I think the fusion is a given tbh but this statement seems more geared towards third parties, fusion would solve the droughts but it seems they haven't given up on third parties even after all this.

I like what you're saying. We're pretty much in complete agreement over what the NX will be.

Where we start to disagree is with the bolded. That's not happening. The online will definitely be free and, though there definitely be a loyalty program, it will also be free. It will be a rewards program that benefits everyone as opposed to a subscription that only benefits the subscribers. It will automatically give you rewards based on what games you buy, how many games you buy, etc.

Basically Club Nintendo and the Digital Deluxe Program combined, but without needing to go through a third party website or answer surveys. Get $5 of eshop credit for every $50 you spend, instantly. Buy SMT5 (plz NX), and get SMTxFE for 30% off. That sort of thing. But over a wide array of games and means. And it will be systematically designed to get people to spend less and less money on physical games, which will work because people will build huge libraries thanks to the NXDS being all digital. I also don't know if they will do the "free games monthly" thing, because they are pretty against devaluing video games like that. The free games with MK8 were a nice treat, but that game after buying a full priced game, and deals like that where infrequent for a reason. I think Nintendo's goal with the new program will be to get consumers to want to spend money on (digital) software. They want you to happily buy the games you'd get for free on PS+ because of the deals they'll offer, because it's already been stated by them that things like that devalues video games as a whole, do they already have a direct stance against models like PS+.

They're the same with mobile. Expect games like Rusty's RDB, a game that on the outside is "free to play," but on the inside is only "free to start" with a set, finite, but ultimately flexible ending price to really play the game. Don't expect something like Pokemon Shuffle which can be played pretty much entirely for free by anyone comfortably, and who's pricing model mearly involves making the players pay to not wait.

Why? Because they think the current popular pricing model for mobile devalues games and is bad for the industry. Same thing. It's also why there is parity between digital and physical prices at launch, at least for them. They feel like offering games for less universally on one platform mearly due to form factor devalues those games. It's why Nintendo doesn't significantly drop the prices of its games months and even years later. They don't want to devalue their brand.

And for once, I say good on them. Making people proud to spend their money and proud of what they spend their money on is good for everyone.

Also, the Vita isn't far off from being able to handle near Wii U-level games, and it's like 4 years old now? I'm positive the NXDS will be able to handle Wii U games at an affordable price. And by affordable, I mean $200-$250. Though the battery issue is a problem. But if they can do it, it will be huge.

I think that the NX, as a platform, will be very much like Steam. But it won't be a third party playform. It will be a vast expansion of the current Wii U and 3DS eshop.

It will just be called the Eshop.

Mario Kart: Super Curcuit-Summer 2001

Mario Kart: Double Dash-Holiday 2003

Mario Kart DS-Holiday 2005

Mario Kart Wii-Spring 2008

Mario Kart 7-Holiday 2011

Mario Kart 8-Spring 2014

Mario Kart releases roughly every 3 years so a Spring 2017 is possible.

This is very different though, since all those platforms have 1, been completely unrelated library wise and 2, haven't come out under a unified ecosystem. A new Mario Kart could come out every 3 years before because they worked on a forked linearity where the handheld Mario Karts were unrelated to the console ones. That won't be the case with the NX.

If a new NX MK comes out that soon, it will be technically the second console MK in 3 years, and then there won't be another one for a long time after that because there wouldn't be a separate handheld version they need to make, or vice versa the way you look at it.

No, none of those games are releasing that soon. Though, again, I can see them releasing NX remastered rereleases of those games with cross play (between the NX and Wii U versions), a save file transfer, and all the DLC added. Basically Mario Kart 8: Deluxe and Super Smash Bros. for NX. That's it though. Those games released too late in the Wii U's very short live cycle for unified sequels to come out that early in the NX's.

But like I said in another thread, I think it would be advantageous for Nintendo to just turn those games into platforms on the NX from which they can just indefinitely update with new software from. (And Splatoon 2 when it's F2P/launches with real content this time)

I said free standard online, so I meant using multiplayer would be free, the paid part was for free monthly games, the Nintendo spin could be that Nintendo doesn't charge people to play online.

