Nintendo to NOT offer free downloads on Revolution without a catch!

[basketkase543]

IGN announced today that Nintendo is not planning on just giving their games away, as was previously reported elsewhere and discussed here on CAG.

There's some disappointing news for those expecting these classics to be available for free. Nintendo is planning on pay downloads as being the standard for this download system. There will be many types of services, though, including limited time free downloads. One possibility mentioned by Iwata is free downloads as bonuses for buying new games.

This is really a downer considering how much more I was liking the system with the prospect of at least some free downloads.

Here is the link to the entire article:

http://cube.ign.com/articles/622/622870p1.html

BTW, of particular interest here is that IGN was told that we'd be able to transfer downloaded games onto SD cards and put them on our PCs. Hello free games again. How long do you guys think until these games will be cracked and mass downloading begins?

[gigan54]

i give it 5 months into the systems life before that happens

[evilmax17]

Eegh, you'd probably have to take out the Wifi component for that to happen. I'm imagining that they'd tie your account to the games you've downloaded, and if it found inconsistancies you'd get owned.

[Mr.Answer]

Did anyone really believe that a company specifically nintendo would freely give their licensed content away?

[eldad9]

What did you expect? All of nintendo's back catalog for free? come on.

[Reality's Fringe]

Did anyone really believe that a company specifically nintendo would freely give their licensed content away?

No, but I really really wanted it to be true.

[dtcarson]

I would have been incredibly surprised if all 221 of those games were released at free.
I can see some of them, maybe the less popular and older ones, being free.
One or more free downloads, for permanent ownership, with purchase of a Rev game, that could work, in addition to the 'pay as you go.'

[Graystone]

and for the hijack pat, how much do you think they downloads will cost.

I think that they might have a card like napster get 18 downloads for the price 15 or something.

Ny guess is between $1.99 to $5.99 depending on the age of the game.

[Midnite]

I don't see these downloads being very expensive, may $1-15 depending on what system they appearred on. The Nintendo classics on GBA are about $15, I can't really see the downloadable games being more then $15 but if they want $15 for Super Mario Brothers 1 for $15 I'll stick to emulation.

[WhipSmartBanky]

:dunce:

[mforge]

I think the NES/SNES games will be *really* cheap, no more than $5. Remember there is zero overhead here, so they can't charge $15-$20 for package/manual/cartridge/licensing costs. This is all profit for them, it's smarter to to make it very attractive to consumers than to mark it up.

[basketkase543]

What did you expect? All of nintendo's back catalog for free? come on.

Obviously i never believed that ALL the games would be free (i'm a CHEAPass, not a DUMBass) but i thought that they might choose a few choice games to give out to maybe entice some new customers (which wouldn't be completely unreasonable).

[Sailorneorune]

I'm just hoping for reasonable prices, and maybe some bonuses, like download codes in Nintendo Power *hint hint*.

[polaricecaves]

No offense to the OP as this is good information, but, I hope nobody really expected nintendo to give away more than say 10 games or something.

edit: too late i guess :)

[jkam]

I said in the last post I'll wait and see because I didn't think Nintendo would GIVE away their games. I think the best way to go about it would a reward program. If you register games you get points, if you subscribe to Nintendo Power (UGH!) you get points, and if you buy certain games you get older games as a bonus.

[CoJoe]

My guess would be when you buy the revolution, you would be able to get a voucher for X amount of free downloads (either by the game, or by the Meg), then after that you pay by the download.

Similarily, if you buy a game/accessory, you get X amounts of free downloads, and I have no doubt at some point, Nintendo Power would offer free downloads.

As for what's available upon launch to download, I would have to say most of the big names (Mario, Donkey Kong, Zelda, Metroid, etc) would be represented, with other games being periodically released to download to keep it fresh

[javeryh]

I'm shocked. This flies right in the face of all of Nintendo's past business practices... oh, wait...

[oleander]

hmmm....they might have actually enticed some people to buy the rev who wouldn't otherwise if they were free...

I would be happy with getting free downloads with registration of game purchases...that would be considerably better than the current "incentives" they give....

[javeryh]

It would be cool if they started including free downloads for buying a game but use it as something that must be discovered in the game like playing Metroid Prime 3 and finding a room containing the downloads for Metroid and Super Metroid. Or playing Super Mario 128 and finding a hidden world containing Super Mario World, Super Mario Bros., etc.

[Dr Mario Kart]

I like the translation of Iwata's statement to Famitsu that I've been seeing around.

Iwata says, "Though the baseless rumor flows in the internet that the virtual console download service is free,
it is not scheduled to deliver it in free.
maybe download it (old games) as a privilege when consumers buy a new game,
maybe download it by consistent of the campaign at limited time,
variety methods will be used.
Using the properties in the past, I want to take shape that the profit is paid to Nintendo to the end. "

Through the Baseless rumor flows in the internet, thats some Zen stuff, Iwata.

