We got a glimpse of some new information about Nintendo's Switch Online Service yesterday during the Direct, but most of what was shown there was already known. To help shed a little more light on just what a subscription entails, Nintendo put a FAQ up on their site. The details are as follows:

• As already stated before the Direct, all Switch users (used to be only launch users) can get a 7 day free trial. This gives you access to online, voice chat, cloud saves, and the NES games.
• Those two wireless NES controllers are only purchasable if you have a current paid Nintendo Switch Online sub.
• The full list of 20 playable NES games for subscribers was revealed: Soccer, Tennis, Donkey Kong, Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 1 and 3, Balloon Fight, Ice Climber, Dr. Mario, The Legend of Zelda, Double Dragon, River City Ransom, Ghost's N Goblins, Tecmo Bowl, Gradius, Pro Wrestling, Excitebike, Yoshi, Ice Hockey, and Baseball.
• Each month, a new set of games will be added to the group.
• October will add NES Open Golf, Solomon's Key, and Super Dodge Ball
• November additions are Mighty Bomb Jack, Twinbee, and Metroid.
• December brings Wario's Woods, Adventures of Lolo, and Ninja Gaiden.
• Additionally, if you ever lapse in your subscription, you will lose all cloud data. "Save data stored with Save Data Cloud cannot be kept outside of the duration of your Nintendo Switch Online membership." If you cancel or let it expire, you'll lose all data saved on the cloud.
• If you play the NES games, you need to check in every 7 days by going online to verify your account.

Source: Nintendo UK
Source: Nintendo of America

 

[the_randomizer]

I don't consider any paid online service to be a good thing, but it's just the reality of console gaming now.

Even worse is that there are a lot of sycophants and enablers out there for this.

 

[Xzi]

Even worse is that there are a lot of sycophants and enablers out there for this.

Yeah, it was the XB360 generation that sealed our fate. If only Sony had used more standardized hardware in the PS3, then maybe it wouldn't have been so overpriced and people would've flocked to the free online.

 

[the_randomizer]

Yeah, it was the XB360 generation that sealed our fate. If only Sony had used more standardized hardware in the PS3, then maybe it wouldn't have been so overpriced and people would've flocked to the free online.

I'm just, ugh, gonna try out the trial period at least and make my judgment then.

 

[Huntereb]

Sure, in the sense that capitalism turns everyone into cuckolds for corporations. Or do you live in a straw hut that you built yourself?

I buy products that are equal the value I offer for them, not "Just because that's how it is". If people work together in capitalism, corporations can be forced to create and do what we want. Eg; not settling for dogshit because "Well, that's how it is so oh well!".

 

[the_randomizer]

Well, I mean, I'm glad that I don't have to pay for VC-like games, now, whether or not we can keep them "forever" without being forced to delete them or lose them, that may mitigate my doubts.

 

[Xzi]

I'm just, ugh, gonna try out the trial period at least and make my judgment then.

Certainly I'm not suggesting anybody buy it who doesn't see the value in it, but from my point of view the cost is justified when comparing it to the competition. Particularly if there are any Nintendo IPs you like to play online regularly. Smash has been my favorite fighting series since N64, so playing Ultimate online is essentially a must for me.

I buy products that are equal the value I offer for them, not "Just because that's how it is". If people work together in capitalism, corporations can be forced to create and do what we want. Eg; not settling for dogshit because "Well, that's how it is so oh well!".

It's fine if you don't see the same value in it that I do, but pretending a boycott would do anything at this point is fairly naive. Paid online for Nintendo was inevitable the second people started paying for PSN without much fuss.

 

[Skeet1983]

Well, I mean, I'm glad that I don't have to pay for VC-like games, now, whether or not we can keep them "forever" without being forced to delete them or lose them, that may mitigate my doubts.

Um, I don't think we can keep the games forever. If you are talking about the NES games that come with Nintendo Online. Here is what I read, according to nintendolife.com:

What happens to the NES games if I cancel my subscription?
As far as we understand it, you can only play these NES games as long as you have an active subscription. The moment your subscription ends, you'll lose access to them.

Even active subscribers will have to "check in" with their console online once per week or they'll lose the ability to play them. This allows Nintendo to verify that you have an active subscription.

Personally, I think this sucks.

 

[the_randomizer]

Um, I don't think we can keep the games forever. If you are talking about the NES games that come with Nintendo Online. Here is what I read, according to nintendolife.com:

What happens to the NES games if I cancel my subscription?
As far as we understand it, you can only play these NES games as long as you have an active subscription. The moment your subscription ends, you'll lose access to them.

Even active subscribers will have to "check in" with their console online once per week or they'll lose the ability to play them. This allows Nintendo to verify that you have an active subscription.

Personally, I think this sucks.

Indeed, I hope someone someday cracks the DRM and allows us to keep them forever.

 

[FAST6191]

I don't consider any paid online service to be a good thing, but it's just the reality of console gaming now.

You seem very fatalistic. I am not sure that is a good thing. I am certainly not inclined to roll over and take it, particularly not with something so blatantly a cash grab.

 

[Xzi]

You seem very fatalistic. I am not sure that is a good thing. I am certainly not inclined to roll over and take it, particularly not with something so blatantly a cash grab.

Not really, it's not as though I'd tolerate year over year price increases or something like that. As I've said, people can determine the value of the individual online services for themselves, but that's often going to be limited to the one console/platform they own. Not a lot of people (on consoles) will pass on all of these services and stick to offline-only, but that's always an option too. Just don't expect it to be enough to make capitalism suddenly change course.

 

[FAST6191]

Not really, it's not as though I'd tolerate year over year price increases or something like that. As I've said, people can determine the value of the individual online services for themselves, but that's often going to be limited to the one console/platform they own. Not a lot of people (on consoles) will pass on all of these services and stick to offline-only, but that's always an option too. Just don't expect it to be enough to make capitalism suddenly change course.

People not buying a product has made people rethink things before.

Anyway I am struggling to the value in paying for things which have demonstrably been able to be done for free for decades, something which is only getting cheaper and easier to run and what miniscule costs there are able to be spread out over more users too. They try to offer a few enticements but it is things we have seen before done better by them and by those messing around in their free time, or again done not only for free but actually considered basic functionality in the past.

To open my wallet you have to offer me something, and not just a product of your walled garden that I am already trapped in. To keep being told I am just being cheap rankles somewhat, especially when those doing it seem to be ignoring that something is infinitely more than nothing. It would almost be easier to swallow if someone told me it was a charitable action that I am doing (or not doing as the case may be).

 

[Xzi]

Anyway I am struggling to the value in paying for things which have demonstrably been able to be done for free for decades, something which is only getting cheaper and easier to run and what miniscule costs there are able to be spread out over more users too.

That's largely the same argument that's been made against any paid console online subscription since XBL. It hasn't stopped it from growing and subsequently spreading to the competition. I don't mind at all if Switch online has a low adopt rate, because that would push Nintendo to offer more benefits. I don't believe they'll re-think the whole subscription service, though.