How Netflix can solve Nintendo's piracy problem
About a month ago I talked about
Nintendo’s distribution woes of their “Classic” plug-and-play systems, as well
as how the scarcity of said mini consoles unintentionally encourage players to
pirate their games. Today I’ll be talking about a potential solution for this
problem, one I’d like to see the entire game industry take on.
There’s no denying Netflix is on top
of the world right now. Boasting a seemingly endless cornucopia of original and
archived TV and movies, everyone’s a fan of the software. Why? The answer is
simple: Netflix has quickly become the quickest and easiest way to watch TV.
For just roughly $10.99 a month, you have unlimited access to all the
entertainment you’ve ever wanted right at the push of a button. Easy as that.
So why haven’t game companies
capitalized on this?
As I said in the other editorial, the
convenience method is the easiest and most reliable way to stop piracy.
Programs like Netflix, iTunes, Spotify, Hulu and others offer quick access to
the entertainment of your desire for a reasonable fee, eliminating the risks
and pitfalls you try to avoid when you pirate something.
One thing that becomes obvious after
spending just a few minutes in gamer culture is that people love games that
make them feel nostalgic. This is why remasters have become so ubiquitous these
days. Everything from Zelda to Halo to Crash Bandicoot has been remade and upgraded for this generation, and
they consistently sell well thanks to fans who want to experience their
favourite games from last generation again.
But what about the games that don’t get remade? Looking at Nintendo’s
now defunct Virtual Console services, nearly every game from the NES, SNES and
N64 library was available for purchase, but of course for a price. I don’t know
about you guys, but I’d say $5 is a little too much for Duck Hunt, a game I can easily find for free online somewhere. It
also isn’t exactly hard work downloading an emulator to play SNES and N64
games, so why would I pay a large sum of hard earned cash to play something I
can just get for free online?
While I’ve heard rumours this might be
the case, I think Nintendo’s ultimate solution to protecting their classic
library lies with Netflix.
Picture this: a massive library of
games across multiple of Nintendo’s classic consoles on Nintendo Switch
available for, say, $10.99. Once you’ve purchased it, you can download the
games onto your system’s hard drive, and then take them wherever you want. You
want portable Paper Mario? You can
get it here.
Not only would it reduce the urge to
pirate Nintendo’s classics, but I think everyone would be onboard in saying a
portable version of hundreds of old favourites would be just plain awesome.
I’ve heard rumblings that they might go this route with the Switch’s Virtual
Console, which would explain why it’s still nowhere to be seen almost a year
after launch (almost a year already, time flies). I’ve also heard whatever form
it takes will be included with the Nintendo online pass, which is a plus.
Nintendo, you’ve got the most illustrious
backlog of any game company in the world. Want us to give you money for access
to it? Make it easy for us to find it.
Song of the Week
Bianco Hills – Super Mario Sunshine
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