Nintendo President Shares Switch Online Services Pricing, VR Considerations

Megalith

Megalith

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Whew, we finally have some good news regarding pricing with the Nintendo Switch—it turns out that the online service will cost less than $30 annually, which is significantly cheaper than Xbox Gold and PlayStation Plus. The President also mentions that the company is pursuing VR functionality with the console, but considering the current state of its hardware, I am willing to bet that will be reserved for the inevitable “Pro” version.

The upgrades will likely apply to multiplayer online gaming and the library of downloadable classic games, and carry an annual fee of 2,000 yen to 3,000 yen ($17.60 to $26.40). "With paid [services], we will be able to fully commit to customers," said Nintendo President Tatsumi Kimishima. Online multiplayer and other services are available for free on the predecessor Wii U console. For the Switch, Nintendo is introducing a smartphone chat app as well as monthly downloads of classic games. The Switch will hit stores in March. Kimishima also said Nintendo is "studying" adding virtual reality functionality to the new console. "If we are able to resolve the issues with playing [VR] comfortably for long hours, we will support it in one form or another," he said, without providing a time frame.
 
I still can't reconcile why you need a smartphone to use their online service at all. Some of us don't own a smartphone.
 
vegeta535 said:
It's not powerful enough for multitasking.
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I think moving all of the Switch voice capabilities to a smartphone app is lessening the risk of kids talking to old perverts...

That was supposed to have been sarcasm, but reading it to myself - I could very well see it being a factor for Nintendo.
 
SeymourGore said:
I think moving all of the Switch voice capabilities to a smartphone app is lessening the risk of kids talking to old perverts...

That was supposed to have been sarcasm, but reading it to myself - I could very well see it being a factor for Nintendo.
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Possibly but what stops kids from talking to perverts on a phone? It really doesn't have much to go around if they want any kind of decent performance is what I think.
 
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DeathFromBelow said:
What kinds of VR games are you going to play on a switch? Compete to see who can go the longest without puking from the low frame rate?
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I see a lot of classic virtual boy titles coming to the switch.

... that's about it.
I mean there's samsung vr which is kind of the same thing. But most of it is movies and very little interaction.
 
Hypergreatthing said:
I see a lot of classic virtual boy titles coming to the switch.

... that's about it.
I mean there's samsung vr which is kind of the same thing. But most of it is movies and very little interaction.
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12 Virtual Boy games is hardly a lot of titles....
 
I doubt there will be a pro version like on PS4 and XB1, though surely it sounds feasible to switch to Pascal as it is presumed they are using Maxwell. Even though, I doubt it coming from Nintendo.
 
Megalith said:
Whew, we finally have some good news regarding pricing with the Nintendo Switch—it turns out that the online service will cost less than $30 annually, which is significantly cheaper than Xbox Gold and PlayStation Plus. The President also mentions that the company is pursuing VR functionality with the console, but considering the current state of its hardware, I am willing to bet that will be reserved for the inevitable “Pro” version.

The upgrades will likely apply to multiplayer online gaming and the library of downloadable classic games, and carry an annual fee of 2,000 yen to 3,000 yen ($17.60 to $26.40). "With paid [services], we will be able to fully commit to customers," said Nintendo President Tatsumi Kimishima. Online multiplayer and other services are available for free on the predecessor Wii U console. For the Switch, Nintendo is introducing a smartphone chat app as well as monthly downloads of classic games. The Switch will hit stores in March. Kimishima also said Nintendo is "studying" adding virtual reality functionality to the new console. "If we are able to resolve the issues with playing [VR] comfortably for long hours, we will support it in one form or another," he said, without providing a time frame.
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You mean the "Pro" version that will, for the first time ever on a Nintendo device, now support 1080p on its full library :) I hesitate at the VR experience profferred by a device that can't support the horsepower of 4K resolutions. But I do enjoy how Nintendo has claimed that its the comfort of playing VR for long periods that has them hesitating. I guess they meant their comfort, not the end user's :)
 
vegeta535 said:
It's not powerful enough for multitasking.
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Nah. The Tegra can handle the multitasking required. The reason Nintendo is offloading online functionality is almost certainly battery life. It's going to be bad enough with multiplayer games; adding always-on friend lists, voice transmission, etc. would mean even less time available from a full charge and their flagship game is already said to be at 3 hours.
 
