Supposedly, there will be a Nintendo Direct next week featuring a Nintendo Partner showcase. I guess we will see in the next couple of days if this is true.
Unrelatedly, my daughter is 60+ hours into Octopath Traveller and really enjoying it. I think most of her characters are around level 45-50; however, she mentioned she is having trouble beating many of the bosses, so she is going to grind a bit to get her characters' levels up higher.
Nintendo usually has a Direct in February, so that's a pretty reasonable prediction. Looking forward to learning more about upcoming games and plans for 2026/2027!
I'm glad your daughter is enjoying OT; it's such an amazing series! Is she rotating through the storylines of different characters? I found that most of the chapters, normal bosses, and pacing were pretty reasonable as long as I kept focusing on the lowest "recommended level" quests. The final boss fights for some characters were legitimately tough/long, so I had to sometimes over-level or make sure my equipment and strategies were really well prepared.
Random: Just played the Yakuza 3 free demo. Never played a Yakuza game before. It's pretty awesome.
it is pretty hilarious that teh USA introduces substantial tariffs on Japan and is super hostile towards japan. The result, Canadians and Mexicans pay way more for a Japanese product than Americans. big win for Trump i guess?
This price drop still isn't in the same league as the 3DS though. It went from $250 down to $170 after 5 months.
it is pretty hilarious that teh USA introduces substantial tariffs on Japan and is super hostile towards japan. The result, Canadians and Mexicans pay way more for a Japanese product than Americans. big win for Trump i guess?
This price drop still isn't in the same league as the 3DS though. It went from $250 down to $170 after 5 months.
No. (Post hoc ergo propter hoc.) Good to know that the sale still exists though!
i prefer to avoid multi-platform UE5 games on a Nintendo platform because the game never gets the level of support an annualized sequel requires. It always has tiny glitches in it. Visual Concepts is in California. Japanese companies almost always make the best wrestling games. Its like the Japanese employees are willing to run through a brick wall to make a great wrestling game. Japanese people have a certain reverence for pro wrestling that North Americans just don't have. There is a similar effect with hockey video games made by Canadian companies.
I will keep my ear to the ground though.. and I hope I am pleasantly surprised.
The 2 greatest wrestling franchises ever made from Japanese companies making games for Nintendo Platforms. Fire Pro Wrestling and the AKI Series from 1997 to 2001.
Reaching over 17M units by December is pretty awesome! Wii U's entire lifetime sales was less than 14M units, already passed by Switch 2 within the first few months of the Switch 2's release - and that's without a new 3D Mario, 3D Zelda, or Pokemon "Next Gen / Gen 10" pair of games. The Switch 2 is already just 4M away from clearing GameCube's lifetime sales too, which it'll easily do over the next few months: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_game_consoles
This year is a bunch of interesting anniversary milestones (Zelda's 40th, Pokemon's 30th, etc.), so there's a possibility for some really big news with those franchises, although I think a lot of gamers were a little disappointed that last year wasn't particularly spectacular on the "Mario's 40th anniversary" front.
Also visible on both our websites/sources: the Switch (Switch 1) has surpassed the Nintendo DS as the best-selling Nintendo console of all time. We all knew it was just a matter of time, but it's cool to see that it's "official" now, and without having an enormous fire sale / price drop either!
Parents are steering children away from handheld devices and I think Nintendo knows this. Nintendo is steering away from the little kids market with their latest offering. I do not think Nintendo is trying to hit the 155+M units they did with the Switch1.
When media and research comes out about how screens contribute to myopia Nintendo corpo does not fight it or push back. Contrast that with Nintendo constantly pushing back on the narrative that video games cause real world violence. Nintendo knows they can't win the vision health fight, so they stay out of it. However, they do know the concerns being raised. I think Nintendo is adjusting to those concerns... they just don't talk about it publicly.
It'll be interesting to see if Nintendo comes up with a product for children like the Gex Playground that CAN NOT be used as a hand held device.
It is interesting that the original 70s and early 80s video game systems came with a 16 foot//5 metre long cable. You were expected to sit 20+ feet or 6+ metres from the TV when you played video games in the 70s and 80s.
On February 04 2026 17:06 DarkPlasmaBall wrote: Reaching over 17M units by December is pretty awesome!
The share drop comes after Nintendo’s quarterly revenue missed market estimates, despite an 86% surge from last year.
