A poll conducted by Japanese firm Hachima has revealed that a lot of players from Nintendo's homeland consider the Switch to be too expensive, but they don't mind paying for online services.
The first question in the survey asked about intent to buy, with the top answer (34.01 percent) stating that they had no interest in buying the console. The second most popular reply was the somewhat non-committal "I don't have any plans to get it" at 22.96 percent. 21.84 percent of people asked said they would buy a Switch after the launch date, while 21.19 percent said they would invest on day one.
The second question related to the price. The top response - with 42.47 percent - was that the system was a "little high" in cost. In second place was "just right" at 30.63 percent, while the third most popular answer was that the price was "really high", with 30.63 percent. "I think it's a little cheap" (4.72 percent) and "It's really cheap" (2.43 percent) were the two lowest-scoring replies.
Finally, the people polled were asked about the console's new paid online service. 62.32 percent said that they were in favour of a paid subscription for access to such services, while 37.68 percent were against.
[source sourcegaming.info]
Comments 187
How many people were polled?
Is a bit worrying if the Japanese don't want to buy it. But it depends on the age range of the people they questioned, and other factors they don't go in to
So 43% of the people polled will get it, one way or the other. It would be interesting to know to which demographic group they belong and how many people were polled to determine is these results bear any statistical significance.
Too , expensive?? Works out at what we wanted £210 UK, $250 US
And they sold out within hours so the poll must have been with either children who are used to paying to play but can afford to buy a system or I've no idea tbh lol
@Equinox , you bet jp will start hitting their big guns while we wait, it's already happening ,dragon quest heroes at launch, which they say in Japan that franchise is bigger than final fantasy
Everybody is making it sound optional whether or not to buy it and I'm just sitting here waiting anxiously for the thing to launch and for me to buy it day one.
It's 550$ if I get it with a game, here in Canada.. :T
I must say the figures seem a little alarming, but depending on who was asked it might include quite a lot of people who don't buy gaming consoles at all. I wonder what the same poll would have looked like for the PS4 prior to launch... I'm guessing "too expensive" would have been close to 90%.
Without a lot more context I'm pretty happy to dismiss this poll as completely useless.
http://www.indexmundi.com/japan/age_structure.html
If we speculate the demographic is between ages 15 and 54 (taking in account from teens, who can buy it themselves to parents who buy it for their kids) for easy calculation with the numbers in the demographic article, 43% of 60 million inhabitants is 25.8 million Switches sold! Just in Japan! That's twice the number of Wii U's sold globally! Conclusion: SUCCESS!
@NoxAeturnus "3,049 responses with 2,797 were male and 252 were female."
But this represents only the opinion of people using the website "hashima". Who knows their views on other topics. The source says "There are also some reports that Hachima is a pretty anti-Nintendo in general, so please take these results with a grain of salt."
Well, if we scale this survey up to the population of Japan, 21.19% of 127.3m means almost 27 million launch day sales.
Gotta love statistics.
So a non definied number of unkwown aged people did this poll... LOL
When I first saw the price of the Switch I initially thought it was too expensive.
Then I thought about all the tech you get for that price and I think the price is about right for everything you get.
Of course I would like it for a bit less, I mean everyone would.
For that price though I really think Nintendo should've packed in 1, 2 Switch to highlight those features in the same way Wii Sports showed the benefits of the Wii motes.
I'm surprised by how many people were in favour of paid online, although if they only asked 3 people well........
@chardir It's a video game blog, so we couldn't expect to be able to apply it to the whole population.
I don't think those who said that it's really high were that many, because percentage-wise, it'd be all over 100%, which doesn't make sense.
The Vita cost 25.000 y.The Switch is 30.000y.I can't understand why Japanese find it expensive as the switch is far more capable than the vita and is 2in1 hybrid.You have to buy PS4 and Vita to to get anything like switch.
Ahhhh the best thing about numbers. They can tell any story you want them to.
Day one!
@Smokingspoon I'm debating it but I may resist until Mario Odd
It's 'expensive' here in the UK, £279.99 before you even have a game, but it's only £40 or so more than what 3DS launched at with not even half of the offering with Switch.
Bottom line: this may be a slow launch, but it will sell out it's initial shipment. Core gamers will lap it up, wheres the casuals that they are trying to net may take a bit more persuasion.
I really think this console will need a 3DS-esque price drop for it to appeal to the mainstream market especially here in the UK.
@Untempered-Link Possibly, but I'm sure they will realise this before long. PS4 & XBONE have far too much of a foothold here.
It is too expensive!
@Smokingspoon Only because each Canadian dollar is worth slightly less than each American dollar.
It's all about mindset. The cost of the device is very closely equivalent from market to market, just adjusted for the currency differences. 299 USD currently equals roughly $391.50 Canadian. Interestingly, the price set for the Switch in Canada is $399 Canadian, so they're making you pay an additional 7.50 bucks Canadian.
Also, you must be buying a few peripheries, and/or the Special or Master Edition of BotW, since a 60 USD game like Breath of the Wild would only add like 80 Canadian more to it. In fact, the Canadian price point is $79.99 Canadian. So $480 Canadian, not $550.
As for this survey, I would like to know what their margin of error was, and their sample sizes. These are pretty important stats that should always be reported on whenever reporting data like these. nintendolife should know better than this. I would take the study with a grain of salt until that information is readily available.
EDIT: nintendolife's "source" is a secondary source that translated the report. That said, SourceGaming.info included critical information that nintendolife did not – the sample sizes – though it lacked the margins of error. Furthermore, SourceGaming.info warns that this is an online poll and is unscientific at best. Also, they warn that the conductors of this poll carry an anti-Nintendo bias, which throws the whole study into question. I wouldn't draw any information from this survey as it's pretty much bunk.
470+90for zelda = 560 super expensive in australia.
This poll probably took place on Hokkaido ... In my living place, 1 American dollar = 3,56 my local currency, so you make the calculations ...
@bolt05 Wow, you Australians got screwed. Your currency is about the same strength as the Canadians. It should be 400 Aussie Dollars, not 470. :/
You can get the Switch half price in the UK at Game if you trade a PS4 in towards it..........................
Most gamers will have something to trade in if they want it, so paying full price doesn't have to be an issue..........
It may seem expensive, but it's really not...you get a console and a handheld...buy both separate, and it's way more expensive...plus, how many of those people that were polled would pay expensive prices for phones that do the same exact thing as the old ones???
Here we go... lol. Let's see Nintendo's response to this, if they will even give one. Imo I don't think the Switch is too expensive. Maybe a couple of the accessories are questionable. I thought the Pro Controller was expensive until I reconsidered the added tech to like motion controls and the amiibo reader. Idk. I'm humbled. I can afford it.
I can understand the concerns about what the Japanese players (consumers) are voicing though. Nintendo better listen to their home market, and make some changes to satisfy them.
@Smokingspoon Why don't you try converting the Switch prices to USD?
Switch: $399.99 CAD = $303.69 USD
Pro Controller: $89.99 CAD = $68.32 USD
1 Joy-Con: $64.99 CAD = $49.34 USD
2 Joy-Cons: $99.99 CAD = $75.91 USD
Joy-Con Grip: $39.99 CAD = $30.36 USD
Dock: $119.99 CAD = $91.10 USD
Games: $79.99 CAD = $60.73 USD
@NinChocolate You and Me both...I'm thinking about purchasing the system, but to have just Zelda and the E-Shop until Mario Odyssey, is kind of bad to do at the moment.
From the original article:
"There are also some reports that Hachima is a pretty anti-Nintendo in general, so please take these results with a grain of salt."
So we can guess it's a survey of the 1,200 people in Japan who own an Xbox One and probably aren't interested in any Nintendo device ever.
It was a survey on a gaming website, which I'm pretty sure tend to skew negative. People who like things are just less likely to fill out a poll than people with a grudge. Basically think of all the negativity on this site, and it's called Nintendo Life. Now imagine a Switch survey on Pure Xbox if it hadn't gone out of business.
So Nintendo can look at the numbers, but I don't think this survey will concern them any.
Allow me to illustrate how the sales will pick up.
Yes, Pokéballs can store money, why are you asking...
Too expensive? The Japanese price of the Switch converts to about AU$350. The retail price in Australia? AU$469.95. If the $350 price made it here, it would be an absolute steal considering what the system is capable of, but for $470 with no launch games worth a damn (minus Zelda, but I'm not particularly interested in it)... then of course it's expensive. Konami are having an absolute laugh pricing Super Bomberman R at $90 here. And I thought the $70 asking price for Yoshi Touch and Go was obscene...
@AlexSora89 Replace the money pic with this one and it would explain WHY sales will pick up.
@rjejr
A Van Gogh painting inside a Pokéball? I don't get it... wait, Starry Night, OOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHH.
@AlexSora89 I love all the images you post. Please don't stop. Ever.
