@Dogbreath housing is expensive because local governments want to protect property values since that is where their income comes from. So instead of building affordable multi family housing, they zone everything for McMansions. It is well documented.
Memory chips are expensive because regulators don’t do their jobs and already convicted companies have found a new excuse to manipulate the market.
It is sort of like our current president saying the silent part out loud at a rally when he told the crowd that oil companies are currently making a killing in the market. The manipulation is intentional and the people that should regulate are instead profiting from it.
@Res462 I understand their concern but they could have done what Hello Games did. My physical switch copy had a free upgrade, but I have to put the physical cart in to use it.
For me it was a bargain to still buy the Switch version because I can let my son play it on his Switch but I can still enjoy the updated version.
@Drago201 There is a difference between demand exceeds supply, and supply is artificially constrained to hold up prices. If the primary manufacturer pulled out of making DRAM, in a healthy capitalist economy someone would be stepping in to fill the demand. However, that is not happening.
I have been asking myself the question, "What if the formula 'more stuff equals more happiness' is bad math?" at lot lately. The truth is they need me a whole lot more than I need their products, and a large portion of what they are producing is just remasters of things I already experienced.
I can easily spend 10 hours playing No Man's Sky or whatever new Zelda they are re-releasing, but that time probably could be better used. My lifetime allotment of time looks a whole lot smaller than it used to.
Eventually I may get the storage expansion, or I will not. I am tired of worrying about it and letting it steal my joy. Life is too short.
EDIT: At the end of my life when I am in my 90's (God willing), I don't think I will be regretting that I didn't play one more round of Splatoon or Call of Duty.
While an upgrade path would be nice, the reality is that most of the Switch Square-Enix games I have do not need it. There is never enough to justify the expense, even an upgrade expense.
I am fine with my Switch 1 Edition that has the game on a cartridge vs a Game Card Key on the Switch 2 version. Felt the same way about DQ III and my playthrough of the demo of DQ VII. It also makes more sense for me to buy the Switch version so that my kids can still play on their devices (Switch and Switch Lite).
To be honest, I have been chasing the Switch editions of games that do have an upgrade path exactly for this reason. The flexibility is an advantage to me.
@AussieMcBucket this was a “business” decision to make sure their stock price continued to move up. Their net profit in 2026 was $35.8 billion which was up significantly from the previous year. That is a moral issue that we should shame them for.
Ultimately I will agree it is an incentive problem in that current regulations rewards and legal power workers have, but it’s humans behind the moral choice to make that the primary concern over the people that contributed to those profits.
I always find it interesting that everytime workers gain something like wages or work flexibility all of a sudden every company has to cut jobs. It’s always the management that reaps the rewards of success but the workers that carry the burden of failure.
@FortniteJ - Just to summarize what I am hearing. You are angry that four years after Microsoft ended all support for Windows 7, including security updates and technical support, Steam dropped support for an OS that not even the maker of the OS supported. Do you expect Steam to still support Windows 98? How about Mac OS 10.1? Especially when it accounts for 0.1% of their install base? At what point is it the responsibility of the user to take ownership for their ancient hardware and upgrade?
Does it suck that it doesn't work on newer hardware, yes. But again, that is not an issue with Steam's software. That is completely an issue of the publisher of the game either not wanting to, or being unable to update the game to run on modern operating systems. It might be licensing issues, it might be that only 50 people care about the game. They are not going to waste time and resources supporting an old game indefinitely.
Steam isn't loading DRM onto software because they want to be mean. They load DRM onto software at the requirement of the software developer and publisher. They can only remove that DRM if the Developer and Publisher allows it. So again, your beef is with the publisher/developer of whatever ancient game you are wanting to play.
As others have said, if you do not like the deal Steam offers you can go to GOG. However, after playing a game for hundreds of hours, it is a little silly to think you are going to get a refund and to argue with everyone on here about it.
@Joekun To a point, the price of the Steam Machine is out of Steam's control. Memory, GPU and Storage prices are out of control due to AI Data Centers purchasing everything they can. Western Digital sold out of their 2026 stock in February/March, and RAM/GPUs have become just as hard to come by.
I have been seeing HP regularly raise prices all year, and Apple just did a 25% increase across the board. The worrisome part is that this isn't going to resolve in 2027 either.
Square-Enix is going to Square-Enix. They have been pulling this stuff since the SNES-era Final Fantasy's, but everyone just accepted it because there was no upgrade path. Now there is an upgrade path, and they still want you to pay full price for a game you already purchased.
And they wonder why the games industry is heading for another crash...
@FortniteJ Valve is not responsible for making sure a game is playable on current hardware, except for games they make. They have a really good track record of supporting their own games. I think your anger belongs to the current rights holders for whatever games are not working for you. They have to update the software to make it compatible with current hardware.
On a larger note, depending on Nintendo to be the last bastion of physical media is a really bad idea. They, along with companies like Square-Enix, are the kings of wanting to kill their own games so they can repackage and sell them to you again at full price with minimal effort applied.
Physical media, if really wanted, will come back if there is enough demand for it. Just look at the return of Vinyl. However, I am not sure there is quite the demand that everyone assumes there is.
It is a loss for consumer rights, but it is the reality they have trained the majority to accept.
@JohnnyMind The selective listing shows I spent ten minutes looking at a list of releases trying to see which one were Nintendo published, nothing more. It doesn't change that past super-fans there isn't an appetite for the console (hence the adjustment to their sales figures).
2012 is also a very different world than 2026. In 2026 the average US rent is now ~$700 more expensive. The consumer purchasing index shows that since 2010-2021 (last data I could quickly find) we lost 20% of our purchasing power, and I doubt the last 5 years were kind to us. More and more people are moving to risky debt tools like "Buy Now Pay Later" services with high interest rates, with more than 41% being a month behind.
Cars in 2012 averaged around $30,000 while they average $49,000 now. In most communities in the US that is a necessity, not a luxury. Car loan default rates are rising, and we now have the concept of a 84 month car loan.
