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Nintendo Website Indicates Built in Switch Friends List (+other online features)
- Thread starter Skittzo0413
- Start date
orthodoxy1095
Banned
The entire logic of this thread is odd to me since the controversy was almost wholly over voice chat and matchmaking.
Skittzo0413
Member
It lists the entire app as being part of that paid subscription. It's likely free to download but you won't be able to do anything with it if you haven't paid for the online subscription.
Why would they list it as its own separate paid app if other features (like the friends management) is not paid? That makes no sense. Use Occam's razor here.
What? Where does it say the app can do anything without the paid subscription (after the free trial period ends)?
Again, Occam's razor. The fact that these two are separate (and one is paid while the other is not) should really tell you the story.
And I saw a WHOLE lot of people assuming there is no friends functionality at all on the Switch itself in those Reggie threads. Voice chat is definitely bad too, but I just want to clarify this point, as Nintendo has had this info public for a while now.
Read this very thread- many people assume that there is no friends functionality on the Switch itself due to comments about the app. That's the misconception I'm trying to clarify.
Sorry Op, but the separation doesn't clearly show us what you think it does.
Sure, but it's still an assumption. So "clearly shows us" it does not.
Sure, but it's still an assumption. So "clearly shows us" it does not.
……forgetit
Member
How sad is it that "it might have it's own friends list" is news? Everything has a friends list.
Oh, was it confirmed somewhere?
Therein lies the problem.
The head of Nintendo of America has not indicated, in any public communication(s), that the online features are built into the system. He has done the opposite, and this is the reason why people are disappointed in the functionality of the Switch.
Obviously, it sounds absurd that you'll need a non-Nintendo device to access Switch features, so he could always be wrong. But this is the same company that believed friend codes was a great idea, so I wouldn't put it past them to come up with another messy, confusing, and inefficient way to play games on their platform. For now, I'm going to trust the word of the head of Nintendo over an inference on a website. I hope you can understand why a line on a website carries less weight than the word of the guy overseeing the product in North America.
"Subscribe" means pay. Paying customers get a better version of the online app. "Non-Subscribers" get the free, limited version.
exactly. it's really need it and I hope nintendo does it ASAP.
orthodoxy1095
Banned
"no mention of needing an app to interact with friends.'
"voice chat/lobbies need app"
Okami Haundo
Member
I just mentioned this in the other thread, but I'll post it here too. Only being able to manage friends via the app would mean Switch is without a friend list until summer. Nintendo make some dumb moves, but nothing on that level. Skittz is doing to research that most of us failed to do.
RampagingSoul
Member
Agreed.
Skittzo0413
Member
Because there's a free, limited version of the app.
Don't whine about people not reading the website if you didn't either.
I read the website. The free version of the app is available for the summer before the paid subscription kicks in in the fall. This is all very clearly spelled out in that list.
I don't think I've seen a good answer to this yet, but where are there a number of 3rd party Switch gaming headsets coming to market if there is no in game chat on the console. Are all these manufacturers getting burned here?
ex.:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MUANWOL/?tag=neogaf0e-20
ex.:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MUANWOL/?tag=neogaf0e-20
OP, that is my understanding as well, that there will be a friends list on the Switch console UI, although it's not as explicit as you suggest.
Also a friends list without being able to chat or make lobbies seems not super useful. You still need the app to actually interact with your friends online.
Also a friends list without being able to chat or make lobbies seems not super useful. You still need the app to actually interact with your friends online.
Jonneh3003
Banned
"no mention of needing an app to interact with friends.'
"voice chat/lobbies need app"
Those are different things, did you look at OP's image? He's highlighting that you can register and manage friends without the app. That grid clearly shows you an app isn't required for simply adding a friend.
How can you say that for sure, when that point doesnt say anything about the app, while the other point says through the app
I don't know why, but I really get the feeling that they just haven't mentioned anything outside the app (as in, built in capability) because it hasn't been officially announced yet. I'm hoping that they expand on all of this through a direct for their service and their OS. I also hope that throughout the trial period they add/refine functionality of the device itself to add things that people really want, or at least do a better job explaining why it lacks it
That actually isn't clearly spelled out, but in the context of the chart, and how the lobby app is described, I think you are probably right. But it isn't all that clear.
Mihael Mello Keehl
Banned
Thread really dont make sense.. anyway since we talkin bout the OS we need a new thread about this picture
https://twitter.com/wario64/status/822154665194160129
https://twitter.com/wario64/status/822154665194160129
They don't say the free version is available FOR the summer. They say it will be released IN the summer. Nowhere does it say that the free and limited features will disappear or start being paid.