@ThatNyteDaez
Never will.
hidden costs increase the price a lot. So its not surprising at all that people complain. Prices are subjective and judging by certain posts on this site there are people who are willing to pay any price just to get their nintendo fix and will justify just about every one of nintendos missteps. Yes, the nintendo switch is expensive.
They starting to advertise on buses. This is big.
I'm glad uk is running these ads
@remag why on earth would you do that? Trading in a PS4 for only half off isn't even close to good value for money. I hope to god that no one falls for Game's shoddy practices.
@Andrzej777
I agree about the hidden costs. Controllers are ridiculous considering Nintendo hasn't made a game using this tech other than in a gimmicky way. Most will want a pro controller. A stand. Carrying case. Memory. Etc etc.
Not willing to spend on system but willing to spend more on online....
That's like saying I'm willing to spend more money than spend less money.
There is nothing compelling for them at launch or for that matter any current Wii U owners. This is why I don't k ow why the system is launching without a Pokemon or Monster Hunter. Nintendo really should've made one of those happen to ensure success in it's home land.
@neufel thats what I heard and I heard that it is Pro Sony. So those numbers aren't bad at all considering a bias poll. Must mean Nintendo is doing a good job swaying other gamers in Japan
@marandahir Yeah I know! AUD and CAD are about the same. We get Australia tax, always ahve and nobody knows why, its not as if were further away from china where they're built!
@Mega_Yarn_Poochy because the US isn't the centre of the Universe. The Wii U in CAD was the same price, the Wii in CAD was the same price, and now the Switch is $100 more, yes I get market value ,trade tariffs etc blah blah blah, but we don't magically get paid more because our dollar fails us compared to the greenback, So $399 is quite expensive compared to what we were used to.
Polls are a load of old tosh and represent very little of what the general public thinks look at Brexit and Trump.
@Mega_Yarn_Poochy And all of those prices are worse for Australians.. and our dollar is about the same as CAD... We always get screwed.
I'm still a little baffled by the price debate. 300 is completely fine.
There is a mistake in this news, "the price is really high" only got 19.74%.
Also: very misleading title.
"Too expensive" means, at least in my book, that they wouldn't buy it because of the price.
The majority just said the price is "a little high" and that is not something you would usually say if it is TOO high.
Counting that in, the response looks very positive
@marandahir you are forgetting a 15% canadian sales tax(hst) thus pricing it around $550.
@bolt05 I'd agree with you if your average wages weren't $28 000 more per year compared to Canadians.
@marandahir
You forgot the taxes.
$480 × 1.13 = $542.40 total
At least, that's what it would cost here in Manitoba.
@Smokingspoon Where are you getting it from? It's only about $400 base value for me (I'm in Ontario).
I'm getting it from EB with a Wii U tradein so that knocks off $150 off the price tag as well which comes down to $250. Plus EB only charges taxes for the portion that wasn't paid by credit (ie $250 * 13%)
@SwitchFanatic nah bruh, numbaz don't lie.
Funny thing about polls, depending on who you poll, it can tell you any story you want to:
http://nintendoeverything.com/switch-pre-orders-off-to-a-strong-start-in-japan-reportedly-over-80-of-initial-shipment/
The price is kind of in that weird spot where it's probably affordable to many if not most who want it, but many less hardcore players over a certain age and without kids will ask themselves if they really want to drop upwards of $600 on a console and games. Especially since it really has no entertainment hub functionality that might make it seem less like an expensive toy.
Um, that's really, really good.
We're not looking at a slice of Nintendo gamers here, but a slice of the general market.
If this poll is accurate, then nearly half the general market is already saying they're looking at buying one... this thing is gonna blow up in Japan.
@Mogster
Its a few quid more than what they would normally give you for the PS4 for a start......... And if someone wants a Switch and doesn't really want to keep they're PS4 then it isn't really an issue is it? £140 for a used PS4, what the hell is wrong with that anyway???.... What are you expecting to get for a used, years old PS4 that only cost about £100 more brand new than they are giving you for it anyway?... Get real.......
@neufel Thanks. Those are pretty good numbers then if the readers are typically anti-Nintendo.
@JaxonH Exactly. More than 40% have an intent to buy despite only about 30% thinking it's priced right? And these are non-Nintendo users? This could be a very good sign.
I think it makes sense. If paying online means no terrible servers while playing then is all good.
Now the first question is really interesting. Console Gaming in Japan has been declining really quickly and if we generalize this poll; which btw is a terrible idea since this poll most likely is not statistically random, then we can say the trend will continue no matter what. Even Nintendo going portable does not appeal the general public.
@Spoony_Tech Spla2oon is their launch, they are seriously obsessed. Maybe Nintendo figures they should consider themselves lucky since PS4 launched globally in November but not in Japan until the following Feb, so at least they don' have to wait 4 months for Switch.
And besides, MHXX March 18th, ain't nuthin competing w/ that
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zhwddf2z7Y
Also, this holiday 3DS will get either Diamond and Pearl remastered, the last ones, or Pokemon Stars, Switch won't matter in Japan this year.
@AlexSora89 "I don't get it"
Oh yes you did you lyric writing genius. Funny reply though.
@Bunkerneath yep! Most of the time this polls are made to a few people choose at random while on the street which is not representative of the general population.
It is too expensive. And they only have to pay the equivalent of <€245 while we've to pay €330. So we've more right to complain about the price.
@SLIGEACH_EIRE I wrote in another article that Nintendo should make a price cut in Europe and I guess even in Australia since those are Nintendo's weakest markets. Sony/M$ has so much dominance there is ridiculous to compete with a higher price. Now America and Japan should stay like they are since it will sell regardless.
@rjejr "Now imagine a Switch survey on Pure Xbox if it hadn't gone out of business."
Kinda says it all, doesn't it? Nintendo is doomed because thousands and thousands of people online all gather to complain about them. Meanwhile nobody even bothered showing up to complain about XBox
@Dakt I'm glad at least someone else recognizes the harm the leakers (and the press's predictable coverage of said leakers), did to the image of the Switch. Remember when a "leak" meant inside memos from industry insiders, and shaky cam image from a press event where something was visible when it shouldn't have been? Now a "leak" means "random teenager sets up a youtube channel because they're convinced they're natural born celebrities and the world loves them and says they have "sources" for random fictional facts."
That said, even if the leakers didn't exist and Nintendo had the sales of the entire internet gaming obsessed market that knows the leakers exist.....they'd be out of business. It's not that large a market despite what people on the internet tend to think k
With a few notable exceptions most of the price complaints are not based on the actual tech costs and comparisons to similar tech, most of the complaints are "I want it for less money!" Eventually that will happen, but not until everyone that wants it for the current price stops buying them.
Don't forget the shops that are selling the Switch....... They sure as hell are not selling it for NO profit....... we are NOT getting it at the price the shops are buying it at..........
Its the price it is, people have the choice to buy it, or not buy it.
Christ almighty, Nintendo just cant win can they???????......... If they charged £180 for the Switch then people wouldn't STILL buy it because it would be seen as cheap rubbish, a toy. Nintendo have been the cheapest for years now, the second they bring a console out that nears the competition in price and ............ theres bleeding uproar???......... What the hell is the problem?.......
70 odd quid for 2 joy con controllers?.... How much is it for 2 PS4/Xbox 1 controllers..... £100+ !!!!!!!!!!!!
I think the Switch is too expensive, especially in Sweden.
@NEStalgia
Well said........
Too expensive for Japan... don't be surprised to see a drastic price drop by Christmas.
@invictus4000 No. No it's not. Regardless of how interesting the tech is behind it, for a system that many see as one giant (albeit cool) gimmick from a company coming off of it's biggest home console failure that had a similar 'gimmick' (but actually had a pack in game) it's a bit pricey on top of the leap of faith. Add to that the uncertainty of real 3rd party support, lack of streaming apps at launch (yes... it is big whether people want to admit it or not), how the price compares to existing and more powerful systems with large libraries of great games, a game bundled with the system AND optical media playback as well as streaming and other apps, a small launch title selection, the cost of adding storage (which is a must when Zelda takes up about 40% of the storage after accounting for space reserved for the system and the fact that a growing number of launch titles are download only) and you have damaged value proposition.
i.e. too expensive
@Franklin
Not this Christmas..............
But expect good bundles and great so far unannounced games etc, I think people are forgetting its Nintendo, they will have plenty up they're sleeves to come yet.........Hell we still know practically nothing about the Switch yet, but still everyone is complaining..........
@remag a quick look on eBay tells me that second hand PS4s sell for £170-180. That's a better deal than getting half off at GAME. GAME are con-artists, everyone knows this.
