Why Nintendo Switch’s HD Rumble Is More Innovative Than Anything PS4 Or Xbox One Has Done

ThisGenGaming says "Say goodbye to basic dull controller rumble, Nintendo Switch’s HD Rumble has potential to be not only a great feature for the Switch, but an innovation that changes console gaming forever. It is a unique upgrade of a simple controller feature, but it opens the door for a more immersive gaming experience. It makes you wonder why this improvement was not made earlier by either Microsoft or Sony."

[Nyxus]

Considering Nintendo copied the share button for their own controller I'd say Sony had a good idea there.

Curious about HD rumble.

[Bennibop]

Was about to say the exact same thing, Nintendo have just copied the share button so the statement is not true. And to be fair to Microsoft they put haptive triggers on x1 pad.

[jaymacx]

@texag2011 yea Impulse triggers on Xbox One i feel was the step up from regular rumble but now Nintendo has taken it a few steps farther.

[Segata]

Brave_Losers_Unite

NES had Power Glove and U Force. Genesis had Activator. N64 had 3rd party motion controls. Dreamcast had motion controls in the Fishing Rod.

[badz149]

"More Innovative Than Anything PS4 Or Xbox One Has Done"

what? more innovative than shareplay? I don't think so.

[kevnb]

Microsoft didn't even invent anything with the controller, they simply just copied scuf to make one with xbox branding. You can even get scuf controllers for last gen consoles that have the paddles.

[CrimsonPheonix]

"Was about to say the exact same thing, Nintendo have just copied the share button so the statement is not true."

How does that make any sense in your head.

[Mehmeh]

@kevnb

No one has mentioned the paddles but you

[OtakuDJK1NG-Rory]

And Sony copied more than that in the past. Share Button lol sure Sony had a button design to easily share screenshot and videos but Nintendo did screenshots on console first they just didn't have a button design to make more flexible.

[Nyxus]

Your point? The share button was clearly copied from the PS4 controller, give credit where credit is due. Everyone copies good ideas from each other, and that's fine.

[jukins]

Except one consoles share button does video streaming screenshots and share play whil3 one just does screenshots

[WeAreLegion]

Nintendo did screenshots first? The PS3 did screenshots, too.

[OtakuDJK1NG-Rory]

@bluerupee
I said first on console

[Segata]

I think this is a case of Nintendo creating the idea and Sony polishing it. Wii U was able to take screenshots before PS4 was even released.

[rdgneoz3]

@Segata And the PS3 was able to take screenshots before the WiiU was released. It wasn't utilized as much in the beginning, but it was still there.
"Version 2.50 released on October 15, 2008 was the update in the 2.xx series that contained the largest number of new features or changes, among them were the support for official PS3 Bluetooth headset, in-game screenshots and Adobe Flash 9."

[Brave_Losers_Unite]

PS2 had motion controls way before Wii did.

[_-EDMIX-_]

? What's your point?

[rocketpanda]

Nintendo was first to do VR and it was a terrible health hazard. Then again with the N64 they made analogue controllers useful and popular and set a standard. Sony and MS then used that by making them dual.

Sometimes others do it better. There is no shame or getting defensive when someone else tries it and succeeds.

Maybe Nintendo can copy an actual online service that doesn't need a smartphone app for party chatting.

[Utalkin2me]

@OtakuDJK1NG-Rory

It would only take you 10 seconds to search that, then you would realize you are completely wrong....SMH

[Gr8saiyaman88]

The man speaks truth and gets downvoted to oblivion. That's PS4G for you : p

[one2thr]

@Rocketpanda

Actually Sega, made the firat controller with an analogue stick.

"Sega 3D controller"

[-Foxtrot]

They didn't even keep a Gamecube styled design for the controller...they made it look more like something Microsoft would make.

[moegooner88]

The share button is the most innovative feature I have seen this gen. Its implementation in PS4 is very convenient as well.

[joab777]

And it shares pics and....

[Ol_G]

So after all the improvements to actual gameplay Nintendo brought and the others copied you guys bring up the share button as a counter argument.... don't you guys realize how weak that is

[Goldby]

author goes on to state that HD rumble will allow us to feel like a cup of ice is having water added...

