Nintendo can be the most rewarding publisher in gaming, while also being the most frustrating. On numerous occasions throughout Nintendo’s history, there have been obvious answers to issues or releases that seem like low-hanging fruit to the point of absurdity. In their current state, Nintendo is at the top of their game, while also being incredibly out of touch with many players.
After a full year and a half, the Nintendo Switch will be getting a paid online service. This is something that players have grown accustomed to since Xbox Live started charging to use their service. Sony eventually followed a similar model with the PS4, adding in free games for each of their three systems, which Xbox eventually started doing as well. Paying for online multiplayer is fairly common and one can make the argument that the more players paying for it, the better the service will become overall in both value to the player and stability in the connection. It’s rather hard to tell that this is the case, but it is the excuse many players fall back on when justifying that purchase. It’s either that or not play online multiplayer on the system, at least in most cases.
The problem with the Switch online service is that it doesn’t really add to what was already there, at least not in a significant way. Nintendo has tried to explain how it works but always go into broad strokes rather than detailing out all of the features. Cloud saves will be added, but it turns out that the data could be deleted as soon as the Nintendo Switch Online subscription expires. Even just forgetting to pay for a month could result in losing that data, which means that there isn’t
Aside from Cloud Saves, Nintendo will be giving access to a library of NES games that will periodically be added to. There are boasts of adding online multiplayer, which for most titles on the console would be trivial, if not annoying in practice. Yet, some of the games that would make the most sense to have this feature are currently not on the list. Nintendo has been drip-feeding their legacy content since the Wii and starting with such a small offering of only NES games is just laughable, especially when considering the Wii U had a decent offering of systems and games. Although, the same drip-feeding occurred there too.
Truly, Nintendo needs to treat their legacy better, or at least stop actively shutting down their community's attempts to do so. Efforts to preserve those libraries of games are outright demonized by Nintendo. They have shut down major emulation sites, ended long-running fan game tools, and stopped fan games only years after they’ve been announced. This is a bit ironic since Nintendo has been seen to upload ROMs from the internet and then sell them on the Nintendo eShop in the past. We’ll have to wait and see if this is the case on their Switch ROMs, but regardless it remains a point worth bringing up. That and one can argue that Super Mario Maker was inspired by the ROM hacking community and the Lunar Magic editing software. Clearly, Nintendo is aware of emulation technology, but refuses to admit its usefulness.
Compare this to how other companies treat their past titles.
Until the PS4, Sony had a substantial offering of older games on the PS3, PSP, and PSVita with extra features for displaying and playing the games. They do offer older games through PlayStation Now, but that’s a service that only a small amount of users can access due to the needs to stream the games, not to mention the input lag they often suffer from. A download option would completely change PlayStation Now and make it something worthwhile for a larger player base. Even the Xbox One has some backward compatibility for 360 and Original Xbox games. This is coupled with many companies re-releasing games as a package or remastering them in some capacity.
Probably one of the best examples of keeping older titles relevant is what Square Enix has been doing for decades. Just about every numbered Final Fantasy game finds their way to a new console, sometimes with added features, more content, and enhanced graphics. Even better is when developers add in a retro option to swap between the various visuals, capturing the history while also enhancing the title. Even more obscure titles or ones that were never localized will sometimes be delivered by Square Enix. Sometimes they really mess things up like what was done with the PC releases of Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy V, and Final Fantasy VI, but they usually do well enough.
On the fan creation side, the best example surprisingly comes from Sega, who famously hired ROM hackers to work on mobile ports of their classic Sonic the Hedgehog games. They eventually gave them a new project, which became the stellar Sonic Mania. Not only was Sonic Mania a hit among longtime fans and critics, but it also sold incredibly well. Rather than shut down the most-devoted fans they had, they nurtured them and helped them create something truly special.
It is hard to tell why Nintendo struggles with seemingly basic things. Every time we see a new main series title exclusive to 3DS we scream at our devices, “Why not Switch too?” We’re tired of seeing ports of Wii U titles priced at a full sixty dollars. Time and time again people ask for Mother 3, a game that fans delivered as a translation patch long ago. It’s only after DLC and patches that Splatoon 2 is actually feeling like a sequel to an intellectual property that proved Nintendo could still do something new and amazing.
The list goes on and on.
What’s even more troubling is the blatant absense of features that could be easily added.
First of all, there's no reason Nintendo couldn’t embrace emulators. Financially, all that would need to be done is a curated list of ROMs and software that users pick up for a small fee. That alone would be basically free money with a huge profit margin. Imagine iTunes, but filled with safe-to-download and well-performing Nintendo games. Imagine a Netflix style service that let players stream or download a wide offering of classics. Other forms of media are doing this and more. Why does Nintendo treat video games so differently when it comes to this?
When Nintendo shuts down popular emulation sites, they often cut off a safe option for users. Most users seeking to play those games will go elsewhere, which can lead them into some nasty viruses. Rather than protecting their brand, they’re often putting their fans in a bad position.
A fan designing their own take on a franchise could move on to create something wonderful for Nintendo, using the design skills they learned along the way. A Super Metroid ROM hack could be the perfect way to spice up a portfolio, but when Nintendo has proven their veracity to legally swat down such projects, is the risk worth it? When the company shuts these fan projects down with a heavy hand, they often cut that tie entirely and wind up discouraging a designer from working for them. If current fan games are anything to go by, there is a mass of untapped potential in those creators that Nintendo could certainly use in their games, but seemingly won't.
If Nintendo is shutting down these sorts of things because they have something similar in mind, that really needs to be communicated. These moves would sting less if Nintendo had a better solution, but because of their typical secrecy, they’re incredibly hard to predict.
What is needed from Nintendo more than anything is to create the best value for players with more
The truth is, whether Nintendo creates these offerings or not, hackers will eventually do it themselves.
Nintendo shuts down old multiplayer servers, but hackers and modders can keep the feature alive through private servers and emulation or modded systems. If Nintendo changes the way Super Mario Maker items work in a way that ruins a level concept, users discover a way to roll back their update or just recreate the level as a ROM hack. Most video streaming apps or internet browsers are not usable on the Switch but can be accessed quickly through basic exploits.
Users will find a way.
Nintendo, probably more than any other media development company in the world, have the opportunity to expand financially and create substantial value for their customers in just a few easy moves using their vast history. However, they continue to walk to their own rhythm, which is commendable in a way but isolating and aggravating to many of us. Unfortunately, they will continue to make money on high-priced ports and players will still pick up the online service regardless of any lacking features.
It’s the type of thing that is hard to articulate to those already at the top, but these topics are worth discussing and asking for. Maybe
