Data management on the Nintendo Switch is a joke

Despite all of all cool features, it has some internal problems. Currently, the data management on the Nintendo Switch is a joke.

[JayPi3]

We've known this for a while now...?

[TheFirstClassic]

Haven't seen any articles pointing out how storage paths work until this one, that you have to take out the sd card to dl to internal storage.

[MVGeneral]

"You cannot transfer saved game files
You cannot transfer eShop purchases
You cannot use same SD card on multiple consoles"

Why is nintendo so a*al about all their stuff. They don't want people sharing SD cards? They even remove any youtube video that mentions their games or consoles. A very backwards company, enabled by their loyal cultist fans.

[TheFirstClassic]

They are very backwards and I hate most of their practices. I do love their games unfortunately.

[MVGeneral]

@cpayne
They are bad for the industry. Because if people allow them to get away with this kind of stuff. Then other companies will take note.

[svoulis]

I hate this because I have 2 switches and It would be nice to just take my saved data and play it on the other switch. I know the practicality of the system is to take it with you and use it elsewhere, but My point is If I want to play zelda at my Girlfriends house on her switch, why can't i just bring my usb drive/or game Cart? Why do I have to bring my entire console over when she has one?

I am sure its a feature that will be implemented, and maybe we'll see it added when the "online pay service" comes up in the fall.

Still too early to tell..

[EddieNX]

Completely understand, but the 'entire console' is tiny at least. The size of a small tablet

[svoulis]

It is small but...in 2017 with no way at all of getting your saved data off the device..That was a huge misstep for Nintendo.

I put over 70 hours into Zelda. I know Nintendo copies your data to a new system but still.. That is a lot of time invested in something that I don't want to lose, and I can't even make a backup of my save file...

[jaymacx]

@svoulis i am in the same boat as you. Saves should be transferable between Switches and there should be cloud saves. Hopefully they can get this updated soon. External hdd should also be allowed for the dock and be able to transfer games from that to sd

[Lukejrl]

While yes external hdd for dock should have been a a feature the dock itself is not capable of that. It never will be as the hardware is not built in. The dock is just a glorified HDMI cable.

[dumahim]

@Lukejrl
wait a sec. The only port connection between the switch and the docking station is the USB-C, isn't it?

[The 10th Rider]

Flash storage costs 5 times the amount of HDD. An extra 100GB of storage could up the cost of the console by $30-50. For 256GB of storage you'd be looking at an extra $200.

[FallenAngel1984]

It's sad when the premium PS3 from a decade ago still packs more internal storage than Nintendo's more modern consoles these days.

I guess I shouldn't be that surprised with Nintendo's paltry data management considering that original Xbox carries way more internal storage than original Wii.

[EddieNX]

Stolid state storage isnt comparable to HDD in bigger devices. Most tablets and phones have 16-64gb of ssd so why would you expect it to be different? I'm still happy that we can expand it with ANY SD card we want.

Switch is a tiny gaming tablet not a behemoth like the original ps3 or any other home console. No installs,cartidges and SD cards are a soloution.

[OrangePowerz]

Most tablets/phones don't contain full sized games installed on them and the Switch isn't a tablet or phone it's a gaming console/handheld. With the game sizes nowadays that isn't even enough to hold an average sized big budget game.

At the bare minimum they should have made it that save games can be backed up/stored on the SD card or at least on the cartridge itself.

[UltimateOwnage]

I tend to agree. In general I expect the download size on Switch games to be smaller than other console digital releases due to targeting lower spec hardware and resolution screens, and being able to swap out cheap SD cards makes it work fine for on-the-go uses in my opinion. For the bigger game releases that do reach the 10's of gigs, I really do hope they put those three USB ports on the dock to good use for external HDD mass storage. I'd love to dock it and have access to the games I want to play only on the TV pop onto the GUI as soon as it docks, and save the SD storage for smaller on-the-go titles and game save data.

