Topic: Details Announced For Nintendo Online Service

[Shaymin]

They don't want the money... yet.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/44728/details-announced-for-nintendo-online-service

Nintendo has delivered details about their online service, including the US$ price and the time to jump in.

The "Nintendo Online Service" will cost $19.99 US a year ($3.99 for one month, $7.99 for 3), and its release originally tabbed for fall 2017 has now been pushed to 2018. A free version of the lobby and voice chat app will be available this summer, and the "Classic Game Selection" was shown to include Super Mario Bros. 3, Dr. Mario and Balloon Fight. No mention was made of the previous one month timeframe for the games.

The service will also offer additional eShop special offers in the annual cost.

UPDATE: Kotaku has confirmed that the monthly special download has been removed.

Nintendo confirms to Kotaku that monthly classic games are NOT happening. Replaced with a way better service: https://t.co/ZdTAPYw2Y2 pic.twitter.com/ZcEVtYDJPl

— Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier) June 2, 2017

[nickmitch]

Nintendo confirmed to Kotaku that access to the library does in fact replace the one game a month thing.

[Soren]

The monthly game idea was profoundly stupid and I'm glad Nintendo axed that.


Still, the vagueness of the messaging is still really frustrating.

[NWR_insanolord]

That does sound like a much better deal. If the library is decent sized the subscription will be easily worth it regardless of weird **** like that headset contraption.

[MagicCow64]

Damn, they rolled this out same day as the voice chat tangle uproar. Planned PR strategy or surprisingly fast and effective triage?

[Soren]

That does sound like a much better deal. If the library is decent sized the subscription will be easily worth it regardless of weird **** like that headset contraption.

The same company that sold us Earthbound for $10 isn't going to give us a big or interesting library of classic games with online multiplayer for $20 a year. Those two things do not compute.

[Bman87301]

Wow, what a radical departure from the Virtual Console... Who could have possibly predicted this, Insanolord? 

[Kairon]

That's a good price for a service where they know they're going to be playing catchup with the competition.

Also, if I imagine that what I'm really paying is $20 for an online Dr. Mario every year... then it almost seems like the online Switch gameplay is a neat bonus!

[Spak-Spang]

It depends on how they will handle the classic games. 


If the classic games rotate each month then I think this could be a problem.  It would suck to be playing an RPG then lose access to it because the month ended. 


However, if they are building the library up and each month add 2-4 new games then that is a great option. 

[ShyGuy]

They got my money, at least for the first year to try it out.

This seems like the ole' "Get the news that could be negative out before E3, so it dies down before the show" trick.

[ejamer]

Given the news coming out about how Nintendo is handling online, and the lack of compelling games on the console, I'm very content to not own a Switch. E3 better be spectacular if Nintendo wants that to change.

[lolmonade]

If they're going to force a charge, at least good-on-them for acknowledging that charging the equivalent of Sony/Microsoft is infeasible considering what's being offered between the three of them.


That said, still not enough information about their classic game library.  That, and I was never a fan of the "service like Netflix" idea.

[Ian Sane]

Any re-relesae of classic games from Nintendo always starts with Balloon Fight.  Back when the NES was current I don't recall any kid ever talking about this game and yet Nintendo treats it like one of the most iconic NES releases.  Surely by now everyone that wants Balloon Fight already has it.

[UncleBob]

I'd love an online Balloon Fight.  I'd kill for an online Tingle's Ballon Fight - which is the exact same thing, but with four players and is a *lot* of fun.

[nickmitch]

Didn't Iwata work on Balloon Fight?  That's probably the reason.

And $20/year is a pretty easy spending decision for me.  I haven't gone online with MK8D yet, but MK8 was great, and I know I'll be playing Splatoon and possibly now ARMS.  Also Smash.

[King of Twitch]

I'd love an online Balloon Fight.  I'd kill for an online Tingle's Ballon Fight - which is the exact same thing, but with four players and is a *lot* of fun.

Nintendo would probably retcon 3 Tingle siblings for that game. (Please don't)

What game are they going to kick off the online service? Perfect opportunity to bring back Waverace or Pilotwings if you ask me.

[Mop it up]

They could probably get away with a higher price, at least it isn't outrageous, but right now the online functionality doesn't appear to be better than the current and past free services. Still more details to come, though.

[Lemonade]

Im really happy with the price

[Mythtendo]

I'd love an online Balloon Fight.  I'd kill for an online Tingle's Ballon Fight - which is the exact same thing, but with four players and is a *lot* of fun.

Nintendo would probably retcon 3 Tingle siblings for that game. (Please don't)

Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland established that anyone can be Tingle, you just need the costume.


I hope there will be a way to actually own the games. One of the things I don't like about PlayStation Plus is that you don't actually own the games, you only get to play them while you have a PS+ subscription (wheras with Games for Gold on Xbox 360 and Xbox One, you actually own the games and can play them even if you end your subscription).

[UncleBob]

I'd love an online Balloon Fight.  I'd kill for an online Tingle's Ballon Fight - which is the exact same thing, but with four players and is a *lot* of fun.

Nintendo would probably retcon 3 Tingle siblings for that game. (Please don't)

http://zelda.gamepedia.com/Tingle_Brothers

I don't know if there's any official word that the additional players in Tingle's Balloon Fight are definitively Tingle's brothers (And David Jr.), but that was always my assumption...