While wages have grown for those at the top, the rest of us are barely keeping up with inflation. Now we have a second US President showing signs of dementia, but those around him are equally lacking. This has led to instability, wars, and inflation starting to run out of control again (7.2% with the latest report I can find).
Making games takes money, as does purchasing them. On the developer side Nintendo, and other game makers, have slowed down their output. They are supplementing it with quick, easy remasters and re-releases, but they are slowing. 1 in 4 developers have been laid off, with 3 in four worried about their continued employment.
On the purchaser side, all the above is making gaming purchases more a luxury than a necessity. Nintendo already announced they are cutting Switch 2 production by 2 million consoles after a weak holiday, and now investors are insisting on a price hike because it is being sold at a loss (which means it probably isn't being made up in software sales).
So yeah, it has games but its life looks more like the Wii U than the Switch or Wii.
@electrolite77 The selective listing shows I spent ten minutes looking at a list of releases trying to see which one were Nintendo published, nothing more. It doesn't change that past super-fans there isn't an appetite for the console (hence the adjustment to their sales figures).
2012 is also a very different world than 2026. In 2026 the average US rent is now ~$700 more expensive. The consumer purchasing index shows that since 2010-2021 (last data I could quickly find) we lost 20% of our purchasing power, and I doubt the last 5 years were kind to us. More and more people are moving to risky debt tools like "Buy Now Pay Later" services with high interest rates, with more than 41% being a month behind.
Cars in 2012 averaged around $30,000 while they average $49,000 now. In most communities in the US that is a necessity, not a luxury. Car loan default rates are rising, and we now have the concept of a 84 month car loan.
While wages have grown for those at the top, the rest of us are barely keeping up with inflation. Now we have a second US President showing signs of dementia, but those around him are equally lacking. This has led to instability, wars, and inflation starting to run out of control again (7.2% with the latest report I can find).
Making games takes money, as does purchasing them. On the developer side Nintendo, and other game makers, have slowed down their output. They are supplementing it with quick, easy remasters and re-releases, but they are slowing. 1 in 4 developers have been laid off, with 3 in four worried about their continued employment.
On the purchaser side, all the above is making gaming purchases more a luxury than a necessity. Nintendo already announced they are cutting Switch 2 production by 2 million consoles after a weak holiday, and now investors are insisting on a price hike because it is being sold at a loss (which means it probably isn't being made up in software sales).
So yeah, it has games but its life looks more like the Wii U than the Switch or Wii.
@JohnnyMind I wouldn't say safe, but lazy and complacent does apply. The majority of their output the first year has been upscaled Switch Games (and a Wii U game thrown in with BotW), and to be honest this has been going on since the launch of the Switch as a chunk of their output was simply Wii U games with DLC add-ons included or remasters of old games from previous generations.
@electrolite77 Well, at this point in the Wii U's life Nintendo published this exciting list of games:
New Super Mario Bros U
Game & Wario
Nintendoland
Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge
Sing Party
Lego City: Undercover
Pikmin 3
The Wonderful 101
So far (not counting upscales from the Switch) we have from Nintendo for Switch 2:
Mario Kart World
Donkey Kong Bonanza
Drag X Drive
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisionment
Kirby Air Riders
Metroid Prime 4 (dual release)
Pokemon Pokopia
They aren't exactly knocking it out of the park on exclusive first party software releases and are mostly depending on upscales and third parties to carry them. The majority of the third-party releases are again re-releases and remasters which a large portion of the audience have played on other platforms.
EDIT: The majority of third parties are still onboard mainly because the Switch 1 sold so well. A price increase may kill any momentum the new console has and cause those third parties to back out (as they did with Wii U when the numbers failed to show up).
If Nintendo gets around to putting original software on it, the Switch 2 will sell. Otherwise it looks like it is following the path of the Wii U as far as software goes. The only difference is that Nintendo is pushing upscaling on the last Gen’s software to move consoles. However only a small portion of owners care about terms like 60 fps and 4K.
Throw in high prices during an economic downturn, anti-consumer moves, and just a lack of a must own game and the console is going to struggle.
The original Nintendo Directs were an event that you knew you were going to get a ton of information and announcements. I always made sure to tune in because the chances were high I would see something I found interesting.
These mini-directs and mini-events I typically just read a summary and move on. Too often they are about something I don't care about so I skip it entirely. The result is I am much less engaged with the brand overall now.
Granted, they lost a lot of momentum for me in the Switch-era of let's re-release all the games you purchased for Wii U and remaster everything else we haven't let anyone buy in a long time. It went from three or four games a year for me to care about to about 0.5, so they may have already lost me before the change.
@jsty3105 Really? Because I read plenty of stories where clear fair use is ignored because the system is designed to automatically assume guilt and place the burden of proof on the content creator that generally lacks the funds to stand against a large corporation. I have lost count how many times a musician playing public domain music gets hit with copyright strikes by Sony Music over their recordings of public domain music or an artist is hit over fair use parody songs.
I enjoyed the movie, but it did suffer from pacing that felt like a bundled collection of TikTok videos at times. The ending hit so fast it was almost jarring, and while Mario's universe has plenty of characters they felt the need to force other franchises into the picture.
Just bought a Wii U Pro Controller to revisit the great library of the console. I bought so many games for the console and there quite a few I need to revisit and finish. Even going back to the Wii library for a revisit.
I still think Nintendo shot themselves in the foot with the console and it should have succeeded.
I own the physical version of these, but never made it past the first few tasks before I got distracted with other games. The oxygen factor gave me anxiety.
If this happens, this would be the first possible announcement that makes me want a Switch 2. Ironically, I never played the original Fable, but Fable 2 and 3 were some of my most enjoyable times on Xbox 360. The video they put out seems to show they are keeping the spirit while not over promising like the former lead developer did on everything.
@Pokefanmum82 Pokopia is the only top tier game in that list. Fire Emblem and Yoshi are not system sellers, nor is Mario Tennis. They will sell with those that like them. Pokopia is a toss-up. But most spin-off games for Pokemon haven't been anywhere as effective as mainline games. Plus, Pokemon sales of mainline games are declining with each entry released.
