Zelda: Breath of the Wild Switch and Wii U file sizes revealed

Nintendo announces file sizes for the new Zelda on both Switch and Wii U.

[DarkOcelet]

The two versions have almost the same size. Good to know.

[darthv72]

People complaining about the 32gb storage dont seem to realize this is nintendo. Games released on their systems are generally more complete thus making the requirement of patches only in the event that something is wrong unlike other systems.

@below, I don't know to many wiiu games that had after release patches to make the games complete. Mario kart 8 is the only one I have that the dlc was completely optional.

[CrimsonWing69]

Yea we'll see about that. I don't think Nintendo is above the release now and patch later practice that seems standard in this industry.

[tmisellati]

Well , what about the 3rd party games ? Most of them continue to improve their games for years after release.

[blitz0623]

If Nintendo was above making patches they wouldn't have asked for Skyrim

[zaherdab]

you do know that the third party developers are the same as all other platforms .... if they need to patch their games on other platforms they need to do the same here....

[Perjoss]

"Yea we'll see about that. I don't think Nintendo is above the release now and patch later practice that seems standard in this industry."

I cant remember any major Nintendo releases for the wii or wiiu that had major bugs at launch. darthv72 is right their games are usually released in a more complete state that most other companies, I would even place them above Blizzard in terms of quality control.

[Utalkin2me]

So youre saying more complete = smaller file size....roflmao.

And unlike Nintendo, they make small little cartoony games and dont push tech, unlike other systems. You try to push boundaries you're goign to have to have patches and such.

[Phunkydiabetic1]

That is the most ridiculous thing I have read today hahahahaha. So it is 32gb. After the OS and whatever you're left with probably 28gb. That means it will hold roughly four games the size of Zelda. That doesn't seem pathetic to you? For real?Man, you Nintendo fanboys will excuse anything eh?

[rdgneoz3]

@tmisellati Exactly. Many 3rd party games release DLC or patches to improve the game in the future. Some even do huge free updates. Hell, there are many games from indies or even F2P games (even demos) that are digital only and never get a physical release. There are some games that end up doubling in size from all the DLC released later on.

[Tussin187]

Wow, Nintendo fans have more excuses then I thought. We know people love their system but this is really starting to get out of hand. That's what all you can come up with is more complete games. Even if what you said is remotely true, wouldn't it be safer to have extra memory just in case you need it. This will be on the market for at least 3 to 4 years and it may come in handy one day. The way the industry is now (especially 3rd party) patches are the new norm. And people say Sony fanboys are bad. I think we have a new leader. I guess Nintendo can do no wrong.

Maybe that's why 3rd party doesn't sell on Nintendo home systems. It's always great at first and then it dries up because no one buys 3rd party. It's been this way for generations and they keep doing the same sh!t over and over. Hellooooo????

O_o

[VincentCastle]

also nintendo games data are on the disc or cartridge, you must install it only if you go digital. Unlike ps4, xbox one. Although who knows how this will be

[XabiDaChosenOne]

So because first party games are released complete its ok for Nintendo to not accommodate for third party games and the amount of variables they have to deal with in terms of releasing a game "complete" or not?

[NukaCola]

Curious as to how big The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is? According to Nintendo’s site, the Switch version is 13.4 GB. The Wii U version clocks in at 13 GB itself.

Well what does the 400MBs do for Switch version? I think the Wii U is plenty good to go.

[yeahokwhatever]

Get the hell out of town. Pokemon Sun and Moon released with missing features entirely.

[nitus10]

The part that the game is on is actually a cartridge or SD card not the main 32GB storage. What the 32GB fixed storage will have is the operating system, game saves and DRM control.

[mechlord]

you are assuming the only games the system will ever see is nintendo's. launch lineup begs to differ.

[gamer7804]

this isn't a problem for nintendo games, it is however a huge problem for digital downloads and support from 3rd party games that have patches and lots of dlc, or in the case of skyrim even mods.

[ShadowKnight]

32GB still feels low. Cringe worthy

[Scatpants]

Seriously, was 64 too expensive?

