Nintendo Revolution: Online subscription service to play old games

[kukyfrope]

His blog post: http://www.pkfire.com/?p=175

Be sure to read my follow-up comment that go into what type of pricing could be expected and why. Post comments on the blog or in this thread if you want.

 

[juiio]

I highly doubt that will be the case. More likely to me is that you get "credits" of some sort for buying Revolution games, then you use the credits to download games. You'd probably also get some free credits with the purchase of the Revolution. It also seems likely that some games would not cost any credits to download (in other words, truely free).

 

[remagavon]

I also hope that it's not subscription based. I don't particularly like recurring fees.

 

[apinomus]

Originally posted by: juiio
I highly doubt that will be the case. More likely to me is that you get "credits" of some sort for buying Revolution games, then you use the credits to download games. You'd probably also get some free credits with the purchase of the Revolution. It also seems likely that some games would not cost any credits to download (in other words, truely free).

But how exactly does this help Nintendo? Many people still keep NES/SNES/N64 around to play the games on the system. Wouldn't it be nice to not have to keep all the systems around your TV without unpacking them or hooking them up all the time? Instead just one system (Revolution) would be able to play them all without the hassle of carts/discs. Classic games are charged $20/each for GameBoy Advance and are very popular.

Another upside is from a financial point of view. Many parents buy Nintendo products for their kids. If they see they can spend $49.99 (the price of a new game) yearly on a service that provides access to many many games, I would see them doing that too.

Not to mention how would the Revolution store these games you download if you're using up your credits? As of now the system does not have an internal hard drive. The subscription service could remember you used your credits on it and unlock the game when you want to download it again (since the games are fairly small), but that doesn't benefit Nintendo financially where they could keep selling a recuring service from now on with their console.

Think in the ways of how Sega Channel worked.

 

[skace]

Originally posted by: apinomus
But how exactly does this help Nintendo? Many people still keep NES/SNES/N64 around to play the games on the system. Wouldn't it be nice to not have to keep all the systems around your TV without unpacking them or hooking them up all the time? Instead just one system (Revolution) would be able to play them all without the hassle of carts/discs. Classic games are charged $20/each for GameBoy Advance and are very popular.

It helps Nintendo because it gets people buying their console. They make the innitial profit off every person that buys the console and also people with the console are more likely to buy new games of that generation as well (mentality: hell I already have a revolution, might as well get xyz). Trust me, there is enough motivation there without adding an additional fee. This isn't to say I didn't absolutely love sega channel back when I had it, that thing was freaking awesome.

 

[apinomus]

Originally posted by: skace
It helps Nintendo because it gets people buying their console. They make the innitial profit off every person that buys the console and also people with the console are more likely to buy new games of that generation as well (mentality: hell I already have a revolution, might as well get xyz). Trust me, there is enough motivation there without adding an additional fee. This isn't to say I didn't absolutely love sega channel back when I had it, that thing was freaking awesome.

Somehow I don't think people will be buying the Revolution strictly to get access to a lot of old games since I'm sure at least some of them have the previous systems, nor do I think it will be a main selling point of the console, but more like an added bonus. I have a feeling that online play for the system will be free, much like the Nintendo DS and Mario Kart, and have the ability to have a subscription service to play the older games.

 

[juiio]

Originally posted by: apinomus
But how exactly does this help Nintendo? Many people still keep NES/SNES/N64 around to play the games on the system. Wouldn't it be nice to not have to keep all the systems around your TV without unpacking them or hooking them up all the time? Instead just one system (Revolution) would be able to play them all without the hassle of carts/discs. Classic games are charged $20/each for GameBoy Advance and are very popular.

By getting people to buy the system and buy games for that system. You still get everything that you mentioned there with the credit system. Presumably, you'd also be able to just buy credits.

Originally posted by: apinomus
Not to mention how would the Revolution store these games you download if you're using up your credits? As of now the system does not have an internal hard drive. The subscription service could remember you used your credits on it and unlock the game when you want to download it again (since the games are fairly small), but that doesn't benefit Nintendo financially where they could keep selling a recuring service from now on with their console.

The Revolution has 512 MB of flash memory and also supports SD cards to expand that. There is also speculation that USB flash drives will be supported, but that seems unlikely to me.

 

[juiio]

Originally posted by: apinomus

Somehow I don't think people will be buying the Revolution strictly to get access to a lot of old games since I'm sure at least some of them have the previous systems

If you think that, then why do you think there is any chance of a subscription model working?

 

[apinomus]

Originally posted by: juiio

Originally posted by: apinomus

Somehow I don't think people will be buying the Revolution strictly to get access to a lot of old games since I'm sure at least some of them have the previous systems

If you think that, then why do you think there is any chance of a subscription model working?

I'm saying that people will buy the Revolution to play Revolution games most likely as the reason they buy the system. Since they have the Revolution, they can probably ditch their old systems or not have to dig them out to play these games, plus get access to other games they played at sometime and don't own.

 

[Queasy]

If they go to subscription based, I'll just stick with emulators.

 

[apinomus]

Originally posted by: Queasy
If they go to subscription based, I'll just stick with emulators.

I'm sure software will eventually come out for Xbox360/PS3 that gives them this for free if you load ROMs on. Then they will just laugh at Rev users paying for a service they get for free. That's why I hope all Rev online stuff is free, unlike Xbox Live.

 

[hooflung]

If I can download my favorites OR have access to my favorites in the same way iTunes works... I would absolutely love their system. If it is coin operated then they better make it cost reeeeeeeelly cheep. If it is like Xbox life with unlimited choice... I'd live with that too.

 

[kukyfrope]

Looks like IGN ran a story today on a "private study" that sheds even more light onto this possibility. It appears that gamers will have the choice of "renting" or "buying" games for different prices. Pictures of mock-up interfaces from the study are currently posted, but are not final and subject to change (I hope so because they look rather meh).

http://revolution.ign.com/articles/680/680846p1.html