Sorry you cant just add mass to a product out of thin air.

also states that sales for PSVR is poor.. except its sold out everywhere and they are trying to produce enough units to meet sales and fix the issue with the RGB screen

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

" except its sold out everywhere"
Funny how when it's Switch the demand is fake, but when it's anything Sony, no matter how gimmicky, it's suddenly a case of "sold out". smh

[Goldby]

switch is sold out too, but in the past they have artificially created those situations by reducing stock. Sony came forward and said its due to manufacturing issues with the screen.

[Christopher]

Eh, I get what you're saying, but one is actually on the market and almost entirely sold out, the other is just in pre-orders and not even on the market yet. Not a great comparison, but I do get what you are saying.

Personally, no interest in either.

[rainslacker]

Nintendo has a pretty bad habit of playing this "sold out" game. Wii was about the only thing that truly went to really short supply due to unexpected demand.

But the PSVR did have real supply issues, and was sold out due to that.

Either way, the whole sold out pre-order thing is usually just a marketing thing, or done due to under allocation of what units will actually be avialable. PSVR was something different, but every other console I can think of was always an allocation thing. I mean, the WiiU was sold out before launch, the X1 was "sold out" before launch. I recall PS2 was sold out back in the day, despite being able pretty easy to find after the first week. And the list goes on.

[UnHoly_One]

So Nintendo is intentionally reducing stock on an item that isn't even available yet, and they must be lying when they say it is selling well.

But Sony tells you that they are having manufacturing problems, and they can't possibly be lying, it must be true.

Seems legit.

[gangsta_red]

"Sony came forward and said its due to manufacturing issues with the screen."

I actually never seen Sony come forward with this information, they have admitted drifting issues, don't know if that is the same as the RGB manufacturing issues.

And then you have this quote from Gaz himself...

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/...

"We wanted to make sure we weren't going to upload or frontload a lot of inventory at retail, because then you're going to get this reaction from retail saying well it's not selling through," Kaz continued.

This also sounds like Sony was intentionally limiting stock of the PSVR and also creating false demand.

[Goldby]

https://www.canalys.com/new...

production of OLED screens is slowing down units being shipped

[Gazondaily]

What a crap source there Goldby.

[Dasteru]

@Septic:

Just because they are not a gaming site and/or you have personally never heard of them? How incredibly ignorant. VR wasn't even originally developed for gaming. Given what this company specializes in, they are technically a better source than N4G would be.

[ecchiless]

@Dasteru

Well is septic, nothing new with him.

[rainslacker]

Maybe some better sources for you Septic. Despite your journalistic endevours, I know that such research is hard for gaming journalists.

http://press.trendforce.com...

http://www.gamespot.com/art...

http://www.macrumors.com/20...

Not all of the above are about PSVR, but there is a worldwide OLED display shortage. Two are sourced by research firms which know how to get this information.

Hope that's enough to clear up why people are saying that it's a parts sourcing issue. The shortage is also the reason why the one firm downgraded PSVR from 2.6 million sold, to 750K sold.

The reality of the situation is is that all VR units are facing this issue. Phones, VR, TV's, and any display that uses the tech is facing these problems. It's not isolated to Sony. The fact that there are some smart people out there, is why 2 and 2 was put together and attributed to the supply shortage.

Hope that 2 minutes of google research, and another couple of minutes spent verifying the sources were worth citing helps out. Just because Sony isn't speaking about it, doesn't mean that it doesn't exist. Sony's spun it into a marketing thing to say that demand is much higher than they expected, but why would Sony make it impossible to find for months on end? Typically with these "sold out everywhere" type reports, the supply is limited, not non-existent.

Maybe I should be a gaming journalist. Means I'd have to spend less time doing research, and could ignore things that don't serve my personal bias so I can ramble on about it at length with authority and with no real effort to try and be informed or assert any form of critical thinking or analysis.

[Gazondaily]

@rainslacker

"Maybe some better sources for you Septic. Despite your journalistic endevours, I know that such research is hard for gaming journalists. "

Your thinly veiled insult aside, your intellectual endeavours let you down:

Where in ANY of those articles have SONY come out and mentioned those shortages. Not OTHER sources but SONY. You know like how GANGSTARED is asking?