As for your comment on Nintendo being against devaluing their games, if customers are paying for a service they're not getting something for free and thus the value of the software isn't diminished, in fact if the games provided on the service have declined in monthly sales substantially compared to when they were released it actually brings new interest in those games.

Another thing I have to point out is that Nintendo's games aren't actually priced high, they're cheaper at launch compared to their competition and when cost is reduced value goes up.

A subscription service that gives gamers access to a title that has diminished in sales then gets people talking about that game again.

A PS+ like service doesn't have to offer only Nintendo exclusives, Nintendo can give 3rd party publishers and indie developers revenue for access of those games on the service.

Once the access period is over the games go back to regular retail price, so technically it's only for a limited time that gamers can gain access to those games. A service like this actually raises the company's positive image, because it shows they care about the gamer more, Nintendo could do with all the positive image they can get right now, this would definitely raise Nintendo's value as a brand, rather than reducing it just because it's a service that is clearly thoughtful towards the gamer.

As for your Vita comment, no, Vita's hardware isn't anywhere near that, I know, because I have one, even the best looking games like Killzone Mercenary are still miles away from something Zombi U. Tech is most definitely not anywhere near that level yet, definitely not with affordable technology.

At best Vita's visuals are around that of PS2 (even then performance is still somewhat lacking compared to even PS2), this is coming from someone who is pro vita, we won't be at Wii U level performance in an affordable, mobile package until closer to when PS5 or the Next Xbox release, which is probably going to be more like 2019.

Nope.

In that case they will need to add all the DLC for MK8 and for SSB both versions (Wii U + 3DS +DLC) and that's not going to happen. Not to mention that the move will give the perception that there's not going to be more SSB or MK, or in case it happens, it will feel milked.

MK team can launch a proper MK developed exclusively with NX functions in mind in its first year easily.

Install base my ass - just look at the Wii. A few decent Nintendo games + tons of crapware. It's still about demographics....they are becoming a toy making company

I know exactly what you were saying, dude. I'm saying that a yearly payed subscription 100% is not happening because of everything I posted.

From Nintendo's perspective, that's not the case. Paying $50 a year for hundreds of dollars worth of free games devalues those games. It's saying that all those games are only worth $50 combined, or a few dollars individually. That's a severe devaluization.

I'm not saying that I disagree with your stance on the PS+ model. It definitely does breath new life to games that are declining in sales. But I also agree with Nintendo. It absolutely devalues the worth of those games. I would 100% never pay full price for a game I saw for "free" on PS+. Why would anyone?

Nintendo doesn't want that. They want to encourage players to buy games full price. They want to keep the value of their games, i.e. games on their platforms, as high as possible. The Nintendo-like solution to boosting a declining game would be to offer it for 30% of if you bought another game or something. The Nindie initiative where if you downloaded an indie demo during E3, you get the game discounted at launch. That's the kind of stuff they want to do.

A model I describe would still raise Nintendo's image and still be thoughtful towards the gamer. The MK8 deal was vastly well recieved. The SMTxFE deal was vastly well recieved. People are still saving money. It's just not a commitement like a subscription is. Instead of monthly free games, it would be monthly deals. Buy DKC 1,2, and 3 to get Tropical Freeze for 30% off. Stuff like that. Things that encourcage people to buy software actively, as opposed to getting software for "free" passively.

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Not familiar enough with the Vita, but why have been lead to believe that that's not the case then? From everything that I've been lead to believe, the 3DS sub-GCN level, and the Vita is sub-360 level. The games I've seen on it that are graphically instensive look far better than anything I've scene on 6th generation systems. At least with the 3DS, REvelations definitely looks about as good, if not better, than the original Resi4. It's definitely leaps ahead of anything the N64 or PS1 can do. I was under the impression that the Vita had night and day better hardware than the 3DS, which already has at least PS2 level graphics.

That's last bit isn't me trying to prove anything. I'm genuinely uneducated on the matter and would appreciate further elaboration.

Becoming?

Everything else, I agree with.