Even though having some neat features, the main service of Nintendo Switch Online is really not good even for its low price.
Nintendo is in its comfort zone for now. Ever since the release of the Switch in 2017, the home console/ handheld device has been rolling in success and has put Nintendo in a pretty safe position. Checked that it has been released with one of most amazing games ever. Checked that it has put out two of the best selling titles of Nintendo, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe in just two years. Checked that it has become an indie go-to platform and consumers and developers. But there is something unchecked - online gaming.
As you might already know, the app Nintendo Switch Online came out in 2018 for the Switch. Its subscription plan is at the price point of $20 per year, with the family bundle for 8 people of $35 which is much less than the price for Xbox Live Gold and PlayStation Plus. Come with the subscription is the access to play games online, of course with the exception of free to play online games which are already free, to begin with. Additionally, you will also get the NES Online App with a huge library of NES title. Users could also use the cloud service and voice chat to play games with others, however, the voice chat feature is pretty useless and terrible with its mobile app.
Because of that for now, I don't believe Switch Online is worth it - even for that price. Unless that you are a dedicated fan of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe or Splatoon 2, there aren't that many other games you could play online. I thought up a realistic way so that Nintendo can fix the issues of their Online service. They just need to put all Virtual Console games on there. That is a way to fix the lacking of online games so easy that we could compare it to just switch ( but then that is not a Nintendo way because it not take much money and time)
Classic Games, Maybe?
So in the meanwhile, I am putting the Virtual Game card in my switch. So that I could enjoy all of Wii, NES and even GBA titles on my beloved Switch. Why could you so the same as me Nintendo? Just need to develop an Online option for all the Wii, GameCube, SNES, N64, GBA and we are good to go. It is so easy, right?
Talking about it financially, even in the case that Nintendo raises the online service for this extra library of classic games, there are still audiences for it. For example, I am willing to pay $50 or $70 dollars for an online option of a Nintendo Classics catalog, and I think that there are many just like me. Nintendo then could just release 1 or 2 games at a time moving up slowly in the chain of their consoles just like what they did with Virtual Console on Wii U and Wii. That way the system could have a sense of continually changing and evolving.
Redo Nintendo Online App
The approach of Nintendo to their online app just not makes sense to me. When I found out that all the vocal communication have to go through a separate mobile app, I lost my voices and words.
It was just something I couldn't believe. I mean the Switch has a phone jack - why don't just use it? Why have to spend the extra effort to connect it to the phone then use the phone for communication? We all know that the Switch is capable of handling voice chat because Epic Games has implemented that on Fortnite for Switch.
Moreover, the matchmaking function of the app is simply frustrating. Why do we have to take this extra step? Is Nintendo not confident enough to utilize their console to its fullest capacity? Why have to add an additional device and all these steps to the equation? They should just build everything to the Switch itself.
The app also needs a big makeover - as of right now, it is still very basic and lacks all the features what its competitors have. The equivalent on Xbox and PlayStation are amazing and allow me browser games, personalize the interface of my Xbox and PS4. Yes, technically you could just browser games on a website of Nintendo. But, having everything in one place is just more convenient.
Just One Free Game Per Month
I think that this is not very likely to happens that the service comes packed with a certain amount of Nintendo Classic already. Moreover, I would argue that emulators coming to Switch platform is just a false rumor also. Therefore, in my opinion, to develop a good and big indie games category on the Switch, giving out for free a game or two indie titles per month for users who are subscribed to the Online service is not that bad of an idea. There are plenty of Switch owners who would love to have their favorite indie titles on the Switch such as Wargroove, Celeste or Hollow Knight. And giving out one or two titles per month will surely push them toward the subscription of the service.
Now is not the era of Wii U for Nintendo anymore, they need to stop trying to be different so hard and start doing sometime more mainstream, rather than risk being left out of the competition. We have seen the success story of PSN and PS Plus for Sony, they just did what the customers want: good deals and free stuff. A lot of people already own a Switch or even two, there is also much time I have seen someone says that "I wish it is on the Switch". So if Nintendo invests in a free game or two each month for the subscribers of the service will surely make people buy it.
I know that it's kind of hard to believe that this could truly helo Nintendo Switch Online or is this way any better than the Netflix-style system. But either way, Nintendo should change their Online service to bring in more games and subscribers, whether they increase the price or not. Nintendo had made their way back into the mainstream, but will they stay?