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[Otakumegane]

I do, but not being they don't want to "cannibalize sales", but rather they know they need to launch the VC and Nintendo Online service with a big game that really requires online interactivity, kind of like the Splatoon 2 launch (Like how the new CoD game during the 360/PS3 days increased online subs) or they won't be able to sell people the idea.

My personal guess is the next Smash game, where free online will fade out and give way to the paid service. Few weeks later their online catalog hits, to give people more to play.

 

[UberTag]

Nintendo's response... "What's a Virtual Console? We've never heard of such a thing. Are you referring to the Virtual Boy? You can go see that at a museum."

 

[jariw]

You can't delay something never announced

This.

 

[tebunker]

I am in the no VC boat too. We know we are getting some updated classics with the paid online, but the VC as you guys think of it is long dead.

I honestly believe they are trying to think of different and better ways to add meaningful things to these classics. Like Online play, leaderboards, challenges etc. Stuff to make it worth your while to reinvest again. So no, there will not be a virtual console, but there will be classic games that have been updated with more features to make it worth buying again.

I just wouldn't get your hopes up about much of this.

 

[120v]

giving them the benefit of a doubt they're rehauling everything so games can be easily carried over to switch 2 or 4DS or whatever if they're on your account. i still expect dripfeed BS but i'd give it time... console was obviously "rushed" to the market

 

[Rurunaki]

I'm on the "no vc" boat. Nintendo will capitalize on the mini series and will be releasing multiple versions of them (differemt games) and people will keep buying.

 

[Atheerios]

I don't know why people are still expecting VC.

I believe the Classic Games Collection is going to replace VC, even if Nintendo says otherwise.

 

[Nessus]

Given the fact that Nintendo didn't even publish their own arcade games on Switch (that was Hamster, the same company that published the Neo Geo games on Switch) I'm really starting to think there won't be a Virtual Console for Switch.

From Nintendo's perspective you've got a service that was never really all that popular, not really a huge selling feature, vs. the NES and SNES Classic Minis that sell out constantly, create a lot of hype, and are ridiculously in demand.

 

[Cipherr]

I think this is one you can answer on your own.

In their past VC efforts, by the END of that hardwares life, was the VC at a respectable full state? Had they released just about all they should by the end of that consoles span? Or were a bunch of key titles still missing.

If their past efforts always measured out to be full by the end of gen, then its probably artificial. If in the past the VC has always lagged and never really reached potential, then they are probably just bad at it, or don't care enough work on it unless theres a release schedule gap to fill or something.

 

[ScaryShark]

No, I just think Nintendo willingly leaves money on the table all the time.

 

[ShadowFox08]

I think the will release it with the paid online subscription or at the end of the year at the earliest. So yes, I do think its deliberate.. But getting tons of VC games isn't super easy.. There's licenses and other hoops they have to jump through.

 

[Blues1990]

We’re still waiting on the Nintendo Switch to receive its Virtual Console equivalent and get one step closer to the be-all, end-all Nintendo device it’s destined to be. But I've been doubting for awhile that we will get as big of a digital library on the Switch as we did for the Wii's 200+ games.

Perhaps it's just is not as big of a priority for Nintendo?

 

[ThoseDeafMutes]

They've mentioned that their online service is going to, in some way, involve a PS+ / XBLG style pseudo-free game library. Until they finalize the precise details of how that will work, they're very unlikely to do virtual console.

What's really bizarre to me is all the NeoGeo stuff that was there day one, treated as if they were just conventional games.

 

[-hadouken]

The fact they got the rights to the third party games for both Classics might mean they're trying to build up the virtual console's starting line up.

Supremely optimistic view of the situation.

 

[jariw]

What's really bizarre to me is all the NeoGeo stuff that was there day one, treated as if they were just conventional games.

FWIW, they are produced by Hamster. Same with Arcade Archives.

 

[Pop-O-Matic]

Discussing Nintendo's business decisions:

 

[Shaanyboi]

I wonder if it's Nintendo deliberately not getting in the way of indie developers right out the gate, and to avoid clogging the store too early with a fuck ton of ROMs instead of games that actually need awareness to sell. People will buy VC games whenever they came out. Right now, indies aren't forced to compete with 25 year old classics that a bunch of people might gravitate straight towards upon launching the store for the first time.

