After confusing reports and lots of wondering, Nintendo has finally given a solid release date for when the paid online service for the Nintendo Switch will launch. Come September 2018, the free online will end, and the $20 a year online subscription will be required to play games online. Nothing else was revealed, but more details were promised in the coming months.

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[Deleted User]

If you can find me decent broadband that's $20 a year, I'm so fuckin' in. The monthly price of broadband is about three times the yearly price of Switch online.

That depends from country to country. You're still paying to use the internet you paid for already, though. Can you imagine Valve charging you 20$ a year in order to play online on Steam?

 

[Kioku]

That depends from country to country. You're still paying to use the internet you paid for already, though. Can you imagine Valve charging you 20$ a year in order to play online on Steam?

With as much as I save in their sales, I wouldn't care. Especially since that would heavily imply one of two things. They're not making ends meet otherwise. Or, they're wanting to add new features to the service.

$20/year isn't shit when you consider how much money you toss on other needless luxuries.

 

[Deleted User]

$20/year isn't shit when you consider how much money you toss on other needless luxuries

Speak for yourself.

 

[Kioku]

Speak for yourself.

I see.. So you can justify every possible purchase as a necessity?

 

[Deleted User]

I see.. So you can justify every possible purchase as a necessity?

In my case, yes. I can't speak for other people, though.

 

[KingVamp]

It won't. It's much cheaper than competitors

I wonder how long that's going to last.

Such a shame. Pay for online should have died ages ago.

 

[Axido]

I wonder how long that's going to last.

Such a shame. Pay for online should have died ages ago.

Ages ago there hasn't been paid online, lol.
Though basically I'm on your side. This shouldn't ever have been introduced in the first place. Wasn't there enough of a shitstorm when it was first introduced along the X360? Oh wait, people were busy enough returning their burnt consoles because of some design flaw that caused RRODs like crazy.

 

[Kioku]

Ages ago there hasn't been paid online, lol.
Though basically I'm on your side. This shouldn't ever have been introduced in the first place. Wasn't there enough of a shitstorm when it was first introduced along the X360? Oh wait, people were busy enough returning their burnt consoles because of some design flaw that caused RRODs like crazy.

Xbox original had paid online.

 

[Xzi]

That depends from country to country. You're still paying to use the internet you paid for already, though. Can you imagine Valve charging you 20$ a year in order to play online on Steam?

You're not paying to use your internet, you're paying to use Nintendo's online service which comes with other benefits/features. You don't need a Switch to use your internet. Comparing to Steam is pointless, since obviously the console market has gone in a different direction from the PC market.

I wonder how long that's going to last.

They're not advertising that as a promotional price, so I'd say that's gonna be the price permanently. I doubt they're going to want to add a bunch of new features to justify pricing it the same as competitors.

 

[Deleted User]

you're paying to use Nintendo's online service which comes with other benefits/features

Like what?

Comparing to Steam is pointless, since obviously the console market has gone in a different direction from the PC market.

OK, let's compare it to a Steam Machine.

 

[Xzi]

Like what?

Like free VC games with multiplayer you get to keep, access to voice chat and chat lobbies, etc. For $20 a year you could be getting nothing but access to their games' online play and it'd still be fair.

OK, let's compare it to a Steam Machine.

Well, Steam machines take the L there since they sold like crap.

Additionally, there's significantly more up-front cost with Steam machines compared to Switch. That's like 10+ years of paying for the online service. You also lose the portable factor.

 

[Supster131]

"$20 isn't a lot"
I view it as "$20 is still more than free".

I guess if Nintendo actually improves their online service and offer similar things offered in PS+ and XBL, then it probably won't be too bad.
Otherwise, if they are going to charge for the same kind of service that's being offered now.. no thanks.

 

[FAST6191]

Ew paid online.

Least I still have my PC if I feel the need to play with people not in shouting distance.

 

[Pleng]

The Switch not having games you enjoy is hardly their problem.

It kinda is, though...

 

[the_randomizer]

It kinda is, though...

Then you shouldn't have gotten it, it clearly wasn't for you.

 

[Xzi]

It kinda is, though...

"Our target market is this one random guy instead of gamers in general, got it? Good."

 

[Pleng]

Then you shouldn't have gotten it, it clearly wasn't for you.

I didn't get it.

But implying that gamers (Nintendo's target market) not wanting to buy a Nintendo system because there's no games available that they like is "not their [Nintendo's] problem" is a bit daft considering that Nintendo's sole purpose is, you know, to sell games and gaming systems to gamers.

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"Our target market is this one random guy instead of gamers in general, got it? Good."

Ahhh so you think that the person who made that comment is the *only* person that doesn't like any/enough of the games for the Switch to make a purchase.

It's an obsurd conclusion to arrive at but, having seemingly done so, I understand, then, why you'd agree with The Randomisers point of view.

 

[KingVamp]

Comparing to Steam is pointless, since obviously the console market has gone in a different direction from the PC market.

Yes. The console market is going toward nickel and diming people for everything they can get away with, when it is meant to be the cheaper alternative.

They're not advertising that as a promotional price, so I'd say that's gonna be the price permanently. I doubt they're going to want to add a bunch of new features to justify pricing it the same as competitors.

I'm sure people thought the prices of the other consoles wouldn't go up and a lot of people doubted Nintendo would never do pay for online, yet here we are. Btw, you can't justify putting a pay wall on online. No matter how many "features" you put on it. Both consoles before and PC now already shows that you can have these features for free.

inb4 "Free" games. Yeah. A lot, if not most, people don't care about and just want to play online.

"$20 isn't a lot"
I view it as "$20 is still more than free".

A lot of people seem to miss that point.

 

[Xzi]

Yes. The console market is going toward nickel and diming people for everything they can get away with, when it is meant to be the cheaper alternative.

Consoles have always been cheaper up front, but not in the long term. You get way more long-term value out of PC games with mods and customization options, and prices usually go down faster. Disclaimer being ofc that PC component prices truly are ridiculous right now because of the crypto-craze.

Btw, you can't justify putting a pay wall on online. No matter how many "features" you put on it. Both consoles before and PC now already shows that you can have these features for free.

Absolutely you can have these things for free, but the game servers deployed in Steam games aren't always the best. With paid online you can at least hope for a bit more consistency from game to game.

inb4 "Free" games. Yeah. A lot, if not most, people don't care about and just want to play online.

Personally I find the added online play more interesting than the games themselves at current, and I'll be especially happy if they release certain SNES games with online play.

 

[Kioku]

Yes. The console market is going toward nickel and diming people for everything they can get away with, when it is meant to be the cheaper alternative.



I'm sure people thought the prices of the other consoles wouldn't go up and a lot of people doubted Nintendo would never do pay for online, yet here we are. Btw, you can't justify putting a pay wall on online. No matter how many "features" you put on it. Both consoles before and PC now already shows that you can have these features for free.

inb4 "Free" games. Yeah. A lot, if not most, people don't care about and just want to play online.


A lot of people seem to miss that point.

Xbox has been doing this since what... 2002? 2003? This "nickel and diming" is a subscription fee with some minor benefits over what once was a "free package". Do I agree with it? No. Is it "Nickel and Diming" the customer? Only if you're that ignorant I guess?

Pay to play online is an insult, but MMOs have had this niche for a long ass time. Not sure why you're not pointing fingers at them. Oh, right... because they're not consoles... You have to wonder why they're charging for an online service. The answer will shock you...