When Mario Kart Tour made its debut on mobile back in September, fans of the long-running series got quite the shock when it was discovered the free-to-play game contained a Gold Pass subscription system.
Now, a few months later, Nintendo has announced a new paid membership service for its two-year-old game, Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp. This information was revealed via an in-game news update. The service itself will begin later this month on 21st November.
Here's a screenshot, courtesy of ResetEra user ZeoVGM:
There'll be two different plans within this service to choose from:
In one plan, you'll be able to appoint one lucky animal as your camp caretaker and get some extra help around the campsite.
In the other plan, you'll be able to receive fortune cookies and store your furniture and clothing items in warehouses.
More details about the new paid membership service will be provided in videos due out on 20th November.
Are you still playing Pocket Camp? Have you spent any money on this game? Comment below.
[source resetera.com, via youtu.be]
Comments 73
I get that at the end of the day, Nintendo is a business and not a charity. I get that their mobile strategy is working for them from a business point of view. But as a long time Nintendo fanboy, I can't help but feel disappointment over their mobile practices.
Come again Nintendo
I haven't been impressed with any of Nintendo's mobile games or their strategy. It's ok, though! Lots of people are enjoying them and I can appreciate that there are options for everyone. If Nintendo brings this strategy to their console games then I likely wont buy as much as I currently do.
Okay, game removed from phone.
now, watch this get swept under the rug while people continue to complain about the optional cosmetic MTX in CTR.
Predatory practices for their awful mobile "games". Nintendo should be ashamed.
I like how they try to attempt to cover such an insidious practice with the celebration of the 2nd anniversary.
@Noid all micro transactions blow dude
Personally, I've enjoyed AC Pocket Camp for what it is, but I'll rather wait for the upcoming -and hopefully microtransaction free- AC on Switch.
@gamer89 To be fair, Super Kirby Clash Deluxe is perfectly enjoyable without paying a cent, and they also offer a single purchase package for the price of a regular game, that makes all microtransactions irrelevant. I'm not a fan of microtransaction based games, as they always spoil game progression mechanics, but SKCD is one of the most fair ones I've played.
@MichaelHarvey Why should they be ashamed of trying to make money from their work? AC Pocket Camp costs money to develop and support so why should they give it away for free?
Nintendo tried a more traditional monetization system with Super Mario Run and most mobile gamers complained about that. It seems that they'd rather be scammed with "free" games instead of making a single payment for the whole experience, so Nintendo is just trying to give them what they asked for. Which, in my opinion, is exactly what they deserve.
Like this game wasn't money grabbing enough already!
Considering how far behind the competition Nintendo are when it comes to online services, they sure are banging the nail home when it comes to monetization in their mobile games.
Haven’t played it in 23 months, and I guess it won’t be mandatory anyway, so no skin off my nose.
@Kochambra Why? I provided the answer in my first sentence. They are using predatory practices - aimed at young children - to build up micro-transaction balances. £1.99 here, £4.99 there...
It's extremely cynical and they SHOULD be ashamed. Businesses need to operate with a certain level of ethics. It is called CSR - Corporate Social Responsibility.
@MichaelHarvey It's money taken away from Apple or Google. You want quality game design? Play on consoles. Mobiles games are made by algorithms for the sole purpose to maximise profits. There's no creative freedom in mobile gaming.
I hate this stuff a lot but in the end, if it's a free game and you're playing it, they need to somehow pay the bills. It's like buying cosmetic stuff in Path of Exile but it's not required to buy to play. So, if I enjoy playing a free game, then I try to buy something now and then, so they continue to come out with free regular content. I want to support the company for their service. The difference is being forced to pay a subscription or not. That is what I hate.
@glaemay
And any company developing these money farms aimed at children should be ashamed and thoroughly denounced by gamers, parents and wider society. Of course, some of the overzealous Nintendo fanboys will defend this.
Besides, we have recently had a shift away from predatory mobile games with Apple Arcade. That service is great for mobile gaming, is well worth the money and disproves your creative freedom theory. Google Play also has it's own version but only available in the US so far.
Another reason I hate this subscription crap, is that the content is not worth the money. I mean, cmon a helper for one plan and storing stuff in the other? I pay Crunchyroll like $7/mon for a crap ton of anime. Big difference in money for value.
@YagaMaki it somehow made sense for mario kart tour, but this is a bit worse. Feels like they treated and perfected the strategy.
Only thing that gives me hope is that they apparently try it once and never again (look at everyone bringing up mario run.)
And I don't think this strategy has worked for them on home consoles, save for the dlc packs. (Which so far have mainly worked in games like smash, Mario kart and Zelda. Games that were perfectly finished without the dlc.)