As for your other comment...where to start! Flawed thinking. Joy-Con, while it CAN be used as two controllers, one half of it isn't a full controller on its own. So no, you aren't getting two full controllers, you're getting one full controller that can be split in half, giving half of full functionality to each player. Pro controller is still £20+ more expensive than other controllers. And don't say 'but think of of all the features!!!11' PS4 controller has extra features too and they don't charge you £60+ for it.
As for your comment 'people are forgetting its Nintendo, they will have plenty up they're sleeves to come yet' yeah alright pal that's EXACTLY what people said about Wii U. Every E3 people were expecting new Metroid, new F-Zero etc and Nintendo never followed through. Don't get your hopes up that Switch is going to be any different.
I agree with these polls. I think the asking price is a little past what I can afford.
I have no problem with payed online though, provided that the price for it is reasonable.
If we all compare price in different countries for average live status and earning.. USA Japan, Canada France Germany and other,S( UK) rich ones all you guys are in good places and switch is not that expensive
Russia 420 dollars
Poland 360 dollars
I,m living in uk. 40 h of work I,m afford to buy switch and Bow and I will still had money left for daily basis.
Poland month at work to buy only a console and no money left for living...
And i think its pointless to debate and cry about switch is to expensive. Nintendo offer a great new system for entertaiment and we should be happy.
@Spoony_Tech nothing compelling for you my friend but every launch is different and if im not mistaken the Wii U in Japan launched w/ a MH3G bundle and well we know how well the WiiU did right? honestly any launch would benefit from popular franchises but like ive stated before there are a bunch of people set to get it launch day including myself and my son so feel free to wait but there are a bunch of games appealing to me plus that limited edition Disgaea 5 complete is going to be pretty sweet!
@rjejr I agree w/ Spoony in the sense of when Polemon/MH/Splatoon2 release it'll print out money!
@Yorumi why so serious my friend? Did Starfox Zero really make you that bitter and jaded? LOL! different strokes for different folks i guess
@Mogster
The joy con is 2 controllers, you can buy 1 separate too you know............ Of course you can sell a console for more privately than you can to a shop????
People expect new Metroid every year, that's nothing to do with Nintendo not delivering, not when they have said nothing about releasing one, that's just peoples expectations, Nintendo have stated theres at least 80 games in development for the Switch, several 3rd parties have stated they have been involved with the Switch from the beginning!!!!....
People are saying its underpowered and no 3rd party support before its been released, before anyone even knows jack about it, hahahaha...............
Nintendo have spent the last few years making changes, actually listening, everything is looking good for them, they have done the Switch different, Nintendo are more than a WiiU so don't judge them on one console eh!!!!
If you think that theres not going to be more reveals, if you think Nintendo aren't going to have a great E3, then your deluded.
@Syrek24
Very true........
too many blind ignorant people that want something for nothing though, but yeah, very true.......
I cant believe people are making judgement on a product they know practically nothing about, crazy really?......
@WOLF1313
Exactly!
I dont think anyone would complain about a price of 300 dollars, pounds or euros, even without a game, if it wasnt for the hidden costs and the new pricing policy of games. Online play doesnt really matter imho. The competition is doing it, so if its for much better service, well, so be it. Monthly nes/snes rentals seem ridiculous.
Of course people might say everythings ok, nintendo is running a business and has the right to charge whatever they want, and people who complain about prices should start birdwatching if they cant afford it.
But these people are completely missing the point IMHO, pure fanboyizm if you ask me. Critical thinking will not harm anyone. The whole pricing policy is ridiculous and thats the truth.
@remag
If Nintendo reveals that The Switch cleans your place whilst you're at work it may justify the price tag. Maybe.
Japanese gamers don't care about graphics. They'd rather get a moderate improved 3DS type system that's super cheap Because despite Nintendo trying to say otherwise, people are still looking at this as a 3DS successor.
@Franklin
Nah, ive got a PS4, that collects all the dust for me while I'm out...... I don't need the Switch to do my cleaning, just need it to game, not clean, not play films n music n all that nonsense, a gaming machine to game on....... how refreshing!!!!
@Syrek24 @remag
So what you are implying is that all people who complain are blind and ignorant. Yeah, funny thing is, I have never seen so many people on the internet complain a about a price, they must have all been struck with blindness and ignorance.
Nintendo can indeed charge what they want, and people who actually do have an own opinion might voice it and say what is on their mind.
And like I said before, its not about the 300 dollars that people complain its about lots of smaller things that create a bigger picture, which apparently some people arent able to see.
And its definitely not about getting something for nothing, otherwise you can just go and steal the switch from somebody. I think its about honest people who have to work for their money and want value for it, tangible value. Nintendo should be happy that there are fans out there who want to buy their switch. They need them. IMO they should make this deal as attractive as possible, but they are behind their competition in about everything, specs, third party support, pricing, online service, etc.
Yeah, of course people might say if the competition is better than buy xb1 or ps4, but thats totally not the point and very rude to say. This is about fellow nintendo gamers who want a better deal.
Remember, this is an investment into a gimmicky technology attached to what might become a great system. This gimmicky and most of all pricy technology might neve be used in any meaningful way - remember the wii u gamepad - a highly unnecessary item, that made a very cheap console overpriced, never became a hit, not only third parties rejected it, also nintendo failed to support it (think star fox). When they introduced it, ceo-talk said its a revolution, when the wii u was dead they simply admitted what everyone was saying at first, that its a failure which hinders gaming. So not too special in the end.
Checked the link. At 3,049 "people" polled through their website, it basically means a whole lot of nothing.
@truth be told, I am not concerned with online gaming at all. When I want to play splatoon or mk8 and need to pay for it, well, then I probaly will pay for it, unless its gonna cost double of what the competition charges (because in that case I think it would be stupid).
I am more concerned about the pricing. Even though I could afford it, its not what I would like to pay for it and its definitely not what its worth. Nintendo could have done much better pretty easily. Right now it seems they want to make a lot of money whatever way possible — its a business yes, but its not good for the consumer. Actually I believe, that its gonna be sold out in the beginning. But after that sales will become very slow until christmas and a price cut will be inevitable - and thats when I will buy it. Actually, more and better games will be available later on that will be able to choose from. Good things come to those who wait.
@rjejr
I was literally voicing my thoughts there, it wasn't a staged joke or something, I really got your joke as I was writing my reply!
@Andrzej777
Theres endless reasons/arguments why the gamepad didn't so call succeed, many people really love it, ive been gaming with Nintendo for nearly 30 yrs, and yeah, the wiiu could of been dealt with better, differently etc, but Nintendo got the gaming aspect of the wiiu right, some amazing games came out for it, The first time I ever owned/played a non Nintendo system was about a year ago, when I got a PS4, never been so bored of gaming tbh.......... if its expensive gimmicks you want then go and get yourself a PSVR headset, that's about the same price as a Switch!!!!! Wheres the complaints about how crap and gimmicky and expensive and lack of games the PSVR is?...... oh, that's Sony tho, must be ok then eh? lmao..........
Sony and Microsoft bring consoles out left right and centre and people just pay what they ask, all I hear are people complaining about PS4/Xbox1 games being the same, rehashes, crap framerates etc etc yet when Sony/Microsoft bring out the same console beefed up to solve the framerate etc, people jump at buying something they should of had in the first place??????????????? Yeah whatever....................
@Andrzej777
Yeah lets all not buy it and wait for it to drop in price so it fails eh???????..................................
They say its expensive but they dont care about paying to play online (specially when they give you 1 NES/SNES game per month) okay... I cant see the logic there
@Yorumi
The majority of any society is not that bright IMO. :)
Anyway, I wouldnt call people not bright because they dont (yet) see the same thing you and I see, or have a different opinion or something.
I think its about fanboyizm. Like we all know there is people who actively take part in the console wars,ps4 is better than xb1, no xb1 is better. These people are probably very seldom paid to do so, they are doing it because they need confirmation that they have made the right choice (you have the same thing with religious beliefs, even though thats a little bit more complicated).
In regard to the switch, and thats a completely new experience , there is a whole new situation going on.
@Pres_Shinra
Yup, itll be so funny if Nintendo turn round and charge them £500 a month for online after there stupid premature comments hahahaha
@Syrek24 What an ignorant, subjective, uninformed, judgmental and completely pulled out of your ass non-argument. Everything you say or have said has just been rendered invalid due to a complete lack of a thought process, an objective view or even a moments pause to think things through properly. You are wrong on so many levels and didn't even bother to properly debate facts laid out in front of you.
Fanboy. A large number of systems thus far have gone to scalpers, individuals trying to get their share of the scalper money, people with disposable income who just have to have the latest tech even if there's a decent chance they'll play it for a few months and be done and people on the fence who didn't want to take a chance on not being able to get a system, but at the same time are taking advantage of the fact that they won't be billed until it ships and therefore can change their mind.