[stag8603]

It would be cool if they started including free downloads for buying a game but use it as something that must be discovered in the game like playing Metroid Prime 3 and finding a room containing the downloads for Metroid and Super Metroid. Or playing Super Mario 128 and finding a hidden world containing Super Mario World, Super Mario Bros., etc.

That's a cool idea.

[chickenhawk]

It would be cool if they started including free downloads for buying a game but use it as something that must be discovered in the game like playing Metroid Prime 3 and finding a room containing the downloads for Metroid and Super Metroid. Or playing Super Mario 128 and finding a hidden world containing Super Mario World, Super Mario Bros., etc.

That would actually require that we play the game right away and not keep them sealed for months and months. ;)

I also wonder how this would effect those of us who wait for price drops on most games. If I were to wait for Metroid Prime 3 to hit the PC line at $20, would I still get a bonus of downloadable games or would those bonus downloads be nowhere to be found 6 months or longer down the line?

[javeryh]

I also wonder how this would effect those of us who wait for price drops on most games. If I were to wait for Metroid Prime 3 to hit the PC line at $20, would I still get a bonus of downloadable games or would those bonus downloads be nowhere to be found 6 months or longer down the line?

Now that would just be mean. :)

[ryanbph]

Isn't that what we have now, ie ninja gaiden on the xbox, but not download it...

[MaxBiaggi2]

I knew all the Nintendo fanboy hype about free Revolution downloads had to have some strings attached. If all the older system game downloads were free, tons of consumers would probably buy the system to download and play the old games free of charge without ever buying any of the new stuff in stores. Why would anyone pay $50 (or more) each for new games when you could download and play all Nintendo's classic stuff for free?

[Dr Mario Kart]

Perhaps they've been meaning that the SERVICE will be free.

the baseless rumor
flows on in the internet
you pay us for games

[Zoglog]

I love how people thought that they would be free downloads =p. It's so obvious it wouldn't be. If you look at how nintendo does thing they milk things like crazy. like those E card readers. They will always charge you for thier classic games.

http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/06/07/news_6127066.html

gamespot interview article discussing it

[Chris in Cali]

I'd be willing to pay....

NES games: ¢.50 - $1.50 per game.
SNES games: $2.00 - $7.50 per game.
N64 games: $5.00 - $13.00 per game.

[Dr Mario Kart]

I dont think they will, but they ought to add a feature into their emulator that lets you play the classics online, like player 2 can be someone else on the internets. One of the old snes emulators used to have such a capability.

[_heretic]

I'd be willing to pay....

NES games: ¢.50 - $1.50 per game.
SNES games: $2.00 - $7.50 per game.
N64 games: $5.00 - $13.00 per game.

I don't think they will have the same price for every game. I think it is more likely that each download is priced differently. For example, they are definitely going to have Super Mario World and Earthbound for download, right? Well, they are probably going to be charging way more for Earthbound than Super Mario World, just because there is a demand for that game, and they will want to make sure that everyone can play SMW.

But aside from a few, more high-profile games, I think your pricing scheme sounds pretty reasonable. Maybe a bit higher for NES games.

[mforge]

This controller must really be something else--it has to emulate the first three Nintendo controllers plus whatever it's doing for Revolution. To be honest I don't think we can comment on the value of downloadable games until we see how well we can control them.

[oleander]

This controller must really be something else--it has to emulate the first three Nintendo controllers plus whatever it's doing for Revolution. To be honest I don't think we can comment on the value of downloadable games until we see how well we can control them.
Actually, I would rather play with updates of the original controllers...like a wireless N64 controller with a stick like the GC controllers have and a wireless SNES controller like the Hori retro one for GC.
I don't know whether they would do that, but it would be cool if they did. And if they put free downloads with them, I would guess that a lot of people would buy them.
My point is just that the controller doesn't necessarily have to work with the retro games - they might figure out another way to do that.

[javeryh]

This controller must really be something else--it has to emulate the first three Nintendo controllers plus whatever it's doing for Revolution. To be honest I don't think we can comment on the value of downloadable games until we see how well we can control them.

This is why I think the controller is going to be one giant touch screen so you can map the buttons anywhere you want and in any configuratuion you want...

[stocker08]

I think the NES/SNES games will be *really* cheap, no more than $5. Remember there is zero overhead here, so they can't charge $15-$20 for package/manual/cartridge/licensing costs. This is all profit for them, it's smarter to to make it very attractive to consumers than to mark it up.


very good point! (claps) hes right. They got nothing but profit with this considering its all virtual. i cant wait to see how this turns out!