When FIFA 18 launched it became a tough yardstick for the Switch in terms of online functionality. It was the most feature-rich on-the-go FIFA to date, but in comparison to PS4 and Xbox One versions it lacked key online modes and options. For some the inability to arrange online games against friends was a major issue, and finger pointing went between EA and Nintendo. On the one hand Nintendo's online setup for the system is still limited, but on the other there are games where you can play with friends online, so it's evidently not impossible. There's probably fault on both sides.
In any case, the point of recalling that tale is a reminder that the Switch is still in its early days of online functionality, especially as Nintendo will eventually follow the lead of Sony and Microsoft in launching a paid service. The Nintendo Switch Online service will have a relatively low price-point but will be needed to play any game online when it arrives in 2018 - bonuses will include downloads through the Classic Game Selection and 'eShop deals'.
It's all suitably vague and not due until next year, but Forbes had a go at quizzing Nintendo of America's main man Reggie Fils-Aimé on the service. Naturally he wouldn't be drawn on details, but did go out of his way to emphasize that the company will look to add its own twist with the service.
I'm not going to tell you exactly what it's going to look like. We'll share more about that next year. But what I can tell you is that our vision is to have a robust online environment that not only provides the mechanism for you to have your multiplayer experiences and matchmaking, those elements are minimum. Our goal is to provide that extra Nintendo twist, and that's what makes our company historically so effective. We don't do things the same way everyone else does. We relish being different. We see that difference as an element that makes us more compelling to the consumer. And so having that differentiated experience is what we are focused on and we'll unveil more next year as we're closer to the launch of the service.
He also gave his pitch for the continued role of the 3DS, with plenty wondering how long the veteran portable will remain key to Nintendo's plans.
The role for Nintendo 3DS, as a family of systems that range from a hardware standpoint, from $79.99 to $199.99 and has a back catalog of well over a thousand games, we see this system doing two things for us. One, it's an entry vehicle. If you're a mom or dad, you're trying to take care of multiple kids and to give them a great experience that you feel good about, couple of 2DS as a holiday purchase, is a fantastic value. And again, [you get] access to all of this great content.
Similarly, if you're an active gamer, and there's a particular game that you have to get your hands on, and it's only available on 3DS, well then buying a 2DS XL or a 3DS XL is a great way to scratch that itch. That's the role that it's gonna play for us. It's gonna be an entry vehicle, a vehicle where you have to play a particular game that's only available as part of the library of games for 2DS and 3DS. That's the play. And from that perspective, it's been very effective for us, and we believe it's gonna continue to be very effective.
This past weekend I was in Florida. I'm going through a Walmart, I'm going through a Target. I'm looking across the landscape of consumers, and not every consumer is going to be able to afford a piece of $299 hardware plus a couple games, maybe some Amiibo. It's a $400 or $500 proposition. With Nintendo 2DS and 3DS, you can satisfy a lot of holiday gifts for $100 to a $200 purchase. That is a key strategic advantage.
Are you hoping for big things from the Switch Online Service, or are you pessimistic on what it'll have to offer? Let us know what you think, and here's hoping we'll learn more about it in early 2018, as part of continued improvements to help maintain what has been, without much doubt, a strong debut year for the Switch.
With thanks to everyone that sent this in.
[source forbes.com]
Comments 139
Errr....fire Reggie? lol.
Haha. That’s such a PR way of saying they are aiming to have more mediocre online offerings compared to their competitors.
"We don't do things the same way everyone else does" Enough said.
The Nintendo difference, that's the thing I play Nintendo for cause gaming tend to get stale when too many platforms are the same.
If you don't twist your body in the correct position while playing online, the motion sensors in the controller picks it up & kicks you offline. You must do a hoola hoop dance with the joy cons in order to reconnect!
"I'm going through a Walmart, I'm going through a Target." Reggie sounds like he should start doing stand-up comedy.
This pretty much confirms the paid online won't be until Spring at the earliest. If it was arriving earlier, I'd have expected info this year.
This is going to be an absolute mess.
"We don't do things the same way everyone else does. We relish being different. We see that difference as an element that makes us more compelling to the consumer."
Not a good thing in recent Nintendo history.
