What would these software patches add though? Just support for the app?
The app that allows matchmaking/friending via Nintendo Account, game invites and game scheduling, etc. But some of what's done in the app still has to route through the Switch to a certain degree to make it function, the app just provides the mechanism for controlling all that, and thus would need a software patch to play nice with it.
As a long-time Nintendo user, I can tell you that those discounts will be laughable. You are better off buying those games at retail. You'll see once the service starts, or you could just look at the sad state of My Nintendo.
I don't know why you'd compare something offered for free to something paid for, especially when My Nintendo barely acknowledges the existence of the Switch at this point in its life cycle.
And retail will always be a better price offering than digital discounts, regardless of the platform.
I'll see what's offered when it's offered, I won't take the pessimist view. I mean, if pessimism won out, we'd be paying $50 for this online service, wouldn't we?
Why wouldn't friend codes survive the entire generation? They've been introduced in 2005 and are here to stay. Why would they suddenly remove them after 12 years?
Nintendo Account is the better forward-thinking solution that they're heavily promoting the utilization of through the entirety of their future online service, perhaps.
We know what the Switch online services will offer (voice chat, game making, and setting play appointments - all via an app; access to a selection of NES games; eShop discounts). We also already know the limitations of the voice chat feature (need for a newer Android or iOS device, separate adapter and more cables needed to have both in-game audio and voice audio on your headset).
We know of what will be on offer
in theory and in part. Until it's out, it's quite mercurial. The change in the retro gaming offering speaks to that being the case.
And there is zero chance this happens. Being a smug ass won't change that.
Nintendo won't patch games to include new features that would add more functions to the online play experience* to entice people to pay the $20? I thought we were talking about a corporation here. Did corporations stop trying to entice people to spend their money when I wasn't paying attention?