No offense, but the Switch 2 release is looking more like the Wii U's initial release year than Nintendo probably wants to admit. Lots of promise and potential, but mostly a slow, trickle of first party games, and third-party offerings that are mostly titles already released on other consoles.
The truth is the top 10 selling first-party Switch games all have Mario, Link, or Pokemon involved with them. As much as we love Fire Emblem, Xenoblade Chronicles, Donkey Kong, Kirby, and Metroid; the truth is they don't move consoles.
I feel like games journalists and online game bloggers exist in a different reality than me. For them, they need to power through as much as possible to meet a deadline or beat someone else to the clicks. I do not think most games are meant to be played this way, and it is vastly different to how I game these days.
So I take reviews with a grain of salt. I have played quite a few 5 and 6 star games in my time because I found them enjoyable. I miss the days when we got budget titles that aimed a little lower than blockbuster. Tank! Tank! Tank! on Wii U was one of those, and it was stupid fun with friends. Mad Maestro! and Mister Mosquito being two I loved from the PS2 era.
@Serena_ except the Switch largely sustained itself on re-released Wii U and Xbox 360 games. This isn’t a new trend with Nintendo. I would also ask how many new, not previously released titles does Nintendo have in the pipeline? I cannot think of any.
The update over all was not that impressive. There were some quality of life updates, but the hotel is essentially a lite edition of the Happy Home Paradise. The total misfire on the classic games made it all the worse.
This seems to be following a sad trend for Nintendo in that they have yet to really provide a strong case that I need to upgrade because I am missing out on something. Yeah, the Switch 2 is shinnier and has better resolutions, but there really isn't a game on it that is must play yet that isn't available elsewhere (or on the original Switch).
Animal Crossing itself, has been selling more or less the same game since the DS version. New locale, increased number of things to purchase, but essentally the same game. The crafting aspect was a nice addition, but it doesn't fundamentally change the gameplay of go into Nook Debt and buy into consumerism and the need to have more.
Such wasted potential. The original has NES games only but there were decent ones plus SMB and the first Zelda if you had something to unlock them. Plus I think I remember that you could push them over to the GBA to play on the go.
I would guess Hasbro/WotC are the issue. They have been trying their best to destroy the game in their attempts to monetize everything about it. It has taken open player-base revolts to curb the most egregious nonsense they have tried.
I just realized that I purchased zero games released this year, and I think I am okay with that. I finally finished the new Prince of Persia and will admit that I am very tempted by The Rouge Prince of Persia. Other than that, I have played a lot of Skyrim, Animal Crossing, Minecraft, and Clubhouse Games.
As for Switch 2, it appears to be following the path of my Switch purchase. I held out for two years before picking up the Switch, and I haven't seen anything that really demands I pick up a Switch 2 yet.
There is a reason the idea of a K shaped economy has hit the mainstream. The top 1% is doing great and are continuing to gobble up everything (at the expense of wages, competition, society, etc.) the rest of us are starting to feel the reality of their utopia vision.
If everything keeps growing (cost wise) while incomes continue to shrink (as they effectively have since 1979), then this is the result.
I'll pass. I own Galaxy 2 and I can pick up Galaxy 1 used for far less than this. The little effort put into this to upscale graphics is not worth the asking price, and I prefer the original controls.
I still do not like the feelings of claustrophobia the original Metroid II gives me while I play it. I've tried many times over the years to play it, and it is just one of those games. It's the same reason that I avoid survival horror games and time-restricted games, it's not that they are hard it is just they push a button in me that gives me anxiety.
Nintendo used to be the little company that could. Now under the new leadership, they have become something else and I don’t care for the new Nintendo’s view of profit first, fun and quality second.
Good news is that I have lots of old games to revisit while I watch the industry figure out that chasing only AAA $200 million games is a losing formula once again. In the meantime, I will pick up free Prime Gaming games and Steam sales of games I previously missed.
Maybe they should have asked those who purchased a Switch but not Switch 2 why. Overpriced is a start, lack of new games (not remakes, remasters, or old exclusives), price of games combined with lack of true ownership, lack of trust in quality after JoyCon drift and other design flaws in Switch.
Good to see Nintendo following the law of the leader. Everytime a company gets on top, they inevitably shoot themselves in the foot with anti-consumer BS. They did it to themselves with the N64 must be cartridges, and ever console leader since has done something that costs them customers.
Pretty sure it applies to most companies that grow too big, and a lot of billionaires. Get too much money and you turn into a parasite on society that feels entitled to do whatever you want and the little people will just say, “Please can I have more.”
I have shifted hard towards Retro Gaming on a Linux PC running Steam lately over everything else. The truth is that I don't have a lot of time these days to game anyways, so the pick-up and play of the NES/Genesis/SNES era tends to mesh better with my schedule than most modern games.
It's sad that my budget used to afford 5-6 new games a year, but these days I am doing good to get 1 or 2 titles. I figure with the price increases that would be dropping to maybe one retail and a digital title a year.
Inflation has been a real thing with everything but my paycheck it seems over the past 30 years. I make more than I ever have, but somehow I can afford less than when I was in my 20's.
@Grimley141 that argument is tired and generally used by those that have held worker wages down to make you feel like you are better off. I lived the 90’s and while pricey, it didn’t break the bank.
Those statements ignore that living expenses were a fraction of what they are today. Monopoly, Duopoly, lack of regulation and market consolidation all have conspired to inflate everything far above actual cost while the quality has turned to crap so you have to buy whatever it is multiple times where a single purchase sufficed before.
EDIT: your argument also ignores the size of the market that has grown vastly since then, and ignores advances in production and innovations that reduce overhead.
But adjusted for inflation will eternally be dragged out because it falsely lets people think they are better off than reality shows them.