Wii U
mic (that isn't built into a smartphone app) drop
It's going to be interesting how the Online Service comes out next year. I hope Nintendo invest in better or more servers because Matchmaking in Splatoon have been good but there is alot of disconnects. Also they better have messaging, Cloud Saves and other features ready.
Doing things differently only makes you more compelling Reggie when it offers something different but on par or better than the standard. When you ignore the standard and make something worse for the sake of being different [ e.g: voice chat on Switch ] then no. Please don't f-ck this up Nintendo, add your spin but ffs copy 'some' of what everyone else has been doing for the last decade. Sincerely, everyone.
@FragRed "when everyone else is handling online components way better, make excuses for our less than mediocre service so that people can feel better about us as a brand" -translation*
"We don't do things the same way everyone else does", and that has always been the problem with Nintendo's history with online.
People are already complaining about something they know nothing about... If we get it, and it is bad, then it's fair, but you don't know what it is gonna entail so hold your judgement until you have something to judge.
As to 3DS, I fully expected it would remain an entry level product until, probably early 2019, when we get both an updated Switch, and a "budget" Switch or "Switch Lite".
I expect after a few years the Switch will be Nintendo's only system with a "family" of options similar to how the 3DS is now. We will probably end up with a "Switch lite" that might even be portable only, the original Switch, and a "New Switch" probably with more power and more internal save space(or simply including a micro SD card at purchase)
@GaymerGuy5 a lot of disconnects in Splatoon? Define "a lot"? We (my wife and I) play several times a week and we've been disconnected 4 times in 4 months. I'd say not bad.
@Heavyarms55 I'll complain about 1 thing right now. We have 3 switches (my wife and daughter and I frequently play Splatoon together). I've never paid for online service and suddenly I'm going to have to buy 3 subscriptions.
When the come out with the list of benefits/features that come with the subscription I'll be seriously considering selling 1 or 2 of the consoles. We'll see.
I’m pleased the 3DS is still selling in stores. It carried Nintendo through the hard Wii U years. I personally travelled coast to coast with it. I played smash Bros on the go. I definitely got my fill of Kirby and Animal Crossing. Kids should experience the love Nintendo put into the 3DS, iPads be darned!
@Fred13 I think the price is $20 for a single user, which together with three subscriptions is about a worth a single year of PS+ for one user when everything is included. I think Nintendo would be wise enough to release a family package (I mean if they expect parents to buy this for their kids, yeah). I will hold a wait and see approach is for the best .
He's exactly right about the 3DS. I'm glad it's going to keep being supported for (what seems like) a good long while.
Being different is okay so long as the difference doesn't become detrimental to the experience (see: the Wii U as a whole). We'll see what happens.
Nintendo’s lackluster online presence never bothered me in the past because it was free, but if I have to start paying for it, they had better deliver something worth paying for. When Reggie says they do things “differently” I worry that he means different in a way that lacks key components that make other online services convenient and successful. The horrible voice chat situation doesn’t give me much hope. I’m still hoping against all odds that they can surprise me in a good way.
And as far as the 3DS is concerned, I understand keeping a budget system on the market, but when big releases are all under performing on 3DS, I don’t anticipate many big budget or high-quality titles from here on out. Expect to see a bunch of filler for the first half of next year and then the system to be quietly put out to pasture.
His body is ready for the critics lol
It's Nintendo, so... expecting you to have to put a friend code in every time you use the pay service.
I will reserve judgment until I see the full product.
But I can tell you right now it's inconvenient using a phone. It's functional and it works and it's doable. But it's inconvenient.
We'll see what they bring to the table. Thankfully I don't use voice chat but once a year, and as long as the online connects... I'm happy. So regardless of what happens I'll probably be mostly unaffected. And if I'm done playing Splatoon 2 and MHXX by then... I may not even subscribe.
Can't wait for them to screw this one up.
There are "gamers" who have to have the fanciest, most high tech games and hardware, and then there are REAL gamers who play because a game is entertaining, regardless of how state-of-the-art it is. This is why the 3ds survives so well in the current market and it's nice to see that Reggie recognizes that. It might not scratch the itch of all the millennials who have to show off that they have the newest and most fancy and graphically intense games, but it definitely satisfies heartily the appetite of true gamers who truly just want to enjoy games regardless of what anyone else thinks. 👍
I hope they're mainly going to be advertising and selling the 3DS but also phasing out development for it. It's probably my most played system ever but I haven't touched it since the Switch launched so I'd much prefer them to focus all their attention on the Switch and ensuring that it continues getting a strong lineup of first party games.
