Topic: My theory on March 31st

Agree with this One. Not sure when it will release though. Maybe they will do the same with zelda first. So in 2022 when zelda collection is taken away, a new switch pro will release + a update for NSO where We Get access to n64 games, maybe gamecube also, but its not the Nintendo way to release to much at ones.

I don’t see N64 games being given away on the online service - not when Nintendo can put two or three in a box and charge us £40 for it. And put a time limit on it so FOMO boosts sales.

Love Nintendo, but it is a business. There is no good commercial reason to give away N64 titles.

If we’re really, really, really lucky, maybe we can get some free GBA games. (And I’d prefer that, TBH)

Or maybe they will add N64 titles but raise the price of the service.

Artificial scarcity is a pretty well established business practice. This coupled with the fact that Nintendo loves stoking the rumour mill adds up to being a pretty potent marketing decision.

Just look at the myriad videos and articles written about it for months on end. Even after the release of 3D world + Bowser's Fury onto Switch, we are still endlessly discussing 3D All-Stars.
While removing these games and services doesn't come across as very consumer friendly, it certainly comes across as a sound business decision.

Future limited releases would be less successful than 3D All Stars if 3D All Stars returns in any way (whether the collection reappears or standalone releases of 64/Sunshine/Galaxy) because people would know the games would just return eventually. But if 3D All Stars doesn't return in any way then Nintendo's losing lots of potential sales.

So I think the most likely situation is that sometime soon after March 31st (I'll guess around late April/early May), Nintendo announces an overhaul of NSO and 3D All Stars appears in some form with that. Price increase of NSO seems likely, perhaps to coincide with the upgrade of their online infrastructure from Windows 98.

Their games will run much better once they upgrade to Windows 2000.

A price increase would put NSO a lot closer in line with PS+ and Xbox Gold so Nintendo would have to do more than release a handful of N64 games for the service to be anywhere near comparable.
You get 2-4 games a month on both PS+ and Xbox gold, what do you get for your Nintendo's Sub? Rental rights to a handful of Nes and Snes games.
NSO - £4 a month
PS+ - £7 a month
Xbox Gold - £7 a month or Gamepass £11

I don't even play NSO games even i have subscribed NSO.
If i want to play very Retro games, i will buy the actual cartridges / discs and actual machines to play.
I buy the game to own the game forever, not by rent.

@Mr-Fuggles777 Apart from February 2021 which was originally going to coincide with a price hike (from $60 a year to $120 a year) there's been a lot of complaints about the quality of Gold for like a year or so. PS+ quality has been extremely strong recently though with both the PS+ collection for PS5 and the monthly titles.

@Grumblevolcano to be honest I don't bother with Gold as I have GamePass.
I agree that the base games given away aren't great (the Lama game does look fun though) but the service is still miles above NSO -you have voice chat, you can message friends and you don't get anywhere near as much Lag and a semi decent app for £3 a month more