Well...at least the annual cost is cheap. They really flubbed with the "rent this ROM for one month only" thing, though.
 
significantly cheaper than Xbox Gold and PlayStation Plus... yet I guarantee also significantly less features. Based on past nintendo history, they are near-clueless when it comes to online features and functionality
 
Babbster said:
Nah. The Tegra can handle the multitasking required. The reason Nintendo is offloading online functionality is almost certainly battery life. It's going to be bad enough with multiplayer games; adding always-on friend lists, voice transmission, etc. would mean even less time available from a full charge and their flagship game is already said to be at 3 hours.
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I'd accept that, but you'd think they would still allow full connectivity if the system was docked.

illli said:
significantly cheaper than Xbox Gold and PlayStation Plus... yet I guarantee also significantly less features. Based on past nintendo history, they are near-clueless when it comes to online features and functionality
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This is my concern. Great that it's cheaper, not great if it ends up being the same level of quality that their past online networks were.
 
SeymourGore said:
Don't worry, I'm sure Nintendo could stretch out those releases over a few years to "maintain sales momentum."
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Because that totally worked out for the Virtual Boy in 1995 lol. I'm being sarcastic.
 
illli said:
significantly cheaper than Xbox Gold and PlayStation Plus... yet I guarantee also significantly less features. Based on past nintendo history, they are near-clueless when it comes to online features and functionality
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You don't have to guarantee it. It's already obviously true. Both Xbox Live Gold and PS+ offer up full free games (which can be played indefinitely while a member, and XBL's Xbox 360 games are just flat-out owned forever by the member whether they renew or not). Integration with the system is a critical difference as well. Nintendo could produce the most amazing smartphone app in history and it'd still be a shadow of what it would be if it was fully integrated with the Switch.

Nintendo's online implementation will remain what it always has been: An unfunny joke.
 
thekipper said:
I just can't figure out exactly what the Switch is trying to be and for that reason, I am out.
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I have explained this in the Nintendo Switch thread, but here it is for you.

"For those who may not realize, the Nintendo Switch is not an abandonment of the traditional console. It is a direct and logical progression of the Wii U gamepad.

They have addressed the gamepad wear and tear by making the sticks/buttons modular and in the process integrated the Wii Remote and Nunchuck functionality into them.

Though it is more powerful than the Wii U, Switch is a placeholder. Nintendo gets to sit back and watch Microsoft and Sony's hardware war while they can invest time and money into what matters.

The Switch console and dock is not the base system; you have not been introduced to that yet."

DeathFromBelow said:
What kinds of VR games are you going to play on a switch? Compete to see who can go the longest without puking from the low frame rate?
Click to expand...
spugm1r3 said:
You mean the "Pro" version that will, for the first time ever on a Nintendo device, now support 1080p on its full library :) I hesitate at the VR experience profferred by a device that can't support the horsepower of 4K resolutions. But I do enjoy how Nintendo has claimed that its the comfort of playing VR for long periods that has them hesitating. I guess they meant their comfort, not the end user's :)
Click to expand...
Babbster said:
Nah. The Tegra can handle the multitasking required. The reason Nintendo is offloading online functionality is almost certainly battery life. It's going to be bad enough with multiplayer games; adding always-on friend lists, voice transmission, etc. would mean even less time available from a full charge and their flagship game is already said to be at 3 hours.
Click to expand...
SeymourGore said:
I'd accept that, but you'd think they would still allow full connectivity if the system was docked.
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Quoting myself from the Switch thread:

"Though Nintendo is interested in VR, the Switch is 720p and 297 grams in weight. They will wait for everything to be mature, at the right price point. Then you will see the next traditional console with a fancy gamepad, which you will likely already own, additional input options and a real VR headset option."