@Fred13 For 3 Switches that is about the same as ONE PS4. I mildly understand your issue, but it's 2017, gonna be 2018. Online servers and services cost money to maintain. It's amazing Nintendo didn't charge for so long, but that's probably why those services have always been sub-par.
@BenAV If you look at it, they are phasing it out. We are getting less and less titles for it and we know that major series like Pokemon and Fire Emblem are coming to Switch. But Nintendo is not gonna say this publicly because it would shoot 3DS sales in the foot to do so.
"not every consumer is going to be able to afford a piece of $299 hardware plus a couple games" so you may lower the prices unless you want more people to walk out of the store with PS4 or Xbox One instead.
And PS Plus offer PS4 games for free... Nintendo gamers don't live in another age. They may need something more than just NES/SNES era games.
A whole lot of corporate marketing waffle.
" We don't do things the same way everyone else does."
Yeah, well, that's not always a good thing. The New 3DS C- stick comes to my mind as an example of this.
The drama.
@JaxonH " I may not even subscribe."
Do you think they'll make us subscribe to post to Twitter and Facebook? That's not online "play", but it is online. Sort of.
I can't believe they are making me wish for Miiverse to come back.
Hopefully they get the basics right with match making and persistent play. Then for god sakes give us both cloud saves and the ability to use NNID on multiple Switches (4 would be ideal)
Doing things different good if it's innovative.
To those clamoring for more free content (before we know what we will get) remember this Service is proposed to be much cheaper than a year of PSN or XBL like $20 or less a year.
At this point someting will be better than nothing which is mostly what Switch online is ATM.
@iNintendo now I'm skeptical, but I don't think they are going to do a mediocre online service.
@Heavyarms55 Yeah, that's what I'm assuming is probably the case. It made sense to keep supporting the 3DS as a fallback if the Switch didn't take off but that's clearly not going to be a problem now. Hopefully only having to develop for one system rather than splitting resources between a home console and a handheld should mean we don't have any big droughts of quality first party software on the Switch.
My goodness, people really get a kick out of complaining. We don't even know what the service is like yet, lol.
@Heavyarms55 @subpopz @Wexter I understand your point. I'm hoping they offer a family plan, but I'm not at all optimistic about it because they don't offer a family plan that would allow all 3 switches to play the games I downloaded digitally (the reason I started buying physical after we got the second Switch) so why would they change when they introduce the online subscription.
I also understand that Playstation and Xbox users have been paying this for a long time, but you have to understand that in my family we don't play online much. With the Wii U Splatoon was the only game that got played online and with Switch it's been 99% Splatoon 2 (with a tiny bit of Mario Kart Battle). So it's hard to justify paying a subscription so that we can play 1 game online. then I learned $20/year so I bought Splatoon and we had too much fun and bought a second Switch and had even more fun and bought a 3rd and it's been GREAT, but again paying 3 times so that we can play 1 game just isn't exciting.
Long story short...we're getting in as much as we can now, while also hoping for the best. (I was very relieved when I learned it got bumped from Holiday 2017 to 2018)
I choose to remain optimistic. Hopefully the online service is something worth paying for.
...what? What does being in Florida, Target, or Walmart have to do with the following statement? Is Reggie even knowing what he's saying anymore or is it just verbal diarrhea? I've not really had anything against Reggie as he's little more than a spokesperson, just telling us what he's told to tell us, but he's getting sorta bad at that much, that was a long winded way to reach his point.
As for the online, I don't have high hopes, Nintendo doesn't always understand what is a good value to consumers (I love them but they overprice a lot of stuff) so I wouldn't put it past them to have the online fee just allow you to play the currently small selection of online Switch titles, get access to a very small array of classic titles (possible only NES titles) with online multiplayer (maybe friends list only), and occasional discounts on a few older titles or shovelware (like 20% off certain ones). I know this sounds pessimistic but I'd rather keep my hopes low, hopefully they surprise me - the dream would be a huge overhaul to the online system, discounts on new games if purchased digitally, access to a large catalog of classic titles including N64 and GameCube with online implemented, and some other surprise feature - maybe their version of achievements but gaining points from them gives you special rewards (similar to the types of stuff from old Club Nintendo) but that's all just a pipe dream.