The headline is lolz. The 10% share price drop occurred immediately after the earnings report. It is related to Nintendo's profits. Nothing changed regarding memory costs between the time before the profit report was released to after the report was released.
While the retail Switch2 price drop was effective in selling units it did not help their future profit projections. I think "the street" is coming to the realization that the Switch2 is not going to sell 155M full priced units. A few weeks after the Switch2 was released "the street" had sky high dreams and hopes as Nintendo stock skyrocketed upwards.
On February 04 2026 20:26 JimmyJRaynor wrote: Parents are steering children away from handheld devices and I think Nintendo knows this.
I think they should be, but what data do you have to support the underlined claim - that parents are actually doing this? I would have thought that more kids have handheld devices now compared to ever before (not just the typical Nintendo handheld - Game Boy -> DS -> Switch - but also its gaming competitors + iPads + parents' phone screens). Regardless, both the Switch and Switch 2 have a docked mode, so they don't need to be used as handheld devices if parents don't want them to be.
Gex Playground
What is this? I can't find anything relevant on Google.
Nex Playground. Typo. It is $200 with no controllers required. All games on a $90/year subscription service. If you dig around you can get it for $70/year.
It is basically the same price as a 1988-1991 NES adjusted to inflation.
Parent support groups for screen free living are popping up all over the place. The Amish were right after all! 😎
On February 04 2026 22:12 DarkPlasmaBall wrote: ). Regardless, both the Switch and Switch 2 have a docked mode, so they don't need to be used as handheld devices if parents don't want them to be.
The parents in my family do not want to police their Docked Switch 24/7. The incredible convenience of undocking a Switch is its own achilles heel. I just love the Achilles Heel analogy here... It fits so well.
wow the software on that thing looks awful... Mainly made to have ads for toys and merchandise
also please - screen free - probably supported by group of hypocrites who are on their phones all day in front of their children telling them to go outside to play
JJR, I'm sure if Nintendo thinks it'll be profitable, then they'll make a docked-only console like they used to. Your two websites don't seem to support your original underlined claim - after all, reducing "screen time" (your Facebook group) includes reducing TV screens and Nex Playgrounds, not just handhelds - so I don't see sufficient evidence to believe you yet.
Also, Achilles's heel was his vulnerability and undoing, whereas the Switch's docked + handheld versatility was its greatest asset. It's literally the opposite lol.
Supposedly, there will be a Nintendo Direct next week featuring a Nintendo Partner showcase. I guess we will see in the next couple of days if this is true.
It is clear we live in different worlds if you need a source to prove that conscientious parents are concerned about their child's vision and how near screen usage impacts it. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12325340/
59.3% made a significant effort to reduce screen time
Handheld devices like smartphones and game systems are an overall negative impact for health. It is wise to limit this activity. Most people around me know this.
As all these game companies and smart phone vendors continue to strive for higher and higher sales #s they are going to hit a ceiling. Nintendo has already done so. I projected 80M units sold for the Switch2 and I am sticking with that projection.
On February 05 2026 02:06 JimmyJRaynor wrote: It is clear we live in different worlds if you need a source to prove that conscientious parents are concerned about their child's vision and how near screen usage impacts it. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12325340/
59.3% made a significant effort to reduce screen time
Handheld devices like smartphones and game systems are an overall negative impact for health. It is wise to limit this activity. Most people around me know this.
As all these game companies and smart phone vendors continue to strive for higher and higher sales #s they are going to hit a ceiling. Nintendo has already done so. I projected 80M units sold for the Switch2 and I am sticking with that projection.
You first asserted a more extreme and unjustified claim - that handhelds are losing popularity and that Nintendo needs to create a traditional docked-only / non-handheld / home consoles, or else they're in trouble - and when asked to support your assertion, you pivoted and retreated to a very different claim: that reducing screen usage would be advantageous for kids. You even contradicted your original controversial statement earlier, when you posted a Facebook group that pushes for less overall screen time, which includes both portable consoles and home consoles ("This is a group for people who currently limit screen-time in their homes and/or are looking to limit or eliminate screen-time"). That's something I'm fine with - we should definitely moderate and reduce most kids' screen time - but that's not your original position.
