I fail to see what the point of this thread is, other than to whine, tbqh!? All I've read is an echo chamber of comments, with the OP's premise stating that the Switch Online servive is "a dumpster fire", and that "it needs to change as soon as possible", followed by comments in agreement - It's fine and well to share the view that it's poor, but nobody appears to have told anybody what it is that they would change. Some constructive criticism, rather than hyperbole and personal attacks would be a welcome start, and some ideas, too. Anything else is just bash-and-trash or grand presumptions. I don't say that for this topic alone - I feel that a lot of topics are presented in (polarising) extremes, and set a bad tone for what COULD BE a positive discussion (By "positive", I mean listening to one another's views in good faith, understanding concerns without setting out to troll, learning from one another, and to put some ideas on the table). "Wait and see" is a fair, reasonable and valid stance to take with regard to this topic, and "being satisfied" with the service is, too - Could we please stop antagonising others for taking that position?
I know that many in this topic will read the above and bully me, suggesting that I'm part of some "defence force", and while I make no bones about the fact that I'm a Nintendo fan, the reality is that I've been critical of the service, too. It would appear that they're charging online subscription fees for less than what existed previously, and online-specific NES controllers strike me as a novelty item, if not a little off-the-mark. I can understand WHY the use of an app exists. Can the online service be better? Certainly. HOW might they improve it? I feel that the Wii U and 3DS are actually good starting points. Below is an edited version of a post elsewhere:
- Dedicated Servers. It's both consumer and developer-friendly, and it's quite incredible that they don't seem to be there. It will also lead to better "third-party" support, and keeping their partners on board should be a priority.
- Bring back Miiverse, but make it quicker and more efficient. Allow people to link their accounts to Twitter, Facebook, etc..
- Include a mailing system with Miiverse. Call it MiiMail, or Mailverse, or whatever else, and have a Miiverse Directory. We already have unique IDs, but there should be an easier way to find, add and contact people. If there are concerns about safety, have opt-in/opt-out/parental mode defaults dependent on your age. So, if I want "Friends Only", you would have to add me first - If I don't know or trust, I can decline your request.
- Developer Feature/Treehouse/Nintendo Minute/Q&A - Live sessions, where they invite their partners to talk about their games, and take 20 questions. Nintendo staff and developers can also take part. It gives developers a chance to understand what the fans are into, and fans can learn to appreciate the work involved in the game development process. "But they have Twitter and Facebook!!" - Sure, you don't get a personal, more intimate touch there. Maybe use it for Mini-Directs, or single game announcements!! At a stretch, announce and host Directs from there. Treehouse and Nintendo Minute could be hosted there as "First-Looks", too, before being posted on the Youtube channel.
- Swapnote and Swapdoodle, perhaps integrated with with Art Academy tools. Perhaps an online gallery, with a Picture Of The Week feature, or some occasional competition.
- Let people custom design their Miis with the Miitomo wardrobe. Add new items to it from time to time. It enables users to show their personalities a little more.
- Other apps - Internet Browser, Youtube, Amazon, Netflix, Twitch, etc.
- Chat options for people who wish to use them, but have "friends only/people you know" as the default option. Bans for people seen to be abusive.
- Cross-play with XBox, PC and Mobile.
- Promotional offers according to your subscription package model. Keep the Indie Channel and have a blog/feed for official updates, Directs, trailers, etc..
Virtual Console is a popular request, but a case exists, which says the library of titles would make Indies less visible. I'm not so sure about that. Perhaps there's another way - Have the separate VC libraries, but sold as packages, a bit like how cable companies do sports and entertainment suites. So, it could be $20/year for the NES, SNES and N64 libraries, and a further $10-20/year for GameCube, Wii and Wii U libraries. That adds up to $50-60/year, but you get full, unlimited access to their first-party libraries (How third parties handle their content is up to them, but ideally, it would be there, too). Or if someone wishes to download an individual title and own it offline/permanently, they can buy it. Keep the handheld VC on the 3DS as it is (with the online service free), so that people will have incentives to own both, as well as an accessible system for lower disposable income families.
Perhaps much of that reads as a wishlist, but while I feel that they can do better than drip-feed content, I also understand it's more complicated than that. VC has had content to fill barren spells in the past, but to my mind, closer positive and active engagement with their partners, and ensuring they get all of the forthcoming non-exclusive "third-party" content should be higher priorities. It will also result in a better service. I feel that these ideas would provide enough difference to set them apart from other services, and touch upon better, more plausible solutions than the typical bash-and-trash whines that follow in these topics.