Just make it affordable and keep the netcode tight. That is all I need.
Oh and my theory all along has been they kept 3DS around because, if they pulled the plug when Switch came out, they'd only really be making money from a comparatively small Switch demographic (they never canned a console and handheld at the same time). And now they're gonna let it dribble out and get what money they can out of the 3DS because it's still going strong. I don't think they'll have another successor though, when they feel Switch reaches the end of its life I think they may do something like Sony, supporting the Switch and its successor for at least a year before shifting into the new system. They have to make money after all.
@CheezIt Truth of the matter, is that when playing games like Fire Emblem: Warriors, and seeing the victory screen for certain characters, like Frederick picking a rock off of a floor with really blurry texture, one can easily consider that such things would've been avoided with a stronger machine.
May a true home-console rise in the Switch's wake.
Meh.
"Different" is only effective when it is equally as good, but in a different way. Essentially saying "the competition offers intuitive voice chat, so we're not going to" is a crappy approach.
It's simple: add reasonable voice chat, Virtual Console, real sales (have you seen Sony's flash sales?), and you can fit your company's philosophy in their somewhere.
@ShadJV From what I'm seeing 3DS is not going strong. Nobody buys games for it anymore. It's basically dead.
I believe they're talking big because they're hoping to get 1 more decent Christmas out of it.
@Fred13 while a family plan is ideal, I wouldn't get my hopes up. Their argument would be $20 annually is cheap (you can get three subscriptions for the price of one XBL subscription). Which yes, I'm aware of the counter arguments, I just don't think they'd do that, just like how the Switch lacks download play - I can't play local multiplayer games with friends (as in with each of our consoles) unless we all have a copy of the game. Why let people share things when they can charge individually? Which sucks. I just hope the service actually adds enough to be worth the cost - once there's a subscription fee, online servers are limited to those willing to pay the fee, and if most consumers don't deem it worth the value, the servers will end up too empty for those willing to pay...
This can either go one of two ways. Really awesome or "Oh Nintendo. I'm a bit saddened that the 3DS has been regulated to an "entry vehicle" system but I guess its better than phasing it out completly
@Fred13 look at the money they're still pulling in from it. If you look purely at hardware, yes, that will slow down because there's less people to sell it to that would buy one. But look at 3DS game sales and they're making a ton, more than enough to warrant continued development.
I think they will do the bare minimum for $20 a year and maybe have a virtual console subscription service for a separate charge. I keep thinking they will add tiers to make more money but I don't expect the quality of their servers to improve.
Why doesn't Nintendo discount it's entire 3DS catalogue to $20 Nintendo Selects? I think their reasoning for keeping 3DS is sound, but they don't seem to have new content for it and Miiverse is closing. So it just feels dead. I also think they should make it available as an alternative controller for Switch like they did with Smash for Wii U.
@WiltonRoots - It’s clearly time. Just look at all the people in here who already know how this is going to turn out. @Menchi187 is dropping mics, @UmniKnight has blurry rocks. With this kind of compelling evidence that online will be a disaster, it’s just time for Reggie to go.
@rjejr No, non-subscribers can share screenshots to social media: https://www.nintendo.com/switch/online-service.
@KirbyTheVampire Well we do know what they've shown so far.
Well, let's see when Nintendo explain about Paid Online Service.
I just hope it's as good as the smartphone app......may the Mario gods have mercy on us all!
The Nintendo Difference: The only game on the online service you can get is Animal Crossing Amiibo Festival
How dare Nintendo charge 20 dollars a year , 2 bucks a month , for what everyone else has been charging 60+ for the last ten years ! as long as it serves the function of what it does I'll pay , I'll support Nintendo , they lost me with the Wii u , but man the switch has been a game changer . There's now too many games coming out for the switch I'm beginning to have to pick and choose, PS4 has one game I want battlefront 2 for November , for switch it's ridiculous , Lego marvel 2, doom, Re Revelations, Rime, l a noire
3 switches, games, possibe pro controller £1000.
3, 1 year online passes £60.
Boy selling 2 switches at the thought of getting done by paying "£60".