There are so many reasons not to get a Switch and instead invest in a more powerful, more complete entertainment experience with a more established system that has dozens of great games and many already discounted 'best sellers'. This is the reality Nintendo has to deal with and contrary to your nonsense, it's a very real concern for everyone... including investors.
And calling me cheap? Your ignorance of the facts is epic. With the exception of the Vectrix and the PS4, I own pretty much every video game system (including handhelds) since the Odyssey 2, to include a Commodore 64 and a VIC20. I have a Switch, two extra sets of Joy-Cons, two charge grips, a Hori Stand, Zelda case and ear buds and several launch titles preordered through Amazon and Gamestop. I just haven't decided if I'm keeping them or selling them. I'll probably play them first, as I'm sure I can still make a profit on a gently used system if it turns out I don't dig it.
So yeah... you are all kinds of wrong. And rude.
Have you preordered yours yet?
@Andrzej777 I agree, I can afford too but i hate promoting this kind of business practices. And i very concerned about pricing too, specially when they will give you a NES/SNES game for 1 month lol
@remag
If you feel like buying it, then buy it. I will wait.
Would it be our fault if we dont buy an overpriced product? Or would it be nintendos fault? Why should I pay for their faults?
I think people want the switch to succeed at all costs, they can!
But why not say, yes, its very pricy, I would like to have it cheaper, I would like to get a better deal, make it more appealing for the mass market which would definitely help making it a huge success. However, I am such a loyal nintendo fan, that I am than willing to pay that price of admission...
... instead of justifying it the wrong way IMO. If its overpriced, which it is, the pricepoint is something that the whole internet is complaining about, and rightly so.
IMHO it would be better if consumers, nintendo fans stuck together and caused nintendo to drop the price much sooner.
@Andrzej777
But how can you be concerned about the pricing when everything hasn't been revealed yet? No one knows anything about the online yet, the specs yet, 3rd party 1st party etc etc etc etc............
@WanderingPB Ah but the Wii U wasn't portable. Launch MH now and we would see shortages in Japan for months if not years lol.
@remag
I am not interested in sony. So I dont have anything to complain there.
Dont really know why you came up with that argument.
@Yorumi
It's launching at $100 less than PS4 did. PS4 is 3 years old and being soft-replaced by PS pro. Who launches a new product with new tech and competes at discounted prices of an older product?
Like I say below, if you're a dedicated hardcore console/PC gamer who likes the existing arrangement of consoles and wants to compare the value of Switch purely on a graphical horsepower 1:1 comparison to those, of course you're not going to like it. If you're NOT part of the group that thinks that what Sony/MS offer already is ideal then the switch might be a superior alternative for a similar price.
@sqbboyPOLAND
But what did PS4 cost at launch there? That luxury items are more expensive in countries with smaller economies is normal, it's how it compares to other similar items that matters in terms of evaluating the product's pricing.
@Tsusasi Where do people keep getting that WiiU had a pack-in game? It did not. The base model at $299 had 8GB storage and no game. The Deluxe bundle in black had Nintendo Land, a charging cradle, and a stand for $349. For $349, I'm sure Nintendo would have gladly included 1, 2, Switch.
If by real 3rd party support you mean getting the majority of multiplat AAA Western publisher games, there's about a 0.0% chance of that happening on this or any console. That's for a large number of reasons just not how western publishers can interact with Nintendo.
Your point with streaming and optical video playback etc. makes sense. But becomes contradictory. Sony and MS are marketing a device to be the center of your home theater. Nintendo is not, they're positioning this very differently as a stand-alone entertainment product. XBox practically got booed off the stage for just how far they were originally pitching XBox as a home theater device. It isn't trying to win the same audience there. Steraming is a little more interesting considering how many pople bought a Wii just for Netflix. But that's the thing. The "all in one theater device" people already HAVE one of the other two machines, or a stand alone BD player that, these days, also streams Netflix. Also they're targeting heavily the mobile millennial crowd. These folks don't have "home theaters", they watch TV by streaming it on their tablets and phones, often using mobile data plans rather than wired internet. A "Netflix box" has minimal appeal to them and an optical disc player even less. BD discs are for the audio/videophile crowd, at this point, who want a superior quality than the heavily compressed streams manage.
And for SD card storage, I can partly agree. There's a big push on some games for eShop download, though most of those games appear to take minimal space. For the crowd that downloads heavily, storage will be an issue, BUT it looks like you can swap SD cards around like Gamecards, so you can swap multiple cheaper cards. Ultimately this is a device, like a phone or tablet, where the portability is the most synergistic with digital downloads. A spinning platter drive just won't work for that. I think it's safe to say that Nintendo's message to anyone who wants an all in one theater device for online video, optical video playback, and a large, hot, slow, power eating giant HDD to download endless games onto is "buy Sony." What they're betting on is that that's not a particularly broad market, and those who are in that market, are already loyal to their competitor and aren't worth competing for too much. They're not competing to win Sony fans to convert. That would be a senseless waste of money. They're competing to make fans out of people that previously weren't into the kind of product Sony is offering.
I honestly don't understand the complaints about price. I recently bought a New 3DS XL for $200 and it didn't even come with a charger. The Switch is better in EVERY WAY and is DOES come with a charger and a dock to attach to the TV and the controllers are detachable and it comes with 2 controllers in the box so you can play 2 player on the go without buying more accessories and it's only $300.
The Wii U is still $300 and the Switch is better in every way and it's the same price.
How is the Switch not a great deal???
I didn't hesitate to pre-order my Switch. It is a great deal.
@Smokingspoon Oh, in my country it's like 560 $ with a game converted from my currency.
I think I'm gonna cry in a corner...
Oh dear! As for paid online: Wait till they see the ridiculous prices, and the bad Nintendo-online you get for that price!
@leo13 Because they are comparing against the 3-year-old twice discounted wall-tethered consoles using low cost off the shelf tech and declaring the Switch is priced higher than them therefore a bad value. And they seem to be assuming that Nintendo's primary market/strategy is to try to convert all of Sony's customers to convert to Nintendo instead, like it's the 1990's console war vs. Sega.
@Andrzej777
Well personally I think that the people waiting for a price drop are going to be waiting a helluva long time, I cant understand why people think something they know nothing about is over priced apart from the fact they were thinking it should be cheap simply because its Nintendo???..... All the people who have held and played the Switch are saying it feels quality, the joy con are robust and well built and feel amazing!!!!!! It can be used in so many ways, its been built from the ground up with different tech, different engines, had years of research, Nintendo merged there handheld and consoles departments etc etc etc and yet somehow its over priced????? And then on the other hand, Microsoft are making the scorpio, and just because its supposed to be powerful, people are saying they are gonna buy it what ever it costs Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
There are a host of reasons why this polling data should be taken with a huge grain of salt. Although I personally agree that the Switch is priced too high, it would be foolish of me to go around saying "Sixty percent of Japanese gamers agree with me and believe the Switch is too expensive [and therefore won't buy it!]" Let's use our brains, please.
@remag
Are you trolling here?
Like I said, I am not really concerned about online play.
I am concerned about the costs that actually were revealed. Well, maybe there are more hidden costs to come, I dont know about that. But those that already have been revealed are ridiculous.
Its as stingy as it can get. Take the charging grip for example, so they have made two grips apparently, one that charges and one that doesnt charge. The one that doesnt charge comes in the box and the other one needs to paid separetely. I wonder what the difference of production costs will be between those two grips. Was it really that much of a difference? Couldnt they have included that charging grip with the switch? Is it like maybe not too many people would actually need a charging grip?
Is this charging grip an alternative option for those people who dont want to have their switch idle for a couple of hours and continue playing? I dont really see the point of not including the charging grip.
Or think about reggie, they couldnt include a game, because they really wanted a good price for the switch. Yeah, right, who is gonna believe that ceo talk? I mean they could have at least included some vc games which everyone already owns, or better include mario sunshine vc. But why give something for free when they can charge a lot of money for it. Its not like they are the general underdog when it comes to home consoles nowadays.
@NEStalgia
Yeah well said............. some sense at last
You console gamers sure like paying to play online for some reason. It makes me happy to be a PC (and handheld) gamer.
@Andrzej777
Trolling? HAHAHAHA try reading my posts eh!!!!!!!!!
why don't they include any vc games?? How do you know they wont? You seem to know everything that they are doing so why do you have questions?..... Like I keep saying, no one knows much about anything at the moment but everyone seems to have already judged and made there minds up..... Crazy........
@remag
Well, I dont care about the scorpio. But I think its gonna be very powerful and probably worth its money for those people who are interested in specs etc.
And it wont require anything else for starters, besides maybe an extra pad if you need one.
Take the ps4 pro for example, its much more powerful and yet it doesnt really cost much more than the switch. It doesnt need anything more besides games. No charging grip, no pro controller, the one that you get in the box is the one to go with.
So in order for me to get my proper gaming experience with the switch I have to pay much more than with the ps4.
