Nintendo "Studying" VR - May Add it To Switch if Tech Improves

[Steven Bogos]

Nintendo "Studying" VR - May Add it To Switch if Tech Improves

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Nintendo President Tatsumi Kimishima says Nintendo will add VR to the Switch when people can play it for hours without problems.

In an interview with Japanese business newspaper revealing the prices [http://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Consumers/Nintendo-to-equip-Switch-with-upgraded-web-services] for the system's online services, Kimishima spoke briefly about his take on the burgeoning VR market, and whether or not the Switch would ever include it. He said that Nintendo is "studying" VR but thinks it isn't quite there yet, and doesn't want to add VR capabilities to the Switch until people can literally stomach it.

"If we are able to resolve the issues with playing [VR] comfortably for long hours, we will support it in one form or another," he said, without providing a time frame. He is no doubt referring to the fact that a considerable percentage of players (this reporter included) suffer from motion sickness while using VR.

VR technology is constantly improving, and has made leaps and bounds in progress since the early days of the Oculus. Valve's Chet Faliszek already belives that the hardware is flawless [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/142624-Valve-VR-Motion-Sickness-Is-Bullshit-Developers-Fault] and that any instances of "Virtual Reality Sickness" are a software issue.

Either way, it looks like Nintendo hasn't completely ruled out VR for the Nintendo Switch.

Source: Nikkei [http://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Consumers/Nintendo-to-equip-Switch-with-upgraded-web-services]

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[Fiz_The_Toaster]

Well, that, and the whole Virtual Boy thing that they had going on back in the day. My neck, eyes, and stomach were not pleased with that monstrosity.

Never forget.

Not very surprising though since I'm sure that they are interested in trying VR again since their last venture. And due to last venture, I'm sure they don't want to make the same mistakes twice.

 

[008Zulu_v1legacy]

Uhh... someone should explain to Nintendo that their tech isn't powerful enough to support VR.

 

[ToastyMozart]

Uhh... someone should explain to Nintendo that their tech isn't powerful enough to support VR.

Yeah, unless they absolutely bottom out the graphics quality and make the software gamecube-levels of complexity, there's nowhere near enough oomph to drive VR at the required 75+ FPS.
Hell the PS4 can barely manage it. (Admittedly it's no powerhouse either, but still more potent than the Switch is.)

 

[sneakypenguin]

LOL....

Is there really any other response. VR on the switch would be extraordinarily limited just from the HW specs alone.

 

[Pyrian]

Valve's Chet Faliszek already belives that the hardware is flawless [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/142624-Valve-VR-Motion-Sickness-Is-Bullshit-Developers-Fault] and that any instances of "Virtual Reality Sickness" are a software issue.

Bahahaha "ain't mah problem, it's just everyone - everyone - who's making stuff for it!"

 

[Arnoxthe1]

WTF? Nintendo are you even living in the same DIMENSION as us anymore?

Bahahaha "ain't mah problem, it's just everyone - everyone - who's making stuff for it!"

Actually it is. There are lots of VR games that don't make you sick.

 

[Leg End]

Yeah, unless they absolutely bottom out the graphics quality and make the software gamecube-levels of complexity, there's nowhere near enough oomph to drive VR at the required 75+ FPS.

So, VR Metroid with Prime graphics.

Sign me the fuck up.

 

[JCAll]

Virtual Boy confirmed for eShop?

 

[pearcinator]

Well, when I was watching the Switch presentation I thought they were setting up a lot of stuff for VR.

1. Haptic rumble - I have no idea how it 'feels' but if it works like how I imagine it might help with 'feeling' objects in VR.
2. Motion controls - Important in interacting in VR
3. IR Sensor - Now I am not quite sure if this would work but what if the sensor could tell if you were too close to an object in your living room (e.g. desk, lounge, wall etc.)? Then it would give some feedback either visually or through the controller that warns you to move away so you don't hurt yourself?
4. The Switch itself - Being portable already, and wireless, it would be great to use as the VR screen.

