Support NeoGAF

[robor]

Gunpei Yokoi's failure in regards to the VirtualBoy wasn't poor design, or a lack of awareness on how to deliver it to the masses, rather it was a product too far ahead of its time. Too far for the available tech at the time (red screen) and too far for the consumer to fully grasp (being a tech-primitive environment).

The concept, however, is one that I think is truly consonant and ready for the current advent of the next digital revolution: the metaverse.

I would argue that a VirtualBoy successor could in fact be the next ticket for Nintendo to stay in the hardware game. How they go about doing that is beyond me, but I am positive that Yokoi's concept right now is the most lucrative and furtive way forward for Nintendo and their hardware divisions.

The only question is when...

 

[Punished Miku]

Sure. Something like a low powered stand alone quest 2 once it gets cheaper to make. They would be great at it and already messed with it on Labo.

 

[BadBurger]

I'd imagine Nintendo would simply partner with someone to develop mobile VR games for them, or perhaps release some kind of improvement over their official Labo VR stuff. But handling and fabricating the entire VR experience, nuts and bolts, top to bottom, themselves? That doesn't sound like something Nintendo would do. Too much investment needed, a not insignificant level of risk, etc. Current Nintendo simply doesn't seem that ambitious.

 

[Star-Lord]

No, Nintendo’s next console will be a spiritual successor to Switch. It will have a larger OLED screen capable of outputting at 4K docked and 1080p60 undocked, with vastly superior memory.

 

[Dream-Knife]

I think the next console will be a Switch/VR hybrid.

 

[FStubbs]

How can you say "Can Nintendo hurry up and go third party already?" without saying "Can Nintendo hurry up and go third party already?"

 

[Deerock71]

The Nintendo Switch U A Binary Pronoun. It's catch phrase will be: Wii are all U need.

 

[Scotty W]

The 3ds was the spiritual successor to the Virtual Boy.

 

[RoboFu]

I can see them bringing back a “third pillar” vr headset but keep a switch type of device.

 

[ReBurn]

So you want a VR headset with Mario

 

[TLZ]

Yea they did that with that cardboard Labo VR and it's dead.

 

[ParaSeoul]

Can Nintendos next console be powerful








Please

 

[Phase]

 

[nush]

The 3ds was the spiritual successor to the Virtual Boy.

Still missed out on making that Virtual Boy collection for it, could have added color and fixed a a few of the games at the same time. At least M2 did ONE of the 3D Master Syatem games, abet hidden in a compilation of the 3D Sega titles.

 

[Companion Cube]

Metroid Prime 4 as a Virtual Boy Advance launch title.

 

[jigglet]

Switch to Virtual Boy 2? Definitely possible. They made the Wii U after the Wii, so they have a lot of expertise when it comes to taking a good thing and driving it into the fucking toilet.

 

[Ozzy Onya A2Z]

I'd imagine Nintendo would simply partner with someone to develop mobile VR games for them, or perhaps release some kind of improvement over their official Labo VR stuff. But handling and fabricating the entire VR experience, nuts and bolts, top to bottom, themselves? That doesn't sound like something Nintendo would do. Too much investment needed, a not insignificant level of risk, etc. Current Nintendo simply doesn't seem that ambitious.

Nintendo love peripherals and their own hardware though. I reckon they could have something up their sleeve for VR. Calling OP's speculation "plausible" for now.

 

[Astral Dog]

No i think it will be a spiritual succesor to the Switch

 

[BadBurger]

Nintendo love peripherals and their own hardware though. I reckon they could have something up their sleeve for VR. Calling OP's speculation "plausible" for now.

Sure, but they're pretty conservative right? Especially after the Wii U. They have a hit now and can focus on one platform - no need for a home console and a series of different handhelds and all kinds of peripherals. Actual good VR is still a new thing, and building good VR equipment isn't cheap. I don't see them seriously exploring anything outside of the Switch and its core components as they are now until well after the chip shortage ends.

Nintendo isn't a company like Valve, who realized it would be a good idea to explore the new technology knowing that if the tech took off, the likelihood of people buying PC VR games on Steam was very high (and they turned out to be correct) - regardless of their chosen headset.

And they're not like a Facebook, who wanted a foot into the revenue of gaming sure, but VR to them was more of an engagement tool for their social media platforms and a customer data mining device - ultimately culminating in their "Metaverse" initiative. Which we all should have seen coming.

Nintendo wants hardware they can make a large profit off of, rely on for a long time, that plays only their software and accepted third parties. Oh, and they recently partnered for mobile development. They're not like the old Nintendo who would dive into big new ideas or try to push the limit on innovation.

But hey, I hope I'm wrong, because the more VR the better - the more options we'll have, and the faster the tech and experiences will advance.

 

[Ozzie666]

Virtual Boy 3D or VR back then, is completely different to VR expectations now. I would think VR and games would be associated with development expenses far greater than what Nintendo would find acceptable? Or maybe those mad scientists at Nintendo, can actually find a way to cost effectively migrate their games to VR.

Pure madness. Nintendo getting into the VR space, might be the same as movement controls for casuals.