[badz149]

@EddieNX

at first, it was a hybrid gaming "console". and then when it was revealed that it's weaker than the Xbone, you called it a "handheld" and now that everything about it is so backward and restrictive, you're calling it a "tablet". it has been one embarrassing ride since launch.

you're going to run out of excuse for Nintendumb sooner I see. good luck

[Vegamyster]

HDD's are too big and eat up valuable space for thin portable devices, i can't think of a single one that uses them.

[Pancit_Canton]

I think PS2 with HDD packs more internal storage than the Switch.

[PhoenixUp]

Oh shit it actually does lmao 😂

That means PS2's 40GB HDD also had more internal storage than Wii U

[Scatpants]

It's a handheld, not a console.

[ziggurcat]

not according to Nintendo:

"'Nintendo Switch is a home gaming system first and foremost,' the company told Polygon when asked if the system was going to impact the sale of the 3DS portable systems."

http://www.polygon.com/2016...

[Scatpants]

That's marketing BS. It's a handheld with a TV out therefore you should be comparing to other things in that category like tablets or 3DSs and Vitas in that range it's somewhat comparable.

[stuna1]

Only on N4G will someone argue in lue of what the company that makes the hardware themselves have said! Either way it's bad. Either Nintendo flat out lied or as you said it's PR marketing BULLS"#T!?

[Scatpants]

Whatever you say dude. Tablets are consoles now I guess.

[Aquietguy]

@ ziggurcat

No matter what Nintendo says, it the size of a portable. There's only so much power you can get from something the size of the Switch.

[freshslicepizza]

and that ps3 premium was priced at $599 back in 2006.

[DillyDilly]

I'd imagine its this way because like IOS, XBOX One they don't want people going through the system files & editing things like game saves etc IOS, & XBOX 360 used to be open & let you do stuff but now not anymore

[kneon]

All they needed to do was let you pick between external or internal storage, no need to expose any details about internal system files or paths.

[Nodoze]

Typical Nintendo.

[Scatpants]

I really don't get it. They need to hire some different engineers because the ones they have now make poor design decisions.

[badz149]

that's a big no no for them! don't you get it? they purposely made these dumb decisions so they can nickel and dime the hell out of their fans. just look at EddieNX, he's gonna defend anything! why would they give you the freedom or ease of use of their products if they can squeeze as much money from you as they can?

that's the only logical explanation for these dumb decisions one after another. they have had years to observe how MS and Sony did it last gen and this gen but somehow they still came out like this. the only reason is they want you to spend as much as possible for even the simplest task. that has to be it

[UltimateOwnage]

Admittedly, it's only just recently that even Sony added external HDD support for game installs on PS4 quite some time since launch. Launches always come with limited firmware, and I really do see the framework here for Nintendo to fix most, if not all of the issues I've seen mentioned other than it's limited performance with future firmware updates.

[InahimeHondaSengoku]

Poor Nintendo ;)

[superchiller]

Nintendo really needs to get out of the gaming hardware business, they really have no clue what they're doing when it comes to hardware design, features, and materials. The Switch is riddled with design flaws, defects, and cheap materials; they clearly bungled the design and launch of the system.

[sk8ofmnd]

With this system it seems like nintendo is purposely trying to fail with all the missteps.

[MilkMan]

Its fuquing archaic and retarded as the all of thr UI is. They really need to clamp down and make a UI and options on the Switch that make sense. Nintendo is ultra paranoid about people pirating their games and such. However what they dont inderstand is that no mattwr what somebody somewhere will crack it. So why not focus on making the best system they can rather than coming up with weird schemes and making it difficult to do the most trivial sh!t.

[King_Lothric]

As long as people keep applauding and defending Nintendo for these things, they will keep doing the same.

[DivineAssault]

They'll update its features soon enough so i wouldnt panic.. Nintendo released the switch too early and zelda too late looking for a good middle ground for the two.. Botched to say the least however, once the features/bugs get updated, all will be good.. Good enough anyway.. Nintendo always does things their way so if people didnt know that by now, you should do research for the past 30 years..

[SR388]

It's abit annoying but meh, how did everyone cope back in ps1 and SNES/N64 days? ... It's a console for gaming nothing else, I'm not a 13 year old girl that needs Facebook and YouTube so...

[Hugodastrevas]

The console itself is a joke.