Don’t Launch or Reveal Plans for a New Online Network
Let’s face it, when discussing serious online play, Nintendo usually isn’t even part of the discussion. The friend system is convoluted, the company has never been fully behind voice chat, their storefront is questionable, and the Wii U didn’t get enough of the big competitive games. It’s just not a company you turn to when you consider playing with your friends from far away. That needs to change with the Switch or else they’ll see themselves falling even further behind the competition.
We aren’t saying building a great network is easy. Microsoft figured it out pretty early on, and it took Sony years to get it somewhat right. But, that means that Nintendo has two different companies to look at when it comes to building their very own. They need messaging, parties, the ability to find games your friends have, an easily navigable storefront, voice chat, and dedicated servers. Of course, not every game needs to have some online component (fans do love their privacy from time to time), but taking it seriously would show that they mean business with the Switch and are looking into the future rather than sticking with the past.
It will be next to impossible for the Switch to compete with the PS4 or Xbox One (and whatever else may turn up) if they aren’t thinking about the digital world. It’s time to step into 2017.