 

[CookTrain]

What's really bizarre to me is all the NeoGeo stuff that was there day one, treated as if they were just conventional games.

The NeoGeo resurgence across all platforms out of nowhere with consistent releases is just a bizarre situation overall. Appreciable, but bizarre.

 

[Crankshaft]

Their online doesn't go fully up until next year and if you pay the sub fee you get a "classic" game every month. Sounds to me like VC is coming in '18

 

[FStubbs]

I think it is. Mainly because like any good business, they see they hit a goldmine with the NES and SNES Classics and don't want to interfere with that.

The market has spoken and the Classics > Virtual Console so at this point Nintendo would naturally indefinitely delay the Virtual Console.

 

[rockman zx]

I'm ready to buy a lot of games in the VC, is up to Nintendo if he wants the money or not. I can understand no putting they game available in the mini consoles, but the rest, is pretty much free money. I wonder if third parties care about this.

 

[Mistouze]

Well some form of it is coming with the paid online service.

 

[I Wanna Be The Guy]

Please let me give you my money Nintendo. Please. Take it all. It's right here. Just take it for crying out loud. Why aren't you taking it? Why does Nintendo not want my money?

 

[daviyoung]

The Wii's virtual console was lightning in a bottle. This was before companies knew how to monetise their back catalogues properly though. We're never going to see something to the scale of that again. Most likely we'll get is a "classics" range like the 3DS with other publishers doing their own retro thing through the eshop like NeoGeo is doing now.

 

[pbayne]

Maybe? Id never pretend to even try to understand some of the business decisions nintendo makes.

 

[Real Hero]

They aren't going to have one

 

[thtJhnn]

Why would they launch a Switch VC when they’re making so much money with the Mini consoles? It ain’t gonna happen. Mini consoles are the new VC

 

[Minsc]

You will get 1 NES game a month for two years, then 1 SNES game a month for 2 years, then it will be time to start over (and you probably won't even "own" these games unless you're actively paying for the online service). They'll launch another system and do 1 NES game a year, then 1 SNES a year, then restart. Hope I'm wrong, but I see no reason to think there's a collection of hundreds of classic games from other systems releasing in a format to buy individually and play offline on this portable console - outside what's already happening like with the NeoGeo releases. If companies want to re-sell their old games, it will just be on the regular eShop and up to them, why should Nintendo do all that work for free?

 

[boiled goose]

Yes.

There's no technical reasons. It's a business timing decision. The system is selling, so they would rather release it later and have the current userbase spend money on time on new full priced games.

 

[mrk8885]

1) The NES and SNES classics would still have sold out, even if VC was ready on Switch


2) An online subscription service with monthly enhanced versions of classic games does not preclude them from STILL selling the unaltered versions as VC (Want the original super Mario Kart to own? $5. Want to play online with friends? Need the subscription. Don’t care about online at all? Just buy them piecemeal like before.

3) Switch is bringing a lot of lapsed Nintendo gamers back into the fold. They’re absolutely not going to miss out on the chance to sell those games again.


I personally just think it’s about balancing their release schedule. They’ve had a TON of games come out this year. And switch has been practically sold out since launch until recently (likely to change again with mario and holidays).

If VC was available from the start, it wouldn’t have helped sell any more consoles. And they would have sold worse due to the install base.

So instead, save VC for next year. We don’t know a lot about next years release calendar....but I think it’s safe to assume there’s not another new Zelda or Mario. Metroid prime doesn’t make it. I’m guessing 2018 looks a lot less exciting game wise than 2017 did. Makes next year a good time to release virtual console. And print money.

 

[Mark1]

I want to believe this at least . I’ll take portable VC games over these classic system releases.

Watch them being deliberately quiet here to create enough demand for next summer then go all out with a massive launch line up.

I wish they’d tell us more of their online plans already. Nintendo being so quiet on this front is frustrating.

 

[Euler007]

I, for one, haven't owned a Nintendo console since jumping to a PS2 after owning a N64. Nintendo could sell me HD remasters of all the significant games since, and a ton of classic games from my childhood when I eventually buy a switch. Seems like the "no VC" camp is Nintendo diehards that don't realize how many untapped consumers Nintendo has.

 

[NoKisum]

I feel like VC was an Iwata idea, and new management wants to focus on current gen and Wii U ports.