RobotVM
Member
Well now I think you are on to something OP. It doesn't mention an app for friends list or adding friends. I would be fine if the Switch had the same functionality as the Wii U when it came to friends list. I wouldn't mind if the app was only for party chat and lobbies and basic game chat could still be done via the game ala Wii U. Nintendo really needs to clear this up with a Direct.
Skittzo0413
Member
I would assume there will be friends messaging, but you're right that it seems like you won't have lobbies or voice chat without the app.
Then again, the Wii U didn't have lobbies or OS-wide voice chat at all.
orthodoxy1095
Banned
No they aren't, voice chat and lobbies are basic ways to interact with friends, and you said we can interact with our friends. I'm not sure what you're touting here. That I can send basic friend requests and text messages?Those are different things, did you look at OP's image? He's highlighting that you can register and manage friends without the app. That grid clearly shows that you an app isn't required for simply adding a friend.
there were already 2 threads about it
FloweryMarston
Member
Everything associated with an app is mentioned in the website. Registering and managing friends for example is not exclusive part of the app.
Jonneh3003
Banned
What doesn't make sense? There's been a misconception about whether you need the app to access your friends list or not and OP debunked it, it's been on Nintendo's site for days in plain English but it's been overshadowed by poor communication.
Yeah I cant help but feel like this thread is missing the entire point of the voice chat and matchmaking thread. Nobody was worried about the functionality of adding friends until that point was brought up recently in the other thread as a distraction.
Those are different things, did you look at OP's image? He's highlighting that you can register and manage friends without the app. That grid clearly shows that you an app isn't required for simply adding a friend.
+1
But some people seems to really want all the features in the app, just to continue to shit on Nintendo. We'll see when we will have the entire picture if Nintendo is crazy or not (they sure are a least a bit for the non communication or the existence of the app though)
Jonneh3003
Banned
Yes. Those are two things many people seem to think you need the app for.
"Better than nothing!"
Also yeah I really hope you can send text messages to your Switch friends, but it seems like that could easily be phone app required with what they're doing.
Iorv3th
Member
You know if you were able to do all this stuff through the console Nintendo would have already released a statement to clear it up. They wouldn't allow all the negativity to persist online because of the stupid app requirement if there was another option, like having it built into the system.
Why won't they just come out and say it and alleviate peoples complaints?
Why won't they just come out and say it and alleviate peoples complaints?
chillybright
Banned
I thought the shitstorm is about Voice Chat and Matchmaking?
Not friend list management?
Not friend list management?
What is 'managing a friend'? Can I invite a friend or more to play with me without needing a phone?
UncleSporky
Member
While this may be farfetched, the now-removed developer pic from Nicalis gave me a thought that would be awesome if true:
Notice how it shows a user icon and says "playing" right on the game tile.
Wouldn't it be cool if it shows friends' icons when they're online playing other games? Maybe it'll say "3 playing" etc.
Skittzo0413
Member
I'm not trying to defend Nintendo's horrible, horrible communication, but I'm just pointing out that this info has been freely available for anyone to see for close to a week now.
They desperately need a direct.
The voice chat and matchmaking shitstorm is still on and still valid, but many people assumed that the app was the only way to manage friends lists as well.
likely adding friend, removing friend, checking friends status etc and hopefully text messaging friend
YuriLowell
Member
Are you an architect on the Switch Online Features?
If not you have no clue as Nintendo has not clarified any of it.
What doesn't make sense is there being no UI for a friends list in the console OS in that image.
You can see User Accounts in the top left corner and all the icons we already know about in the bottom middle.
Jonneh3003
Banned
People saw the UI and freaked out. They also think there's no internet browser which, while not shown in the UI, doesn't mean it doesn't exist. PS4 has it as an app for reference.
Jonneh3003
Banned
Perhaps the notifcations/game news icon holds all the social bits. I'm not entirely sure.
People asking for basic online features (that they'll be paying monthly for) to be included on the actual console = just trying to shit on Nintendo
What?
Inferno313
Banned
While this may be farfetched, the now-removed developer pic from Nicalis gave me a thought that would be awesome if true:
Notice how it shows a user icon and says "playing" right on the game tile.
Wouldn't it be cool if it shows friends' icons when they're online playing other games? Maybe it'll say "3 playing" etc.
To me, it looks like the blue inkling is the profile pic for the current account, and that the user was playing 1001 Spikes when they hit the home button. The "Playing" probably just is meant to signify that "blue inkling" currently has a game of 1001 Spikes suspended, for when "blue inkling" were to return, or if another family member were to pick up the Switch.
Skittzo0413
Member
While you're right that it appears like user accounts are at the top left, we don't know this for sure. That's part of why I made this thread, people are jumping the gun based on assumptions.