It is interesting as a long-time gamer to see the industry creep back into the danger price zone. I remember when SNES/Genesis games reached the $100 price point because of the cost of cartridges, and the many, many failed attempts to get the asking price down (Satellaview, Bandai's SuFami Turbo, CD Systems, DD drives, Sega Channel). They all came about because the industry understood that at a certain price, they exclude a part of the market and leave it open for a competitor to come in.
I think I will take the stance I took with the Wii U -> Switch transition and just wait. There is nothing they have shown that I "need" and the price eventually will either come down or go on sale.
As for the pricing difference, the other factor for my region (US) is probably partially due to the two extremely smart, never wrong, business genuises currently raising tariffs on everything not 'merican. We should be instead buying our "Freedom Consoles" with the bestselling game "Tropico: 'merica Edition" where you too can export innocent people to El Salvadorian prisions.
@Not_Soos the issues with most media companies is they forgot that they make media to be consumed by others and not themselves. Too many of them make changes to classic material because they feel it should be that way, and they do so without considering if their customers actually also want that. Then they acted shocked when the audience rejects it because it is not what they expected (or wanted), and turn to blaming the consumer for their poor decisions.
@Dr_Lugae that’s my solution to Nintendo’s brutish behavior. Doing copyright takedowns of people playing their games serves no one. Trying to lock up history so you can repackage a game and sell it for $60-70 doesn’t benefit society or the arts. They are also the company that attempted to destroy the second hand and rental markets in the past.
Every time they (and Microsoft or Sony) become the “leader” of the industry, they always introduce some anti-consumer BS. I am just tired of it and don’t plan on directly supporting it.
I found a simple solution for myself, Nintendo games are not a priority purchase any more. If there is one I want to play, I will buy a second hand physical copy.
The Wii U isn’t dead as long as my kids still regularly boot it up to play Mario Kart 8, Wii Games and Smash on it (prefer it to Ultimate). I still think it was a very under appreciated console.
@batmanbud2 I was gifted a copy. To be honest, I still prefer the original version with all its quirks. That is probably more due to the fact I am a fan of the era in gaming than anything in particular.
Still have the original Gameboy at my parents house l, but sadly I gave my games to a nephew. Got the system, rechargeable battery pack, Super Mario Land and Castlevania that Christmas. Link’s Awakening is still one of my favorites along with Donkey Kong and Super Mario Land 2
It is well past time to have a serious conversation about the length of copyright. It was intended to give incentive for creators to share their work, and promote art and culture (at least in the US). It has been perverted into a de facto high jacking of the public domain and locking everything corporations can get their grubby hands-on behind paywalls. It is strangling the ability of our culture to grow outside of the media strongholds we now have.
Under the current insanity, Andy Warhol would have been sued by Cambell's for using their soup can in his art project.
Most of the N64/PS1 era I generally avoid because the first gen 3D models are rough. A lot of 8-bit and 16-bit games are pretty egregious with being hostile to the player in an attempt to prevent short games from being quickly beaten.
But Doom on any console pre sixth generation is hard to go back to.
I got the survey for regular NSO. I will probably keep it as it is cheap for a family plan, but it has little value. 2-3 NES, GB, or SNES games a month from lower tier companies like Jaleco isn’t appealing enough. The online is only used to access Minecraft Realms which I can do for free on PC. The cloud save really doesn’t matter if you can only afford a single console. Finally, I’ve only used the trials once as who has the time to waste downloading a full game for a few hours of play. Just release a demo already.
Comments 2,816
Re: Buckle Up, Memory Shortages Are Reportedly Set To Get Worse In 2027
@Dogbreath housing is expensive because local governments want to protect property values since that is where their income comes from. So instead of building affordable multi family housing, they zone everything for McMansions. It is well documented.
Memory chips are expensive because regulators don’t do their jobs and already convicted companies have found a new excuse to manipulate the market.
It is sort of like our current president saying the silent part out loud at a rally when he told the crowd that oil companies are currently making a killing in the market. The manipulation is intentional and the people that should regulate are instead profiting from it.
Re: Mini Review: Minecraft (Switch 2) - A Satisfying Upgrade Overall, But Where's Mouse Mode?
@Res462 I understand their concern but they could have done what Hello Games did. My physical switch copy had a free upgrade, but I have to put the physical cart in to use it.
For me it was a bargain to still buy the Switch version because I can let my son play it on his Switch but I can still enjoy the updated version.
Re: Buckle Up, Memory Shortages Are Reportedly Set To Get Worse In 2027
@Drago201 There is a difference between demand exceeds supply, and supply is artificially constrained to hold up prices. If the primary manufacturer pulled out of making DRAM, in a healthy capitalist economy someone would be stepping in to fill the demand. However, that is not happening.
Re: Buckle Up, Memory Shortages Are Reportedly Set To Get Worse In 2027
I have been asking myself the question, "What if the formula 'more stuff equals more happiness' is bad math?" at lot lately. The truth is they need me a whole lot more than I need their products, and a large portion of what they are producing is just remasters of things I already experienced.
I can easily spend 10 hours playing No Man's Sky or whatever new Zelda they are re-releasing, but that time probably could be better used. My lifetime allotment of time looks a whole lot smaller than it used to.
Eventually I may get the storage expansion, or I will not. I am tired of worrying about it and letting it steal my joy. Life is too short.
EDIT: At the end of my life when I am in my 90's (God willing), I don't think I will be regretting that I didn't play one more round of Splatoon or Call of Duty.
Re: Square Enix Shows Off Exclusive Sleeve For Dragon Quest XI S On Switch 2
While an upgrade path would be nice, the reality is that most of the Switch Square-Enix games I have do not need it. There is never enough to justify the expense, even an upgrade expense.
I am fine with my Switch 1 Edition that has the game on a cartridge vs a Game Card Key on the Switch 2 version. Felt the same way about DQ III and my playthrough of the demo of DQ VII. It also makes more sense for me to buy the Switch version so that my kids can still play on their devices (Switch and Switch Lite).
To be honest, I have been chasing the Switch editions of games that do have an upgrade path exactly for this reason. The flexibility is an advantage to me.
