Nintendo Switch

Are cloud saves optional? I really don't care for it. I just want to play online.

Cloud Saves are optional, yes. It is just a backup feature after all.

Still doesn't mean that Nintendo didn't get the Internet Counterattack they deserved. They're still behind Sony and Microsoft by not allowing cloud saves on certain games including those that already allow for cloud saves on the other consoles. To boot, the free monthly games they're offering are underwhelming.

The more I stick with this company, the more my misery constantly overshadows my enjoyment. Either I have to stop reading the news or I give up what I hold dear to me.

Edited by ParaChomp on Sep 26th 2018 at 11:07:20 AM

That's ridiculously pessimistic. This is Nintendo's first foray into a paid online service, and they're starting it off really cheap. Playstation Plus and X-Box Live are both $60 a year, and they certainly didn't have much to offer when they first launched. Plus, you're acting like what we have now is what it will be forever. I'm absolutely certain that Nintendo's online service will improve, offer more incentives, a larger library, and all that good stuff, down the line.

The internet has conditioned me otherwise. I know it's not a good excuse but it's the best I got.

You must fight back against the conditioning. Remember, Nintendo is the company of fun. No matter how bad it seems, they always come rebounding back and rise above. It's why they're my favorite video game company.

Oh, I've been waiting for this.

I don't know about that. When Nintendo gets complacent, they get really complacent. As long as the online gets enough subscribers, I don't see it changing or improving in any significant way.

I'm not sure about that- there are a ton of games recently that have received free content updates for over a year after their release, alongside those that got paid DLC that much later too.

I could see Nintendo putting more effort into their online service this time around.

Apparently some Virtual Console data was found in a recent Switch datamine.

I've read that too. They're not sure if it's just something that was copypasted from the 3DS eShop code or if it's actually hinting at a revival of the Virtual Console on Switch.

I think saying "they're better" or "they're worse" than other companies is kind of an oversimplification. They're better about some aspects of it, and worse about others.

On the con side, the lack of cloud saves on some of the titles that could benefit most from it is ridiculous, especially in cases like Splatoon 2 where the explanation doesn't hold water (we know they store rank data on servers or you couldn't check it via the app, and I think most people would prefer the slim likelihood of people save-scumming their ranks over the chance of losing all your progress), and they really should have dedicated servers for games with a heavy online component in order to justify the cost.

On the pro side, they're generally very good about supporting their bigger name games with additional (free) content post launch, the paid DLC is generally pretty good for the cost, and the online service, lacking though it is, is still a lot cheaper than what they probably could've gotten away with charging.

Atelier Arland trilogy port will release worldwide December 4. Digital-only.

The anniversary spinoff will come in 2019.

I'm glad that, if Nintendo isn't going to bring Mario Maker to the Switch, they at least got Competitive Mario Maker (Ultimate Chicken Horse).

I can understand why Nintendo wouldn't allow games like Splatoon 2 or Pokémon to have cloud saves since the nature of those games would allow people to cheat.

Splatoon 2 would allow you to Save Scum on Murch's ability re-roll by creating a cloud save, re-roll, and if you don't get the abilities you want, you can just reload your cloud save and try again.

Pokémon would allow you to clone Pokémon by creating a cloud save, trade a Pokémon to another game, then reload the cloud save to get a copy of the Pokémon you traded.

The only way cloud saves could work in those games is if using those features automatically overwrote the cloud save so you couldn't Save Scum. Splatoon 2 could possibly do it by requiring an online connection if you want to re-roll abilities, but Pokémon would need all trades to require an internet connection, which can be inconvenient if you're not in an area with internet.

Edited by MJTrooper on Sep 26th 2018 at 3:55:43 AM

True, but Pokemon having only one save file does deter people who are used to having multiple files in case something goes wrong.

All you'd have to do is run a check whenever a player connects to the internet using data saved on that system at the time of the trade that deletes Pokemon that have been traded away from cloud saves, or that updates relevant information in Splatoon 2 the moment the data is retrieved. There would probably be ways around it, but people will find ways to hack and cheat regardless.

Edited by Hashil on Sep 26th 2018 at 5:38:32 AM

That and honestly I don't think either of those would actually be as much of an issue as people just straight up hacking the game. I mean, I really don't care if somebody cheated to get better gear rolls; all it means is that they shortened the process rather than wasting time grinding.

Rank cheesing is more of an issue, but like has been pointed out, you could easily fix that by just checking whatever rank is stored online every time they connect.

Cloning Pokemon really shouldn't matter enough to not have backup saves. What's the worst case scenario? Wonder Trade gets flooded with shiny Arceuses off of a single event distribution? Is the global Pokemon economy really so central to either the single-player experience (where people really should be able to enjoy the game any way they want) or the competitive play experience (where species clause is enforced and event Pokemon are consistently banned anyways) that the fear of inflation warrants the inability to back up your save?

To be fair, the decision is probably more Game Freak's than Nintendo's and Game Freak is rarely smart.

According to Game Freak, yes. And I'm guessing event Pokemon are exactly why (Why bother going to an event when a friend can clone copies for everyone?).

Blocking cloud saves on Switch is just a continuation of their existing save backup policy for Pokemon - which is to disable it everywhere, even if that makes it the only game excluding the ability to do so.

Edited by burnpsy on Sep 26th 2018 at 10:58:07 AM

And people buy the games in droves, review them glowingly, and almost never criticize any of their shitty business practices, so here we are.

Personally, I'd actually say that's the right call on Game Freak's part-trading is a big part of Pokemon IMO, and having an obvious way to "counterfeit" pokemon would effectively break the game.

Poor business practices will always outshine brand recognition in the eyes of media analysts. Customers on the other hand don't care about so they need to be informed, guilt tripped, and mocked.

Still doesn't prevent the fact that they're not allowing cloud saves for Dark Souls which HAS cloud saves on the other two home consoles. It's a general problem with a bad excuse.

Switch Online uses Google servers and you can't use the Online in China because the country has banned Google.