As you can see, the Switch is too heavy and obviously underpowered. Again, it is a Wii U gamepad successor. You have not seen the base system, which will have full network connectivity among other things you know the Switch is lacking.
 
blkt said:
As you can see, the Switch is too heavy and obviously underpowered. Again, it is a Wii U gamepad successor. You have not seen the base system, which will have full network connectivity among other things you know the Switch is lacking.
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I hope you're right, it'd be great to have the Switch communicate with a more powerful base platform at some point.
 
blkt said:
I have explained this in the Nintendo Switch thread, but here it is for you.
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Excellent! I'm sure that someone appreciates your expertise and speculation.

The rest of us will have to settle for evaluating the facts about the Switch as it is being released rather than seeing it as some sort of springboard from which Nintendo will soar higher than ever.
 
Babbster said:
Excellent! I'm sure that someone appreciates your expertise and speculation.

The rest of us will have to settle for evaluating the facts about the Switch as it is being released rather than seeing it as some sort of springboard from which Nintendo will soar higher than ever.
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I am sure someone appreciates your sarcasm as well. It seems you are ignoring the facts about the Switch.
 
blkt said:
I am sure someone appreciates your sarcasm as well. It seems you are ignoring the facts about the Switch.
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Your post contained no facts. It seemed to be a fantasy scenario. I am always open to facts.
 
Babbster said:
Your post contained no facts. It seemed to be a fantasy scenario. I am always open to facts.
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Yes, it contains no facts. None at all. :rolleyes: Congratulations. You got me.

"Nintendo Switch is not an abandonment of the traditional console. It is a direct and logical progression of the Wii U gamepad.

They have addressed the gamepad wear and tear by making the sticks/buttons modular and in the process integrated the Wii Remote and Nunchuck functionality into them.

Though it is more powerful than the Wii U, Switch is a placeholder."

"Though Nintendo is interested in VR, the Switch is 720p and 297 grams in weight."

Please excuse my "expertise" of decades-long business practice from a company who refuses to change.

Also, please forgive me for thinking logically. I should be more emotional like Babbster, so I can gloss over facts and use italics to express my general distaste.
 
blkt said:
Please excuse my "expertise" of decades-long business practice from a company who refuses to change.

Also, please forgive me for thinking logically. I should be more emotional like Babbster, so I can gloss over facts and use italics to express my general distaste.
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I dunno, I can't really see Nintendo being that progressive/forward thinking with a system based on their past history. I remember a lot of 'expansion ports' and whatnot, but haven't really seen them use this approach for awhile now. Don't get me wrong, I think it'd be a smart move, but I don't really see them going in that direction based on their past history.

And, if anything, I see the Switch as being the end of separate eco-systems for Nintendo (TV and handheld). They can say all they want that the 3DS is still their primary mobile platform, but I believe that will be based entirely on Switch's success.
 
SeymourGore said:
I dunno, I can't really see Nintendo being that progressive/forward thinking with a system based on their past history. I remember a lot of 'expansion ports' and whatnot, but haven't really seen them use this approach for awhile now. Don't get me wrong, I think it'd be a smart move, but I don't really see them going in that direction based on their past history.

And, if anything, I see the Switch as being the end of separate eco-systems for Nintendo (TV and handheld). They can say all they want that the 3DS is still their primary mobile platform, but I believe that will be based entirely on Switch's success.
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Yes, development environments have already been consolidated. You know about their history of expansion ports and yes they have not been implemented in the past two (Wii) generations. Nintendo is thinking modular again, as evidenced by the Switch, and have expressed their interest in VR. That is all.
 
blkt said:
Yes, it contains no facts. None at all. :rolleyes: Congratulations. You got me.