Re: Xbox To Reportedly Cut "Hundreds Of Jobs" And Consolidate Several Studios In Next Wave Of Layoffs
@AussieMcBucket this was a “business” decision to make sure their stock price continued to move up. Their net profit in 2026 was $35.8 billion which was up significantly from the previous year. That is a moral issue that we should shame them for.
Ultimately I will agree it is an incentive problem in that current regulations rewards and legal power workers have, but it’s humans behind the moral choice to make that the primary concern over the people that contributed to those profits.
I always find it interesting that everytime workers gain something like wages or work flexibility all of a sudden every company has to cut jobs. It’s always the management that reaps the rewards of success but the workers that carry the burden of failure.
Re: Latest Physical Sales Data Proves The Format Is, In Fact, Dying
Nintendo signed the death of physical with the introduction of Game Key Cards. They will use their lack of purchase to justify killing off physical.
Truth is we aren’t stopping it, but we need laws passed to tip consumer rights back to a balance
Re: Nintendo May Be The Last Bastion Of Physical Games As Xbox's Project Helix Is Set To Ditch Discs
@FortniteJ - Just to summarize what I am hearing. You are angry that four years after Microsoft ended all support for Windows 7, including security updates and technical support, Steam dropped support for an OS that not even the maker of the OS supported. Do you expect Steam to still support Windows 98? How about Mac OS 10.1? Especially when it accounts for 0.1% of their install base? At what point is it the responsibility of the user to take ownership for their ancient hardware and upgrade?
Does it suck that it doesn't work on newer hardware, yes. But again, that is not an issue with Steam's software. That is completely an issue of the publisher of the game either not wanting to, or being unable to update the game to run on modern operating systems. It might be licensing issues, it might be that only 50 people care about the game. They are not going to waste time and resources supporting an old game indefinitely.
Steam isn't loading DRM onto software because they want to be mean. They load DRM onto software at the requirement of the software developer and publisher. They can only remove that DRM if the Developer and Publisher allows it. So again, your beef is with the publisher/developer of whatever ancient game you are wanting to play.
As others have said, if you do not like the deal Steam offers you can go to GOG. However, after playing a game for hundreds of hours, it is a little silly to think you are going to get a refund and to argue with everyone on here about it.
Re: Octopath Traveler 1 & 2 Announced For Switch 2 With Improved Performance And Visuals
@Joekun To a point, the price of the Steam Machine is out of Steam's control. Memory, GPU and Storage prices are out of control due to AI Data Centers purchasing everything they can. Western Digital sold out of their 2026 stock in February/March, and RAM/GPUs have become just as hard to come by.
I have been seeing HP regularly raise prices all year, and Apple just did a 25% increase across the board. The worrisome part is that this isn't going to resolve in 2027 either.
Re: Octopath Traveler 1 & 2 Announced For Switch 2 With Improved Performance And Visuals
Square-Enix is going to Square-Enix. They have been pulling this stuff since the SNES-era Final Fantasy's, but everyone just accepted it because there was no upgrade path. Now there is an upgrade path, and they still want you to pay full price for a game you already purchased.
And they wonder why the games industry is heading for another crash...
Re: Nintendo May Be The Last Bastion Of Physical Games As Xbox's Project Helix Is Set To Ditch Discs
@FortniteJ Valve is not responsible for making sure a game is playable on current hardware, except for games they make. They have a really good track record of supporting their own games. I think your anger belongs to the current rights holders for whatever games are not working for you. They have to update the software to make it compatible with current hardware.
On a larger note, depending on Nintendo to be the last bastion of physical media is a really bad idea. They, along with companies like Square-Enix, are the kings of wanting to kill their own games so they can repackage and sell them to you again at full price with minimal effort applied.
Physical media, if really wanted, will come back if there is enough demand for it. Just look at the return of Vinyl. However, I am not sure there is quite the demand that everyone assumes there is.
It is a loss for consumer rights, but it is the reality they have trained the majority to accept.
Re: Switch 2 Has Sold Just Shy Of 20 Million Units, Nintendo Lowers FY27 Forecast
@JohnnyMind The selective listing shows I spent ten minutes looking at a list of releases trying to see which one were Nintendo published, nothing more. It doesn't change that past super-fans there isn't an appetite for the console (hence the adjustment to their sales figures).
2012 is also a very different world than 2026. In 2026 the average US rent is now ~$700 more expensive. The consumer purchasing index shows that since 2010-2021 (last data I could quickly find) we lost 20% of our purchasing power, and I doubt the last 5 years were kind to us. More and more people are moving to risky debt tools like "Buy Now Pay Later" services with high interest rates, with more than 41% being a month behind.
Cars in 2012 averaged around $30,000 while they average $49,000 now. In most communities in the US that is a necessity, not a luxury. Car loan default rates are rising, and we now have the concept of a 84 month car loan.
While wages have grown for those at the top, the rest of us are barely keeping up with inflation. Now we have a second US President showing signs of dementia, but those around him are equally lacking. This has led to instability, wars, and inflation starting to run out of control again (7.2% with the latest report I can find).
Making games takes money, as does purchasing them. On the developer side Nintendo, and other game makers, have slowed down their output. They are supplementing it with quick, easy remasters and re-releases, but they are slowing. 1 in 4 developers have been laid off, with 3 in four worried about their continued employment.
On the purchaser side, all the above is making gaming purchases more a luxury than a necessity. Nintendo already announced they are cutting Switch 2 production by 2 million consoles after a weak holiday, and now investors are insisting on a price hike because it is being sold at a loss (which means it probably isn't being made up in software sales).
So yeah, it has games but its life looks more like the Wii U than the Switch or Wii.
Re: Nintendo's President Apparently Wants Switch 2 To Match The Long Lifespan Of The Original System
@electrolite77 The selective listing shows I spent ten minutes looking at a list of releases trying to see which one were Nintendo published, nothing more. It doesn't change that past super-fans there isn't an appetite for the console (hence the adjustment to their sales figures).