Let me know if you're still struggling to understand. I'll help explain it as youre clearly struggling to understand a very basic question.

Edit- because you're struggling so much, to make it clear. Please show evidence of this:

"Sony came forward and said its due to manufacturing issues with the screen."

Happy to help 😊

"Maybe I should be a gaming journalist."

Learn to read first.

[Supafly]

I'm not a big fan of Septic, the guy is cocky and all but I have to agree with him here. Goldby your link doesn't say much and Going by the quote from Kaz above. It's plausible that Sony actually created artificial/false demand by limiting shipments.

[xDealtwithIt]

That is the go to link to protect Sony and their interest.

It's strange that people have to dig deep, link other sources, put two and two together (lol) and yet can't simply find a credible sourse from an actual gaming site like IGN, Gameinformer, Kotaku or you know any other big site that would have reported on this.

But instead we have obscure tech analysts sites and vague mentions and all of a sudden its "Sony is sold out because there's manufacturing problems!!".

But hey anything to not make it look like Sony is doing anything wrong, nope, but Nintendo oh yea, they totally undershipped consoles for false demand.

[gangsta_red]

Yea, I keep seeing that link...but you said,

"Sony came forward and said its due to manufacturing issues with the screen."

Sony never came forward from what I have seen so far. That article is not Sony saying this, it's the author, (an independent analyst company) do we have an official statement from Sony where they are saying that the reason is due to manufacturing?

And if that is true why didn't Kaz just say this in the article I linked? Instead he alludes to the fact that they purposely under shipped PSVR units to retailers.

I do agree with Monkeyman though, why when Nintendo is sold out it's fake but the excuses come out when Sony is sold out of something?

[christocolus]

I think you make a valid point there. I don't know why people are disagreeing with you.

[Moonman]

For Metroid's different weapons......I'm daydreaming. lol

[gangsta_red]

Honestly I daydreamed and thought about the endless possibilities of the second screen for WiiU and well...we all know how that turned out.

Nintendo is good at introducing new and exciting things for gaming but they seem to squander those things to party games and then just faze them out.

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

The guy behind Senran Kagura says he wants to use this to emulate the feeling of soft touch.
That's so audacious and funny that I might support his first Switch entry, just to see if he can actually succeed.XD
In fact, in these modern times, where games like his are attacked by the leftists as sexist propaganda, I think that him going even deeper down that rabbit hole is kinda brave of him.XD

[CocoaBrother]

I feel like HD Rumble is something you need to experience first-hand, like VR; since watching others use it doesn't justify its purpose.
For me, when I hear about it, I do not fully understand it completely; however, trying it out may answer my questions and concerns and luckily, I was invited to attend a private Switch event next month so I will be able to come to a conclusion on how HD Rumble feels/works.

[devilisdue]

thats what everyone who has tried the hd rumble has said. the ice cube video nintendo showed to try and get people to understand the hd rumble. they all say the rumble actually is as good as they try to make it out to be. but the video just throws people off on trying to understand how it works. they all say its something you have to try for yourself to understand how great it actually is.

[EddieNX]

Definitely the best innovation in a while, something that's relevant for core ggamers as well as casual. Being able to feel stuff is amazing tbf and one of the underrated features of Switch.

[Gazondaily]

I feel you

[PhoenixUp]

I really don't see how a lot of games will meaningfully use it. The speaker on the Wiimote and DualShock 4 are neat, but they don't dramatically change the experience.

Speaking of the DualShock 4, looks like Nintendo adopted the Share button from it.

[jukins]

Eh I'm sorry and I'm sure some will disagree but the best innovation this gen has to be share play.

[Pancit_Canton]

Share button, built in speaker and headphone jack connection on the controller >HD Gimmick

I also think Nintendo stole the idea of remote play between the PS4,PSVita and the PSTV.

[Segata]

TurboExpress,Super Game Boy,SEGA Nomad predate that stuff. Also Wii U could do screens before PS4. Hell the Famicom had a special unit you could record not only screens but video to put on VHS. Maybe more primitive and Sony polished it out..Nintendo is like the Simpsons..they did it well before anyone but others have improved the idea.

