Live service, free-to-play games are the new attraction. With a massive fanbase built around games like Genshin Impact, Fateand regularly updated with new characters, content, and quests, it’s easy to see how other game development studios are tempted to the dark side.
Gaming as a Service (GaaS) is a bit harder to pin down when it comes to Nintendo.
When microtransactions were the new trend, we saw Nintendo dabbling in negotiations with Rusty’s Real Deal Baseball.When the Mobile Game in Progress Was a Flavor du jourNintendo made the first to test the waters: Super Mario Run, which is surprisingly expensive for a mobile game. but neither Amazing It’s good value for money, but it offers additional content to existing games like Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.
When it comes to live-service games, Nintendo has again dabbled in games like Mario Kart Tour and Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, but seems reluctant to move away from the mobile gaming arena.
So will Nintendo get into live service games properly? Final Fantasy XIVLet’s take a look at Nintendo games that could benefit from pivoting to live services…?
Splatoon
As many have argued, Nintendo abandoning Splatoon 2 to make Splatoon 3 is a frustrating move for many who still regularly play the former.
Nintendo has instead made Splatoon 2 an ongoing live-service game, offering regular updates, season pass content, and server support to keep it well into the future rather than throwing it away for something new and shiny. I could have made it work (some people seem to think so).no difference enough to guarantee a full sequel).
Given that Splatoon draws inspiration from other online shooters like Destiny, it’s strange that the game is still treated as a standalone release and has a limited shelf life.
Pokemon
The Pokémon series has dabbled in games-as-a-service a few times, and despite some success (Pokémon GO, Pokémon UNITE), many games haven’t really caught on on a large scale. There was a disappointing Pokemon Shuffle that relied too much on timers. Little-advertised Pokémon Café Mix from Nintendo or The Pokémon Company, or Pokémon Picross, produced by Picross Studio Jupiter, has too many stingy free-to-play mechanics.
They can’t seem to get it right.However, Pokemon Sword and Shield show some moves in the right direction, with new Pokemon being added fairly regularly, plus two big DLCs that allow you to visit new areas, catch new Legendaries, and find new items. Given the number of people who are upset with the limited Pokédex with each new release, the gradual introduction of Pokédex games every day A series of moon-spanning Pokémon might be a very popular idea.
animal crossing
Nintendo has already proven that they can run Animal Crossing as a service on Pocket Camp, and people appreciate it.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons has had a few updates here and there, especially the Happy Home Paradise DLC and various items added for holidays and festivals, but imagine Animal Crossing games . full It’s getting the attention of a dedicated GaaS team. Imagine an Animal Crossing game that regularly offers new furniture, villagers, and mechanics. The Season Pass also gives you access to special events and mechanics before the rest of the world. This could smooth out all the hardships people have experienced jumping from New Leaf to New Horizons with a lot less customization and personality.
mario maker
Perhaps Mario Maker would be better served as a live service game instead of the one Nintendo always seems to forget. Get Season Pass-only features like bonus goals, boss fights, ghost stats, and the ability to set power-ups. Please call Nintendo. We have big ideas.
mario party
The Mario Party series has been little more than a light spruce-up for a while now, whenever it’s time for a new release. Almost never.
Mario Party is one of the games that best fits the free-to-play model. If everyone had access to his version of the base game, there would be more people willing to buy his freemium content. He asks all his friends to pay him $60 a copy.
Content available as add-ons includes new boards, items, characters, themes, mini-games… the list goes on!
super smash bros
During the period when Super Smash Bros. games put out regular stages, costumes, and character packs, the series will Basic live service.
But the game has a longer shelf life, and with season passes, for example, Fortnite adds new characters on a regular basis, plus massive events, tournaments, taunts, voice lines, and more. Rather than being supported for a few years and then slowly fading until the next installment, Smash Bros. could be more colorful with sustained and ongoing support from fans and players.
Mario Kart
Nintendo’s efforts in Mario Kart in recent years very strange. First, they released Mario Kart 8 for his Wii U in 2014, then added DLC courses, characters, and free content like the Mercedes-Benz pack (which is an odd choice everyone agrees). Then they re-released Mario Kart 8 on Switch and bundled all the DLC (which was a much better choice).
Then there’s Mario Kart Tour — the closest thing to a Mario Kart live service game, but definitely not what many people wanted — and Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit, which is minutes away from MK8. 1 selling AR/AC racing game. It did, and it seemed aimed primarily at families with children.
Currently, Nintendo has released 48 tracks. This is twice his number already in the game. As MK8’s two years of additional DLC, many are available for free as part of their Nintendo Switch Online membership. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is currently a live service game with only half the benefits. I haven’t gotten any game updates, new characters, or new modes. many A few people were disappointed with the texture quality and the fact that it felt like an advertisement for the phone game version of Mario Kart.
At this point, it’s easy to want an all-or-nothing approach: go all-in if you’re looking to turn Mario Kart 8 into the giant, bloated behemoth of the game instead of releasing Mario Kart 9. . Moreover. A month he releases one new course, adding new cars, new characters, new battle modes and new challenges. Will it please everyone? Nooooooooooooooooooooooo But it’s better than the middle ground between new and old games right now, right?
We now know that the free-to-play live service model isn’t necessarily a good one. Many players end up spending more on cosmetics and content than they do on the base game alone, and in some cases (such as loot boxes and gacha packs) the F2P model is predatory and has a lot to offer. It can be unfair to those who don’t. of the money they drop to improve their character. And since you paid for it, you can always get a rich jerk with an avatar level of 50 billion.
But Nintendo doesn’t have to go down that path. Many of the suggestions above are cosmetic and have envisioned other players being able to see and evaluate content even if they don’t have it.
Imagine being able to visit an island in Animal Crossing: New Horizons and watch people pay real money to dress up and play Mario Maker levels with items they don’t have access to. You might feel like you’re locked out of using those items yourself, but at the end of the day, that’s kind of the point of F2P, there’s no mechanical difference.
But tell me: do you agree that any of these games are better live service games? Am I missing something obvious? Do you think F2P and live service games are hurting the industry? Leave a comment!