FECKING PRICELESS!!!!!
@Menchi187
DS
3DS
Wii
Switch
So you pick that mic back up.
Hopefully this will turn out well and have matchmaking and stuff built into it.
What I did want to say was that Fifa's online for Switch is rubbish and I lay the blame 100% at EA's door. If I can spend £10 on Infinite Minigolf and that shows me in game whos online and lets me play with them, then they really have no excuse. Especially when this type of system is actually built into other EA games on console that have their own matchmaking
Boy oh boy his PR is slopping over with BS! I’m mostly a solo/couch gamer but if a paid service is our only avenue to the classics then so be it. That said he scares me by only mentioning nes/snes Games. I think I speak for many expecting some big classic console additions like GameCube which we’ve all been waiting on for years, Dreamcast would be great, the original Wii and bring back the consoles that were dropped on Wii U like the Genesis, master system, Virtual console arcade. Even the Atari 2600/Arcade or Sega Saturn would be a nice surprise!! Oh well, At least Hamster has the Neo Geo more than covered without the need to pay for online.
@Fred13 it would definately be nice if Nintendo backs its strategy for multiple systems in a family with something like a family subscription, similar to Apple.
@Brett_is_dead
"PS4 has one game I want battlefront 2 for November , for switch it's ridiculous , Lego marvel 2, doom, Re Revelations, Rime, l a noirex
That looks to me like the PS4 has 6 games you want 😉
@UmniKnight then buy a true home console (or become member of the pc master race) to see photo realistic rocks.
Nintendo has never been about bleeding edge graphics. Rainway might do something here, but I doubt nintendo will allow it.
Way too much pessimism in these comments.
Oh yeah it’s the internet.
I’ll go against you clowns and say I’m ready for them to bring the toppiest of twists to their online next year.
You'll be rewarded with gold coins that you can exchange for a wallpaper!
Honestly, I don't need a "twist" or a "gimmick" I just need it to work... specially in handheld mode which is basically a joke even with 5hz wifi, I'm constantly disconnecting like 10feet away from the router...
@Rika_Yoshitake I have a very strong WiFi in my house, and with my Switch in handheld mode, I get about 15 feet from my router (still in my home), and completely get knocked offline. I had been wondering if my Switch was defective or something! All my other devices can pick up my WiFi as far as 1-2 streets away from my house!
I hope that includes cloud saves
Perhaps they mean they'll do something like Miiverse, StreetPass and Mii Plaza again. That'll be great.
Reggie, he is so good at his choice of words. Very convincing and confident. I won't make any wild guesses about how's it going to be. I'll wait till next year.
Surprise us Reggie.
Checks Middle East play store with only Super Mario Run and no Fire Emblem or Animal Crossing Extra Nintendo Twist indeed.
@Rika_Yoshitake Really? I don't have much issue. Although very rarely does Splatoon 2 lag when playing online. Happened around twice or so. Try resetting both the internet and Switch.
Well we know there's no new Pokemon game on 3DS after USUM so that's a sign there. However I'm hoping they utilise that shiny new Metroid Engine and give me at least a follow up to Samus Returns before the 3DS retires.
The twist: there was a hidden option to connect bluetooth headsets from day 1
Reggie is some BS merchant. Let's just pick this as one example.
"So what is the third party publishing landscape right now? What are you doing to get more original games out of your partners?
Every partner's important. And our mantra is, we want the very best games from the very best developers on our platforms. That is true for as long as I've been with the company. What's different is that we've got the two most widely used development engines out for Nintendo Switch. We are working quite closely with third party developers, giving them technical support to bring their content to the platform. Certainly the pace with which the Nintendo Switch is selling is seen as a huge opportunity by third party developers. And what they need to see is success this holiday season. That's why FIFA is critically important. That's why Doom and Skyrim are critically important. Each of these developers need to see a positive experience by being on Nintendo Switch. And so we're working actively to support them."
Reggie talks numerous times about FIFA 18 throughout the interview. Ya, Reggie, you're working so closely with EA that people can't even do something as simple as play against friends online. Or how about the fact that FIFA 18 has been out a month on the Switch and has been a complete flop?
A Nintendo Twist usually means either they're adding something cute and charming, or they're doing something complex and limited.