And just in case, I am not gonna buy the ps4, otherwise I wouldnt be complaining here, I would have called it a day, bought something else, and be gone.
I really hope it wont be too long until the price drops.
@RoomB31 The minimum wage in Canada in $10.50 CAD.
When converted to USD, the Canadian minimum wage is $8.01.
The minimum wage in the US is $7.25.
Quit complaining. Only Australians can complain.
Why is there always a double standard when it comes to Nintendo products that people believe that they are to expensive? There is a lot of impressive teck inside the Nintendo Switch, and I think the switch is priced just right. Nobody complained when the PS3 was selling for $600.00 or nobody complains when every single Apple product produced is released and marked up by over $300 - 400 dollars just because there Apple.
The Nintendo Switch is truly the first hybrid console! The Switch also has an awesome build qulity. If SONY was selling the switch they would be selling it for $400 or $500 and nobody would be complaining.
@Spoony_Tech when your right my friend your right LOL! Did you ever get to try MH4U with your son? My son and I still play it and started playing MP Federation Force...single player the game is okay to good but co-op makes federation force a blast to play with my son especially the puzzles and you get tense moments like Prime! Definitely recommend it co-op!
@Yorumi listen im not hear to change your mind but it also sounds like a tantrum which though common on the internet i have no time to entertain especially with someone as intelligent as you...its just sad my friend
@Freelance i just wanted to say that your icon is awesometacular!!!
@Yorumi
You are totally spot on here!
@Mega_Yarn_Poochy And the AUD min wage is $17.29 ($13 USD). Don't pick and choose numbers and then say who can and can't complain!
@Andrzej777
People are paying for the PS4 Pro when its doing the job the original PS4 should of done though, yet its acceptable why?.....
As for your why isn't the joy con grip that comes with the Switch recharchable? I don't know? does it need to be? Maybe most people will not use the rechargeable one, maybe Nintendo doesn't see it as a necessity? They are selling a power adapter at £25, does that mean you need another one?
The Switch Pro pad is an accessory for playing games, complaining about it is like saying Sony should give you the PSVR headset with the PS4, its just an accessory for a way of playing games, if you don't wont to pay for the pro pad then use the grip with the joy con that Nintendo are supplying you with at no extra cost....... Christ whats wrong, oh the Switch is over priced because it doesn't come packaged with every game and accessory for free, is that the problem?
@remag
There is a double standard in the video game community, anything that Sony or Microsoft sells that is expensive nobody complains, but when Nintendo releases new tech everyone complains about the price!
@Yorumi
Ok, so what is the price of Nintendos online service then? And also, what does it include?
@Meaty-cheeky
Hahahaha so true
I'd personally like to know what sort of demographic was polled, how many were polled, and more info. Polls can be interesting, but they often don't show the whole picture.
@WanderingPB We did and then we for MHG as well so we had tons of gun with those. We only have one copy of FF though so maybe when I can find a cheaper copy. Thanks for remembering and asking!
Oh and I also Love @Freelancer's avatar but they know that lol
I didn't say that the Wi U had a pack in... I know it didn't, except for the Deluxe. What I'm saying is, bang for the buck these current system offer more right out of the box and THEY have pack in games... and sometimes bundled extra controllers - case in point: PS4 Bundle with Uncharted, and extra Dual shock controller: $318 Currently sold out, but I almost went for it... and I was just researching at the time). And if you don't think you'll be taking your system on the go on the regular, that's the only real difference outside of 1st party IPs. And whether or not gamers think we need an all in one box, they are still buying those systems and using the features. For many people, there's limited space at the table and limited gaming dollars. Nintendo can position itself any way that it wants, but it's still compete for that entertainment dollar and space on the entertainment center. Hardcore gamers aren't really Nintendo's fanbase anymore. It's going to be interesting to see what their fanbase susses out to be.
It's not just AAA western developers I'm worried about. There were more games and more variety at the Wii U launch and look what happened. But to your point, if there's 0% chance of that happening then there's 0% chance of this system being a mainstream success and it will struggle to even hit the Gamecube mark. As much as we hate to admit it, those AAA titles are the key to worldwide 3rd party support... because they move systems. Especially if they play to the Switch's various strengths to make them one of a kind experiences and definitive versions that gamers will covet. But to ignore their role in the Switch's survival is dangerous. As for storage, multiple 'cheaper/smaller' cards add up to be quite a bit more than saving up for a larger, better quality card. Especially when you factor in fail rates and data speed.
I love all of my gaming systems, but even I as a collector am starting to pare down my connected systems in favor of streamlining my entertainment experience. I don't like having to switch around to different device, fire them up, fire up the app... etc etc etc and would rather that my center was less cluttered and my entertainment experience more streamlined. I know I'm not alone. If Nintendo were to work directly with Netflix, Hulu and other providers to put together the absolute best UI/UX experience, they would own the media center; people don't like to switch if they don't have to. If you're the system that is in use for everything else, you're also the system that gets the gaming dollar as you are foremost in the mind and present every time the TV fires up. Positioning, bang for the buck and streamlining entertainment experiences. How you win.
And I really appreciate your thoughtful and well argued response. Makes discussing these things so much more fun.
@Yorumi
I know all to well how it works, I can read, like I said, how much is Nintendos online service and what does it include? can you not read?
I cant defend their decision lol, why the hell would I want to?..... Ok then, put it another way, why are people paying for ps+ and lIve etc then? Seeing as you obviously have no clue what Nintendo are doing.......
@remag
NO thats not the problem, nobody ever said it needed to be free.
Look there is always gonna be two kinds of fans, some who will justify each and everything and then some who will critisize if there is something worth critisizing.
Its always been this way. There is no right or wrong in this scenario.
However, I do not like when people start insulting other people, that doesnt look too clever.
Many sound arguments have been made on why the switch is overpriced, I think the point has been made.
What I do like however,
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2017/01/nintendo_switch_dips_to_e299_on_amazon_france
is the fact that if consumers stick together, they will achieve something.
Many people are brought up to believe everything they get taught and to just accept things for what they are. I dont. And I am not afraid to stand up for what I believe, even if there is a whole bunch of fanboys who will attack my opinion and stuff.
Its never wrong to enlighten people and open their eyes.
Clever people will appreciate, fools will hate - thats a universal truth.
@remag The PS4 Pro is a PS4 hence the name "PS4" Pro, all that's different is resolution & frame rate, the PS4 Pro is designed to be played on 4K HDR TV's. It also takes quite a lot of power to push 4K graphics, hence the reason Microsoft have gone for 6Tflops. And even then the Scorpio will also make use of upscaling technique's on certain game's, the PS4 Pro & Scorpio are made for people with 4K HDR TV's.
I think people are mixing up their complaints. The issue is not that the switch is too expensive. It's priced decently, for the tech involved. Are accessories high? In my opinion yes, as well as some of the games for what hey are, but the good thing is I won't buy those games or accessories.
The real complaint is the switch might be too expensive for joe q that walks into a store looking to get a game system. And whether it's fair or not, that person doesn't KNOW about the tech. Or care. They don't CARE about the launch price of the competitors. They care about how much money they have in pocket, and what value that brings them and their family.
Sadly, if they have $300 to spend, they are going to get more value AT THIS MOMENT with a PS4 or xb1 bundle. That's not said in glee, I want the switch to take off, not for ninty, for my sweaty palms to get as many quality games to be released for me to play while having to be at my girlfriends mother house as possible!
Time will tell how this plays out. I don't expect a price drop, as I'm preordered for day one. But a good bundle for the holidays might go a long way to swaying Joe Q. Public
@Mega_Yarn_Poochy CAD Minimum wage is actually $11.25. In Ontario at least. I dunno about elsewhere.
@Tsusasi
You make a lot of good points in there. There's valid concerns to it. But the key points I'd disagree with are on 3rd parties and SD cards.
This is a device designed to be mobile. The convenience factor is it's central pillar. As a result of storage costs, the game is really building up the physical media factor. They expect to remain mostly physical purchases, however, the mobility of it DOES drive some good reasons to buy digital, as well. Honestly it's a better reason for digital than any tethered console has: take your library with you for instant access. BUT that can't be done with a regular hard drive. SD cards aren't a "failing" of Nintendo's product compared to Sony (I know you didn't say they were), it's an essential component of how a device is mobile. The public is well accustomed to buying SD cards for storage. In fact moreso than hard drives these days. Except Apple, almost every phone and tablet suports SD storage. Not spinning platter HDD.s The obsession with antiquated drives is another holdover of the console/PC market of old school gamers all engaging in group think. Why is nobody pushing Sony to move to stock SSDs for that matter? It's SD because it MUST be SD, otherwise it wouldn't be mobile, and wouldn't be Switch. I find it funny that Nintendo releases a portable that takes SD memory and everyone complains it's not an HDD. Sony released a portable with a bizzarre, absurdly priced, proprietary memory card and everyone complained that they didn't just use SD (back when SD was way more expensive than now.)
