Gallery: Fan Concept Shows How the Nintendo Switch Online App Could Actually Be Good

Not hard to design something better when anything is better than what we have.

It looks so drab and simplistic though.

I still think it speaks volumes to Nintendo's priorities that a very large percentage of the Japanese Switch userbase also uses the app and give it satisfactory ratings. They have always put Japan before everyone else and the positive reception from the Japanese users shows that it's here to stay, whether the rest of the planet likes it or not.

@Exy It's not like the majority of Nintendo's market is overseas or anything...

Or even better, build ALL OF THIS into the Switch itself without needing a phone at all!

Since I just call my friend instead of using the convoluted voice chat, all Nintendo needs to do is update the app with the Salmon Run schedule! (Even though the mode should be on 24/7 anyway...)

@memoryman3 And yet the majority of the users of this app's current version aren't. It's the only demographic they fully understand.

OR, hear me out, this is bats**t insane but it may work, include into the system so the only thing you have to acquire aside from the console is a headpiece.

I know I know, I'm no business or tech guru, what do I know, Nintendo is always innovating right?

Considering this is new ground for nintendo i think they need time to work out bugs take fan feed back and improve. Standard order of things these days with updates and tweaks. I like the app just like everyone else need and want more out of it

It's pretty impressive how "Nintendo Begging" is a full-time job for many on the Internet.

For the love of god, ditch the damn thing and integrate voice chat and messaging into the system. The app should be optional, and certainly in a better state than this..

I hope Nintendo is watching this!

These concept pictures look great, honestly all the app really needs is the chat section of it though to be much better than what we have

I keep looking at Nintendo online app on my phone then these screen shots, back and forth like a cat, I keep looking back and forth hoping that I can somehow get what is on my screen to appear on my phone. Not working yet.

Maybe the online app will be able to run on the New Switch XL when it eventually comes out.

This is really good! I seriously hope Nintendo sees these.

It's hilarious how Nintendo can make such a technologically and functionally impressive system like the Switch, but when it comes to designing something like a voice chat app, they or whoever they hired seem to have completely lost their minds.

People really need to understand the core reason why nintendo does not go balls deep with the concept of console-to-console communication via the internet. Nintendo doesn't ever want to be that company that has to deal with the angry soccer-moms. If you force everyone to have a phone app just to communicate, you can put the blame on the parents who got the kid the phone when they have an unsavory conversation with someone three times their age.

Its just common business sense. I get it, the app sucks. The online isn't ideal, but I honestly only know like maybe 3 people who use console-based or in-game chat. Almost everyone I know uses skype or discord anymore. I wouldn't be surprised if in the future, no systems have party chat/in game chat and its all moved toward apps like discord.

It's sad when fans create a better voice chat solution than Nintendo but then again what else is new...

Can we at least allow voice chat between less than 4 people, and allow it to stay running if your phone locks/goes to sleep? Seriously, what were they thinking on that limitation? It's like they want us to just use Discord/Skype instead.

Just delete it.

@BoFiS Though I think this app concept is kind of more of a companion app, rather than Nintendo's original idea of it being a necessary dedicated app. You don't need the Xbox or PS app to use all the functions of those consoles but they are very nice when you are away from the system. That's how the app should be, and how this redesigned app is portrayed.

2017, their is no other device on the market this out-dated especially for the price.

I really do wish this is a reality. The current app right now is so barebones and doesn't even allow messages or hasn't even updated it with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

How about we take the phone version and shove...
..never mind the cynical comment quota seems to have been reached already.

I'm just gonna sit and wait if they happen to improve this thing before it gets into its paid phase. Till then and till I eventually buy a switch...

@BoFiS Or, and this is crazy, have it available for BOTH. Shocker....

@AugustusOxy A lot of the complaints about the app really are just whining. I get that in theory, "we need voicechat integrated into the console" is an important factor, but even if that was the case, like you said, at least 90% of the people whining would still be using another service like discord or Skype to communicate. And frankly, who doesn't have a readily available smartphone or tablet these days that they can use anyways?
All I see the app as is an alternative to other voicechat services, that contains several handy features relating to the games. It'd be great if it had more functionality (like texting, poking, etc...) but I feel it's entirely satisfactory as is, with the complaints basically being that it's a "good" product but not a "great" one. And regardless, I highly doubt that Nintendo will just leave it as is.

@BoFiS The whole reason there's an app is to keep the Switch's battery from being depleted. If you want to use 3 or the 4 hours it has messaging people, setting up parties, and doing everything that isn't actually gaming, then I have 2 boxes for you

Also, if you bought games or DLC for a game on the Eshop through the app, wouldn't that be an in app purchase and subject to Apples 30% developer charge?

I like how Miyamoto has become faintly Cockney in this mockup.

But seriously, it looks... good. Just employ this chap and call it a day. I like the Switch UI on the whole, so they may as well work with what's good.

So basically the XBOX One app but with voice chat support. I like it. Always thought the XBOX app was completely underrated.

I don't have a switch and have not tried the app as of yet but this shows again how it is so amazing that Nintendo can do some things so right and then others so woefully incompetently it is just amazing, I bet you five bucks that they Nintendo team has still not looked at Xbox Live or PSN or any other competing services... Every time they do something like this they always act like they are the first person to do it LOL instead of looking at what other companies have done and improve upon it.

Better yet... they should release the app worldwide. Not that hard, and you include all potential customers.

I have to think that there is still a long way to go with this app. I think very much like the Switch itself, this was released in an early access phase.

I would be very surprised if by this time next year the interface to the Switch and online looked the same. With that said, I understand the concerns of a good portion of people out there who've felt burned by Nintendo before.

I guess this is a long way of saying I am going to take a wait and see approach.

I don't have the app nor do I have a Switch (yet), but this is what I expected. To think Nintendo came so far from this is... appalling.

What? This thing could do more than just order equipment off splatnet? Balderdash!

It's all very well creating some graphics and saying "look, I've designed something way better" but there's a lot more to creating a system than how it looks.

Yes, this looks good. But perhaps DeNA are working under the confines of certain restrictions Nintendo currently has in place because they're worried about system performance, user interactions, They don't want to implement something all singing, all dancing straight away because that would take them longer to test, cost more money, and if it all goes tits up they've got to sink yet more money to fix it or write it off. Get the absolute bare minimum functioning perfectly and then build on that into something that the users are asking for. Which is usually what Nintendo do.

Ive been an Xbox live gold user since the x360. I have maybe used voice chat maybe 20 times in 12 years... I mostly ended up having to mute a bunch of potty mouths or simply stop playing online games. That being said, Nintendo's app needs to allow the screen to be off and still work. It also needs to allow us to chat outside of a game. The only reason I am enjoying using it is because I love Splatoon and I have several friends I am playing with.

Voice chat is a big mess come on Nintendo we're even helping you out here!

Everyone, please send this link to Nintendo in the feedback section of the app.

This is how it should be! It's so simple, yet Nintendo chooses the poopy online path, with obviously no future