Topic: The Nintendo Switch Thread

@Anti-Matter Thank you!

Is there actually any evidence to suggest (i) that virtual console significantly affects indie sales and (ii) that Nintendo even cares if this is the case? I seems a little bizarre to avoid releasing games for your console, especially when the games in question are your own games, in order to please companies that Nintendo are interested in specifically because they will release games on their console.

@Buizel Virtual Console has been been on a system at launch. Although, to be fair, they did appear within a year on the 3DS and Wii U. So the Switch is definitely taking a little longer.

And no, I don't think there's any proof, apart from the fact that the VC titles dominated the eShop. That being said, if less people are interested in ''buying all these games again'', then I don't see what the issue is, because I don't expect them to compete with the good indie games. And if it's really true that people prefer VC titles over indie games, I still don't see why they should be held back. If people want old NES games over indie games, why not give them what they want?

All games are competing in the end. Mario Odyssey is also competing with Axiom Verge for your money. That's just the way it is.

The only thing we have heard about VC are in connection with the online subscription service. So it isn't to far fetched to think they won't release before, since that could potentially harm the subs.

Oh hey, My Nintendo is starting to become not useless.
https://www.nintendo.co.uk/News/2018/February/Coming-soon-spe...

You'll be able to spend gold coins on the eshop.

''Since the launch of My Nintendo in 2016, Nintendo fans have benefitted from a range of rewards...'' lol

Anyway, how do you get gold points? I bought a few digital games, and I've got some physical games. I've heard those can also reward you gold points?

@Octane
Buying games off the eshop automatically rewards you with gold points. The amount is based of price tiers.
For physical games you have to open up the options menu for the software from the home menu, and go to the My Nintendo Rewards Programme part. They only reward a set amount but you can claim the reward on multiple consoles.

@PLATINUM7 Good spot. People's Breath of the Wild gold coins will expire at then of March, so hopefully they'll be a few days/weeks to spend them first.

I've only got 162 gold coins so far. I'm guessing that will entitle me to 16p off an eshop purchase, knowing Nintendo.

select your physical game and press the plus button

@Octane With your physical game card inserted, press the + button on your Switch when that game's icon is selected, bringing up the Options menu. You claim points for purchases there.

1 gold point= 1 cent.

Come March I'll have AU$5.02 unless some expire before it kicks in.

EDIT: Seems you'll also be able to spend you points whenever you want. Don't need to reach a threshold to use them.

Thank God! I really hope the gold coins equate to a meaningful amount of actual discount off eShop purchases and that you can put them towards any game you want.

My Nintendo states you can use them on your next purchase of any digital Switch game.

@PLATINUM7 1 Gold Coin = 1 cent or 1 pence. Please let that be a joke.

@Lroy
I'm not joking. When I saw it, I honestly wasn't expecting them to be worth much either.

I'm just glad you can use them whenever. Not like the Wii U programme which required you to earn so many points before you could earn cash.

@PLATINUM7 @gcunit Thanks!

And it looks like you were right @gcunit

How many gold points do I get from a game, say Mario Odyssey? If it's only 10, I won't even bother lol.

If it is a one-for-one currency conversion, what is the point Nintendo??? I've probably spent about, if you used the eshop prices, £300 on games, and you're giving me £1.62...

Exactly. Whatever Nintendo release will be in competition with indies. Surely Nintendo want as many quality games on their platform as possible? I don't see indies doing poorly on PC with the wealth of titles available there.

@Octane
The tier thing is actually changing now.

Gold coints earned are 5% of the price for a digital purchase and for physical it's 1% of the eshop price.

But not all at the same time. Ask any indie developer and they'll tell you about the struggle to get noticed on Steam. Everyone knows the initial month after release is crucial for a game's success on a platform.

For Switch to maintain buzz it needs a near constant flow of new releases, not all of them dumped out at the same time. VC games are not new games and I suspect are predominantly bought by core Nintendo fans, so generating a continuous mainstream buzz about them will be tough going. The indie scene provides regular fresh, new buzz for the platform, so let them breathe.