Also 3rd parties. Nintendo needs SOME western AAA thrid party, yes. And they're stressing that they've forged those relationships. We'll see. But Nintendo's ecosystem is all about a curated, different experience than the others. Not just 1st party but key exclusive 3rd party like MH, many Atlus series, Bravely, etc. etc. They're never going to build a "full 3rd party library" console, not on Switch or on any system they sell. It's not their business model. In fact that business model got built up by Sony and Sega to compete against Nintendo. Only vested gamers are interested in making sure Switch is the same as the other two machines and presume they're trying to sell to the same market.
Not to disparage your comments, you made many good points and you're clearly not one of the "complainers" but one of the examples that has specific considerations
@Yorumi "So you go into a store and look at consoles. Hmm this one is $100 cheaper, there's a wall full of games, and it's more powerful than this one that's more expensive. So why am I paying more for this one? Well see it's packed full of gimmicks you'll never actually use."
You're speaking of the less informed consumer that's not already involved in gaming. That begs the question, why are they now looking at a dedicated gaming system when they previously were not interested? What led them to gain interest, what prevented them from being interested before, and what do they want from their new system? Systems like the PS4 have been around since the NES. Since before the NES, the Atari 2600 was the same overall concept. If they were not interested in that before, what is making them interested now? And does the feature set of the Switch pique their interest more than the product class they've been ignoring for the past 30-40 years?
You're viewing all consumer's view of a video game console through the eyes of your own expectations. You're assuming "the most powerful system" will be what a consumer sees without considering that the most mobile or highest tech looking system might not be what the consumer sees. The Switch looks like a piece of new tech. The PS4 looks like a VCR or cheap DVD player. And "most powerful" is not the current trend for consumer shopping. Tablets and i3 based laptops would not be the staples in computing, and MacBook Pro would be outselling MacBook Air 2:1. "Power" no longer sells broadly outside the core gaming niche. Mobility does.
If you expect the Switch to perform well with core gamers as a primary console, then of course that expectation will verify. If you expect it might do well with everyone ELSE, and also a set of core gamers that have longed for mobility, that expectation will likely also verify. If you don't believe there are core gamers that seek mobility, you might want to let Alienware(Dell), Gaemz, Razr, and all the eBay modders that will put your Xbox into a laptop shell know about that market reality. There's a market for mobile even among the core gaming market.
Also we do not know at this point if any or some games will feature dedicated servers or not, so it's premature to insist that the online payment does not fund such servers. You may be right, but we honestly do not have that information at this time. Valve's business model is no longer that of a development studio. They're a retailer, full stop. They operate an online store and the network infrastructure behind it for the matchmaking services, and fund it utilizing a heavy handed royalty charged against their vendors for selling in their store, which their vendors except the biggest ones like EA have little choice to sell through because they've become a virtual monopoly in their market. They're offering the services for "Free" because their vendors are coerced into subsidizing it. Said vendors then make back said losses by building in microtransaction based monetization schemes at increasing intervals which both PC and console gamers end up paying the price for. Nintendo is a series of development studios that also sells hardware that many people here insist they should sell at a loss, AND offer free network infrastructure. I'm not a big fan of paid online. I may or may not participate much myself. But I at least can see the financial backdrop behind it.
@Spoony_Tech im ashamed to say my son and I haven't yet plunged into MHG yet i shouldve jumped on that capcom sale last year and couldve downloaded it for $20 each...we always download MH games because one never knows when one must play MH especially when visiting my relatives! LOL! but on your recommendation i will take the plunge thank you!
@remag your comments are mind-boggling. You really have swallowed the corporate cool-aid haven't you? Protip: Nintendo isn't your friend, and only wants you for your money. They know fanboys like you will buy anything at any price, hence the high prices of the console, games and accessories.
I used to be a fanboy until I grew up and realised what Nintendo are trying to do; nickle and dime their core fans for every penny they can.
@Mogster
Well said, nintendo is a business. All business needs to make money but in the case of nintendo its reaching levels of greediness that are beyond reason IMHO and people shouldnt support it.
Their stingy mynintendo is a good example of a reward system gone wrong - ridiculous. Its much in line with their ridiculous pricing of the switch. They have become pretty insolent lately and I cant really understand how fans can feel fine with it. Of course, nintendo might also pay certain people to justify every (mis)step they make - we will never know.
Nintendo is actually pretty arrogant , they CAN make good games, and thats why I buy their consoles and games, but generally as a company they are not too friendly and certainly not our friends.
@Yorumi The 3rd parties are a key reason for the need to charge. The third parties are used to collecting a percentage of the PSN/XBO fees pro-rated by user share. A requirement of third parties is to collect royalty payments for funding their own online systems from the platform holder now. If Nintendo said no, there's no chance 3rd parties would take Nintendo seriously at all once again, and we'd be right back to the WiiU.
But you're highlighted one of the reasons why many both in the industry and among consumers have a distaste for Steam: They're a parasite. They provide cheap games to their customers, in a manner that requires the customers of their partners who are not their own customers to subsidize their customers. The Steam model is leading a race to the bottom which is fueling this "everything is too expensive, I want cheap cheap cheap everything" trend not just in Nintendo but across most gaming. It's not cheap. It's someone else paying for it.
As for what Nintendo is going to charge and what services they are going to provide for it, we just don't know. I know for a fact the Splatoon community is all about dedicated servers, and would be very happy to pay for dedicated servers improving play issues. If they have to pay but still have the same connection issues, they will be unhappy. If they have to pay and have improved connection performance, they will be ecstatic and happy to pay.
PC's just not a fair comparison. There are so many people hosting PC game servers out of universities and such (essentially making tax money pay for the game servers' bandwidth) that there's a lot of "involuntary donation" of resources there. Consoles, as pure commercial systems, tend not to receive that dubious luxury.
@Meaty-cheeky lots of tech in the switch, but not necessarily tech people care about. And some people are cautious of the kind of tech Nintendo likes to include. As for PS3 and Apple prices, let's not pretend people didn't complain about those. Sony gave Microsoft a gift with the PS3 architecture and price. And product prices are a common Apple complaint. As for build quality, the Switch may have nice fit and finish, but durability can also be considered part of build quality and that remains to be seen.
@Yorumi
I wouldnt look at it this way. If they want to charge some money for online services, well, of course free of charge would be better, but maybe its in a way necessary and if nintendos got any honor, they should deliver some better service. Maybe - maybe not, we will see.
But imo, if they start charging for it, they should provide a good deal. Why come up with monthly rentals of reeeeaaaaaly old games most people have already played - is that meant as an incentive? How am I supposed to understand that? Is this like, we want to rip you off and want to see if you are stupid enough to jump on board - or - we are very kind to you and in addition to our great onlince service we are letting you test an nes or snes game for a month for free as a cherry on top, you should be glad.
Well, thats the impression to it? Which one is it? Is it a beneficial idea? A rip off? A laugh in your face?
Maybe they want to see if theres fanboys defending even that?
@sdelfin
I dont like Iphones and I dont buy them. Mant children want an iphone because they think they will be cool if they own something that other childrens parents might not be able to afford. Is nintendo heading the same way?
@Andrzej777 I don't consider Apple products either. I do think Nintendo tries to use some Apple strategies in how they do business and I think it shows in pricing of things like virtual console and Switch accessories.
Personally I'm fine with the price, but everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Considering Nintendo tries to keep their new home consoles around $250 and the fact this one has a nice 6" 720p screen I'm fine with the extra $50 charge. To those assuming this is a mobile console to compete with 3DS not seeing the full benefit and capability of the console, it may seem costly. This is especially true considering the added cost of at least one game to get started, but again how many brand new to market consoles give you a game?
I'm glad I was finally able to get in a pre-order on the Pro controller today at Best Buy. So come launch day I'm set with the Neon Switch, matching joy-cons, Zelda Special Edition, Pro controller, and amiibo. Fortunately I have Best Buy GCU and was able to use the Visa Checkout $25 off $100 while it lasted to get amiibo and most Switch accessories and game pre-orders at a great deal (around $36 each game). Even with discounts it's still fairly pricey adding everything up, but I'd planed on buying and have been saving for the expense.
@Yorumi It's not spin it's a long running reality I was aware of long before I left PC for a return to Console. You even said it in your own words about titles for which the boxed copies pay for the online infrastructure the Steam customers are not paying for. Customer friendly by shifting costs from your own customers to competitors customers by leveraging market share to coerce that behavior has landed brick and mortar retailers in court more than a handful of times. Its a boon if you happen to be their customer. If you're benefiting from it, horray for you. Just remeber if you manage to be successful in your campaign to convert the world to see the light and ditch the competition for Steam, those perks will end very fast, once they're no longer subsidizing it for you. Sometimes if you have an unfair advantage, it's best to just lay low
Money doesn't grow on trees, and servers don't pay for themselves. If YOU are not paying for it, did you ever ask who is? And what would happen to your service if they stopped?