All they really need is;

1. A 'helmet' device that fits the Switch so it can be freely mounted in front of your face. Possibly requires extra battery power for longer sessions.
2. A 'killer app' game that takes full advantage of VR (like someone said above, Metroid Prime would be perfectly suited for VR, maybe that's what Retro have been working on the last few years?)

Now you could argue that the Switch itself isn't powerful enough (and maybe so) but it appears to me that all the pieces are in place for VR.

 

[Kahani]

1. A 'helmet' device that fits the Switch so it can be freely mounted in front of your face. Possibly requires extra battery power for longer sessions.

If you want to hang a Swtich off your face, you'd be better off thinking about neck braces than battery life.

 

[MonsterCrit]

Valve's Chet Faliszek already belives that the hardware is flawless [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/142624-Valve-VR-Motion-Sickness-Is-Bullshit-Developers-Fault] and that any instances of "Virtual Reality Sickness" are a software issue.

Bahahaha "ain't mah problem, it's just everyone - everyone - who's making stuff for it!"

IT kinda is. VR sickness, like car sickness is a software bug in the human OS. Some people have it some people don't. There are display tricks that can be used by developers to minimize it.

Uhh... someone should explain to Nintendo that their tech isn't powerful enough to support VR.

Well technically if they push the additional hardware onto the headset that would work. Hope you got strong necks.

 

[sneakypenguin]

snip
4. The Switch itself - Being portable already, and wireless, it would be great to use as the VR screen.

Not sure how much you've used VR stuff but even my 1440 screen has a screen door effect in VR and a 1080 screen is even worse. I couldn't imagine a 720 screen less than half the pixels of the 1080 and 1/4th the pixels of the 1440 screen. To put it in perspective even the Rift and vive have almost 3x more pixels per eye at a higher refresh rate than would be possible with a 720 screen on nintendo.

 

[pearcinator]

snip
4. The Switch itself - Being portable already, and wireless, it would be great to use as the VR screen.

Not sure how much you've used VR stuff but even my 1440 screen has a screen door effect in VR and a 1080 screen is even worse. I couldn't imagine a 720 screen less than half the pixels of the 1080 and 1/4th the pixels of the 1440 screen. To put it in perspective even the Rift and vive have almost 3x more pixels per eye at a higher refresh rate than would be possible with a 720 screen on nintendo.

Never even tried VR, it's just too expensive right now ($1400 AU for a Vive...yeah no). I see what you mean by the Switch not being good for a VR screen but I was just thinking of a way to make it affordable. Right now it's not taking off because of how expensive it is for how little content there is for it. If Nintendo can think of a way to make it cheaper then it will sell much better.

 

[008Zulu_v1legacy]

Well technically if they push the additional hardware onto the headset that would work. Hope you got strong necks.

Ahhh the Virtual Boy. Who needs to lift weights at the gym to build muscle mass, when Nintendo VR will do it for you.

 

[Jingle Fett]

Valve's Chet Faliszek already belives that the hardware is flawless [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/142624-Valve-VR-Motion-Sickness-Is-Bullshit-Developers-Fault] and that any instances of "Virtual Reality Sickness" are a software issue.

Bahahaha "ain't mah problem, it's just everyone - everyone - who's making stuff for it!"

Chet and Valve are completely right. When you play Vive games designed for VR from the ground up, games like Tiltbrush, The Blu, Arizona Sunshine, The Lab, Waltz of the Wizard, etc. you don't get any motion sickness at all. I've had a 100% success ratio with every person I've shown these games to. The only one that has given even a slight amount of motion sickness was Google Earth VR, and it only really happened if you disabled the comfort features (which does stuff like limit your field of view while moving), and even then it's not too bad--your body adapts and gets used to it after a while.

On the other hand...if playing a traditional FPS in VR (via VorpX or something) or a poorly designed VR game, prepare for projectile vomiting. Heck, even a simple game like Dear Esther was a terrible experience.