Nintendo Switch game and release details are very thin right now, so the industry is grasping at whatever tidbits it can find. Using quotes from a translated Q and A, as well as a few tweets, here’s what we’ve learned about cartridge sizes, shipments and 3rd-party support.
First off, according to Wall Street Journal insider Takashi Mochizuki, Switch cartridges will only be about 16 GB in size at launch. For comparison’s sake, that’s equal to a single-layer Blu-ray disc or twice the maximum storage of a 3DS cartridge.
Looks like standard capacity of Switch game card at least when console launched would be around 16; enough for one-layer Blu-ray game.
— Takashi Mochizuki (@mochi_wsj) October 28, 2016
While this limitation may impact the likelihood for ports of larger PS4 and Xbox One titles, there are a few key details to remember. For one, most analysts seem to think the Switch will feature just 32 GB of on-board storage. If games are too big, we won’t be able to fit them within that constraint. Small file sizes also make digital downloads faster, which is great for a portable device. It’s also possible that the standard cartridge size will increase as developers demand it. 3DS cartridges can be as small as 128 MB, for example.
Just as game sizes may be smaller than expected, so too will be Switch console shipments at release. Currently Nintendo’s plan is to ship just 2 million units globally when the system becomes available in March. For historians, that’s 1 million fewer units than 2012’s Wii U launch totals. However, that promise has since been updated. Nintendo has clarified that production can be increased within the fiscal year if consumers want more. At least initially, though, it looks like the console may be hard to find.
Those able to purchase a Switch will be greeted by titles from an energized 3rd-party community. Following the Switch’s reveal earlier this month, Nintendo claims that “happy additional 3rd-parties showed interest” in creating software for the product. It appears the likes of Ubisoft, EA and Bethesda might be joined by a few post-debut newcomers.
Nintendo plans to reveal more details about the Switch during a live event on Jan. 12. Consumer-facing issues like price, release date and games lineup will assumingly be discussed then.
Are Nintendo Switch game cartridges too small? Will it be hard to find this console at release? Tell us in the comments section!