Also, Valve does not host servers for multiplayer games other than their own. Either the developers host it themselves (which they can still do on Switch) or Steam is liking you to one of those dedicated servers usually run at universities or nonprofits (which means, yes, it's taxpayer subsidized gaming. That aspect existed loooong before Valve even existed.)
But it's best not to mix two topics: You're confusing places where you see greater value in Steam's digital retail offerings than Nintendo's and places where you see better service in matchmaking and social services for a lower cost on Steam. They're two different conversations.
The irony is Valve does what they do by strongarming their vendors PRECISELY the way Nintendo used to when they held a similar position in the industry. The backlash that eventually built up from the industry toward Nintendo is part of why Nintendo is where it is.
I'm not saying I begrudge you for taking advantage of a good opportunity as a consumer. That's just good business. But your vocal praise of a parasitic system that benefits you and others ad the cost of many of the same folks you're promoting it to is just a little short-sighted and comes across poorly. Instead of endlessly bashing the companies that are figuring out ways to fund their expenses and monetize their customers, the conversation would be a lot smoother if you could acknowledge the involved expenses for all parties and how all parties manage to cover them within their business frameworks.
One admitted advantage Valve has is they are still a privately owned company. They don't have to generate, by law, a good faith effort to endlessly increase YoY profits. That does give them more leeway in being less "greedy."
@Yorumi
of course the service is better, much much better. Still, no matter how ridiculous this monthly rental thing is, paid online is not the worst thing in this scenario. But thats pretty subjective as I dont really care about it, some people might actually do care about free games, I dont. But I understand that it can put people off and most off all its another example of nintendos way of business - thats off-putting.
@Freelance I was just taking the country-wide minimum wage: $10.50 in Newfoundland.
@sdelfin
And thats the point. They think how to get the most milk.
But at least they are not so bad, I mean, they could have just said if the battery dies you have to buy another switch but they are so kind as to offer us paid battery replacement. Wonder what the difference will be between buying a new switch and that replacement.
Just btw, this whole switch thing could be grounds for a study into fanboyizm - new levels have been reached I think.
Even though I will buy the switch in the end - I have never had so many thoughts about calling it quits. I am not buying sony or ms - but if this is the way nintendo is heading - I think I might just stick to what I have got, buy Zelda for wii u and play through my backlog which should last me for a couple of years.
Still a long time ahead of me to make that decision. It has never been harder to stay a fan of nintendo games as nowadays. Maybe nintendo wants to create another fanbase. Maybe this is all a sociological experiment trying to study the depths of human attachment to a brandname and how it copes with consumer unfriendly circumstances
@Parkour_LMan There is definitely a typo. Its impossible to have two segments of the group with the exact 30.63 percentage.
I estimate that around 3,000 (minimum) were polled which is a very large chunk (usually political surveys usually poll around 1,000-1,500 people and they are accurate within a 2%).
@Mogster
Fanboy? lmao I'm nearly 47, I wasn't into the Switch at first, totally going into it with my eyes wide open........ Its new tech with a lot of resources behind it hence the cost, its the first Nintendo console in absolutely yrs with no backwards compatibility, new engine, new controllers etc etc etc yet people are expecting miracles in price, get real, things cost money, Nintendo are a business, if you aint happy with the price, go buy something else, not rocket science is it!!!................
@Yorumi
Deluded.................................
@remag
well put, maybe we should do that.
Look, when they said the switch would launch in march I was absolutely sure I would buy it day one and play zelda on it. When it was fully revealed and all kinds of hidden, overpriced costs were made known. I was quite confused, didnt see that one coming. Like I always its not about being able to afford it. It was a feeling of being shortchanged. I thought they are really pushing it. I cant really justify this purchase at this conditions to me or anyone. When the wii u was doomed I bought it and even though I knew this is not going to be a winner I was actually quite happy with it, disappointed a little when they abandoned it. But this?
The first time that I was contemplating calling it quits, call it whatever you want, but this is not really cool to me. I probably will buy it in the future, but I realize what they are doing here and will try to open the eyes of blind and ignorant people to see it it for what it is. And I do hope that nintendo either realizes it, changes policy, or be doomed and go multiplatform because that might be most beneficial for customers. Actually that might be the best option, you could just buy a ps4 for cheap, with a proper controller and no need to buy anything else for a proper gaming experience and have nintendo games play on it - I think that might the best option for all! Nintendo probably realized that, too. And thats why they want to cash in a last time. If sales wont work with the switch they will pull the plug, call it quits and release titles for other systems just as they went mobile.
@Yorumi
OMG................... By tech I mean everything inside it, it will have a pc board inside it with components on it, totally drawn up, made, produced from scratch, go make it yourself and produce it if you can do it better and cheaper.......................Christ, for this console its all new architecture everything.......... they didn't magic it all out of thin air!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And if your concerns of tech are all based on the HD rumble then think again, its there for developers to use if they wish, nearly every game I play includes rumble in some way, including the PS4...............................
@Yorumi
Everytime I play any wiiu game.................................
@Yorumi No, Sony pays royalties to publishers from the online subscription fees to host their own servers. And yes, Valve hosts servers for their OWN games. We do not yet know if Nintendo will or not. You might be right, there's a good chance, but we can't discuss what we don't know yet. You're free to complain about them not hosting any game servers if they in fact don't
I already said I'm not particularly a fan of paying a monthly fee for services, but that I'm also not going to be oblivious to the expenses and income models for each company providing them.
@Andrzej777
Nintendo go multi platform? haha heard it all now..............
@Yorumi
System bundled with an expensive gamepad?........... the gamepad is one half of the wiiu ........... kinda thought you were clever enough to of known that?...........
@Syrek24 HD Rumble and a IR Camera "Very advanced technologies", yeah sure, but all it's really done is up the price for the Switch. I honestly don't care it's $299 or more, since i'm not getting it until it offers a lot more within it's library, but I highly doubt anyone really wanted HD Rumble and a IR Camera in the first place, so all those "advanced features" Nintendo added are just going to be left unused, with the exception of motion controls (Since that's a feature that everyone likes).
Gaming doesn't have to be expensive, since they are plenty of ways to play really good games without paying an arm and a leg. Not to say it's bad thing to pay for expensive games and accessories, but for the people who game as a hobby, the majority of them want the best deal that they can spend with their hard earned money. Only someone who actually games for a hobby knows this, unfortunately for you everything you said is a big rookie mistake in terms on buying games as a hobby.
And here's some more friendly advice for you my friend, Stop taking video games so seriously, Jeez. Every time I see you in a comment section you're ways saying people are complaining, when the only one I see complaining is you. So lighten up, people have other opinions and aren't blind fanboys like you. If anyone who is the massive joke in the fanbase it's people like you, who go around starting arguments with insults and barely any facts to back yourself up.
@TreasureFan
you wouldn't be doing much without the IR camera..................
@NEStalgia amen!
@remag Exactly, why would they add it in the first place, if no one was going to use it otherwise.
@Yorumi Like you mentioned, big 3rd parties. I wouldn't be surprised if companies like Capcom are the reason we have the subscription fee. For a lot of the online MH games on consoles Capcom charged an online fee for players in Japan. If I remember right Nintendo pretty much ate the costs for NA and Europe regions themselves when the games actually came out in those areas.
Factoring in that Nintendo is also the smallest (and has the least amount of bargaining power) of the "big 3" there are probably a lot more companies with considerable clout that Nintendo has to deal with. The difference is that Sony can charge a subscription fee because they feel like it (not that many publishers are anywhere near as big as them) versus Nintendo whom being much smaller in size essentially has their hand forced.
That's one of the reasons why running more than one line of business is advantageous. You can leverage your overall size when it comes to negotiations. And let's face it, a company like Microsoft or Sony is MASSIVE when you factor in all of their lines of business.
@remag
it will happen if they carry on this way, same as they went mobile
Maybe its really time to move on and call it quits? Be content what is there and face the truth? I will see about that.
Christmas will be the earliest date to get it IMO, probably even later. Nintendo is shooting in its knee here. The wii u was a sad thing, nintendo really cheaped out there, but it was the games who kept me convinced and I wished more would have been released for a IMO great console. But this one is like sucker punch for die-hard fans. Die-hard fans, not to be confused with fanboys.
Have them drop Pokémon Stars down as a future title and repoll the same people. I bet the results change drastically. 😁
If anything, this poll reveals a lack of interest. Not good.
"It's a bit expensive at the moment, I might get it later" is NOT a sign of excitement.
Don't worry the switch will sell a boat load in japan. I very surprised with the hype that is building bad and good.
