Topic: Third Parties Unable to Offer Free Software on 3DS eShop

[MegaByte]

Love Plus save transfer utility set at minimum price of 200 yen.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/27448

Third parties are currently unable to offer free software on the 3DS's eShop.

200 yen ($2) is the minimum price that third parties can set software on the eShop, no matter the type of software. Konami is developing a software tool that allows players to transfer game save data from their DS dating sims, Love Plus and Love Plus +, to their upcoming 3DS edition, New Love Plus. Since the free option is not available, the currently unnamed tool has been set at the minimum price.

This limitation explains why game demos, such as the one for Capcom's Nazo Waku Yakata, are set at 200 yen. Nintendo's own software is not subject to such limits, as titles such as Pokédex 3D are available for free. WiiWare demos are also offered without charge, but the process for the Wii Shop is handled differently, highlighting already released games.

Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has spoken on several occasions about dangers of lowering the value of software, particularly naming mobile and social platforms. Games on such platforms are typically priced much lower than on Nintendo systems, even free, though quality often suffers.

[Chocobo_Rider]

Seems like this would be a good idea IF Nintendo wasn't able to decide what became available on their eShop.  But they approve everything, don't they?

Seems like if they came across a third party piece of software and it didn't make sense to charge for it, they should let it be free.

Can anyone in-the-know explain more of the details here to me?

[BlackNMild2k1]

Since the eShop is only on the 3DS at the moment, and the Love Plus 3D game is upcoming, as in hasn't come out yet, then why don't they just include the software tool in the actual game release since no one is gonna want it anyway unless they are buying the new upcoming game?

[Enner]

Darn, BlackNMild2k1 posted the thought I had on the specific game.


Hopefully this is just a Nintendo SNAFU that will be remedied in the future. It would be a shame if third party 3DS downloadable software that is designed to be free can't be offered for free.

[Chozo Ghost]

This policy is only going to piss off both 3rd parties and consumers alike. To make matters even worse, Nintendo is being hypocrites about it and offering some of their software for free while forbidding third parties from doing so.

[King of Twitch]

Tough tilly. This policy will prevent third parties from committing Ataricide.

[Discostew]

So...any and all 3rd party demos will have a price tag on them? How many people will be willing to pay for something incomplete and short, and how many 3rd party developers will be willing to tailor their games in-the-works into a demo form if not many people will try it out due to it having a price? Demos are meant to generate incentive for potential customers to buy the finished product. Nintendo emphasized that they want demos on the eShop, yet this statement of a minimum price is going to backfire on them, imo.

[KDR_11k]

Demos really need to be exempt from this policy, that's just crazy. I can see charging for everything else though.

Since the eShop is only on the 3DS at the moment, and the Love Plus 3D game is upcoming, as in hasn't come out yet, then why don't they just include the software tool in the actual game release since no one is gonna want it anyway unless they are buying the new upcoming game?

They could just include a download code. Keep it on the store for used buyers. I assume it's an application that stores the game data while you remove one game cart and insert the other.

[broodwars]

At first glance through this article, I was actually prepared to defend Nintendo a little bit, because while not allowing free software on their service is stupid it's also something that has been done in the past by platforms like the 360.  Microsoft's taken a lot of flak from gamers in past for things such as Valve wanting to put out DLC that was free on the PC, but Microsoft forced them to charge for it on Xbox LIVE. 

But then I re-read the article and saw that this policy also included demos, something not even Microsoft does.  Well, what a shock: Nintendo ****s up something simple related to online.  Capcom took a lot of ire for being a "greedy company out to rob their customers" over that potential Mega Man Legends 3 paid demo, when the one actually responsible for that was Nintendo themselves.  Hey, Nintendo, where is all that "working to strengthen 3rd party relations" talk now?  This policy is ridiculous and needs to be dropped, especially since Nintendo does look like a hypocrite when they put up their own free software.

It should also be noted that we've been told to assume a lot about the quality of the Wii U's online experience by what Nintendo's doing with the 3DS.  So should we now expect that Nintendo is going to force 3rd parties to have paid demos on the Wii U?

[Chozo Ghost]

At first glance through this article, I was actually prepared to defend Nintendo a little bit, because while not allowing free software on their service is stupid it's also something that has been done in the past by platforms like the 360.  Microsoft's taken a lot of flak from gamers in past for things such as Valve wanting to put out DLC that was free on the PC, but Microsoft forced them to charge for it on Xbox LIVE.

I don't see the logic in defending something Nintendo does as being okay just because Microsoft does it too.

[MegaByte]

Since the eShop is only on the 3DS at the moment, and the Love Plus 3D game is upcoming, as in hasn't come out yet, then why don't they just include the software tool in the actual game release since no one is gonna want it anyway unless they are buying the new upcoming game?

To do that, they'd need to be able to have a 3DS card save a program onto SD card/system memory. I don't know if Nintendo has enabled that sort of functionality.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Well then Nintendo needs to get it together.

