Nintendo Shares Price Range for Switch Online Service

[Lizzy Finnegan]

Nintendo Shares Price Range for Switch Online Service

Tatsumi Kimishima has provided a price range for the Nintendo Switch's paid online subscription.

The Nintendo Switch will require a paid subscription in order to utilize online gaming options, but until now, we haven't had many details about the subscription - namely, the pricing. But in an interview with Nikkei [http://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Consumers/Nintendo-to-equip-Switch-with-upgraded-web-services] today, Nintendo president Tatsumi Kimishima gave the price range - 2,000-3,000 ($17.63-$26.44) per year.

The online service will initially be free when the Switch launches, but in the fall of this year Nintendo plans to launch a paid online service. Its site says, "After the free-trial period, most games will require a paid online service subscription from Nintendo in order to play online."

This will be the first console from Nintendo that charges for online pay.

The service will include one free NES or SNES game per month, however each game is only free for that month. At the end of the month, a new game will be available and the previous month's game will no longer be free. The subscription will also include "special offers" that "may include discounts on select digital games and content."

Many of the Switch's online features, including voice chat and online lobbies, are going to be accessible through a separate mobile application. A "free, limited version" of the app will be available this summer. Nintendo's Reggie Fils-Amie referred to the app as an "elegant solution."

"The smart phone app that we're creating, that will be part of our online service, we believe is going to be a very compelling part of the overall proposition because that's how you'll voice chat, that's how you'll do your matchmaking, and create your lobby," he recently explained [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/169323-Switch-Smartphone-App-Elegant-Solution-Does-Matchmaking-And-Lobbies]. "We also think it's a very elegant solution because if you've taken your Switch on the go, you've put yourself in a hotspot, you're looking at get a quick match of Mario Kart in, to whip out some sort of bulky, gamer headset is a bit of a challenge."

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The Nintendo Switch releases on March 3, and currently has 10 confirmed launch titles. You can check out our hands-on impression of the upcoming console here [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/video-games/17413-Nintendo-Switch-PAX-South-Preview-Great-on-Handheld-Bad-on-Home-#&gid=gallery_6881&pid=1].

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[Leg End]

Close to what I thought. Good to see Nintendo isn't going utterly full retard and trying to charge the same as Microsoft and Sony.

 

[drkchmst]

The NES/SNES game is not free, it costs money.

 

[Mirrorknight]

Hrrrrm. $2-3 a month. Wellll...I did say that if they actually came in at that amount it'd be fine, so surprise, surprise, Nintendo is being halfway reasonable on this. Still say they should just give the ROM for free to keep each month. Or at least do the xbox/playstation thing and let you keep it as long as you pay for the service.

 

[Battenberg]

Inb4 it costs ?40 in the UK for no reason. Price is better than I expected but still too much for an online service that makes you use your phone for voice chat because "headsets are too bulky" (actual BS reason Reggie gave for this).

Then again based on pre-order figures Nintendo fans have reached Apple levels of fanboyism and are mass buying regardless of the flaws so I guess it doesn't matter what nonsense they pull at this point. Probably could have announced a $150 cost and it still wouldn't put enough people off their pre-orders to put a dent in sales.

 

[Saelune]

Now if only that App thing would go away. I really hope it is one of those apps that is supposed to "improve" things but not required, cause...I am -not- using my phone to play on Switch.

 

[008Zulu_v1legacy]

Then again based on pre-order figures

Keep in mind that Nintendo are only shipping 2 million units worldwide for the consoles initial release.

OT; Cheaper than Sony and Microsoft. Then again, S&M offer considerably more in the way of content for their online services.

 

[ToastyMozart]

The practice as a whole is still total bullshit, but at least they're pricing it a bit more palatably.

 

[Battenberg]

While I'm not in agreement with his reasoning. The act of hating something new without ever trialing it, is beyond idiotic.

And people will buy the Switch for its unique selling point, which is not covered by the PS4, Xbox One, or PC. Miserable as fuck Escapist users will pin it on "fanboyism".

Who said I hate it? I was actually super hyped after the initial reveal but everything I've heard about it since then has made it sound worse and worse and despite that the hype train for it from some hasn't slowed at all. By all means throw out unpleasant insults because my views do not align with yours (although most would argue that's immature) but I'm allowed an opinion on the Switch just like everyone else.

 

[Rangaman]

Okay, that's...not terrible. I'm still not going to pay for it (unless Splatoon 2 blows my mind away, which is unlikely) but it's only going for about half of what PS Plus and XBL Gold go for.

Then again based on pre-order figures Nintendo fans have reached Apple levels of fanboyism and are mass buying regardless of the flaws so I guess it doesn't matter what nonsense they pull at this point. Probably could have announced a $150 cost and it still wouldn't put enough people off their pre-orders to put a dent in sales.

What, the same people who ditched the GameCube for "looking like a kids toy"? Most people are probably buying this for Mario and Zelda, so it's unlikely that the online features would have a massive effect on sales (unless they were impossibly bad).

Price is better than I expected but still too much for an online service that makes you use your phone for voice chat because "headsets are too bulky" (actual BS reason Reggie gave for this).

To be fair, NOJ is responsible for this decision. Reggie is a glorified spokesperson from what I can tell. And there's really not much else you can say when you're trying to sell a system, is there?