@MichaelHarvey They are using exactly the monetization practices that the mobile market - and particularly mobile customers, with their purchasing habits - dictates. If a company wants to operate in that market, it HAS to use these practices. Nintendo tried to use different, more traditional practices and mobile gamers complained to no end.
AC Pocket Camp is not a game aimed exclusively at young children, but at people of all ages. Even if there actually were young children expending money on microtransactions in the game, who would be responsible here? Nintendo or maybe those hypotetical kids' parents, who give them money to spend and let them loose in the toxic mobile market without proper supervision?
"Of course, some of the overzealous Nintendo fanboys will defend this. "
Anyway, after reading this sentence, it seems to me that you're not interested in having an actual conversation about this topic, so I'll just leave it here.
@gamer89 "I don't care if game is fair or not fair, disgusting practice is disgusting practice, you aim at people knowing some of them won't resist paying no matter what the reason behind it, they are knowingly implementing such mechanics, if you want to be fair don't implement it at all and charge a entry price and that's it."
As I told you, they ALSO give you the option to "pay an entry price and that's it". So you can pay that price and completely forget about microtransactions, or you can pay microtransactions, or you can endure a few inconveniences and play the game for free.
Remember : YOU DON`T HAVE TO PAY TO PLAY !!! So, what`s the big deal ? The idea sucks, but the game is free and enjoyable without spending a cent.
Honestly, if it was this Vs. Loot boxes, I'd consider this the lesser of two evils (it's not too different from MMO subscriptions anyway). And especially considering the game is free-to-play to begin with, I cant fully fault the practice.
As long as this doesnt seep into retail/console games, I'm not too bothered by it.
say waaaaaaaat, not buying!
I'll just keep playing like I always have. I'm a completionist when it comes to collection/customization games, but Pocket Camp has so much stuff I literally cannot obtain without pumping all my money into it, I don't feel attached to my collection like I do in mainline AC games. This subscription thing seems to tap into that attachment with the warehouses and stuff (which I assume means more storage and no more free space for the ever expanding event item spam). So maybe there will come a day when I just quit. New Horizons will inevitably keep me away from it anyway.
People who pay for online on Switch should get free online on phone when account is linked.
This is pure greed as each phone game needs a monthly sub each.
This is actually worse than Free2Play online games on phone where about all have free online.
Downloaded it when it first came out. Played for about 5 minutes. Deleted. Been busy with proper games since, so unless someone gives me a laxative I'm going to struggle to give a **** about this or any of Nintendo's overly cynical mobile games.
@YozenFroghurt I dont know what makes you think I dont understand the issues or controversies with them...
I've seen videos regarding the problems with microtransactions. I already know about how loot boxes are akin to gambling. I applaud Belgium for getting the ball rolling on clamping down on them.
If I had it my way, no game would have them. But given the nature of, especially F2P games, I think it's important to push for a balance + protections for people with addictive personalities, rather than burn it all down.
@Kochambra oh look a corporate shill
@gamer89 "There are already games like Super Kirby Clash on Switch so it's just a matter of when, not if."
Nintendo's been releasing Free to Play games since the 3DS with MTX. so it's not really new to them. and unless this starts to effect their full-price games, don't be surprise if they continue to do these F2P games on Switch or future consoles for that matter.
As for the Paid Online Membership. it's something that i'm not interested in. that being said. i'll just continue playing the game as normal.
@MichaelHarvey Yeah Nintendo is evil for making money from dumb people playing mobile games made by algorithms but Apple and Google are totally okay for making much more money by doing the same.
@somebread I haven't needed to buy any coins and have everything apart from a few items in CTR. I literally just play for a few hours each weekend day.
@YozenFroghurt Agreed. Mario Run is decent, and for what it cost I felt it was good value for money.
Don't want to play Devil's advocate, but remember that Nintendo tried a "pay once, unlock everything" model with Super Mario Run and it didn't work very well. They tried, yet mobile audiences prefer microtransactions and subscriptions, it seems.
As long as Nintendo keeps these to their free-to-start games, it's tolerable. If they start adding it to their $60 console games, it'll set the Internet on fire.
I've picked Pocket Camp back up after having not played it for a year or so. I've been playing it every day for a month or so, and I recently bought the Anniversary Pack for $7.99. It's the first money I've spent on the game in two years of play. I feel okay about it. I've spent a ton of time in the game.
The new offerings — well, I'll have to see if they interest me. I'm not opposed to buying content that seems engaging. But like many have said, my money is mostly on the upcoming Animal Crossing in March. That will likely be a day one.
@YagaMaki but didn't someone at Nintendo say the point of their mobile games was to promote the brand. I assume to get people into paying $60.
