Month: June 2017

NINTENDO’s Online Service Date Announced!

Nintendo’s Upcoming Network Plan

If you own a Nintendo Switch and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, you’ve been appreciating the free online multiplayer. Well, a countdown to the end has begun. Nintendo will release its premium online service: Nintendo Switch Online by 2018. Similar to Playstation Network and Xbox Live, this will be a paid monthly service.

Pricing*

1-Month Membership
$3.99 (USD)
3-Month Membership
$7.99 (USD)
12-Month Membership
$19.99 (USD)

Enjoy online services for free until the paid service’s official launch in 2018.

Features:

An Online lobby and voice chat through a dedicated phone app.  You can invite friends to play online, set play appointments and chat with your friends. The phone app will be released during summer 2017 for free in a limited form.

You will also gain access to “Classic Game Selections” that will include online play for certain games. Whether these last as long as you have the subscription or you have to pay for them, remains to be seen. You’ll also have more deals for eShop. This will not be replacing the Virtual Console.

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Opinion

In the end, it is cheaper than PSN and Xbox Live currently but the Switch still has limitations. There is no Netflix or common apps that most modern consoles have and only a few games for the Switch warrant the online service. Whether or not Splatoon 2 or Mario Kart 8 Deluxe holds your attention online will dictate how valuable the service will be. While popular online franchises like Call of Duty or Battlefield may release on the Switch in the near future, Nintendo doesn’t have the back catalogue for most gamers to invest in the service. We’ll see how popular the Nintendo Online Service will be. I think it’ll do well depending on the “Classic Game Selection,” especially if they offer the games fans have been asking for. This includes the Super Nintendo, N64, and GameCube titles.

 

Sources:

Nintendo

IGN

Shenmue 3 will not be at E3

Fans of the old Dreamcast Japanese game, Shenmue, were excited to hear the series would be receiving their 3rd title. Announced at E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo) 2015, Shenmue 3 excited fans since the last entry in September 6, 2001 ended unconclusively. A Kickstarter was announced and raised over $6 million thanks to fan support. The game would be released on the Playstation 4 and supported by Sony as well.

Unfortunately, Ys Net, the developers of the game, have announced they will not be attending E3 or any summer game shows for Shenmue 3. They did release a Development Report Video which is below. It doesn’t show much but a simple character model moving.

Ys Net also stated that the game will most likely miss their December 2017 initial release date.  Despite the amount raised, it takes a long time to fully develop a game, especially as massive as Shenmue 3. Developers often overestimated their release date which gives fans false hopes. While fans are disappointed, I hope they haven’t given up hope on the project.

Sources:

Eurogamer.net

Gematsu