If a 3rd party needs to do something and it's technically possible without breaking any security restrictions, then they need to make it happen ASAP.

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Free software tools and Demos shouldn't even be an issue especially when Nintendo is allowing them for first party software. I understand for charging for widgets/apps and things of that sort, but this is a tool used to transfer game saves, there is no reason there should be a mandatory cost tied to that.

Maybe Nintendo should just make a Universal app that handles that and 3rd parties can just use that app for all their forward compatible game saves. Just like the DSi to 3DS transfer thing.

[Tansunn]

Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has spoken on several occasions about dangers of lowering the value of software, particularly naming mobile and social platforms. Games on such platforms are typically priced much lower than on Nintendo systems, even free, though quality often suffers.

But what if the quality of the software is low?  I'd say Flashlight is worth MAYBE a quarter at most.  It's definitely not worth $2.  Seriously, go to the eShop and look at the screenshots for it.  You have a menu and two solid-color blank screens.  Because that's all it is.  I don't need to spend $2 for blank screens.  Hell, I could spend a few hours and program a homebrew version of Flashlight for my PSP if it was absolutely vital for me to have such functionality on a portable gaming device. 

I'd like to know what Iwata thinks about overcharging for horseshit software.

[KDR_11k]

I think they should just have blocked nonsense like Flashlight completely. At least these people made a funny video out of their nonsense product.

[Enner]

I'd like to know what Iwata thinks about overcharging for horseshit software.

The market and the consumer will determine their worth. We have the power!

Since the eShop is only on the 3DS at the moment, and the Love Plus 3D game is upcoming, as in hasn't come out yet, then why don't they just include the software tool in the actual game release since no one is gonna want it anyway unless they are buying the new upcoming game?

To do that, they'd need to be able to have a 3DS card save a program onto SD card/system memory. I don't know if Nintendo has enabled that sort of functionality.

Hmm, couldn't it be done with the 3DS's RAM and hot swapping the game paks? Sort of like in Monster Rancher Playstation 1 games where you swapped in random CD discs to generate monsters? I assume all New Love Plus needs is to copy a small amount of save data from the DS Love Plus games.

[Chozo Ghost]

The market and the consumer will determine their worth. We have the power!

No we don't. Thanks to Nintendo's price controls.

[MegaByte]

Hmm, couldn't it be done with the 3DS's RAM and hot swapping the game paks? Sort of like in Monster Rancher Playstation 1 games where you swapped in random CD discs to generate monsters? I assume all New Love Plus needs is to copy a small amount of save data from the DS Love Plus games.

Possibly, yeah. Reportedly, Nintendo had to get involved to make this happen, so I assume they're already doing something not normally possible.

[Nilaul]

This has been denied by a 3DS developer.







Source:
Third parties still unable to offer free 3DS demos/software...for now | GoNintendo - What are YOU waiting for?

[MegaByte]

Eventually is not currently.

[Nilaul]

I posted this because other sites are like reporting 3rd party demos will be priced forever, which is incorrect. It is subject to change.

[BlackNMild2k1]

but they shouldn't be priced at all. they are demos.

Even if they took the price of the demo out of the final release, it wouldn't matter, because I don't want to pay for a game demo.




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IC&CS: Welcome to the Icecream & Cookie Shop would you like a sample?
Me: Oh... yeah that sounds great.... can I try the Super Tropical Sherbert
IC&CS: Sure, that will be $2.00
Me:... no I just wanted to sample it, not buy the cone yet.
IC&CS: Yes, I know, that will be $2.00 sir
Me: But I just wanted a demo....

[Chozo Ghost]

In regards to crapware like the flashlight program and so on, I think the best way for stuff like that to be handled is to be bundled together with more meaningful software. In and of itself it isn't something that's worth buying at any price, but if you bundle that together with 20 or so other dinky little apps then maybe it might be worth the $2 price of admission.

What I'm talking about is the WarioWare approach. Look at WarioWare and its Micro games. Are any single one of them worth $2? Arguably not. But combine them all together and they create a product which is worth something. The whole is greater than the sum.

[TJ Spyke]

I don't get the point of paying for flashlight apps, to me the brightness of the system's menu was more than enough if I need to use the system for light. So why would I pay $2?

[Chocobo_Rider]

If it IS going to be changed in the future, then strike up another one for the gloom'n'doom gaming media.

Rumors become perceptions and perceptions become peoples' reality.  Sad state of affairs.

[Ceric]

Honestly, It's easier for Nintendo to just have a blanket Minimum policy.  Though it should let the 3rd Parties make their case for the exceptions to the rules.  If its good enough then they let them go for free.

On doing something with RAM and Hot Swapping, since thats where a lot of exploits come from I wouldn't be surprised if Nintendo is pretty zealous on clearing the usable space when a game goes in and goes out.