I think most of you are overreacting. Sure, the microtransaction business stinks, but it's not like those structures are shifting to console games. I wouldn't really expect anything less from a mobile perspective, cause that's what the industry is now known for. I think everyone needs to chill, and once microtransactions hit console games, I'll join you all in disappointment.
come on guys read what it says please don't uninstall just because of this it won't make any features membership exclusivery just these two features
Terrible. Absolutely terrible. Iwata would be rolling in his grave right now about this kind of practice, he would never have allowed for this.
Honest question: how many here complaining of these practices downloaded the mobile Mario game but never paid for the one unlock price “because it was fun but not worth that much money”?
We can’t be angry at Nintendo for just doing with mobile what works ok mobile. The mobile space will just not reward any premium efforts, so they just need to adopt anything that works.
Yeaaah, how about no Nintendo
Thanks
@Tharsman
I think most of us don't agree with the predatory pricing ( price gouging) of the mobile market, whether it works or not.
Even worse is, that it starts to encroach on console gaming, with micro transactions and lootboxes.
I’m still enjoying pocket camp, though I’m not sure I would pay for a subscription service for it though.
I'm calling it now, Splatoon 3 will have a battle pass system like Fortnite. The speed this poison is taking over Nintendo mobile games means it probably won't be long before it infects their Switch games.
It's sad that Nintendo instantly abandoned non-predatory mobile game monetization. I expected better from them, truthfully. I really hope this doesn't bleed over into their real games.
Sounds like Nintendo has found a strategy to overcome the low ARPU of their mobile games.
I expect every Nintendo mobile game from now on to implement a subscription service. People simply don't engage enough with their mobile titles for lootboxes to bring in big revenue.
Thanks to the idiots who bought MK Tour’s subscription service, Nintendo’s spreading this cancer to their other mobile games too.
Let’s just hope to god they don’t bring it to FE and Dragalia Lost...
To be fair I have been playing this game for about 1 year and a half and never once paid a single penny to them
besides we got the real animal crossing game next year so there's not much point to this anymore
@Tharsman That’s like saying we need to nuke countries to stop war because that’s just how it is.
@MichaelHarvey They're fighting giving consumers refunds on preordered digital games before they release.
Corporations aren't your friends kids.
Thankfully I do not care for any of the Nintendo Mobile nonsense.
So much for Nintendo revolutionizing the Mobile space... They just after a cheap buck like everyone else.
It really sucks seeing Nintendo just make their mobile games more and more greedy. Seeing these franchises doing these schemes is extremely disappointing. I know that's what the mobile market expects at this point, but I'm disappointed Nintendo went all-in. Really wish Mario Run was more successful for them.
@tobsesta99 that’s a ridiculous analogy. Players don’t want to pay for games on mobile, so they have to make free games that gouge the very small numbers willing to pay. Funny thing is these same players giving tons of money for a free game are also players that refuse to pay a fixed fee up-front. They WANT a free entry. It ends up only being players that never pay a penny for free games that complain the most about the developers looking for more ways to make money.
Btw, I say this clearly aware I am someone that hates these micro transaction garbage, but try as devs might, the bulk of the mobile consumer base just refuses to see value on software to pay up front for anything.
To be fair, if mobile was fertile ground for premium paid games, the Switch and Nintendo would had already failed as platform makers.
@YagaMaki They were very clear that they will use the mobile games to make profit and attract new gamers to its console games.
I don't like it either but if they are doing this, I guess it is working...mobile gamers don't mind spending inside the game -_-
@diwdiws Cool! I had never been called a corporate shill by some random internet person. That's another thing I can check off my bucket list
Speaking a bit more seriously, I don't think a "corporate shill" would say that microtransactions spoil game progression mechanics, or that mobile gamers are just getting what they deserve, because they seem to prefer to be scammed with "free" games rather than paying a single time for a full game. So no, I don't think your theory holds water.
@YozenFroghurt Thank you, but I'm aware of that. As I said, that's what that particular market seems to demand: "free" games that do their best to coax users to pay microtransactions. It's basically a poisoned market.
That poisoning has expanded to the console and PC gaming market too, and not just in the shape of "free-to-start" games. If you read the comment section of any NL article about a game that has also been released on mobile, 9 out of 10 times you'll find someone calling the Switch version a scam, because they have the "same" game on mobile for "free". Apparently, that's what some people want in consoles too, as baffling as it may seem.
I give Nintendo some credit because they tried a proper game release with Super Mario Run. But mobile gamers spoke with their wallets: apparently, they would rather spend their money on a "free" game with gacha mechanics like that Fire Emblem one. That's what they asked for and that's what they're getting.