Rocket league is really the only online game I play on my ps4 so there really will be no reason to keep my PS4 once it’s out on switch, unless Nintendo online service turns out to be crap. Well, I have no issues playing smash or kart on switch, so bye ps4...
I just hope they won't lock anything suitable to single player only gamers too behind the subscription because I don't care about multiplayer features in games and in particular I really dislike online features
Well it's nearly 2018 and Nintendo are seemingly going to take the Internet seriously at last. An improvement on the days when they even refused to acknowledge it was a thing! lol
I can't wait to play splatoon 2 online. I can't wait. It's gonna be the same server running with less people.
I can't wait to play Mario kart 8 online . . .
@bimmy-lee Well when you get opinions of that high a calibre from such luminaries, then it's truly time for him to go.
This thread's not disappointed so far.
I hope they will add something different and fun to the package, just like they are saying. I want that Nintendo feeling. At the same time I don’t want that: you’re an adult, but mature rated games games can only be played online at night feeling.
I don't think online needs any "twist" - Nintendo or otherwise. It just needs to work with a minimum of effort and a minimum of delay.
What I mean is that you should not notice the online framework you are dealing with as far s the actual act of playing is concerned. It's one thing if we are talking about community, like Miiverse or such, then yeah, twist away, but everything else should function and not be noticed imho.
I thought the service was coming in January! Now it's just sometime next year... Oh Nintendo.
@Archius9 No we don't... that's purely people jumping to conclusions.
What they actually said basically means that any games that they do release on the 3DS are unlikely to improve upon USM.
This makes a new generation unlikely, but they could still continue with the current generation... Gen 4 remakes could easily be released on the 3DS to extend the current generation long enough for a true successor to the 3DS to be announced.
There's also the fact that they have confirmed that they now have enough staff to have two major games in development at the same time.
@okeribok Doesn't need to be about photo-realistic graphics, but when I see FE:W's character (Frederick in this case) look pretty good, then pick up a rock from a blurry, badly pixelated floor, then I roll my eyes.
Why do news outlets go to Reggie for info, he never has any news to offer. Go straight to the source in Japan if you want the answers.
@thesilverbrick Couldn’t agree more, well said.
@UmniKnight OK, I agree that graphics quality should be consistent, at any level of bleeding-edge-ness.
I think they should get in all sorts of trouble for what they're doing. Waiting what looks like a year or more to get their service up after the system has no excuse.
@Ichiban let’s see Reggie demo that one! (Hopefully he twists his spine into early retirement)
@H1B1Esquire "So, I'm going through a Walmart, I'm going through a Target, and this guy pulls me aside and says, 'hey, aren't you that Reggie from Nintendo guy?' And I go 'No! I'm Barack Obama!'" Audience laughs and applauds
@okeribok I'm someone who has played the crap out of games like Terraria, cutting edge graphics don't matter to me, but they need to be consistent as you've said.
I cannot help but think that these are the things that would be solved with more power. Power, that is severely compromised to have it be this.. "hybrid" they portray it to be.
The "Nintendo Twist" (doing stuff different than everyone else) sounds bad and considering Nintendo's track record of their online services as of late this also sounds bad BUT and that's a big BUT lets wait and see before we freak out....
"and not every consumer is going to be able to afford a piece of $299 hardware plus a couple games"
Which, Reggie, is a problem. For every 3DS family system that is sold for this one particular reason, there's an expensive Switch lying on a shelf. It's a very real problem and, unless things go crazy for this year's Black Friday, this can prove to be poisonous to the Switch's overall first holiday season.
But as commenter no. 107 @Captain_Toad put it best, we should wait and see.
What I'm saying, though, dear Reggie, is this: what with the Switch and its online service being both expensive, those VC titles had better be a gift and not a rental.
My Switch doesn't even connect to the internet when docked.
@Slug_Geek_Ire true fans saved up money to get the switch and support the company after Wii u was a commercial failure, knowing how important that first year is for them. They gave us all of 2016 to save up so no reason a "true fan" shouldn't have a Switch by the time the online service rolls around.
