Reminds me of the 3DS VC days
So the Switch Online Expansion Pack launched on October 25, and it broke YouTube so badly that it got rid of dislikes. Okay not really, but Nintendo must be relieved to know that they aren’t one of the most disliked videos on the platform anymore, because dislikes no longer exist. The heat hasn’t really lifted either, as the cadence for Switch Expansion Pack games has been glacial.
Just recently, we learned that Nintendo rolled out the red carpet for…one total game…Paper Mario. On December 10, for the first time since launch, we’ll be getting an additional title. That’s nearly two months, and only one N64 game, with zero Genesis offerings. Is this going to be the norm? Based on years of Virtual Console drip-fed delivery systems, it’s entirely possible.
How is everyone feeling about the Expansion Pack? I got it for coverage, but I’m generally not happy with the value it provides. One could argue that Switch Online didn’t provide much value to begin with, especially over time compared to its competition; even in the realm of basic online service stability. But now that the Expansion Pack is rivaling sale prices for PlayStation Plus and Xbox Live Gold, they’re playing a dangerous game.
Microsoft and Sony are generally battling it out in the online arena to come out on top, offering more and more bonuses over time. Sony might be toying with the idea of a “PlayStation Game Pass.” Competition is healthy! But you also have Nintendo over here giving us one Nintendo 64 game every so often: and a first-party game they fully control at that.
The current state of Switch Expansion Pack games is bewildering. But that’s Nintendo’s online strategy.
Published: Dec 7, 2021 09:00 am