Personally, I mostly stay away from mobile gaming and the only "free" games I remember trying on console are Pokemon Picross and Super Kirby Clash Deluxe. The first one I played because a I love Picross, but I found it annoying and muddled with unnecessary mechanics, and the second one I played because I love Kirby games, and I've enjoyed it for over 45 hours without paying a cent. I'm actually considering buying the single payment package just to be fair with the makers of the game (because people deserve payment for their work) and also to send Nintendo the message that I would rather pay full price for a game than get into that microtransaction nonsense.
Time to free up 900mb on my phone...
@YozenFroghurt No apologies needed, you caused no offense
@gamer89 It'll never carry over to consoles. Nintendo has made it very clear that they treat mobile games very differently than console games. Super Kirby Clash is a different case as the game originally came out on the 3ds years ago, and it was one of Nintendos first free to play endeavors. Nintendo was trying a bunch of free to play strategies back then, like with Rusty's Real Deal Baseball or the Nintendo badge arcade. So those games have no barings at all on how they handle the console games.Plus the fact that Nintendo has ported none of its mobile games to Switch, despite the tons of mobile games that have made it on the eshop, shows that Nintendo doesn't want to associate those games with the Switch.
This is why I never even bothered to try even Nintendos mobile games. I knew they'd start getting more money hungry there.
Not that they are entirely to blame, people keep paying crap like paid memberships and microtransactions and that's why companies keep doing it.
They can shove it as far as I'm concerned.
@glaemay That is some BS, boy.
@garfreek As much as I loathe their Mobile strategy, I have to applaud them on their DLC offerings. As you mentioned, Nintendo games are the complete package without DLC. DLC is extra icing on the top, just the way it should be.
I haven't played this game basically since it launched, I am into the series because of all the cool things you can do with the fully featured versions of the games, I am content with waiting until next year when the next entry is released and even if I was into this game I wouldn't pay for the membership as I am not the type of person to pay for a membership to any one game.
At least they aren’t charging $100 a year for a game that’s already $60
Doesn't matter, Pocket Camp is a lost cause for me anyway. I just hope they don't monetize AC Switch. (Have they already said they would?)
@DarthKirby it's Not Confirmed if they will add stuff like that for New Horizons.
Because the paid subscription service for Mario Kart Tour went over so well.
I'm sure they're going to profit from this, but I myself quit this game a while ago because they started gate keeping good furniture from people who didn't pay, and made watering flowers a horrible chore.
I don't play Nintendo's crap on my phone so I'll take a pass on this.
Have payed everyday since launch, haven’t spent $1
Wonder how much they'll charge for this.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Darth vader
I am pretty darn sure that this subscription service is going to integrate into the Nintendo switch version of the game somehow so I wouldn't be too angry about this considering most Animal Crossing fans are playing it because of the social immersion that is much deeper than miitopia or Fantasy Life or even miitomo. The warehouse part really make sense for the Nintendo switch integration. And the free housekeeping is actually not too bad of a thing if the subscription is relatively cheap because not many people have time to play these games on their phone so paying a small fee to have someone collect fruit for you or whatever the game involves after the very beginning isn't too bad. I think the real problem with Animal Crossing is that a lot of people assume that it's a kids game but it was never geared towards kids at all. Most of the jokes are adult humor or even lowbrow humor. And I'm pretty sure the demographic who plays this game is either young adult women or hipster men and both demographics have a lot of money to spend as seen with avocado toast and the boom of Starbucks coffee pictures on the internet. So I think it's absurd to say that this game jump the shark when the truth is it is adding value to its targeted demographic. The same goes for Pokemon with their new Pokemon Bank equivalent, everyone knows that the person who cares about the old Pokemon are only the old people who remember those Pokemon. So what I'm getting at is everyone needs to stop whining and understand that Nintendo is going to Target whatever audience they believe their products are for and if you happen to not fit that Target that doesn't mean Nintendo failed at selling a game, it instead means that you are a niche gamer that Nintendo can't focus on because you are unpredictable based on the data.
@YagaMaki AGREED!!!!
With the huge negative press and even laws against loot boxes, this was inevitable. At the end of the day, the game exists to make the publisher/developers money. If you cut the revenue stream off, they have to find another one elsewhere.
Here's the thing... I think people overlook the fact that so many amazing games already exist with plenty more to come before this business model wrecks gaming as it currently exists. So many that - in an 'ok boomer' moment - I no longer care about Nintendo and what a sh*t company they are on a course to become. I no longer care what they and others are going to do to gaming. Or what the next gen of gamers will inherit. All digital library and streaming... where no one will truly own anything ever again... and this mobile business plan. On it's way to consoles.
They have already abandon and actively ignore the NA market with regards to their fans and supporters. There is no way I could play and beat every amazing game that now exists or will exist in the next few years.
So screw this and screw subscriptions, clubs and season passes... and screw the business suits at Nintendo. I have more than enough to play til I die.
The worst part about this whole thing, is that lots of people will actually pay for this subscription
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