@Heavyarms55 how do you figure they are releasing less games? It seems as big a year as any for 3ds. Ever Oasis, Miitopia, Hey Pikmin, Mario Top 100, Metroid Samus Returns, Pokemon US/UM, Kirby Battle Royale, fire emblem echoes, fire emblem warriors, Mario superstars, poochy and yoshis woolly world, bye bye boxboy, Mario and Luigi superstar saga, yokai watch 2
I’ve been reading most of the comments. Seems like most everyone here is upset with the way things are right now. I’ll choose to stay optimistic though. My thinking is that Nintendo has delayed the online service to refine it even more. Think about the way they do that with their games. I am hoping that their online service outshines the competition though. There are obvious issues they need to fix; i.e. voice chat, friend codes, ect. I also wonder when virtual console is coming out, and if that is gonna be part of the online service which is why Nintendo has been so quiet on the subject? Time will tell. In the mean time I am thoroughly enjoying playing games on my switch. And there are still plenty more games coming out before the end of the year as well!
Has anyone else noticed that they changed how you were able to add friends to the Switch? At one point you were able to search by name, after the last update, you need the stupid codes like the Wii, Wii U, and 3DS systems.
As for the service, I can't wait to see what's it's like.
@DragonEleven Oh nice. I thought these were the last games on 3DS. please give us Gen 4 remake!
Also more Metroid!!!
@okeribok @ShadJV I understand the hows and the why's of the pricing even when there may be multiple Switches in a family. Again, I'm hoping to get lucky here with some family plan, but I'm not delusional enough to think it'll actually happen. I'm just hoping they find some way to make me feel like it's worth buying several of them.
@Masurao No, you misunderstood. I NEVER said I can't afford $60 for the online subscription. But just because I can afford something doesn't mean I'll buy it. If I don't think I'll get my money's worth then I won't touch it. I felt I'd get my money's worth for the 2nd and 3rd Switch and so far I have we play 3 player Spatoon all the time. However, eventually we'll get tired of playing that game and my track record says we don't really play games online (didn't much on Wii or PS3 or Wii U so why should I expect that to change now) so unless they have more built into the subscription to help me justify paying for several then I won't be willing to pay for several.
@Bliquid , wow really ? I had know idea, or maybe I'm just having a blast playing games on my switch in handheld , until I can do that on my PS4 I'll be buying games on my switch over the PS4 version .
@electrolite77 really PS4 is a handheld now ? Gotta check that out , where can I get one ?
I'm thinking online is the one thing most people wish would be more like Sony or Microsoft...but that's the price we pay for Nintendo's innovations elsewhere, I guess.
Reggie does have a point about 3DS, though. For all the talk about Switch, there will be quite a few families with insufficient funds this year. At least Pokemon and Samus Returns will be on the shelf for them.
extra twist = extra device (mobile phone) required.
If I buy into your subscription, Nintendo, can it pay for the Miiverse servers to get back up and running?
@Brett_is_dead
I like the way you're trying to be sarcastic and clever when you'd not mentioned wanting to play the games on a handheld before people pointed out you'd listed a load of PS4 games. 😁
@Folkloner Amen to that! Like you said, different is only valuable if you're as good as everyone else already, which Nintendo clearly isn't in the realm of online
So........... stay tuned.
@electrolite77 isn't that the whole point of a switch , it's versatility , did I need mention that , my gripe is people complaining about 2 bucks a month for online service when industry standard has made us pay for the last ten years , andswitch is a handheld , that happens to dock to your TV , anyone not playing switch in handheld kinda defeats the whole purpose of the switch, IMO . To each there own tho .people just love to complain about Nintendo .
@Fred13 I can understand that concern. That is why I think the wait and see approach will be for the best. I feel Nintendo would be wise to include a family pack due to their family image. However, if it did not happen $60 a year is not a bad deal. However, if you only play one game online then I can see why that would be steep.
This talk of providing an option for people on a budget is coming out of nowhere. What happened to “we offer fewer and lesser discounts than our competitors because we think it’s important to maintain the value of our property”.
I’m not saying either position is wrong, but they sure are contradictory.
I hope 'twist' does not equate to gimmick.
@WiltonRoots "Sorry, we've already fired Reggie today. Next shot at the grumpy fans and consumers is due later".
Yes it's definatly working well this different approach!
Just look at the mess.., sorry different approach to voice chat with the mass of wires and the fact you can only play online and chat with friends and no unknowns!