[Pancit_Canton]

The PS3 and PSP can remote play way before the WiiU

[Gazondaily]

Glad Nintendo didn't steal the touch pad idea

[stonecold3]

then nintendo got the idea from ps4 pro for there controller

[il-JumperMT]

I play with rumble disabled

[Exvalos]

The switch lacks the basics of a home console, but hey let's praise stronger vibrations, in controllers about 3 sizes to small for an adults hand.

[stuna1]

Good one! What good are controller if they're only part of the equation?

[sk8ofmnd]

Oh really? We will see how many big third party devs bring their games to the switch... Let alone utilize these abomination of a controller setup...

The only thing i think is amazing with this controller setup is how you can lay in bed with your arms to the side and play with the joycons seperated... I couldnt find anywhere what the battery life was for each individual joycon.

[CocoaBrother]

Square Enix will be implementing HD Rumble into Dragon Quest I-II.
http://www.nintendo-insider...

"They’ll last for 20 hours on a full charge, according to Nintendo."

Nintendo of Japan claims that each Joy-Con holds a 20 hour charge. https://www.nintendo.co.jp/...

It's not that hard to find the information; just look around and read some articles and reports. Now as to how many third party developers will implement it? Time will tell but so far you have Square and Senran Kagura interested in using it. I feel indie developers will use it more than third party developers will just like with the Wii U Gamepad

[JackBNimble]

20 hours ,is that with or with out rumble disabled ?

[yomfweeee]

LOL HD Rumble is so great even though no good examples can be given.

[Babadook7]

HD rumble = Taptic Engine. Which apple came up with. You could easily simulate ice cubes on an iPhone 7.

[filchron]

Haptic technology has been around waaaay longer than the iPhone 7. Look up the falcon northwest 3D mouse

[Babadook7]

Not to the degree of Taptic Engine though. I have read up on its history.

[VersusDMC]

If HD rumble is as expensive to implement as 1-2 switch seems to imply with it's price tag, nobody will bother to implement it in games. Developers usually like to concentrate on the VIDEO part of videogames.

[ASTAROTH]

Can someone please tell me whats all the fuss about hd rumble? Also ... didnt the dualshock 4 has some kind of sensitive rumble? did any of you played with the robots on The playroom?? Did any of you felt the can of spray kind of thing in INFAMOUS Second Son?? Enlight me please...

[DualWielding]

more inovative than VR?

[Mykky]

I don't think so, but Sony was far from alone in introducing VR to the mass market.
Nintendo almost always introduces something inovative to the market. Though it does not always pay off or work as intended. On the N64 you could play GBC pokemon games on the big screen. Wii came with the motion controllers, DS came with double screens, 3DS came with 3D without using glasses, Wii U came took the DS to the console world, NX is combing a console with a handheld and introducing HD rumble.

Nintendo is way more inovative than either Sony, Microsoft and PC. BUT that does not mean it is what is best. It has shown that people is more interested in a regular console but that is more powerful and can produce great visuals aswell as having a mass of quality games to choose from. Nintendo usually only has a few in comparison.

[gbsrnctaln]

Does the pro controller have hd rumble? If not then the feature can just fuck off.

[Mykky]

Yes it does. It also has quality motion controlers like the wii motion plus and built in Amiibo reader. (Probably why it costs more than PS4 and XB1 controllers)

[gbsrnctaln]

Well that makes the $70 a LITTLE more reasonable. Still think it should come with the system. Thanks for the info.

[Commandacrunch25]

Xbox One controllers are $70 minimum if you want one that you can actually recharge, so with all the extra tech they have the Switch Pro controllers are a much better value than Xbox. PS4 is debatable depending on how cool the HD rumble turns out to be and if its worth the extra 10 dollars

[Segata]

I hate rumble period. I stopped using it in the PS2 days. I will never use it again.

[SinkingSage]

You dare call yourself Segata and own a PS2? Shame.
But yeah, just another gimmick to destroy battery life.

[KickSpinFilter]

Rumble is way over rated, I usually do not notice it. "HD" will not be a big deal.

[Vipre77]

ArsTechnica played with the Switch and said the HD Rumble tech doesn't live up to the hype Nintendo gave in their presser. They said the ice cubes in a glass bit wasn't nearly as distinguishable as Nintendo made it out to be.