@Smokingspoon I hear you. I'm in Manitoba and my walmart does not do pre order so I took the day off. I'm bringing 1000 with me just in case.
The Nintendo Switch is doing pretty well when it comes to pre-orders in Japan. According to Japanese publication Media Create, 80% of the initial shipment has been sold through pre-orders.
Which means that only 20% are left to those who haven’t pre-ordered and are hoping to buy one on launch date. Which pretty much guarantees shortages on launch day.
Nintendo has assured fans that they will have 2 million consoles available worldwide during the first month.
The company didn’t specify how many of those will be available on March 3rd when the console launches.
But if Japan is any indication, the Switch is in high demand and you might have a hard time getting one on launch day if you haven’t pre-ordered it.
I'm glad that I'm not crazy for thinking that the Switch is too expensive.
Don't they get it nearly $40 cheaper compared to the US?
I agree the system is a bit expensive. I was thinking a price of 249.99. I took serious consideration in buying the Switch. It came down to Playstation 4 or Switch. None of my friends play Nintendo consoles anymore. They do play 3ds. But all of them own PS4. None of them plan to buy Switch. I could have got a PS4 for around 260. I really went back and forth but Zelda took the Switch over the top for me. I love RPG's and action RPG's and could have had a bunch on PS4 but Zelda Carried the Switch for me. I just hope Switch will get its share of RPG's this time around. Nintendo has never done very well at loading up on RPG games on any system except the 3ds. The system seems aimed at older gamers the way they are advertising. Maybe it will be different with switch
@Yorumi There's way too many variables to consider to fit even in my text walls! But the short of it is, yes, we're talking about the big publishers like EA. They are the ones throwing their weight around demanding fees. Indies can't do that, they don't have the leverage, and that's the kind of services that publishers like EA are selling to onboard them. No indies are not getting a cut. EA, Ubi, Activision, 2k, Time Warner, they are getting a cut. Indies are not publishers, they don't get to ply contracts like that. That's why they're indies. They could have signed up for agency support, but then they'd be giving up control.
There's very many other factors too. What is Frontier's corporate tax rate? What is Nintendo's and Sonys? (People love begging for taxing corporations and never seem to get the idea that it's just going to come back on them.) How much is Frontier spending on subsidizing hardware for each and every one of their customers? You think those below cost consoles are ACTUALLY below cost once you're a customer? I don't know if Switch is below cost, I'm guessing it likely is, but WiiU certainly was, 3DS was at launch, PS4, XBO were/are. The indies and small studios aren't putting billions into R&D and facilities. They're not running money losing experiments like XBCX - something has to pay for that. What kind of salaries and benefits does Frontier provide employees? Are there benefits at all? The large companies are providing full benefits to most of their staff. That's anything but cheap. Indies tend to be younger, more flexible staff working on it for more meager living out of a passion for the product. There's so much that goes into end cost, and how prices are shuffled around between product lines. Fun fact: XBox has never made a dime, and they plug the hole by shifting Android royalties into the XBox division. Every Android buyer is paying XBox to exist...is it fair to the Android customers to pay more to fund a game console they're not using? No. But that's how the company juggles its finances to offer the products they're trying to offer, and still prove to shareholders they're turning a profit and operating as lean as they can. Which is the last factor. Some is just the pure expense of bureaucracy of being a large multinational publicly traded company. It bleeds money and customers have to pay for the inefficiency. Stinks. On the other hand, there's a reason Nintendo and Sony can bring large hardware projects to market and Frontier doubtfully ever will.
There's pros and cons all around. Steam and those indie games may well be offering better value for your needs. Yay! But it's not fair to all the companies involved or consumers in general to pretend "free is free" and the cost isn't coming from somewhere. There's no such thing as free. If you're not paying for it either someone else is, or the company is eating it, and THAT probably comes out of some poor schmuck's salary and benefits somewhere along the line...
@Oat nope your not crazy.
Here in the US it's been listing at 299.99. And that's not bad. Without a pack-in title or an included Pro Controller, it seems a little high, but if it results in a sturdy product, no worries. Sadly, by the time you add a Pro Controller and expand the memory and buy an extra charging cable for when you're on the go and invest in a travel case, screen protector, etc., it gets pricey and that's before the first game is purchased .
@KiWiiU_Freek I think for everything the Switch lacks, it should be cheaper. Especially power, storage space, and no pack in games. They are going up against machines that are a lot more than just gaming machines, but that also do awesome with games, and they blow away the Switch in every way possible save portability. I think it is rather stupid to bank on portability with a console that serves experiences for tv's.
Plus, this console just makes me feel like Nintendo is trying to milk us. If they try to charge PS and Xbone prices for internet, while still not having an account system that saves your game purchases, that is just another nail in the coffin. Honestly, this is turning out to be the most unexcited I have ever been for a console. The only thing making me a bit excited is Xenoblade 2 and FE.
@Tiredman
I agree the price is a little higher than I thought as I said.
I've never bought a console for its power but for its games and that's one area Nintendo are no slouches.
Portability is not a stupid thing, for me and a lot of people it is the main thing that separates it from the competition.
XB1 and PS4 are gaming machines that also stream movies.
I already have a box under my TV that does the latter so I don't need that in my games machine.
Can I take those games with me?
No.
With Switch I can.
No one knows what Nintendo's online prices are yet so I'll wait before I comment.
For me this console will be a godsend.
I have 2 kids and limited spare time to dedicate to sitting in front of a TV and console.
Switch will allow me to game on when I otherwise couldn't.
Switch is definitely far too expensive for what it is.
For what it is Switch is far, far too expensive. If it was a Tegra X2 inside I'd say great deal!
If even Japanese thinks the Switch is too expensive, I see a hope in a price drop. After all in Japan they sell one small cup of ice cream for 8 bucks, heh. So they are probably used to high pricing so this is very interesting. 40% may seem as not big deal since it's not even a half, but japanese market is what matters the most for Nintendo, and if japanese are unwilling to buy Switch at the current price, what about the western market huh? Nintendo better do a significant price drop or interesting bundle and slay the market. Or the numbers may end in bad results.
So far most reasons of not buying the Swith I noticed were the price, not included game in bundle and mistaking the hybrid for a phablet.
A large number of people online just like to troll things they like but can't afford. So just because they can't afford a Lamborgini Gallardo will just say "too expensive, not worth it". Granted a Lamborgini is pricey for most, and the Switch is not a Lamborgini. If there were sufficient preorders we would see likely better numbers for the console at launch. But who knows? The Wii turned a meager launch numbers and an interesting concept into their best selling home console.
@cheonsacz
Eh ?
Small ice cream cup for $8 ?
Gosh... (Btw, in my school canteen, they sold a cup of ice cream for 5000 IDR or around 40 cents)
Back to topic. Hopefully Nintendo lowering the price before release date, maybe between $250 - $280. I wonder what is Mr. Tatsumi Kimishima thinking about when he has to set the official price. Did he realized the consequences if he set the price too high ?
@AlexSora89 "I really got your joke as I was writing my reply!"
Well then the joke was the perfect balance of subtle and obvious.
And in case you missed it entirely, the joke was "Pokemon Stars" on Switch. At least I think it was, that was days ago.
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2016/11/rumour_new_version_of_pokemon_sun_and_moon_pokemon_stars_is_coming_to_the_nintendo_switch
Pffft....Everyone knows that these polls are rigged unless they are skewed in Nintendo's favour.
@rjejr
I know about that, that's what made your joke suddenly dawn upon me!
Ah.
The Switch is cheaper in Japan than any other region, so they have no right to complain.
I'm kind of the opposite. I don't think it's THAT expensive. Especially considering the tech that goes into it (HD Rumble, etc.). I HATE having to pay for online though. I know it won't be that expensive, but I hated it for Xbox Live and PSN and love that PC gaming is still free. At least it's region free now though, which is actually pretty cool.
Am I the only one who thinks the logic seems to have went over the heads of the Japanese gamers?
> Switch too expensive
> Doesn't mind paying for online
Well then just think of the "extra" you pay for Switch as paying the free period of online before it goes paid mode. Downright idiotic reasoning xD If it was the opposite, that they thought Switch was too expensive AND they had issues with paying for online, it'd be understandable. If you're going to fork over the money anyway, be it at launch for the console, or for those 4 months of online you get anyway, it shouldn't really matter.
Just my opinion.
The survey was from January 13th, 2017 18:50 ~ January 14th, 2017 18:00. 3,049 responses with 2,797 were male and 252 were female.
3,049 responses on Hachima, a Japanese video game blog.
I don't think that really represents a broad opinion of what Japan thinks, but what a Japanese enthusiast gaming blog userbase thinks.
@Anti-Matter I was shocked too XD I never been to Japan, but I saw it on a video shared by my korean friends who went on a trip to Japan (I'm fluent in korean)
@S20TEW its $299.99 in the US
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