Improve Online Play Before Nintendo Switch’s Paid Online Service Launches
Nintendo has always been more partial to couch co-op than online play. Both PlayStation and Xbox are years ahead of them when it comes to finding other players online, adding them as friends, and chatting with them. For both Xbox and PlayStation, players just search for another player’s ID (or review a list of recommendations), press the button to add them as friends, and then another one to invite players to their party. It can be done in seconds.
Nintendo, on the other hand, requires that you already know the other player, because you need to search for their specific “Friend Code” to find them online. Even then, to actually talk with other players, both players need to download and use an app on their phone that’s… less than stellar. It’s slow and clunky, and more trouble than it’s worth. I have dozens of acquaintances on Xbox and PlayStation who I can jump into a game with at the press of button. I’d be much more inclined to play Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Splatoon 2’s online multiplayer if it was easy to find people to connect with. The online infrastructure for both the 3DS and Switch need to be overhauled, and there’s no time like the present.
Nintendo is going to start charging for their online service this year. Such a subscription should come with perks (similar to what Xbox does with Games with Gold), but before they get to that they need to give their online service a solid foundation. Free games are nice, but players will be buying into Nintendo’s online service primarily to keep playing games like Mario Kart 8 and Splatoon 2 with other players. The current friend systems’ only saving grace is that its free. If Nintendo is going to start charging for it, then the least they can do is streamline the process.