"Nintendo Switch is not an abandonment of the traditional console. It is a direct and logical progression of the Wii U gamepad.
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Not a fact. Just something you're saying. In fact, I'd call it a regression.
They have addressed the gamepad wear and tear by making the sticks/buttons modular and in the process integrated the Wii Remote and Nunchuck functionality into them.
Click to expand...
What in this thread are you even responding to with this? And was WiiU wear and tear an important factor in its lack of success? If so, where's the evidence?
Though it is more powerful than the Wii U, Switch is a placeholder."
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Pure opinion. Meaningless opinion at that. And if it really is a "placeholder," then why should people buy it?
"Though Nintendo is interested in VR, the Switch is 720p and 297 grams in weight."
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Provide your evidence of Nintendo being interested in VR; they've shown evidence of being interested in 3D but their only consumer foray into VR was the Virtual Boy which was an unmitigated failure. The second clause includes facts but have absolutely nothing to do with the first clause of the sentence. It's word salad.
Please excuse my "expertise" of decades-long business practice from a company who refuses to change.
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Word salad again. It's also amusing that you're showing such defensiveness given what you wrote next...
Also, please forgive me for thinking logically. I should be more emotional like Babbster, so I can gloss over facts and use italics to express my general distaste.
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There's no logic at all. You're typing strings of nonsense. As for my italics, yeah, I probably overuse them but I type as I would speak.
 
Babbster said:
Insert Babbster babble here.
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You are again ignoring the fact that the Switch is the Wii U GamePad, revised. The second line you quote simply displays what Nintendo has done to improve the input options on this revised gamepad (aside from its obvious incorporation of a fully fledged SoC and increased display resolution).

User thekipper couldn't "figure out exactly what the Switch is trying to be" and I explained what the Switch is. Is this hard to understand? It should be obvious. Nintendo experienced a lot of returns for repairs of the Wii U GamePad and learned from their experience. In the process, they consolidated input devices through reimplementation of modular design.

Switch is a placeholder, as the Wii-U has been discontinued and replaced with a marginally superior performing hybrid console.

You can look up Nintendo's public responses on VR over the past few years, including filed patents and...never mind. We are in a forum, discussing an article about Nintendo online services and consideration/studying of VR. WTF is wrong with you?

It is not word salad if you think logically; the Switch is too low of resolution and too heavy for long term VR use. Do I have to spell out everything for you?

You do not (or choose not to) understand my reference to Nintendo's unwavering business practices. I am done explaining things for you.

I am glad you find it amusing, because your actions show who you are. :troll:
 
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[QUOTE="blkt, post: 1042796098, member: 206269"
It is not word salad if you think logically; the Switch is too low of resolution and too heavy for long term VR use. Do I have to spell out everything for you?
[/QUOTE]

I think the two of you may be talking about VR in different contexts. @ blkt seems to be talking about the mobile version of VR, where you strap the device itself to your face. The switch is definitely too heavy for that. Babbster seems to be referring to the Rift/Vive version of VR.

In my opinion, the former is a toy, the latter is the only one with potential.
 
But they are both impractical contexts and all but impossible for all but the most basic of games either way you look at it. I'll get a switch some day when they are much cheaper just because I am a collector and there will be a zelda game and a metroid game likely, but there is nothing really stacking up in the favor of the switch. It tries too hard to be everything but fails pretty hard in most applications. It's not going to be a good handheld system, it's not going to be a good console, it's not going to have any sort of decent online ecosystem (a phone, really?), it may have a fun local multiplayer as a console but it's not going to work except for a few types of games as a mobile multiplayer console. Swing and a miss if you ask me. Jack of all trades, master of none
 
DeathFromBelow said:
What kinds of VR games are you going to play on a switch? Compete to see who can go the longest without puking from the low frame rate?
Click to expand...

Depends on the games....

Wouldn't have a problem with this:

upload_2017-2-3_12-2-8.jpeg
 
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