2012 is also a very different world than 2026. In 2026 the average US rent is now ~$700 more expensive. The consumer purchasing index shows that since 2010-2021 (last data I could quickly find) we lost 20% of our purchasing power, and I doubt the last 5 years were kind to us. More and more people are moving to risky debt tools like "Buy Now Pay Later" services with high interest rates, with more than 41% being a month behind.
Cars in 2012 averaged around $30,000 while they average $49,000 now. In most communities in the US that is a necessity, not a luxury. Car loan default rates are rising, and we now have the concept of a 84 month car loan.
While wages have grown for those at the top, the rest of us are barely keeping up with inflation. Now we have a second US President showing signs of dementia, but those around him are equally lacking. This has led to instability, wars, and inflation starting to run out of control again (7.2% with the latest report I can find).
Making games takes money, as does purchasing them. On the developer side Nintendo, and other game makers, have slowed down their output. They are supplementing it with quick, easy remasters and re-releases, but they are slowing. 1 in 4 developers have been laid off, with 3 in four worried about their continued employment.
On the purchaser side, all the above is making gaming purchases more a luxury than a necessity. Nintendo already announced they are cutting Switch 2 production by 2 million consoles after a weak holiday, and now investors are insisting on a price hike because it is being sold at a loss (which means it probably isn't being made up in software sales).
So yeah, it has games but its life looks more like the Wii U than the Switch or Wii.
Re: Switch 2 Has Sold Just Shy Of 20 Million Units, Nintendo Lowers FY27 Forecast
@JohnnyMind I wouldn't say safe, but lazy and complacent does apply. The majority of their output the first year has been upscaled Switch Games (and a Wii U game thrown in with BotW), and to be honest this has been going on since the launch of the Switch as a chunk of their output was simply Wii U games with DLC add-ons included or remasters of old games from previous generations.
Re: Nintendo's President Apparently Wants Switch 2 To Match The Long Lifespan Of The Original System
@electrolite77 Well, at this point in the Wii U's life Nintendo published this exciting list of games:
New Super Mario Bros U
Game & Wario
Nintendoland
Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge
Sing Party
Lego City: Undercover
Pikmin 3
The Wonderful 101
So far (not counting upscales from the Switch) we have from Nintendo for Switch 2:
Mario Kart World
Donkey Kong Bonanza
Drag X Drive
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisionment
Kirby Air Riders
Metroid Prime 4 (dual release)
Pokemon Pokopia
They aren't exactly knocking it out of the park on exclusive first party software releases and are mostly depending on upscales and third parties to carry them. The majority of the third-party releases are again re-releases and remasters which a large portion of the audience have played on other platforms.
EDIT: The majority of third parties are still onboard mainly because the Switch 1 sold so well. A price increase may kill any momentum the new console has and cause those third parties to back out (as they did with Wii U when the numbers failed to show up).
Re: Nintendo's President Apparently Wants Switch 2 To Match The Long Lifespan Of The Original System
If Nintendo gets around to putting original software on it, the Switch 2 will sell. Otherwise it looks like it is following the path of the Wii U as far as software goes. The only difference is that Nintendo is pushing upscaling on the last Gen’s software to move consoles. However only a small portion of owners care about terms like 60 fps and 4K.
Throw in high prices during an economic downturn, anti-consumer moves, and just a lack of a must own game and the console is going to struggle.
Re: Talking Point: Do You Prefer Big Directs Or A Steady Flow Of News From Nintendo Today?
The original Nintendo Directs were an event that you knew you were going to get a ton of information and announcements. I always made sure to tune in because the chances were high I would see something I found interesting.
These mini-directs and mini-events I typically just read a summary and move on. Too often they are about something I don't care about so I skip it entirely. The result is I am much less engaged with the brand overall now.
Granted, they lost a lot of momentum for me in the Switch-era of let's re-release all the games you purchased for Wii U and remaster everything else we haven't let anyone buy in a long time. It went from three or four games a year for me to care about to about 0.5, so they may have already lost me before the change.
Re: "I Can't Fight This" - Popular Pokémon YouTube Channel Is No More After Nintendo's Copyright Strikes
@jsty3105 Really? Because I read plenty of stories where clear fair use is ignored because the system is designed to automatically assume guilt and place the burden of proof on the content creator that generally lacks the funds to stand against a large corporation. I have lost count how many times a musician playing public domain music gets hit with copyright strikes by Sony Music over their recordings of public domain music or an artist is hit over fair use parody songs.
Re: "I Can't Fight This" - Popular Pokémon YouTube Channel Is No More After Nintendo's Copyright Strikes
Moral of the story, we all lose. Except for YouTube. I am sure it didn’t have to return the revenue generated from ads on the copyrighted material.
Copyright is broken under current rules. Media ownership is broken because the law is so easily manipulated. You will own nothing and be happy.
Re: "It's Truly Baffling" - Shigeru Miyamoto Comments On The Mario Galaxy Movie's Critical Reception
I enjoyed the movie, but it did suffer from pacing that felt like a bundled collection of TikTok videos at times. The ending hit so fast it was almost jarring, and while Mario's universe has plenty of characters they felt the need to force other franchises into the picture.
Re: Mailbox: The Wii U's Legacy, Mii Singing, Hippos - Nintendo Life Letters
Just bought a Wii U Pro Controller to revisit the great library of the console. I bought so many games for the console and there quite a few I need to revisit and finish. Even going back to the Wii library for a revisit.
I still think Nintendo shot themselves in the foot with the console and it should have succeeded.
Re: PSA: Subnautica And Subnautica: Below Zero Switch 2 Upgrades Now Available
I own the physical version of these, but never made it past the first few tasks before I got distracted with other games. The oxygen factor gave me anxiety.
Re: The Fable Reboot Is Reportedly "Under Consideration" For Switch 2
If this happens, this would be the first possible announcement that makes me want a Switch 2. Ironically, I never played the original Fable, but Fable 2 and 3 were some of my most enjoyable times on Xbox 360. The video they put out seems to show they are keeping the spirit while not over promising like the former lead developer did on everything.
