Rumor: Nintendo Looking To Strengthen Its Switch Online Service With ‘Core Gamer’ Features

There are a lot of Nintendo rumors making the rounds this morning, including one that speculates that a smaller version of the Nintendo Switch could be produced to replace the Nintendo 3DS. But there's another big one that's worth noting, particularly if you're a subscriber to the Nintendo Switch Online service.

The source of the story is Daniel Ahmad, who serves as an analyst for Niko Partners. He recently shared some news in a Nikkei article that was shared by Steve Bowling on Twitter, indicating that Nintendo was looking to expand Switch Online services in the hopes of attracting more "core gamers" to the service. However, they were not disclosed.

You can see the tweet below.

Read the Nikkei article (thanks to @ZhugeEX) remember, nothing is confirmed:

A new portable-focused Switch is in development.
Suppliers and some developers know of the new console.
Switch Online will get some kind of new services added on aimed at core gamers

— Steve Bowling💮 (@SteveMBowling) January 31, 2019

Though there's not enough information just yet, it sounds like the service will cater to both those that currently own a Nintendo Switch and those that purchase the rumored "smaller" model.

So what could these features be? Again, Nintendo didn't break them down, but there are a few possibilities.

First off, it might revitalize its position on chat support for games. You're aware of the rather uncomfortable set-up with Splatoon 2 involving a mobile phone, but with Fortnite having a simpler path, there's a chance Nintendo could present something like that.

Then there's talk about expanding the availability of more classic games on the service. You might have caught the stories over the past few weeks suggesting that Super Nintendo games could be coming, though the company hasn't said a thing about it just yet. And that opens the door to other possible console libraries on the service, such as Nintendo 64 and GameCube. Again, not confirmed, though.

There's also microtransactions. Nintendo isn't heavy on those at the moment, but considering games like Super Smas Bros. Ultimate utilize them, they might be considering something for the future.

And finally, improvements to the service overall. Some folks noted that the Nintendo Switch Online's features need some tweaks here and there; and Nintendo might just put them in place for a possible relaunch. We'll let you know what they figure out.

Nintendo Switch Online is available now.

What improvements would you like to see made to the service? Let me know on Twitter at @TheDCD!