Nintendo Online May Only Be Free for Casual Gamers

[Alternative]

Makes sense. After all, many hardcore gamers seemed more than willing to buy Battlefield Premium and Call of Duty Elite memberships.

These services more then anything represent a fall in gaming.
That and the whole "shove multiplayer into every game" that EA seems bent on doing.

 

[tetron]

This announcement could have been worded a lot better. As it stands it's hard to tell if this is going to be an XBL that's only for "hardcore" gamers or if it's going to be Nintendo's version of Playstation Plus. The former would be total BS and the latter would be pretty cool.

 

[teebeeohh]

now, what does the fact that this bullshit was aimed at shareholders tell us?
it's probably crap
and we will still see nintendrones rising up to defend the hivemind

 

[Clearing the Eye]

What have you got for hard core players? You have Miyamoto. What's he got that requires online? Perhaps it'll be revealed! But you guys are playing frantic catch-up here, I want to see some actual online that doesn't suck before you start talking about charging for it.

Dragon Quest X: Rise of the Five Tribes Online...for starters...very possible Wii U Pokemon MMO for afters...ether one will test Nintendos on-line service to the limit.

A Pokemon MMO isn't "very possible." You just pulled that out of the air. At no point has Nintendo ever said they want to make an MMO and it's never been said, anywhere, that the WiiU could see a Pokemon game.

 

[Strazdas]

So you want to attract a hardcore crowd of gamers by making that single gamers group pay subscirption? sorry, something gone terribly wrong in your head. lately your remarks sound like ramblings of an insane person.

 

[BishopofAges]

Meh, it sounds sort of like Xbox LIVE Gold to me, or something like paid online DLC. I find no reason to panic over this, Nintendo takes care of people who pay for their stuff, hell that Club Nintendo thing is pretty neat and got me some interesting stuff just for already having games from them.

If they do go to some sort of subscribed membership dealy, they will probably outline what you get with it, and without it to a point that makes the whole deal fair enough. TBH, if a subscription is required to play online, I can usually pass on this, because most of the up and coming Wii U games I want are single player-ish (I would like more serious couch co-op games to rise though). Most of my online play is done through PC, and it seems fair enough to at least consider the ways and means that other consoles use to attract players.

All in all, this hardly seems like its going to be 'required' for anything, so I am not worried.

 

[Nick Holmgren]

I hope this means that they plan to make more DLC or something and not limiting your time you can play without a sub.

vague language is vague.

 

[SL33TBL1ND]

Oh hey, tonnes of people complaining that the Nintendo world is ending. Read it, people. He said "may" a lot in there. Remember every other insane policy that other companies have mentioned in the past that we never heard about again.

Yeah.

 

[Sis]

"HOW DARE YOU PLAY OUR GAMES ENTHUSIASTICALLY! Pay up or don't play your games online! Ya twatmonkey!

That's what I just read.

 

[likalaruku]

What about midcore gamers?

 

[Scrustle]

This better not come to fruition. That's so unfair to charge some people to use the same service that others get free just because of the way they use it! That doesn't sound like something Nintendo would do, but it still makes me nervous.

 

[SoulSalmon]

I like how everyone is flaming/panicking when they basically just said "We might possibly have a paid service for advanced online features at some point in the future."

 

[Toilet]

All the more reasons to hate casual gamers?

I'm cool with that.

 

[Davroth]

PSN is a mess compared to Xbox Live. :/

Nintendo has no intention of charging casual gamers for their fun, but the rest may have to pay for their pleasures.

Mental note: The Escapist is not a news site, and shouldn't be treated like one by me.

 

[Doclector]

So...what is he saying?

This has to be one of the most vague statements ever.

How would they do such a thing, anyway? If you play more than a certain amount of hours per month online, they start asking for a subscription?

 

[ReinWeisserRitter]

Wow, Yahtzee's right - every new thing announced about the Wii U really does make it sound worse.

 

[The Artificially Prolonged]

So from what I gather the wiiu's basic online features will be free but Nintendo may charge a subscription for more advanced features, kind of like Playstation Plus. I don't see that being a problem although it would depend on what features (if any) Nintendo would likely charge for.

 

[OldNewNewOld]

"HOW DARE YOU PLAY OUR GAMES ENTHUSIASTICALLY! Pay up or don't play your games online! Ya twatmonkey!

That's what I just read.

Well, I would suggest that you work on your reading comprehension because he didn't say anything close to that.

 

[saintdane05]

A Pokemon MMO isn't "very possible." You just pulled that out of the air. At no point has Nintendo ever said they want to make an MMO and it's never been said, anywhere, that the WiiU could see a Pokemon game.

Pokemon Crater, anyone?