[nitus10]

Without seeing the specs I would assume the Switch's bus would be SATA3 (6Mb/sec) or an equivalent so to make efficient use of the internal memory I also assume it would have the same speeds of a Solid State Disk which are in the order of 500MB/sec read and 480MB/sec write.

@Scatpants

I fully agree the price differential between 32GB and 64GB is not that large although once you go above that (using SSD's as an example) the price start to increase for or each increment such as 64GB -> 120GB (approx 30% increase from previous), 120GB -> 240GB (60% more from previous), 240GB -> 480GB (80% more from previous). Obviously prices will vary depending on brand and performance.

Still you really need to know what that internal memory is used for and as a guess it will be used to the operating system, game saves (possibly) and DRM for each game you own. Games will be on cartridge and/or SD card (maybe proprietary - I don't know yet) for downloadable games.

Without knowing the specifications we as just guessing.

[gamer7804]

so they can offer another version later that has 64 or 128... more stuff to buy outside the insanely expensive peripherals. Atleast you can buy regular sdxc cards, although running a game off of the card would take slightly more battery power since it would be using additional circuitry and more heat.

[donman1]

Well so much for hoping for the Switch version to be enhanced as it should. This is clearly a direct port. Will get it for the Switch none the less as the WiiU is dead.

[Deathdeliverer]

The Switch is easily more powerful than the Wii U so performance will be better. It will be a more noticeable difference than PS4 to PS4 pro.

[Moonman]

Any word on what resolution the Wii U version runs at? Frame rates?

[KimikoGaming]

Reports I am seeing are saying the following:
Wii U version - 720p @ 25-30 fps
Switch version undocked - 720p @ 25-30 fps
Switch version docked - 900p @ 30 fps

[Lon3wolf]

I hope that Wii-U res is wrong, I'll cancel my pre-order of BoTW if it is correct.

[Kokyu]

Ive heard the opposite Ive heard the Wii U version plays better that Switch.

[kevnb]

what reports?

[KimikoGaming]

http://n4g.com/news/2004742...
http://nintendotoday.com/ze...
https://www.reddit.com/r/Ni...

[hirobrotagonist]

.

[darthv72]

According to eurogamer... the switch runs at 1080/60 when docked and 720/60 undocked. I'd imagine the wiiu version to be somewhere in between.

[kevnb]

30 fps probably

[Utalkin2me]

Thats not what i have been reading.

[Tussin187]

In what world do you live in and came up with that. Wow!!!

[darthv72]

well I guess they added a note to their vid that it targets 1080/60 and could be 900/30. Whatever it is it still looks good.

[PurpHerbison]

Seems like Nintendo did learn a thing or two from Sony. Releasing games that fall to 25FPS or lower is not okay.

[productivity]

Right, because that's what I base my Nintendo games on, Frame rate. You know Super Mario Brothers 3 just isn't as great without 60fps.

[productivity]

who cares

[Bronxs15]

i actually think the wii u is a better system and hope the performance is better or the same on wii u. i play to get this game for wii u. no plays to get a switch. nohting in the reveal excited me. sadly even mario didnt give me that feeling like when i first saw mario galaxy or even super mario 3d world.

[TheColbertinator]

A third of the internal space? Glad memory can be expanded.

[Fishy Fingers]

It runs directly from the cartridge. The 32gb should only be used for updates, saves etc you don't install the game like PS/XB.

[InTheZoneAC]

Pay attention, he's talking about downloading it

@fishy fingers, all I'm saying is that it was obvious, no need to be so quick to argue something you know what he meant.

[Fishy Fingers]

Pay attention, you mean like reading? He didn't say anything about downloading.

[TheColbertinator]

I meant downloading but I should have added that.

[rdgneoz3]

"The 32gb should only be used for updates, saves etc"

It's also used for the system... It might have 32gb of space in total, but the system is going to be using some of that space.

[JamesBroski]

That's ridiculous considering that the Switch is pretty much a portable system. Who wants to carry all their games every time they take their Switch with them?