You hypocritically promoted the Nex Playground (a home console that still needs a screen), you were wrong when you said that portability was the Switch's undoing (portability/hybridity was actually one of the main reasons why the Switch is one of the best-selling consoles of all time), and I had already questioned your claim that parents are switching from portable consoles to home consoles, as opposed to merely addressing concerns over general screen time.
Also, that medical journal article doesn't say anything about parents suddenly favoring home consoles over portable ones. The paper very clearly makes statements like "Excessive screen time among youth deserves public health attention" (an actual quote, and consistent with your low-bar motte that no one would disagree with), but it doesn't say anything like "Public sentiment is that parents are moving away from portable consoles in favor of home consoles" (this would align with what you first asserted, your high-bar bailey).
Supposedly, there will be a Nintendo Direct next week featuring a Nintendo Partner showcase. I guess we will see in the next couple of days if this is true.
I plan to tune into this tomorrow, and if I miss it, I'll watch it on YouTube.
Also, I gotta give you credit for engaging with JimmyJRaynor. I've just taken the position to quickly read his posts, consider replying to some of the nonsense, and then, more often than not, I decide that it is futile.
However, I don't understand JJR's obsession with mentioning that Switch 2 won't sell 155 million units like Switch. Who is even claiming the Switch 2 will sell that many units? The Switch came after the failed Wii U, was a new concept compared to the PS4 and Xbox, as it worked as both a handheld and a docked unit, and was extremely popular during COVID. I'm not expecting it to sell such a massive figure because there are so many people who already have a Switch, or Switch OLED, or Switch Lite, and perhaps they just buy a console here and there, and games are still coming out on the Switch, and one can have a massive backlog with all the good available games for Switch. That also means I don't think it will do horribly. One can't just set the bar to success in that a console sells exactly as much or more than its predecessor. That is a ridiculous argument.
By the way, @JJR, the Nintendo Switch (both 1 and 2) works with the Switch Parental Control app, where you can set time limits and track usage. You can even just turn off the ability for the Switch to be used on certain days, etc. I use it myself so that the kids don't get carried away, and it requires them to enter a certain PIN so that they can continue playing after a certain elasped time or after 8pm on weekdays, etc.
The sad thing is that every time I reply to JJR, I can't help but think it is a waste of time.
Supposedly, there will be a Nintendo Direct next week featuring a Nintendo Partner showcase. I guess we will see in the next couple of days if this is true.
I plan to tune into this tomorrow, and if I miss it, I'll watch it on YouTube.
Also, I gotta give you credit for engaging with JimmyJRaynor. I've just taken the position to quickly read his posts, consider replying to some of the nonsense, and then, more often than not, I decide that it is futile.
However, I don't understand JJR's obsession with mentioning that Switch 2 won't sell 155 million units like Switch. Who is even claiming the Switch 2 will sell that many units? The Switch came after the failed Wii U, was a new concept compared to the PS4 and Xbox, as it worked as both a handheld and a docked unit, and was extremely popular during COVID. I'm not expecting it to sell such a massive figure because there are so many people who already have a Switch, or Switch OLED, or Switch Lite, and perhaps they just buy a console here and there, and games are still coming out on the Switch, and one can have a massive backlog with all the good available games for Switch. That also means I don't think it will do horribly. One can't just set the bar to success in that a console sells exactly as much or more than its predecessor. That is a ridiculous argument.
By the way, @JJR, the Nintendo Switch (both 1 and 2) works with the Switch Parental Control app, where you can set time limits and track usage. You can even just turn off the ability for the Switch to be used on certain days, etc. I use it myself so that the kids don't get carried away, and it requires them to enter a certain PIN so that they can continue playing after a certain elasped time or after 8pm on weekdays, etc.
The sad thing is that every time I reply to JJR, I can't help but think it is a waste of time.
I'll try my best to post some Nintendo Direct highlights/info too tomorrow, if I have time
And I agree with you that JJR is going out of his way to argue against no one that the Switch 2 won't beat the Switch 1. Just because the Switch 2 initially sold more at release than the Switch 1, doesn't mean that we're all extrapolating, predicting, and insisting that lifetime sales for the Switch 2 will exceed the lifetime sales for the Switch 1. He keeps reminding us that he believes the Switch 2 won't be as successful, but we already know that he believes that.
I also think you bring up a great point about parental controls. When JJR said that the parents in his family couldn't be bothered to responsibly supervise their kids, it sounded like his anecdotal examples weren't even willing to put in the bare minimum effort. Nintendo has put out videos explaining parental control settings, but there's nothing they can reasonably do to combat parental apathy.