No holding out much hope for this, most online games have already dropped the online and chat element....Mario kart, Minecraft, Fifa
Hmmm, I'm looking forward to how they'll approach this differently.
Lol, people are still complaining about voice chat. Something that isn't essential to Nintendo's current online games, can be worked-around with a separate voice chat app, and even playing on PS4/XBO shows barely anyone uses it outside of eSports matches. Like wanting a shiney piece of candy for the sole purpose of throwing it away.
"We don't do things the same way everyone else does"
Nintendo Switch Online App...?
I can forget about voice chat... but how about give us "basic" function like friend text message? Even Wii U have "kind of" message system.
I believe Nintendo is gonna get it right this time with its online service.. Maybr not at launch but it will get there. As far as the 2ds and 3ds..I have the normal 2ds and I've been binge buying ds and 3ds games. Preowned of course, I dont want to lose the chance on all those great rpgs. Theres just too many great and exclusive games on those syatems. They should keep going strong with those.
The Nintendo Difference could be something great like Miiverse and Club Nintendo until they bore of it and discontinue it. I don't trust what Reggie says.
Cute let 3DS die already comments. I think I might be too late with my comment.
@Ichiban lol I believe this.
> We don't do things the same way everyone else does
Well that's kind of the main problem with the online service right now...
I mean, I'd be Nintendo knowing I don't know how to do online communication, I'd just partner with Discord to get it working on an OS-level... And then we're done. The end. Problem solved.
"We don't do things the same way everyone else does".
That sentence made by Nintendo is discouraging and not inspiring as they might think.
I'm stunned that the online service is going to miss the peak of Splatoon 2 craze to the point that Splatoon 2 is unlikely to be the showpiece, or even a major player, for it. That's missing the mark by a wide margin, but it's a nice perk for us to get almost a year of free play out of it.
@UmniKnight Now that I have seen the exact scene you refer to, I am more bothered by the ground texture. It looks like minecraft. I think the rock might actually be horse dung...
@okeribok I've never really bothered to look at something like that, but since it constantly zooms in on it, and I do like the animation itself, it just gets in your eye and refuses to leave. Shoddy work by KT so I'm told. Developers should start taking the Switch more seriously, as this is not good.
@NinNin Hey thanks for the Switch Online link. I'd never seen that graph/list before. I bookmarked it so when they change their minds I can go back and see what they originally said. Also, it reminded me I've owned a Switch for a week now and still haven't downloaded the app, so I should get on that.
Doing things different is fine and great but could you at least offer the same services as your competitors before trying to improve?
No save file backup, no integrated voice-chat, no way to invite friends to games or text messege them and no achievments is not "different". It's just a bunch of things everyone wants and not having them is NOT innovative!!!
@Slug_Geek_Ire ya, you forgot the /s
@Fred13 yeah, you will be paying for the features that they will be introducing. What is the problem with that? Should they give you things for free? As a public company, and a for profit company, your money in exchange for their products is a common expectation.
You aren’t getting the online service for free now that will be paid for later. That service does not exist yet publicly.
@Xaessya you should sell your Switch. Assuming you have one. And leave Nintendo websites for one covering your favorite game playing method of choice.
Thanks in advance!
@Dysnomia ???
I'm not sure what you're talking about.
I have been getting it free (see Wii U and Switch current online price)
Plus I never said I wasn't willing to pay for it. I'm just not sure I'll be willing to pay for it 3 times (I currently own 3 switches) so that we can play 1 game (Splatoon 2) online.
I understand what's actually going on here, I understand that it costs money to run the servers I'm ok with them charging. I'm just not sure if I'm willing to pay 3X subscription when we only play 1 game online. When they actually detail out any and all benefits of the subscription I'll decide if I'm willing to pay for 1 subscription, but it's hard to imagine being wiling to pay for 3 unless they do some kind of family plan (which I'm assuming they won't)
That was the point I was trying to make.
"We don't do things the same way everyone else does"
I don't like where this is going
Ok i been holding off on a Nintendo Switch because of various reasons (huge back log of 3ds games i need to finish). Now i will hold off until the online has been sorted.
I tell you what though, this whole "do things differently" stuff sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. I know Nintendo want to march to the beat of their own drum, but that doesn't always work out. CoughWIIUcough....
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