Topic: What do we know about Virtual Console/Retro games on Switch?

There are a lot of rumors going around. It's quite hard to distinguish official statements from all the rumors.

What has Nintendo officially said so far?

Nothing.

RIP VC
2006-2017

Basicly that A) a NES emulator does exist on Switch (see stories about FLOG)

and B)Hamster is releasing Nintendo arcade ports

EDIT: Oh and C) You can use Gamecube Controllers on Switch now. Which means either Gamecube VC, or more likely Smash Bros DX in the spring.

Nothing else in terms of VC news exists.

@Samus7Killer Where did Nintendo say that? I have heard rumors, but nothing official. A random representative at a store doesn't speak for the whole company. - Even if that rumor is true.

@Heavyarms55 The Virtual Console isn't dead. The Wii U and 3DS will have Virtual Consoles for years before they get their online services shut down. The Wii's Virtual Console is being shut down soon, when Nintendo turns off the Wii's online services for good.

Nintendo will inevitably release a Virtual Console of some kind for Switch. Because if there is one thing Nintendo loves, is making you pay over and over again for their classic games.

@Jim_Purcell Thank you. Most of that I knew of, but it's nice to hear it so clearly laid out.

@Jim_Purcell I agree about Nintendo loving to have you pay for retro games over and over again. But to an extent I feel like having the NES and SNES classics puts an end to a lot of that. Once I get a NES classic next summer I'm not going to have much interest buying any of those games again. Even if they are available on the Switch. I'd get them on the 3DS first.

NES/SNES Classic is no replacement to having those games on the go. Which you will only be able to get on the Switch (or 3DS). I can only speculate about Nintendo's actual plans. But there are far more games worth owning again, then either mini classic can provide. What is that 51 games? And none of them Kirby's Dream Land 3 or Demon's Crest? Incomplete libraries, the both of them.

@Samus7Killer lol nope they would lose to much doing one and not the other.

@faint id throw all kindsa monies if theyll just release the VC once and for all.

@Samus7Killer I would too. The Switch is the best system to date for VC. Portable and console, strong enough to run up through Gamecube and GBA with ease... I have wanted GBA and GameCube VC support for years on a portable device. If they released that, I'd dump probably hundreds of dollars...

Obviously not an on the go replacement. But for bang for your buck its the best way to go.

I think they are waiting with VC because of (marketing) the NES mini and the SNES mini. If we already had NES and SNES games on the Switch then the sales of the mini's would be less.

I think that we will see some kind of VC on the Switch when the paid online function is available. Maybe we can buy a (S)NES mini bundle on the Switch as a download (with the same games that are on the mini's) instead of having the those mini's physically.
Then the next question is, what about the N64 games? If they will release a N64 mini, then maybe they will wait with releasing N64 VC on the Switch.

In a nut shell, diddly squat.

Probably will appear as part of the Nintendo Online Membership or whatever it'll be called. With the exception if a few heavy hitters, I believe the majority of titles that appeared in the past failed to turn viable profits, hence the drop in number from the Wii VC to the Wii U VC and the then the N3DS. Hence Nintendo's decision to try something different from the Switch.

Some commenters on this site would make you think the VC is a big thing for Nintendo and would make them lots of "easy money" if they did it. The truth is more likely to be that it isn't so simple and it is likely not as profitable as some would want you to think.

@FX102A How can a VC title fail to make a profit? It's almost as simple as putting the ROM up for download on the eShop. As long as their emulator is accurate, there's not a whole lot that can go wrong.

@Octane Its not that easy.

Firstly due to Nintendo's stringent desires for quality, all games have to undergo quality testing and assurance including previously released VC titles. This all takes time and money, which could be spent on other projects.

Then there are licenses, we have mainly seen Nintendo developed games rereleased but 3rd party or licensed games much less often. Imagine trying to release Mickey's Magical quest as it'll involve Nintendo, Capcom and Disney. Again, all this takes time, money and work.

Another issue, that happens far more often than some think, is the loss of source code. Even some famous games have seen their source code completely disappear. Whether its just misplaced or actually gone varies. A famous example is Silent Hill 2; hence one of the reasons the HD remaster was utter tripe. Unfortunately just downloding the data from a game cart / CD will not always provide a fully workable copy.

There's all sort of work involved in getting a VC title working near perfectly; it may be easier than developing a new game from scratch but if a viable profit isn't made, why bother in the first place?

@FX102A If there is little profit to made I understand. Which is why we don't see obscure titles. And on the poor selling Wii U even more so do I understand. But the Switch is flying off the shelves, and the 2 things almost everyone seems to want on the Switch are VC and Video apps. I have little doubt they will make a profit.