 

[Sheo_Dagana]

And people will buy the Switch for its unique selling point, which is not covered by the PS4, Xbox One, or PC. Miserable as fuck Escapist users will pin it on "fanboyism".

Funny, because that's the exact same argument leveled at Sony's success by the average Nintendo fan. They just don't call it "fanboyism." They call it "hype" instead. "Hype" is the reason every non-Nintendo console has out-performed whatever platform the big N is bringing to the table and anyone that bought into said "hype" is a brainwashed idiot.

OT: Not a bad price, but I don't know how quickly I'll be opening up my wallet just yet. Depends on how paying for the service affects the servers. Smash and Mario Kart are usually fairly laggy for me, although Splatoon managed to perform as well as any other online shooter I've played recently.

Also, doesn't anyone else think it's kind of weird that the charging for online services won't be immediate? I mean... that just seems weird, doesn't it? Don't get me wrong; I don't think there's anything wrong with paying for online services if it means smoother, faster, and more secure connections, but I think it's a little misleading to not lead with the service at launch. Could have something to do with the fact that most of the titles that will actually utilize the service will be coming out around then, but I dunno. Just feels off.

Still not feeling the Smart Phone app as your mic, but maybe they'll surprise me since it also manages matchmaking and all that.

 

[Alfredo Jones]

Now if only that App thing would go away. I really hope it is one of those apps that is supposed to "improve" things but not required, cause...I am -not- using my phone to play on Switch.

They recently released details on how the app works with Splatoon 2. It will sync up with the game to allow you to invite friends into lobbies. While in a lobby all players will be able to communicate between each other, but once the match starts you can only talk to your teammates. You won't be able to talk to strangers, however, so when playing with randoms you're limited to using the "Booyah" and "Over Here" voice commands. I rarely use voice chat since I'm a quiet sort of guy so I don't know how good this system would be.

It's also been discovered that according to the official Switch UK site the console's headphone jack will support headsets, so perhaps there will be a way to use them instead of the app? We probably won't get an official answer until the console and app are released.

 

[Bedinsis]

When they announced that they would charge for online functionality I said that I thought it sounded bad, unless the price would be very, very cheap. So: Nintendo charges at most 2.20$ per month, a quick search reveal that PS+ cost at least 4.53$, Xbox gold at least 4.61$(in both cases I take the price for one year and divide it by 12).

This means that in the worst case scenario the Nintendo service will cost less than half as much as the others. While the competition offers more bonuses and, from what I've understood, are more reliable in their online functionality.

Sounds... not unreasonable.

 

[MASTACHIEFPWN]

>Paying for online
>Kek

In all seriousness- this isn't as bad as I expected. I was on the fence with getting the NX- and hearing I'd have to pay for online moved me away from it.

I love my Wii U, although I don't play it as much as I should. All of the games I have for it have really been great- though I understand why it sold poorly. The free online was a big selling point to me- Nintendo seems to have fewer online focused titles than what the other two rely on- admittedly, but it's nice not having to pay to use something I already pay for.

I might still consider the NX if Splatoon 2 is good. I did buy the U for that game in particular. 2-4$ a month wouldn't be awful for an online service, even though I still heavily disagree with its implementation.

 

[008Zulu_v1legacy]

And people will buy the Switch for its unique selling point

Well, they won't be buying it for the games baddum tish!

 

[Gordon_4_v1legacy]

And people will buy the Switch for its unique selling point

Well, they won't be buying it for the games baddum tish!

Why am I having flashbacks to the Playstation 3 launch?

 

[Guffe]

So maybe 20-25? per year here in Finland then. That's a good price, nothing I can't pay in case I want the online functions.

The only thing I am wondering about now is how many good games it will release per year... So far I have Zelda, Skyrim, FireEmblen, ShinMegamiTensei and Xenoblade which I know for sure are coming to the console within 2017. But after that? Will there be 3-4 good games (I am talking about "big" releases, not indie titles for 5? from the Eshop) a year for 5 years forward which I am going to want to play? Sure there's Splat00n2 and MarioKart8Deluxe, but I am not too interested in those. Almost certainly there will be a Smash Bros at some point...

There seems to be some interest in the Switch on this site, so maybe I'll be able to ask more specifik questions and get answer a month or so after release. Unless I just happen to buy it because I see it at a store -.-

 

[Quellist]

Fuck Nintendo, i'm not going to buy a turd even if that turd only costs $2 a month.

They really need to make that game/month thing permanant

 

[Leg End]

Also, doesn't anyone else think it's kind of weird that the charging for online services won't be immediate? I mean... that just seems weird, doesn't it? Don't get me wrong; I don't think there's anything wrong with paying for online services if it means smoother, faster, and more secure connections, but I think it's a little misleading to not lead with the service at launch. Could have something to do with the fact that most of the titles that will actually utilize the service will be coming out around then, but I dunno. Just feels off.

Building an install base. Kind of like how Halo 2 came with a 2 month trial card inside for Xbox LIVE.

 

[008Zulu_v1legacy]

Why am I having flashbacks to the Playstation 3 launch?

In the PS3's defense, at least it had a Blu-Ray player. Switch doesn't even have Netflix.