[CocoaBrother]

"I wasn't wowed by the Switch's "HD rumble" haptic feedback, which wasn't quite precise enough to differentiate multiple marbles shaking around a virtual "box" in my palm."

Quote from the article you are talking about. And while he was not wowed by it; others were, such as Polygon, IGN, Eurogamer, and Engadget. It boils down to personal opinion and hands-on experience.

Personally speaking, I do not fully understand how rumble can be HD but I have been given the opportunity to try out the system at a private event next month and instead of hearing other's opinions on it(similar to how I approached VR: hands-on experience > reading someone else's experience), I will be able to see/feel how it works out myself.

[Muzikguy]

More innovative? No thanks. I already would rather not have vibration to save on battery life

[deafdani]

While I do agree with the general idea that HD Rumble is a pretty interesting concept that could have a lot of potential... this article is a goddamn mess. It gets so much stuff wrong I don't even... for example:

- Claiming that Sony and Microsoft didn't do anything similar to this before, when the Xbox One controller has rumble on its triggers, which is more sophisticated than normal rumble.

- Claiming that PSVR has done bad in sales, when it got sold out instantly, the moment it was available for preorder. And when Sony restock it, it probably will keep flying off the shelves.

- Also, the overall Nintendo fanboyish message implying that Sony and Microsoft don't innovate, only Nintendo. This is simply not true. Look no further to Microsoft's implementation of Xbox Live, which Sony happily copied, and which Nintendo will copy now with the Switch... or Sony's own "Share" button on the Dualshock 4, which Nintendo is now copying with a dedicated share button of their own on the Switch controller.

This article is bad and the author should feel bad. Also, the website is shit, with millions of ads everywhere. Ugh.

[eyesick]

They have done bad in sales

https://www.vg247.com/2016/...

http://www.gamesindustry.bi...

http://www.psu.com/news/316...

[King_Lothric]

They have done better than any VR headset in the market.

[filchron]

If this is full blown haptic feedback technology in a console then yes, that will be quite innovative, but if its just the same old rumble that has higher degrees of variance then no. Nintendo's marketing department is already fucking up royally, I would have been intrigued if they called it "3D rumble" or "3D haptic vibration" 3D haptic feedback, anything other than "HD rumble". WTF Nintendo? there arent any pixels in my controller and how the fuck do I "feel" Hi-Definition?? I see a rocky start already for Nintendo unfortunately.

[kangolkyle]

Someone mentioned how Capcom could use this in the inevitable Monster Hunter for Switch...imagine the different sensations of hitting different monster parts, or scales vs flesh...hnnggg.

[joab777]

Not to be a downer, but is this article for real? It's better than Kinect and VR because they didn't sell well? Well, neither have these yet. And VR is very new and I am guessing will end up much more innovative than HD rumblers. Also because of software? What software has used these yet?

And while it may end up being cool, it isn't earth shattering. I'd actually prefer more onboard hard drive space, a real chat service, more battery life, etc.

And while it may be the next big thing, it comes on controllers that are smaller than one of my hands. Is it gonna be on their Pro controller, as it's pointed out that Sony and MS don't use it yet? Oh, and the tech involved in creating both of these amazing controllers is better and more relevant ...AND they come with the system!

[captainexplosion]

No idea why HD rumble even matters. Nothing is innovative about the Switch. Only good, innovative ideas this gen imo are: PS4 streaming though remote play via Vita and PSTV and PS Now, VR on PS4, and XB1 all in one entertainment hub (it was a massive failure and didn't work correctly, but the idea to have your video games, satellite, streaming apps, and bluray player all connected for instant access on one screen could have been amazing.)

[Goldby]

Dont foget the share feature for ps4. Abke to instantly save photos or videos, upload them to various social sites and stream directly from the click of a button

[redaxis]

HD rumble! Now we can play guessing how many ice cubes in the controller! lol...

[talocaca]

The Ps4 controller has the share button, a built in track pad, a speaker, a headphone jack, motion tracking, rumble and a light to help the camera track it....

Not sure I agree about HD rumble being all that impressive.

I played ARMS and Zelda in Tokyo and the rumble was not particularly impressive.

It was...Rumble.