Re: Poll: What Review Score Would You Give Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition?
@Pokefanmum82 Pokopia is the only top tier game in that list. Fire Emblem and Yoshi are not system sellers, nor is Mario Tennis. They will sell with those that like them. Pokopia is a toss-up. But most spin-off games for Pokemon haven't been anywhere as effective as mainline games. Plus, Pokemon sales of mainline games are declining with each entry released.
No offense, but the Switch 2 release is looking more like the Wii U's initial release year than Nintendo probably wants to admit. Lots of promise and potential, but mostly a slow, trickle of first party games, and third-party offerings that are mostly titles already released on other consoles.
The truth is the top 10 selling first-party Switch games all have Mario, Link, or Pokemon involved with them. As much as we love Fire Emblem, Xenoblade Chronicles, Donkey Kong, Kirby, and Metroid; the truth is they don't move consoles.
Re: Talking Point: Metroid Prime 4 And The Burden Of Being 'Good Enough'
I feel like games journalists and online game bloggers exist in a different reality than me. For them, they need to power through as much as possible to meet a deadline or beat someone else to the clicks. I do not think most games are meant to be played this way, and it is vastly different to how I game these days.
So I take reviews with a grain of salt. I have played quite a few 5 and 6 star games in my time because I found them enjoyable. I miss the days when we got budget titles that aimed a little lower than blockbuster. Tank! Tank! Tank! on Wii U was one of those, and it was stupid fun with friends. Mad Maestro! and Mister Mosquito being two I loved from the PS2 era.
Re: Poll: What Review Score Would You Give Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition?
@Serena_ except the Switch largely sustained itself on re-released Wii U and Xbox 360 games. This isn’t a new trend with Nintendo. I would also ask how many new, not previously released titles does Nintendo have in the pipeline? I cannot think of any.
Re: Poll: What Review Score Would You Give Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition?
The update over all was not that impressive. There were some quality of life updates, but the hotel is essentially a lite edition of the Happy Home Paradise. The total misfire on the classic games made it all the worse.
This seems to be following a sad trend for Nintendo in that they have yet to really provide a strong case that I need to upgrade because I am missing out on something. Yeah, the Switch 2 is shinnier and has better resolutions, but there really isn't a game on it that is must play yet that isn't available elsewhere (or on the original Switch).
Animal Crossing itself, has been selling more or less the same game since the DS version. New locale, increased number of things to purchase, but essentally the same game. The crafting aspect was a nice addition, but it doesn't fundamentally change the gameplay of go into Nook Debt and buy into consumerism and the need to have more.
Re: Retro Nintendo Games Are Returning To Animal Crossing (Sort Of)
Such wasted potential. The original has NES games only but there were decent ones plus SMB and the first Zelda if you had something to unlock them. Plus I think I remember that you could push them over to the GBA to play on the go.
At least they didn’t put Urban Champion on there.
Re: Larian "Would Have Loved" Baldur's Gate 3 On Switch 2, Will "Certainly Consider" Divinity
I would guess Hasbro/WotC are the issue. They have been trying their best to destroy the game in their attempts to monetize everything about it. It has taken open player-base revolts to curb the most egregious nonsense they have tried.
Re: Reminder: It's Time To Rate Your Switch 1 & 2 Games Of The Year
I just realized that I purchased zero games released this year, and I think I am okay with that. I finally finished the new Prince of Persia and will admit that I am very tempted by The Rouge Prince of Persia. Other than that, I have played a lot of Skyrim, Animal Crossing, Minecraft, and Clubhouse Games.
As for Switch 2, it appears to be following the path of my Switch purchase. I held out for two years before picking up the Switch, and I haven't seen anything that really demands I pick up a Switch 2 yet.
Re: The US Suffered Its Worst November Since 1995 In Terms Of Hardware Sales
There is a reason the idea of a K shaped economy has hit the mainstream. The top 1% is doing great and are continuing to gobble up everything (at the expense of wages, competition, society, etc.) the rest of us are starting to feel the reality of their utopia vision.
If everything keeps growing (cost wise) while incomes continue to shrink (as they effectively have since 1979), then this is the result.
Re: Nintendo Switch 2 System Update 21.1.0 Is Now Live, Here Are The Full Patch Notes
So stable that Skyrim only crashed after two dungeons today.
Re: Review: Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Switch) - Still Out Of This World
I'll pass. I own Galaxy 2 and I can pick up Galaxy 1 used for far less than this. The little effort put into this to upscale graphics is not worth the asking price, and I prefer the original controls.
Re: Opinion: Metroid II Doesn't Care If Samus Lives Or Dies
I still do not like the feelings of claustrophobia the original Metroid II gives me while I play it. I've tried many times over the years to play it, and it is just one of those games. It's the same reason that I avoid survival horror games and time-restricted games, it's not that they are hard it is just they push a button in me that gives me anxiety.
Re: Talking Point: One Month On, How Did Nintendo's Switch 2 Launch Go?
Nintendo used to be the little company that could. Now under the new leadership, they have become something else and I don’t care for the new Nintendo’s view of profit first, fun and quality second.
Good news is that I have lots of old games to revisit while I watch the industry figure out that chasing only AAA $200 million games is a losing formula once again. In the meantime, I will pick up free Prime Gaming games and Steam sales of games I previously missed.
Re: Nintendo Survey Asks Switch 2 Users About Their Experience So Far
Maybe they should have asked those who purchased a Switch but not Switch 2 why. Overpriced is a start, lack of new games (not remakes, remasters, or old exclusives), price of games combined with lack of true ownership, lack of trust in quality after JoyCon drift and other design flaws in Switch.
Re: Nintendo Updates Its User Agreement To Crack Down On Emulation
Good to see Nintendo following the law of the leader. Everytime a company gets on top, they inevitably shoot themselves in the foot with anti-consumer BS. They did it to themselves with the N64 must be cartridges, and ever console leader since has done something that costs them customers.