 

[cartman414]

 

[robor]

Switch to Virtual Boy 2? Definitely possible. They made the Wii U after the Wii, so they have a lot of expertise when it comes to taking a good thing and driving it into the fucking toilet.

And after the WiiU they made the Switch... I think you fail to understand that there was no driving "it" into the toilet because they managed thereon to drive it upward to one of the most successful products they've ever made.

Iterations be iterative!

 

[jigglet]

And after the WiiU they made the Switch... I think you fail to understand that there was no driving "it" into the toilet because they managed thereon to drive it upward to one of the most successful products they've ever made.

Iterations be iterative!

Wii came after Gamecube.

Failure breeds renewed focus. Switch coming off Wii U means nothing. If Switch came directly after Wii and they had a back to back success with a completely different product, then that's what would impress me.

For the record I love Switch, and I also think they will nail it with their next console. I'm pretty sure lessons have been learned. But whatever came out of Wii U was going to be on an upward trajectory, cause you're coming from a low base.

 

[robor]

Wow, that post was a whole lot of nothing.

But yea, no shit, trajectory comes from a high base too. Iterations come from either side of the experiment; be it failure or success. The VB is a failure at a low base perspective, sure, but looking at the concept from another angle gives trajectory for the future of things to come.

Who even says that its VR? Maybe its AR or even MR?

 

[jigglet]

Wow, that post was a whole lot of nothing.

But yea, no shit, trajectory comes from a high base too. Iterations come from either side of the experiment; be it failure or success. The VB is a failure at a low base perspective, sure, but looking at the concept from another angle gives trajectory for the future of things to come.

Who even says that its VR? Maybe its AR or even MR?

I'm all for experimentation.

I love a lot of the failed shit Nintendo does, including the original Virtual Boy. Profit or not, why do I care.

But I will never make up fanboy excuses for the abortion that was Wii U. Fucking piece of shit deserves no excuses.

 

[Zannegan]

Gunpei Yokoi's failure in regards to the VirtualBoy wasn't poor design, or a lack of awareness on how to deliver it to the masses, rather it was a product too far ahead of its time. Too far for the available tech at the time (red screen) and too far for the consumer to fully grasp (being a tech-primitive environment).

The concept, however, is one that I think is truly consonant and ready for the current advent of the next digital revolution: the metaverse.

I would argue that a VirtualBoy successor could in fact be the next ticket for Nintendo to stay in the hardware game. How they go about doing that is beyond me, but I am positive that Yokoi's concept right now is the most lucrative and furtive way forward for Nintendo and their hardware divisions.

The only question is when...

A plug-in VR headset with some kind of harness for the main unit might be nice. Hardware that is exclusively VR is probably a no-go for them.

Also, wasn't the 3DS already the spiritual successor to the Virtual Boy? I imagine that if they do put a headset out, we'll see a special edition in VB red though.

 

[robor]

I've always seen the 3DS as a half-attempt. The immersive element is somewhat left out.

But I will never make up fanboy excuses for the abortion that was Wii U. Fucking piece of shit deserves no excuses.

No excuses whatsoever. We are in full agreement on that.

 

[alucard0712_rus]

No, Nintendo’s next console will be a spiritual successor to Switch. It will have a larger OLED screen capable of outputting at 4K docked and 1080p60 undocked, with vastly superior memory.

Which can work also as VR screen, no?
I will be really looking forward too. Because Nintendo games are perfectly fitting VR environment. Everything from simple and creative graphics to various game-play elements and motion controls. Nintendo VR console will be perfect for me.

 

[Porcile]

The 3DS screen was really cool honestly. I don't really see why it couldn't be given another go sometime in the future.

 

[jigglet]

The 3DS screen was really cool honestly. I don't really see why it couldn't be given another go sometime in the future.

I fully expect 3D to make a huge comeback in the future. However, at that point I'm expecting it to be indistinguishable from reality - real 3D, without a headset. If we can get 3D that realistic, I reckon it'll re-surge big time.

 

[IDKFA]

Possibly. I could see it being an option, but a lot of the appeal to Nintendo consoles is that family and friends can play games together. It's the main focus on their recent Switch advising. Would a VR headset still have that co-op appeal?

This is probably an impossible thing to ask, but could it be a VR headset that can dock to be a traditional console? That way you still play co-op games like Mario Kart.

 

[McCheese]

Starfox VR will remain a pipedream, unfortunately.

 

[Rat Rage]

In short: never.

 

[Kuranghi]

This image always cracked me up because of the disc slot on top. I thought it was a helmet (instead of the VR part resting on top of the HW unit) and I said:

"So you have to insert the discs into your skull?!??"

Now thats devotion to the game!

 

[Captain Toad]

The Virtual Boy was never VR. It just looked like a VR headset on a stand. But, it was just a monitor in there - nothing that makes VR what it is was present. They could re-release the VB as a handheld and it would be just as much VR as the original.

Now, if Nintendo wanted to make an actual VR headset, I'd be all for it - assuming it was powerful enough to actually do VR right.

I don't know how anyone plays Astrobot and doesn't immediately how amazing Mario and Zelda could be in VR.