[ABizzel1]

Buy your 128GB / 200GB SDs / MicroSDs from amazon now. That 32GB will be gone within a year from system updates, game saves, and the 2 games you download from eShop.

[nevin1]

Will it have NES-SNES games?

[ABizzel1]

They said absolutely nothing about Virtual Console.

But you do get one free NES / SNES game starting this fall with your paid subscription that apparently can only be played for the month, so I'm not even sure if it saves to your SD card at all.

But with games like Xenoblade X on Wii U weighing in at 22GB, It's going to take just 2 - 3 AAA games to fill the storage up.

[GBtv]

It's a shame the Switch only has 32Gbs... but I'll get all the games in their physical form so I won't really feel the pain I guess.

[EddieNX]

Physical games require no download and can be borrowed,swapped sold. I'm buying my switch games physically

[kevnb]

well at least they aren't using their own storage media and charging a small fortune for it...

[GBtv]

the joycons are relatively expensive though.But optional of course!

[MRMagoo123]

buying a console is optional lol

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

They come with the console.
It's the Pro controller that is optional and not included.

[senorfartcushion]

Good that the games are stored on cartridges. 32gb for downloads is meh but the physical games won't need much.

[Segata]

Smaller than XCX. Surprising. Maybe Monolith just sucks at compression.

[MilkMan]

wasn't the WiiU version cancelled? When does WiiU version come out?

[akaFullMetal]

Same day as switch version.

[InTheZoneAC]

there was an article around here weeks ago that said it was dropped, guess it wasn't official

[SkippyPaccino]

Comes out March 31st I believe

[BlaqMagiq1]

Does the Switch games do mandatory installs?

[ZeekQuattro]

No. Its cart based like the 3DS.

[jaycptza]

You mean cartridge a "cart" is something else

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

Nope. You'll never have to deal with all that memory-eating install stuff with the Switch's physical games because they're all on cartridges.

[Darkfist_Flames]

thats really small for a game that claim to have a very very big map with lots of content.

[Jalapeno]

Looks like many people will buy the physical copy of ZBOW instead of digitally.

[QUIMICOMORTAL]

Its amazing how good they are at optimixing space consumption.

[2pacalypsenow]

My Wii U is ready

[OtakuDJK1NG-Rory]

Hey! Ever heard of external storage people?
Face it. No one like using internal storage on any device.

[thegamefox93]

for people who are saying its the same thing on Wii u...its not!!

Nintendo switch version has:
- more consistent, solid 30fps (mostly during action)
- better lighting
- 10-15% better draw distance
- some better textures (most of them being at a distance)
- 900p in docked mode (Where as Wii U is 720p)
...and 720p in Nintendo Switch handheld mode looks way better than Wii U 720p on a TV
Also the fact that you can play zelda on a handheld or via kickstand mode (if you want) is frickin amazing,

This is not similar to Twilight princess at all, cause the Wii version was the same exact thing as GC, except it had somewhat finicky motion controls...

[MRMagoo123]

play it on a hand held for up to 3 hours when playing Zelda 😂. Nintendo have let everyone down.

getting hyped because their blockbuster game Zelda is 900p docked at 30 fps or 720p handheld is just laughable.

[thegamefox93]

LOL I love how commenters at N4G absolutely hate nintendo...

[madam]

Haven't seen anyone mention this yet.
The webpage is stating (and my Japanese is not the best) that there is a mandatory (or optional, cant tell) 3GB installation for the WiiU version of Breath Of The Wild.
This doesn't appear to be the case for the Switch Version.
Probably just applies to the disk based version only I would presume.

Anybody else with better Japanese skills could clarify that would be cool.

[Zikax]

it would be a punch in your face when Zelda win GOTY and sells more than horizon.:D

[jkuli6]

Well, time to buy some miniSD cards! I wonder if they'll have "official" Nintendo ones (probably more $)

[Blu3_Berry]

The 32 internal storage does not spell good news for 3rd party support for larger games. Nintendo is generally usually good when it comes to this, but other companies are completely opposite, especially if they want to patch their games for bugs, fixes or even dlc updates.