Pretty sure it applies to most companies that grow too big, and a lot of billionaires. Get too much money and you turn into a parasite on society that feels entitled to do whatever you want and the little people will just say, “Please can I have more.”
Re: Talking Point: With Prices Rising, Are Your Gaming Habits Changing?
I have shifted hard towards Retro Gaming on a Linux PC running Steam lately over everything else. The truth is that I don't have a lot of time these days to game anyways, so the pick-up and play of the NES/Genesis/SNES era tends to mesh better with my schedule than most modern games.
It's sad that my budget used to afford 5-6 new games a year, but these days I am doing good to get 1 or 2 titles. I figure with the price increases that would be dropping to maybe one retail and a digital title a year.
Inflation has been a real thing with everything but my paycheck it seems over the past 30 years. I make more than I ever have, but somehow I can afford less than when I was in my 20's.
Re: Nintendo Comments On Mario Kart World's Controversial Price
@Grimley141 that argument is tired and generally used by those that have held worker wages down to make you feel like you are better off. I lived the 90’s and while pricey, it didn’t break the bank.
Those statements ignore that living expenses were a fraction of what they are today. Monopoly, Duopoly, lack of regulation and market consolidation all have conspired to inflate everything far above actual cost while the quality has turned to crap so you have to buy whatever it is multiple times where a single purchase sufficed before.
EDIT: your argument also ignores the size of the market that has grown vastly since then, and ignores advances in production and innovations that reduce overhead.
But adjusted for inflation will eternally be dragged out because it falsely lets people think they are better off than reality shows them.
Re: Nintendo Comments On Mario Kart World's Controversial Price
It is interesting as a long-time gamer to see the industry creep back into the danger price zone. I remember when SNES/Genesis games reached the $100 price point because of the cost of cartridges, and the many, many failed attempts to get the asking price down (Satellaview, Bandai's SuFami Turbo, CD Systems, DD drives, Sega Channel). They all came about because the industry understood that at a certain price, they exclude a part of the market and leave it open for a competitor to come in.
Re: Nintendo Is (Kinda) Returning To Region-Locking With A Cheaper Japanese Switch 2
I think I will take the stance I took with the Wii U -> Switch transition and just wait. There is nothing they have shown that I "need" and the price eventually will either come down or go on sale.
As for the pricing difference, the other factor for my region (US) is probably partially due to the two extremely smart, never wrong, business genuises currently raising tariffs on everything not 'merican. We should be instead buying our "Freedom Consoles" with the bestselling game "Tropico: 'merica Edition" where you too can export innocent people to El Salvadorian prisions.
Re: Ubisoft Closes Two Studios And Will Reportedly Lay Off Hundreds Of Employees
@Not_Soos the issues with most media companies is they forgot that they make media to be consumed by others and not themselves. Too many of them make changes to classic material because they feel it should be that way, and they do so without considering if their customers actually also want that. Then they acted shocked when the audience rejects it because it is not what they expected (or wanted), and turn to blaming the consumer for their poor decisions.
Re: Nintendo Reportedly Seeking "New Targets" In Switch Piracy Investigation
@Dr_Lugae that’s my solution to Nintendo’s brutish behavior. Doing copyright takedowns of people playing their games serves no one. Trying to lock up history so you can repackage a game and sell it for $60-70 doesn’t benefit society or the arts. They are also the company that attempted to destroy the second hand and rental markets in the past.
Every time they (and Microsoft or Sony) become the “leader” of the industry, they always introduce some anti-consumer BS. I am just tired of it and don’t plan on directly supporting it.
Re: Nintendo Reportedly Seeking "New Targets" In Switch Piracy Investigation
I found a simple solution for myself, Nintendo games are not a priority purchase any more. If there is one I want to play, I will buy a second hand physical copy.
Re: Reaction: With Xenoblade Chronicles X On Switch, The Wii U's Demise Is Complete
The Wii U isn’t dead as long as my kids still regularly boot it up to play Mario Kart 8, Wii Games and Smash on it (prefer it to Ultimate). I still think it was a very under appreciated console.
Re: Review: The Legend Of Zelda: Link's Awakening (Switch) - A Magical Remastering Of A Series Highlight
@batmanbud2 I was gifted a copy. To be honest, I still prefer the original version with all its quirks. That is probably more due to the fact I am a fan of the era in gaming than anything in particular.
Re: Anniversary: The Game Boy Is Now 35 Years Old (North America)
Still have the original Gameboy at my parents house l, but sadly I gave my games to a nephew. Got the system, rechargeable battery pack, Super Mario Land and Castlevania that Christmas. Link’s Awakening is still one of my favorites along with Donkey Kong and Super Mario Land 2
Re: Nintendo On Inappropriate Use Of Its IP And Games: "Action Must Be Taken"
It is well past time to have a serious conversation about the length of copyright. It was intended to give incentive for creators to share their work, and promote art and culture (at least in the US). It has been perverted into a de facto high jacking of the public domain and locking everything corporations can get their grubby hands-on behind paywalls. It is strangling the ability of our culture to grow outside of the media strongholds we now have.
Under the current insanity, Andy Warhol would have been sued by Cambell's for using their soup can in his art project.
Re: Talking Point: What Games Are You Nervous To Replay In Case They Don't Hold Up?
Most of the N64/PS1 era I generally avoid because the first gen 3D models are rough. A lot of 8-bit and 16-bit games are pretty egregious with being hostile to the player in an attempt to prevent short games from being quickly beaten.
But Doom on any console pre sixth generation is hard to go back to.
Re: Switch Online + Expansion Pack Survey Asks Users To Share Their Experience
I got the survey for regular NSO. I will probably keep it as it is cheap for a family plan, but it has little value. 2-3 NES, GB, or SNES games a month from lower tier companies like Jaleco isn’t appealing enough. The online is only used to access Minecraft Realms which I can do for free on PC. The cloud save really doesn’t matter if you can only afford a single console. Finally, I’ve only used the trials once as who has the time to waste downloading a full game for a few hours of play. Just release a demo already.