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Do you think the Switch Virtual Console delay is artificial?
- Thread starter MThanded
- Start date
say it aint so.
This. I'm getting tired of reposting my opinion every time a new version of this thread pops up, but the writing is on the wall, lol. Expensive ROMboxes + online subscription NES games is all we're getting.
And honestly I don't really mind.
WhiteRabbitEXE
Member
And what, never release the hundreds of other games that will never be on one of those boxes?
It's not like one precludes the other anyway. Do you think the demand for a SNES Classic would suddenly cease to exist because you can buy Super Mario Kart digitally? You already can buy these games on three different consoles. The reverse may be true, but then that doesn't matter at all, because VC is just a collection digital licenses for decades old games. There's no minimum amount of copies that need to be sold to cover development costs and manufacturing runs for physical copies. A VC game could sell zero copies and it really wouldn't matter.
IceDoesntHelp
Banned
Yes... which destroys me.
I really don't see NES games being randomly available for subscribers and no other classic games being on the Switch. I think they're coming, and the best case scenario with the delay is that like some have said they're building up library because the drip feed isn't going to cut it anymore.
Vanillalite
Ask me about the GAF Notebook
Not artificial, but I do think it's tied to whatever the paid online ends up being.
So we got boned with the delay on that till next year.
I love my Switch, but the paid online was obviously half baked and not ready for prime time hence the delay.
I think you can argue it's stupid to tie VC to this.
So we got boned with the delay on that till next year.
I love my Switch, but the paid online was obviously half baked and not ready for prime time hence the delay.
I think you can argue it's stupid to tie VC to this.
I donÂ’t think theyÂ’re holding it back due to the classic consoles. Those would sell just fine.
But I would bet theyÂ’re saving it for next year, when they assumedly have a game release drought (possible that they dont have one, but I feel like thereÂ’s not a lot announced for 2018) and VC could fill a nice gap.
But I would bet theyÂ’re saving it for next year, when they assumedly have a game release drought (possible that they dont have one, but I feel like thereÂ’s not a lot announced for 2018) and VC could fill a nice gap.
Calamari41
41 > 38
Whether planned or not, the lack of Virtual Console games is giving some of these indies a chance to shine. How high would Golf Story be on the charts if Super Metroid, Link to the Past, and Earthbound had released on the same day? That's an extreme example but you get my point.
I think you may have a point here.
brickarts295
Member
Why sell VC sepperatly when they can use it as an incentive to get Nintendo Online subscriptions.
I think itÂ’s CRAZY to suggest that they want to replace their $5-10 PER GAME virtual console money with a $20 per year online service that people are already primed to reject because of the awful online and voice chat functionality.
VC is a cash cow for them. You dont just abandon it.
They could have the monthly retro games with online functionality and leaderboards, etc., and still release the complete retro catalog in their original non enhanced format and sell a ton. One doesnÂ’t preclude the other.
I only have so many HDMI ports.
ThereÂ’s a HUGE group of Switch owners that are definitely not going to be paying for a yearly subscription for a poor online service and a small handful of games (or none, depending on preferences) to play online. Those same people will absolutely drop $50-100 building up a retro collection.
Switch is bringing a lot of lapsed Nintendo fans back into the fold. TheyÂ’re not going to ignore that market and fail to release a VC.
Switch is bringing a lot of lapsed Nintendo fans back into the fold. TheyÂ’re not going to ignore that market and fail to release a VC.
old manatee
Banned
They're trotting out Urban Champion, what more do you want?
You aren't replacing it with that, though. You're replacing it with increasingly expensive one-time purchases of $60, $80, and maybe $100 (when the N64 Classic comes out) that people are forced to buy into instead of getting two or three old games they like for $5 each. Of course some people bought a bajillion VC games, but when you place them against the people who bought less than five it probably washes out. Also makes the annoying question of why you can't move your purchased ROMs to the new console go away.
I wouldn't mind being wrong, but I think this is the new business model. Only people who know for sure are at an office building in Kyoto though.
I feel you, lol. I'm already out of ports with all the stuff I own. I need to get one of those HDMI switches or something, but I'm worried they'll add lag?
dano1
A Sheep
Nintendo sells everything on everything. ThatÂ’s how they get your money.
Wii U is the last system I will ever buy from them.
Waiting for them to hang up the home console and do what they do best.
Fix-It Felix. Jr.
Member
It's all calculated. NES/SNES for immediate access to some of titles right now. Later, once Nintendo's online service is live, you'll be able to buy VC that has the added feature of multiplayer that can only be accessed with an online subscription.
Too bad that I don't really care about VC until they reach the N64 days, and I still own an N64 (and every Nintendo system afterwards) so I have no reason to buy a classic of those. The only way Nintendo can get me to rebuy N64 and GC games would by putting them on a system that is portable. Not offering portable classic games is leaving money on the table, and Nintendo knows that. We'll get our VC on Switch eventually.
Too bad that I don't really care about VC until they reach the N64 days, and I still own an N64 (and every Nintendo system afterwards) so I have no reason to buy a classic of those. The only way Nintendo can get me to rebuy N64 and GC games would by putting them on a system that is portable. Not offering portable classic games is leaving money on the table, and Nintendo knows that. We'll get our VC on Switch eventually.
Ricerocket
Member
the nes/snes retro console revival after the outcry of shortages changed things. People will buy hardware with different romsets in mass. It's selling out and only requires the same 1 hardware with different rom sets so imo they can possibly do a nes/snes #2 set with different roms and sell more than VC.
Yes, it's artificial. It makes sense in a way. They're taking a page out of Sony's playbook on how they handled the PS4 w/o BC. Eventually that platform got ports/remastered and emulated PS2 Classics. The latter I'd barely call an effort.
