Watching the Nintendo Direct, I like most people was immediately enamored with Tetris 99. I immediately hopped on my Switch that evening and lost about an hour to playing random people online, where I probably peaked with a career-high #16 finish. For something that seems like what was probably a relatively low investment from Nintendo's end, Tetris 99 made me feel pretty good about being an NSO subscriber when I've only really used the service for Rocket League.
I got to thinking what about it was such a feel-good experience, and this is what I came up with:
If you'll recall recently, Nintendo was pressed on this topic of its somewhat middling NSO yearly-subscriber attach rate and had the following to say:
Based on the above I do not think Tetris 99 is a lark. My thoughts are that NIntendo will shadow-drop an Online-focused experience like Tetris 99 potentially once a quarter. Whereas PSN/XBL provides existing games for free, I think NIntendo will instead focus on giving wholly unique experiences to its Switch online subscribers similar to Tetris 99. The genius of this is, by making these games free for all subscribers, they can guarantee a large install base that will ensure matchmaking over time, or, at least for the 3-month duration where it's "the latest freebie".
While you can speculate about other games/new IP Nintendo could develop for this service, I also think it would be wise for Nintendo to potentially do this to some extent with remasters/ports of existing Nintendo online games that maybe didn't reach as many people as they could have. While this is pure speculation without me inventing games, I could see the rest of 2019 going like this:
What do you all think? Is this Nintendo's plan to improve NSO?
I got to thinking what about it was such a feel-good experience, and this is what I came up with:
- Tetris 99 was a surprise announcement combined with a same-day drop.
- By catching subscribers like me off guard, I and many others wanted to try it ASAP.
- This ensured matchmaking was suburb since matches were filling out very quickly. It set a very positive first impression and I will definitely come back
- This also set social media ablaze with "Tetris Battle Royale" jokes. It's release felt like an "event" in such a way that if I was not an NSO member, I'd be interested in what the fuss was about.
If you'll recall recently, Nintendo was pressed on this topic of its somewhat middling NSO yearly-subscriber attach rate and had the following to say:
Based on the above I do not think Tetris 99 is a lark. My thoughts are that NIntendo will shadow-drop an Online-focused experience like Tetris 99 potentially once a quarter. Whereas PSN/XBL provides existing games for free, I think NIntendo will instead focus on giving wholly unique experiences to its Switch online subscribers similar to Tetris 99. The genius of this is, by making these games free for all subscribers, they can guarantee a large install base that will ensure matchmaking over time, or, at least for the 3-month duration where it's "the latest freebie".
While you can speculate about other games/new IP Nintendo could develop for this service, I also think it would be wise for Nintendo to potentially do this to some extent with remasters/ports of existing Nintendo online games that maybe didn't reach as many people as they could have. While this is pure speculation without me inventing games, I could see the rest of 2019 going like this:
- Q2: Wii Sports Club (Wii U Remaster) - Seems like a low-investment port since it was on the Wii U and a logical one because the Switch doesn't have many games that utilize the JoyCon motion controls. Since so many people that bought the Switch haven't bought a Nintendo console since the Wii, where Wii Sports was a pack in, it makes sense Nintendo would want to monetize casual Nintendo fans by making this a Switch Online exclusive.
- Q3: The Legend of Zelda: Triforce Heroes (3DS Remake for 1 screen) - Despite middling reviews, Triforce Heroes was really fun but had a big matchmaking problem online. I feel like it didn't get it's due partially because the cost of entry for playing it with friends was about 90 dollars. I think if it came as a freebie in this surface, with slightly enhanced graphics, this game would be seen in a much better light. I can see them shadow dropping this alongside some more Link's Awakening news closer to its launch.
- Q4: Metroid Prime Federation Force (3DS Remake for 1 screen) - Perhaps this would be seen as a trolly release for Nintendo, just as it was when it first came out? However my understanding is that that this game was supposed to bridge the plot between Prime 3 and Prime 4 (maybe that's scrapped now?). Much like Triforce Heroes though, I think even these games detractors would give it a chance if all of their NSO friends could play it immediately. I know I would.
What do you all think? Is this Nintendo's plan to improve NSO?
