Nintendo Switch Online Subscribers Call for Restriction Change

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Nintendo Switch Online Subscribers Call for Restriction Change

Key Takeaways

  • Some Nintendo Switch Online members want to see the service loosen its profile icon restrictions.
  • Rereleases of NSO profile icons currently come with some fairly restrictive limitations, like requiring players to own the games whose imagery they are purchasing.
  • Icons from different games also cannot be combined while designing a custom profile picture.

As a dedicated Nintendo Switch Online (NSO) subscriber with years of gaming under my belt and countless hours spent customizing my virtual persona, I wholeheartedly empathize with the recent outcry for changes to the service’s profile icon system. The current restrictions on these icons feel not only convoluted but also somewhat anti-consumer in nature, as demonstrated by the case of Animal Crossing: New Horizons icons being inaccessible unless played three times in a month.

Some users of the Nintendo Switch Online service have been vocal on social media about wanting changes to how profile icons are distributed, claiming that the current method is overly restrictive. The majority of their complaints revolve around the complex way Nintendo Switch Online manages icon availability and usage.

Initially, profile icons were incorporated into Nintendo Switch Online back in March 2022. Since then, subscribers have been granted the opportunity to utilize their Platinum points on an array of visuals, enabling them to personalize their profiles. These online assets are regularly updated and rotated monthly. Generally, previously released icons will not return to Nintendo Switch Online more than once a year.

Nintendo Switch Online Members Want Profile Icon Restrictions Lifted

When these reruns occur, their availability becomes even more restricted since images associated with them can only be obtained by subscribers who already own the games they are based on. It’s not just that prerequisite for purchasing them; as highlighted by Reddit user WhispyWhirl, one also needs to have played certain games like Animal Crossing: New Horizons at least three times within the last 30 days before they can secure Nintendo Switch Online profile icons based on these games.

NSO Subscriber Labels Profile Icon Restrictions ‘Anti-Consumer’

It was discovered later on that this peculiar rule didn’t necessitate booting the game three times, but instead required playing it on three distinct days within a month-long timeframe. Unfortunately, by the time they were able to follow these steps, the desired icons for which they had saved their Platinum points had already been removed from rotation. This fan expressed their displeasure, stating that this system was one of the worst ever implemented on the Switch and called it “completely anti-consumer.” WhispyWhirl’s criticism garnered hundreds of upvotes and later appeared on the main page of the largest Switch subreddit in early October 2024, suggesting a significant portion of NSO subscribers share their dissatisfaction.

Some individuals participating in the subsequent conversation have additionally taken this chance to advocate for greater flexibility when blending icon components. They believe that the current limitation on mixing icons from various games during custom profile design is unnecessarily confining.

This is one of the worst systems I think the Switch has ever had. This is completely anti-consumer.

The possibility of Nintendo addressing these issues immediately is quite low, given that the company often follows its unique path, complete with idiosyncrasies. However, this doesn’t rule out changes for NSO in the near future, especially considering speculations about a potential overhaul to align with the upcoming Switch successor. Recent news suggests that the Nintendo Switch 2 might be unveiled as early as October 2024.

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2024-10-06 16:06