 

[ghibli99]

I would actually consider paying the 80 dollars for a Virtual SNES Classic on Switch with those same games and the option to expand it with future collections. It's not important to me to have the hardware (I already have real hardware), but would love the portability/versatility on Switch.

 

[TerryLee81]

I would actually consider paying the 80 dollars for a Virtual SNES Classic on Switch with those same games and the option to expand it with future collections. It's not important to me to have the hardware (I already have real hardware), but would love the portability/versatility on Switch.

Tsts, you wish. Nintendo will probably charge $8 per game. So the same collection will be about $160.

 

[Nosgotham]

artificial delay?what does that even mean? they are choosing not to gave VC to give Indies and 3rd parties a chance to be visible and to sell mini classic consoles.

its a choice, a strategic business choice. foes that make it artificial? its not like they are saying "hey we are trying to get it on the system and we just cant keep up".

artifical is such a weird way to frame this. its quite obvious mini classics is taking over VC.

 

[True Fire]

artifical is such a weird way to frame this. its quite obvious mini classics is taking over VC.

30 games per console, most of which are Nintendo IPs. That’s a huge downgrade from Wii, Wii U, and 3DS.

 

[LordOcidax]

You can't delay something never announced

Come to post this... Lol.

 

[Servbot24]

Of course. I don't think there's any question about it.

You can't delay something never announced

You can delay it internally.

 

[Magnus]

We’ve had NES and SNES games confirmed since like January

What, where?

 

[……forgetit]

I think virtual console might be replaced by there online service

 

[Platy]

You can't release netflix with just 2 movies

 

[Deleted member 1235]

they probably dont want to shit on the currently amazing indies situation. right now the switch is wildly profitable for 3rd parties. virtual console will mess with that hard.

 

[OnionPowder]

You can't release netflix with just 2 movies

Except they launched the VC on the Wii U with 1 game.

Also like it takes any more effort than building the emulator (which is already built in system wide) and dumping roms for it to play.

 

[tebunker]

Going to reiterate as it seems some folks don't want to believe it.

Look at what they are planning on giving with the paid online service, an updated classic title with more features.

They will be selling those titles as well.

So stop for a second.

There is no artificial delay. There no sinister we need to sell X so hold back Y.

To me, the online plan explicitly shows what direction they are going to go with future classics from them. Updated versions of their games with more features. Whatever they may be.

This won't resemble old VC at all in that, hopefully, the features are meaningful, like online co-op in some games or leaderboards or rewind functions etc. Things people come to expect when replaying old games on good emulators plus more.

That all takes time and effort and money, and if they want to charge everyone for the same games again they need to change the rubric. They have to go in a different direction. It also provides them an out for people who want to just upgrade their Wii/Wiiu VC library or migrate it. Going this route they won't have to give up anything. I firmly believe the update pricing turned a lot of 3rd parties off of Wiiu VC.

I also expect to see more things like USF2 - Switch, or the Mana series collection, and the Neo Geo titles. They aren't interested in making 3rd parties bring their classics from system to system anymore and are encouraging them to go their own path.

Hell they even have Hamster doing the Nintendo arcade games. Which I believe points even more in this direction.

 

[Platy]

Except they launched the VC on the Wii U with 1 game.

Also like it takes any more effort than building the emulator (which is already built in system wide) and dumping roms for it to play.

1) every rumor says it is going for a netflix style with choose your own game
2) pretty much every vc has an emulator optimized for each game.

golf implied that this will not be the case anymore so maybe the problem is licensing or online leatherboards stuff.

 

[jdstorm]

You can't release netflix with just 2 movies

Im leaning towards this as well. I think at some point after Nintendo announced their online service (and recieved an unenthusiastic response) they decided to pivot to a "NESflix" style service and that will require having most of their back catalogue ready to go whenever it launches

 

[Ushojax]

Of course, they want to squeeze what they can out of the Classic Mini line first. Then they will make you buy the games again to play on Switch.

 

[ShockingAlberto]

Wait until you guys find out that games don't come out the day they're done, either.

 

[KingBroly]

1) every rumor says it is going for a netflix style with choose your own game
2) pretty much every vc has an emulator optimized for each game.

golf implied that this will not be the case anymore so maybe the problem is licensing or online leatherboards stuff.

It's a mistake to not offer both

Unless they have like...all of them on Day 1...which they won't