Nintendo seems determined on at least giving the Switch some breathing room to develop as its own platform before introducing classic content.
Nintendo seems determined on at least giving the Switch some breathing room to develop as its own platform before introducing classic content.
I'm not sure there will be one. I think they understand that they can't sell these same roms to the same customers for, in some cases, a 4th time. (Wii, 3ds, Wii U). They know that full-priced VC games for a 4th time would be met with a lot of push-back from those who bought previously. 'Why can't I just play the game I purchased across all my accounts like on iPhone or Android?' Etc etc.
There are two ways around this. One is to sell the roms with specific hardware required. This is the NES / SNES classic idea.
The other is to change the roms, to make them 'different', so you couldn't argue that you should have access to them having bought them previously. This is the enhanced classics idea we're getting with our subscription.
But it wouldn't surprise me if they go on to sell the enhanced classics outside of the subscription instead of ever having a proper virtual console. Nintendo likes money. This seems like the best way for them to make it. Some of these games will just have online added so that you can play the 'pass the controller' multiplayer online, and maybe online leaderboards. Once they get good at programming that stuff in, it'll be easy to do, but enough to argue that they're new experiences.
There are two ways around this. One is to sell the roms with specific hardware required. This is the NES / SNES classic idea.
The other is to change the roms, to make them 'different', so you couldn't argue that you should have access to them having bought them previously. This is the enhanced classics idea we're getting with our subscription.
But it wouldn't surprise me if they go on to sell the enhanced classics outside of the subscription instead of ever having a proper virtual console. Nintendo likes money. This seems like the best way for them to make it. Some of these games will just have online added so that you can play the 'pass the controller' multiplayer online, and maybe online leaderboards. Once they get good at programming that stuff in, it'll be easy to do, but enough to argue that they're new experiences.
Conkerkid11
Member
Yes, as is the drip feed of games we'll eventually get that we've got on every other version of the virtual console they've released.
Yes. I'd say Nintendo held off this year for the SNES mini, their online service launching next year, and to give third parties/indies a chance to shine. They don't wanna blow their load all at once. Same reason I think we haven't seen a Smash port this year, or any word on what Retro is making. They are waiting for the right time.
Polygonal_Sprite
Member
If VC games were there since launch there wouldn't be all these indie / third party success stories.
It's a good thing.
It's a good thing.
OrbitalBeard
Member
I wish the community would make up its mind. Does Nintendo love re-selling their old software countless times on countless devices or do they only like having one revenue stream for their classic titles?
The answer is A, by the way. Plug-and-play consoles are only one source of revenue for Nintendo when it comes to their legacy content and if you actually believe this will be the only plan Nintendo has for packaging its old games going forward, you don't understand this company.
This doesn't make much sense to me. The NES and SNES Classic are being sold in limited quantities. The Virtual Console on the other hand would provide profits for the duration of the Switch's lifespan (and hopefully remain a constant even beyond that with the Nintendo Account now). Plus it only makes the Switch a more attractive purchase.
I definitely think they're holding back on launching the Virtual Console so as to not undercut the appeal of these mini systems, but even as a very pessimistic Nintendo fan - I do think we'll see the VC launch on Switch next year with the paid online service. It will probably be a shitty drip feed of games again though.
tokenflipguy
Member
Yes.
I think it's more along the lines to leave breathing room for small titles being released on the eShop rather than the mini consoles, because those the revenue stream isn't constant with those as opposed to digital downloads.
Could licensing issues with VC games be another reason why the Wii Shop is being shut down?
However, if you paid full price for a VC game on Wii you don't need to pay full price again on Wii U, unless they didn't want to transfer their stuff from Wii to Wii U, and if they did it 3 times might as well do it a fourth one.
Could licensing issues with VC games be another reason why the Wii Shop is being shut down?
However, if you paid full price for a VC game on Wii you don't need to pay full price again on Wii U, unless they didn't want to transfer their stuff from Wii to Wii U, and if they did it 3 times might as well do it a fourth one.
MikeE21286
Member
Agreed. The NES Classic and SNES Classic are multiple times more impactful than VC.
IÂ’d kinda be shocked if they went backwards to VC
pretty done
Member
It's less crazy when you realize PS4 has been out 4 years and still doesn't have PS1 games, and only a meager selection of PS2.
We turbo nerds love services like VC and PS1 classics but I'm assuming they don't sell all that well. Maybe these pubs want more profits for their ROM dumps (lol)
Probably not, unless the deals were just for a certain time window. However, there are probably people that work on hosting, maintaining and keeping the eShop up and unhacked, and those costs may not be worth what it's bringing in anymore.
An artificial delay as opposed to what? There's no conspiracy. Reggie isn't playing Super Mario 64 on the Switch in his office and laughing. They already said that it would tie in with their online service, which won't release until next year. Trust me, Nintendo wants to sell you Super Mario Bros. for $5 again, and are going to when they're ready.
Of course the delay is artificial. Nintendo wants people buying Switch software in addition to holding things off in preparation for their online service. Meanwhile they're getting people thirsty with these limited classic releases.
The Switch is on target to sell the most hardware/software for Nintendo since the '90s. You can bring those NES/SNES games out once there's a dry spell in releases. What I don't want is to spend $5-10 on old NES/SNES games again, which will probably end up happening.
The Switch is on target to sell the most hardware/software for Nintendo since the '90s. You can bring those NES/SNES games out once there's a dry spell in releases. What I don't want is to spend $5-10 on old NES/SNES games again, which will probably end up happening.
graywolf323
Member
nearly 7 months? it is rather ridiculous they haven't even given more info about this
I really want VC games
Beer Monkey
Member
The Switch dies such an excellent job of 240 with scan lines (see Sonic) it'll be a damned shame if they don't.
I believe only NES games have been mentioned in regards to the paid online service.
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