Nintendo Addresses the Nintendo Switch's Biggest Flaw and Talks About Virtual Console
E3 may be over, but we're not done reporting findings from the show floor just yet. Nintendo's top [...]
E3 may be over, but we're not done reporting findings from the show floor just yet. Nintendo's top dogs were there in LA, which means that journalists had the chance to corner them and hurl questions that we've been demanding questions to. They couldn't just run away, could they? So we're finally getting some answers. Kotaku had a chance to ask some really tough questions, and Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime didn't back down from them.
Kotaku asked Reggie about three things we at WWG are intensely interested in hearing about: The Nintendo Switch's lack of cloud saves, virtual console, and that seemingly ridiculous voice chat solution. You can read their full conversation here, but below are the bits that piqued our interest.
Kotaku: We at Kotaku have heard the feedback—and I've even worried about it myself–that the lack of cloud save and even the back-up option I can do with my 3DS [can cost people their save files if they lose their Switch]… do you guys hear that message?
Fils-Aime: We do.
Kotaku: Can you say that there's a solution coming?
Fils-Aime: I can't say there's a solution coming, but we do hear the message.
Reggie is a master of public relations spin, as you're about to see. Kotaku continued:
Where the heck is Virtual Console?
I'll be honest. I'm the self-proclaimed "Nintendo guy" for WWG (call me a fanboy), and I was predicting with confidence that Nintendo would finally reveal the virtual console at E3. E3 came and went, and still no virtual console. Any word from Reggie?
Kotaku: Have you guys said if there's going to be, aside from all that, a Virtual Console experience?
Fils-Aime: We've not used the term Virtual Console.
Kotaku: Do you plan to sell your older games to people? People got used to that with Wii and Wii U as downloads.
Fils-Aime: What we've said is that as we communicate the specifics of the Nintendo Switch online service then at that point we'll communicate what it is we're doing with our legacy content.
Kotaku: It'd be great to be able to download and play some GameCube games on my Switch, Reggie. I'm just telling you.
Fils-Aime: I see a lot of consumers hoping and wishing for that online.
And finally, let's talk about that ridiculous voice chat solution with the mobile phone.
prevnextWhat's up with the mobile phone voice chat?
Remember our report where we explained the totally bizarre network of devices and connections you'll need to make voice chat a reality on the Switch? Well, we thought that system was a little clumsy, and we're not the only ones. Reggie swears that the mobile phone solution will be a neat one, though.
Fils-Aime: We actually think that the phone is going to deliver a better, more robust execution. In terms of the APIs that we can build into an app, the fact that phones are ubiquitous, the fact that it allows us to do much more rapid improvements and updates to the service, that's why we think a phone execution—and specifically a mobile app execution—is going to be better for the consumer.
Kotaku: It just seems cumbersome that I'm going to have to plug my headset into a phone into a system, those wires…
Fils-Aime: So let's be clear. What you've seen is the execution by one particular supplier. That is not going to be the only solution.
Kotaku: But it's going to require a phone no matter what?
Fils-Aime: It's going to require a phone. It's going to require a mobile device and be delivered by an app.
Well that's that. Reggie truly is the master of saying so very much while saying so very little. That's why Nintendo remains such a mystery, we suppose, and why it's so exciting any time they reveal something officially. As soon as we learn more about any of these issues we'll be sure to let you guys know. Until then... Don't drop your Nintendo Switch.
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