Okami Creator Wants Nintendo to Bring Back the Virtual Console

When Nintendo Wii released in 2006, the system launched alongside the Virtual Console. The Virtual Console was a digital storefront where fans could download games released on older video game systems. The Virtual Console not only featured Nintendo systems like NES, SNES, and N64, it also featured competitor’s consoles, including the Sega Genesis, Commodore 64, and Turbografx-16. The Virtual Console had a lot of fans, including Okami creator Hideki Kamiya. In a recent interview with IGN, Kamiya was asked about Nintendo Switch 2. While Capcom cannot comment on the new console, Kamiya was quick to share his hopes for the return of the Virtual Console service.

“As a personal comment, I personally would love to see the Virtual Console rebooted. That’s something that I would really want to ask Nintendo for,” said Kamiya.

Kamiya is not the only person that would like to see the Virtual Console return; it’s been a frequent request from Nintendo fans since Nintendo Switch launched back in 2017. However, it’s very unlikely to happen. While Nintendo apparently did consider a Virtual Console service for Switch, the company instead decided to offer classic games through Nintendo Switch Online. The yearly price for the service is significantly cheaper than buying games through the Virtual Console; the $20 base price offers subscribers access to all NES, SNES, and Game Boy games offered, while the $50 tier adds N64, Sega Genesis, and Game Boy Advance titles. Through Virtual Console, most games were priced between $5 and $10.

Nintendo Switch Online is a cheaper way to play retro games, but for some fans, the issue comes down to ownership: some people would rather pay to own games, rather than have them tied to a service that could eventually go away. Nintendo could drastically improve the way it handles its back catalog of older games, but the Virtual Console as it once existed is unlikely to ever make a return. Third-party support for the service dwindled over time, as the profit margins on retro games were fairly small. In the years since Virtual Console launched, companies like Capcom and Konami have greatly embraced physical and digital compilations, which allow these companies to sell a bunch of games to users for $50 or $60, rather than individual ones for a few bucks.

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The Virtual Console was a great thing while it lasted, and it’s easy to see why so many people want it back. However, Nintendo Switch Online’s subscription model isn’t all bad. One of the biggest problems with Virtual Console is that it resulted in big games getting purchased by users, while smaller ones were frequently ignored. Nintendo Switch Online’s release model gets people to try games they wouldn’t have spent money on. When games like Ridge Racer 64 get added to Nintendo Switch Online, social media is inundated with posts from subscribers sharing their experiences playing these titles for the first time. Subscribers are willing to try those games on the service that they’re already paying for, but likely wouldn’t spend the $10 if they were released through Virtual Console. At the very least, Nintendo Switch Online is a better option for discovering old games than the Virtual Console ever was!

Would you like to see the return of the Virtual Console? Do you prefer the a la carte model to Nintendo Switch Online? Share your thoughts with me directly on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!