could come to NSO & whether or not Nintendo may use a higher priced NSO tier as a means of doing so.

It has been two years since Nintendo provided the Nintendo Switch Online Service with new legacy hardware. With two emulators remaining unused and service renewals around the corner, now is the time for Nintendo to update the service with new hardware -- but which hardware is best suited for the service? We discuss which platforms are most likely & which are least likely to appear on the service in the immediate future.

PlayStation 5 exclusive, Abandoned, was scheduled to get a real-time experience, but BlueBox Game Studio claims that "technical issues" prevented a smooth launch; however, the company has a long history of technical problems. We investigate the truth behind Abandoned & why this week's demo was a blatant lie. 

We also discuss our thoughts and reactions to Nintendo's latest Indie World presentation and which games caught our eye.

Nintendo has taken aim at Bloomberg over a report claiming the company stands to see increased profit margins on the Nintendo Switch OLED versus the Nintendo Switch. Nintendo has gone as far to say the report is inaccurate. However, there may be more to the story than a simple refutation of data. 

Nintendo have announced new Switch hardware for the holiday 2021 season & it's not what many had expected. Enter the Nintendo Switch OLED. As the name implies, this new Switch model is a Switch with an OLED screen... and little else. However, it begs the question: Is this the Switch Pro? 

We discuss.

Nintendo's Direct for E3 2021 has now comes & gone. With it came some exciting new game announcements; but Nintendo also disappointed in a major way. We discuss our thoughts on Nintendo's E3 showcase, what impressed up, what disappointed us, and what we think of Metroid Dread, Advance Wars, and the latest update on Breath of the Wild 2 and what it means for that title's release window.

Nintendo will host their E3 Nintendo Direct & Treehouse presentation in just a few days & expectations are at an all-time high. We discuss what Nintendo and third-party partners may bring to the show & how they can surprise with new announcements & finally make rumors a reality. Will Switch Pro make an appearance at E3? Is a new 2D Metroid E3 bound? Or a new Mario & Rabbids game?

Microsoft's official E3 2021 Showcase just days away & we are here to share our official predictions & expectations for this exciting event. With the Xbox Series X set to host quality releases in holiday 2021, we discuss what titles we expect Microsoft to announce, like Forza Horizon 5, & if Elden Ring will make an appearance at the Xbox Showcase.

A new report from Bloomberg has shed light on a potential launch window for the Nintendo Switch Pro. We discuss why this release timing may present several obstacles for the consumer & why it may raise concerns for development partners, as well. 

Furthermore, we dip our toe & discuss what one can expect to see from Nintendo in regards to the Nintendo Pro in the coming weeks and at E3 2021.

Nintendo have given official guidance to their new fiscal year & they are anticipating some aggressive sales figures from both software & hardware. We discuss how Nintendo can exceed their aggressive expectations, the role Switch Pro will play, and how the Switch may be able to surpass the long-standing lifetime sales of Sony's PlayStation 2 and Nintendo DS. We discuss why the goal is possible & how it may be achieved.

Nintendo is due to report their fiscal earnings in just over a week & we discuss where we think Nintendo will end their fiscal year. Furthermore, we delve into some of Nintendo's plans for 2021 and how the company may approach with conservative estimates; but still surprise with exciting software - like Zelda's 35th anniversary, new IP, and much more.

The ESA announced their official plans for a digital E3 in 2021 and several big companies have committed to the show -- including Nintendo and Microsoft. We discuss why this year's E3 is vital for the ESA and how it can help shape the future of the event. Furthermore, we discuss the recent Switch firmware update & how the latest datamine relates to the Switch Pro.

Nintendo & Sony each offered their own stark reminder to the dangers that a digital-only future can present; as each company removed the option of purchasing digital software on their family of hardware -- though the two situations differ in terms of reasoning. Nevertheless, each highlights a growing concern about how long we, the consumer, may have access to our digital game libraries & how little say we have in the matter. 

While Nintendo chose to delist recent releases -- like Super Mario 3D All-Stars and Mario 35; Sony is shutting down older hardware digital storefronts.  Though different in reasoning, the execution shares similarities. We discuss how this precedent is worrisome & how Microsoft is the best suited of the trio to deliver a well-crafted platform that serves the consumer & respects the Xbox legacy for years to come.

A new report from Bloomberg has corroborated many of the key points we have shared in recent weeks; those being a new SoC equipped with DLSS features to achieve a 4K gaming experience. However, a key point of contention remain: release date. While Bloomberg remains firm on a 2021 holiday release, we explain why this release date is likely to change due to the growing uncertainty in the chip supply climate.

Furthermore, we discuss how backwards compatibility may be approached, how Nintendo must perfect their marketing strategy with an attractive price model, and how current Switch will benefit from the improved hardware offered by the Switch Pro revision.

It is no secret that Nintendo is busy preparing new hardware; but the question remains: what will it be and when will it be revealed? While we are confident Nintendo is working on a revision equipped with a new SoC & 4K features with DLSS support; one must consider an alternative angle in which a secondary model makes an appearance in advance of such a major hardware change. Enter the Switch XL. 

We chat with Digital Foundry's John Linneman about this multi-platform and why it is not only supported by Nintendo's historic patterns; but why it makes sense from a business, economical and logistics point-of-view. Could Nintendo introduce a Switch XL ahead of the Switch Pro? We discuss why it may happen.

A new report from Bloomberg has surfaced which, seemingly, sheds new light on the long-rumored Nintendo Switch Pro. Or does it? We examine the report, breakdown multiple outcomes and consider the possibility of the report implying the existence of a non-Switch Pro revision for 2021 holiday launch.

Furthermore, will the Nintendo Switch Pro host exclusive games? We explain how and why the platform will feature such releases.

Sony held their first 'State of Play' of 2021 and the presentation gave fans a fresh look at several upcoming releases, as well as a number of new announcement; including, Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade for the PS5. How do we feel about the game's new episode being exclusive to PlayStation 5? 

Furthermore, Sony is beginning to wind down production of original games at one of their most legendary first-party studio. This news is devastating for any long-time PlayStation fan as the studio is responsible for many iconic PlayStation franchises. In many ways, the PlayStation is losing a part of its soul with this closure.

Sony's first 'State of Play' presentation of 2021 has fans bursting with excitement and we discuss our predictions for the show and why the time is right for Final Fantasy 7 Remake to make an appearance on the PlayStation 5. What other surprises are planned? Could we see Elden Ring? Or the long-rumored Silent Hill?

One of Sony's flagship 2021 releases, Gran Turismo 7, has officially been delayed from 2021 to 2022. We discuss how news of this delay may indicate a growing concern regarding Sony's PS5 software lineup & how the impacts of the pandemic continue to resonate throughout the industry. Will further details impact the PS5's 2021 lineup? We discuss.