RELATED:Monster Hunter Rise was Japan’s Most Downloaded Switch Game in 2021
Nintendo Switch Online - The Importance of Consumer Choice
WhileXbox and PlayStationdo have online services and subscriptions similar to Nintendo, the prime difference is that these are not the exclusive way gamers can acquire content. For example, PS Now is a monthly subscription model that gives gamers access to catalogs from the PS2, PS3, and PS4 generations. For a fixed price, players have access to hundreds of titles that are readily available to be streamed.
However, as reasonable as the pricing may be, there are still players who aren’t interested in everything the service has to offer, and to pay for access to a bunch of games they wouldn’t play is a waste of money. For this reason, both Xbox andPlayStation online storesoffer the option to simply purchase these older games individually. That way, players can have the freedom to pick and choose exactly which games they want to check out, as opposed to paying for an entire library where they may only play a handful of titles.
A Win/Win Scenario for Nintendo
The Nintendo 64 is home to many of the company’s most celebrated classics.Super Mario 64,Paper Mario,andStarFox 64all have a special place in the hearts of gamers who grew up during that generation. Likewise, newer players may be interested in checking out these titles. However, in the hypothetical situation whereThe Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Timeturns out to be the only game of interest to a player, it would be a tough sell to convince them to pay $49.99 a month alone.
It would be worthwhile for Nintendo to also include the option of paying a flat fee to purchase each of theseN64 gamesindividually. Something like $9.99 price tag per-N64 game is reasonable, especially considering many of these titles hold up just as well today as they did when they initially released. This would let players purchase exactly which games they want to own, rather than have them all mixed together with titles they may not be interested in. Either way, it would generate revenue for Nintendo via options that appeal to more player tastes.
With any service or product, there is always room for improvement, andNintendo Switch Onlineis no different. While the novelty of playing numerous classics in one place is compelling, the price-to-value ratio could be adjusted here. With a few tweaks,Nintendo Switch Onlinehas the potential to emerge as a heavyweight in the digital gaming space.
