Ever since Microsoft revolutionized online play for consoles with the Xbox Live platform in the early to mid 2000's, the other big names in the industry have followed suit. Sony has developed its own lineup of services such as PlayStation Now and PlayStation Plus. Not wanting to be left out, Nintendo has had its own fair share of efforts in this area, with the most recent being Nintendo Switch Online. As the name would suggest, this service is used with Nintendo's current console/handheld hybrid, and its overall reception has been generally positive.
Nintendo Switch Online began as a free service, but after a year, Nintendo changed it to a paid subscription. While some weren't particularly keen on the change for what was once a free item, many have pointed it out it wasn't that big of a deal, as by comparison to the competition, it was nowhere near as expensive (the addition to stream legacy NES and SNES games was also a nice bonus incentive). However, Nintendo recently announced an expansion pack to this service which will place it at a total of $49.99, a 30 dollar increase that some feel is far too steep considering what Nintendo provides in return.
Although the addition of N64 and Genesis games to Switch Online is something that fans had been clamoring for, the shocking price increase is just too much for some to justify the purchase. As of now, the Expansion Pack YouTube announcement trailer is sitting at a whopping 100k dislikes, something which Nintendo has certainly taken notice of. It's highly unlikely that Nintendo will backtrack on its pricing decision, as it is a business and is after the highest profit when all is said and done. However, there are changes, even the smallest of ones, that the company can implement in order to sweeten the deal and make the service more attractive to consumers.
Better Online Play
First and foremost, asking players to pay for an online service should guarantee a stable perfomance while playing online multiplayer titles. Games such as Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Super Smash Bros Ultimate are immensely popular and are enjoyed by players around the world. Unfortunately, Nintendo Switch Online has been victim to numerous issues that hinder the gameplay experience. These can range from lag to matchmaking lobbies endlessly loading, or a game just outright crashing.
When Nintendo Switch Online was free for the first year, this could be argued as excusable, because Nintendo may have been ironing out the kinks. Then, when the service was 19.99 a month, some could still play the "you get what you pay for" card, implying gamers shouldn't expect flawless performance on such a cheap price point. But now, at an increased $49.99, Nintendo should make it a bare minimum priority to make the online functionality itself work properly.
More Console UI Functionality
The Nintendo Switch first hit the market on March 3, 2017. While Nintendo has made a great effort to supply the device with a lineup of solid games, the console itself hasn't exactly recieved the same attention. For the most part, the Nintendo Switch still functions the same way as it did on day one, with no added ways for players to customize the console to their liking. This can be seen as a way to emphasize simplicity over bogging down the machine with countless features, but adding in just a handful wouldn't hurt.
Perhaps every month or two, Nintendo can announce new background themes and profile images for Switch Online subscribers to use. These can be themes based on popular games like Super Mario Odyssey or even customized screenshots that players take in-game. All Nintendo needs to do is look at what Sony has done with themes on the PS4 and implement something similar.
Add Legacy Content at a Regular Pace
Another big point of contention for many is a feeling that Nintendo adds classic games to Switch Online far too slowly. Despite constant outcry from fans, it took a two year wait from launch for SNES games to be added to Switch online, and then another two for N64. This is even more frustrating when its considered that Nintendo had already made these games available on similar services in the past for Wii and Wii U, so it shouldn't have been so complicated to just port them over.
What's done is done however, and the fact that N64 (as well as Sega Genesis) have now been added to Switch is a great start. But now Nintendo has to keep this momentum and interesting going in order to justify that $49.99 price tag. The service should become flooded with a laundry list of legacy titles, so much so that players won't know which ones to play first. Adding GameCube games to Switch may be a stretch, but original GameBoy and GameBoy Advance should be doable as well in the future.
Improve Online Chat/Friend System
Another huge part of online gaming is the ability to talk with, and engage with a list of friends. While people can add friends, there is currently no way to directly message these contacts and clearly organize a match in a game. This is perhaps for safety, as Nintendo is family friendly company and wants to keep younger gamers safe, but there must be a practical workaround to this issue.
Furthermore, the online chat system for Nintendo Switch is cumbersome to say the least. It requires players to connect via their cellphones to talk in the game, as opposed to just talking through the Switch itself. It's not like this is impossible to fix, as Epic Games proved that Fortnite works without the Nintendo Switch app. Implementing a more built in chat system would work wonders and possibly attract more to the online service.
Create a Community Hub
On the topic of improving ways for players to interact with one another, Nintendo should look into bringing back a beloved concept from the past. The Wii U had many shortcomings, but its interactive community hub where players could share content was highly praised. Early on, Nintendo confirmed that the Switch would not feature Miiverse, or any similar features, but perhaps the company should revisit this mindset.
Nintendo games resonate with the gaming community on a deeply nostalgic level, with many lifelong and new gamers falling in love with the fictional worlds of The Legend of Zelda and Metroid. Instead of only letting them spread this appreciation online, Nintendo Switch Online could include a way for players to interact on the console that they are all celebrating in the first place.