A pretty solid Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase overall
There was certainly a variety of announcements/reveals in today's Nintendo Direct, from the new Resident Evil to Fallout 4 to Super Bomberman to Elder Scrolls 4 to soccer and wrestling games. Here are the ones I'm looking forward to the most:
Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection (3/13/26) Pragmata (4/24/26) Tales of Arise - Beyond the Dawn (5/22/26) Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (6/3/26) The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales (6/18/26) Granblue Fantasy Re:Link - Endless Ragnarok (7/9/26) Digimon Story: Time Stranger (7/10/26) Another Eden Begins (Summer 2026)
All of these games are going to keep me busy throughout the summer and well into the fall. It's a well-timed, well-paced drip feed of games, coming right after the early/spring 2026 games I had listed last month:
On January 20 2026 10:15 DarkPlasmaBall wrote: This steady stream of new Nintendo content in 2026 will keep me busy for at least the next few months:
This Thursday is the release of Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade; 2 weeks after that is the release of Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined; 2 weeks after that is the release of Virtual Boy for Switch 2; 2 weeks after that is the release of Pokemon Pokopia; 1 week after that is the release of Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection; 3 weeks after that is the release of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie; 3 weeks after that is the release of Pragmata for Switch 2...
And all that is before May!
Now, if a new Mario, Zelda, Pokemon Gen10, or other first-party game gets released later this fall / winter / holiday season, that would perfectly round out my 2026!
PS - We can download a free Pragmata demo and a free Monster Hunter Stories 3 demo later today too
Just finished Escape From Ever After, and it's a fantastic Paper Mario -esque game. Arguably more depth than the original Paper Mario, with a more satirical / humorous / fourth-wall breaking plot and characters. Good writing, solid gameplay, great move/skill diversity, fun combat, decent badge system, and lots of interesting puzzles. I like it almost as much as the original Paper Mario, and I definitely enjoyed it more than Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door.
I had never heard about Escape From Ever After, but I just added it to my wishlist so I can get it on sale. I enjoyed Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, so I'm hoping to give this a try.
On February 04 2026 23:56 sharkie wrote: wow the software on that thing looks awful... Mainly made to have ads for toys and merchandise
also please - screen free - probably supported by group of hypocrites who are on their phones all day in front of their children telling them to go outside to play
Were you referring to the nex playground?
I made a post, I think back in August, about buying the device. After half a year, I'll add: * My kids (5/8) stopped playing the switch for about 4 months straight without even requesting it after the playground came out * They play it regularly and it always travels with them to their grandparents on weekends. * The content releases and feedback from the company have been consistently good.
As someone who has developed simulators with AI cameras and spent over a decade developing in Unity, the dev team is doing a fantastic job.
To add to this forum: * Because of the success of the playground in our household, we will probably coast on switch 1 as long as we can and hope prices continue to get lowered for switch 2 if we even bother getting this generations console.
On February 05 2026 06:53 Yaqoob wrote: However, I don't understand JJR's obsession with mentioning that Switch 2 won't sell 155 million units like Switch. Who is even claiming the Switch 2 will sell that many units?
no, I projected the Switch2 will sell <80M. A projection like <155M is so vague its almost meaningless.
On February 05 2026 02:18 DarkPlasmaBall wrote: You first asserted a more extreme and unjustified claim - that handhelds are losing popularity and that Nintendo needs to create a traditional docked-only / non-handheld / home consoles, or else they're in trouble -
Let me give you the misquoted fallacy and made up in your own mind fallacy. When did i say NIntendo was "in trouble" ? where do i say Nintendo is in any form of danger at all? In fact, I've said the Nintendo megacorp has a tonne of cash and many levers to pull. They'll make plenty of money selling 70+M Switch2 Units.
On February 05 2026 02:18 DarkPlasmaBall wrote: You first asserted a more extreme and unjustified claim - that handhelds are losing popularity and that Nintendo needs to create a traditional docked-only / non-handheld / home consoles, or else they're in trouble - and when asked to support your assertion, you pivoted and retreated to a very different claim
i stated this.
On February 04 2026 20:26 JimmyJRaynor wrote: It'll be interesting to see if Nintendo comes up with a product for children like the Gex Playground that CAN NOT be used as a hand held device.
EPT