[rocketpanda]

I don't think Sony and MS need to change their controllers as fans of each system are comfortable and used to them. Nintendo hasn't had a consistent standard controller since the NES/SNES era.

It is good that they always want to reinvent but consoles like the GameCube and Wii u didn't sell as well and their competition keeps things simple with minor changes each generation and sells well.

Like the Wii u, I feel Nintendo will make use of HD rumble more creatively than third parties that just want to put their games out, especially if its multiplaform.

[Goldby]

And i think that is one of its problems.
Nintendo sees its "image" through the software where sony and microsoft have created an image throigh their hardware.

The ds4 controller while updated still looks like a ps1 controller.

The xbox while changed since the duke, has stayed relatively similar throighout each iteration.

I dunno what the fuck has been going on with Nintendo and their controllers

[BlackDoomAx]

I'll wait untill Sony copies it :)

[feraldrgn]

Didn't the PS4 also improve rumble with the DS4?

[Aquacure]

Imitation is a form of flattery. If other companies don't "copy" then how does the initial company get a read on whether or not this is something they should continue with? They'd have nothing to compare it to. Maybe you're a person who bought Ultimate Ears Megaboom because you've dealt with Logitech products in the past (keyboards, headsets) and a Bluetooth speaker adds to your collection. Or maybe, it wouldn't have mattered to you who made it because you love the idea of being able to dj your get-together without having to run inside the house everytime you want/need to switch CDs. If something isn't "copied" then no one is invested in the idea, no other ideas are brought to the table, it doesn't get perfected, technology lingers.

[amnalehu]

"PSVR has done poorly in sales since launch..." Maybe because it's been sold out? HD rumble sounds cool. It will be interesting to see how it is used.

[SinkingSage]

Instead of having games it just has controllers that buzz better... The big N strikes again.

[InTheZoneAC]

they keep showing joycon controllers like I'm ever going to use them. In a situation if I ever find myself with a Switch will the expensive af pro controller have the same hd rumble?

[CertifiedGamer]

I am tired of there opinion articles. They do absolutely nothing but try to convince you by doing free advertisement for a company.

[abstractel]

This is the only feature I like about the Switch. Hate to say it, but hope Sony and MS copies it.

[Goldby]

They already have. Its called rumble

[Avalanche]

shut up

[yeahokwhatever]

next, write an article that says "why it doesnt really matter"

[Einhander1971]

Yes didn't Nintendo give us the dpad, shoulder buttons, true analog control, rumble, motion control.
All practically copied by Sony Microsoft in some shape or form.

[rataranian]

Nintendo. Pft.

[Negativecool]

I would be more interested in "HD" rumble if this article wasn't so bizarre. Just the title alone sets the tone as an "us vs. them" fanboy click bate article. Then, what I find bizarre, is it doesn't even acknowledge that the switch itself is supposed to be the game changer/the innovation --as in it is completely different than its competition in a way that hasn't been attempted before -- and focuses completely on this one feature that somehow is of the greatest consequence in a modern gaming experience. Secondly, anything pitched with "HD" in front of it that isn't related to display is just a marketing gimmick, a marketing gimmick I'm really tired of seeing...like HD sunglasses. BTW I remember back in the PS2 launch days when Sony said the DS2 would have upgraded force feedback, and I never really truly noticed the difference, nor cared in relation to the games I was playing. (oh, s** I feel the water, mind blown /s). This article and articles like it just piss me off.

[Sm3000]

Thing is history has shown us that these new features nintend comes up with are only used on 3 games, after that they become an afterthought. This applies to recent history, game pad being one of them.
Hd rumble sounds awesome and hopefully it is consistently implemented

[DivineAssault]

Ill have mine in a month and some change to see how great it really is.. Theyre charging a hell of alot of money for extra controllers so it best be worth it or ill only buy a pro control and let friend bring their own stuff

[Profchaos]

Umm vr?

[gamer7804]

Satire? I'd argue th xb1 impulse triggers provide more value as it ads feedback and resistance.

[drunkenspy007]

Honestly, people hyping up the rumble feature in a controller means nothing to me. Without the games, the whole system becomes useless. Just have to wait and see.

[About30Ninjas]

My GF try out joy cons at the New York event and she told me the HD rumble feels like a more advanced Vibrator