Gaming Nintendo should seriously consider adding Spotify

[aykay55]

Many of us love to listen to music as we’re playing games. Nintendo is trying to find new ways for people to engage with their systems and play longer. Spotify is trying to make you buy their subscription that lets you download songs to listen to offline. Unfortunately for them, most devices have really good cell connection that allows them to always stay connected; therefore, the subscription is basically useless. But what about a device that people carry around that doesn’t have any kind of connection to cell towers? The Switch! Nintendo could work with Spotify to implement the software into the OS. You could access playback controls by holding the HOME button for two seconds. If you wanted to change the song, you could open the app from a new Music button next to the eShop button on the HOME screen. While connected to WiFi, you could access the entire library of Spotify much like the smartphone app, but when you lose connection you are met with a connection error - unless you pay for Spotify Premium that allows you to download hundreds of songs offline to listen to anytime. Nintendo could even put their own playlists up so people could actually listen to Nintendo music. You could even listen to Spotify with the screen off and your headphones plugged into the system like in Smash Heck, they could even lock it behind their own Switch Online subscription. Just give us our music, Nintendo!

Is this gonna happen? No. Is it still fun to brainstorm the possibilities? Yep.

 

[Pleng]

I can tell you already how this thread will go...

There'll be a bunch of people unable to understand that people use devices differently to them saying things like "why would you want that?" and "just use your phone". There'll then be another group of people arguing the use cases, and the first group of people will get defensive and provide more and more ridiculous arguments.

At the end of the day it's irrelevant as Nintendo clearly doesn't see value in adding media playback facilities into their device. Their argument seems to be "everybody already has another device that can do that", not realising that they have the chance to be that device therefore potentially replacing a competitor's product.

 

[CrAzYLiFe]

why would you want that? Just use your phone.

The switch struggles with alot of games as it is, having a second app running using resources will hit the performance of games even harder.

I got Spotify premium and dont even use the offline download feature, theres more to the sub then just that pal.

 

[Pleng]

understand that people use devices differently to them saying things like "why would you want that?"

why would you want that?

...see

 

[Reynardine]

I guess I'm not alone in disliking Spotify. Plus I think the Switch is a bit too unwieldy to be used as a music player.

Listening to music while gaming is a neat idea, but having no internet connection when on the go is another issue.

Personally I don't like streaming services. I prefer to have my music locally on my hd. Many of the things I listen to aren't even available on Spotify because I'm not much of a fan of mainstream music.

 

[baxzxd]

Many of us love to listen to music as we’re playing games. Nintendo is trying to find new ways for people to engage with their systems and play longer. Spotify is trying to make you buy their subscription that lets you download songs to listen to offline. Unfortunately for them, most devices have really good cell connection that allows them to always stay connected; therefore, the subscription is basically useless. But what about a device that people carry around that doesn’t have any kind of connection to cell towers? The Switch! Nintendo could work with Spotify to implement the software into the OS. You could access playback controls by holding the HOME button for two seconds. If you wanted to change the song, you could open the app from a new Music button next to the eShop button on the HOME screen. While connected to WiFi, you could access the entire library of Spotify much like the smartphone app, but when you lose connection you are met with a connection error - unless you pay for Spotify Premium that allows you to download hundreds of songs offline to listen to anytime. Nintendo could even put their own playlists up so people could actually listen to Nintendo music. You could even listen to Spotify with the screen off and your headphones plugged into the system like in Smash Heck, they could even lock it behind their own Switch Online subscription. Just give us our music, Nintendo!

Is this gonna happen? No. Is it still fun to brainstorm the possibilities? Yep.

I don't use Spotify since I just download my music but I think Nintendo should definitely add a lot more applications.

 

[CrAzYLiFe]

...see

I only posted it because your first post almost tried to prevent it by posting a challenge thinking you knew how this thread would play out.

Im only giving you what you wanted/"predicted"

 

[realdev]

While I think this could be an alright* idea, it won't happen. Nintendo has no/very little plans in making the Nintendo Switch a multi-media console; this is supported by the fact it doesn't have basic apps such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, or even a web browser. The only app we have gotten is YouTube and that will probably be the only exception (and Hulu I guess but I'm not American).

alright* - The main purpose of Spotify is to be a music streaming platform. Streaming requires the internet connection but the Nintendo Switch is mainly a portable console, so you will often find yourself with no Wifi while using the Switch. Now, of course, you could use a phone hotspot, but then you may aswell just use Spotify on your phone and not waste hotspot data as well as cause a dip in performance on your Switch,

 

[aykay55]

Listening to music while gaming is a neat idea, but having no internet connection when on the go is another issue.

The main purpose of Spotify is to be a music streaming platform. Streaming requires the internet connection but the Nintendo Switch is mainly a portable console, so you will often find yourself with no Wifi while using the Switch. Now, of course, you could use a phone hotspot, but then you may aswell just use Spotify on your phone and not waste hotspot data as well as cause a dip in performance on your Switch,

That’s the point. Spotify’s subscription will allow you to download your music and take it offline, so you can play and listen at the same time on the go, not wasting hotspot data. They’re filling the gap. Which is why it’s a great decision business-wise to put Spotify on the Switch. I already said it won’t happen but it would be really cool if it did.

why would you want that? Just use your phone.

The switch struggles with alot of games as it is, having a second app running using resources will hit the performance of games even harder.

I got Spotify premium and dont even use the offline download feature, theres more to the sub then just that pal.

You can only listen to one thing at a time. Either your music, or your game audio. This would let you listen to both from the same headset.

As for performance, maybe it would be possible in a Switch Pro then? If Nintendo upgrades the Switch Pro with 8GB of RAM then they’ll be a lot of extra memory they could use for things like music or on-system voice chat.

 

[Reynardine]

That’s the point. Spotify’s subscription will allow you to download your music and take it offline, so you can play and listen at the same time on the go, not wasting hotspot data. They’re filling the gap. Which is why it’s a great decision business-wise to put Spotify on the Switch. I already said it won’t happen but it would be really cool if it did.



You can only listen to one thing at a time. Either your music, or your game audio. This would let you listen to both from the same headset.

As for performance, maybe it would be possible in a Switch Pro then? If Nintendo upgrades the Switch Pro with 8GB of RAM then they’ll be a lot of extra memory they could use for things like music or on-system voice chat.

Okay, that doesn't sound too bad. Can you legally/officially download Spotify songs when you have a subscription?

I tried Spotify a few years ago and I used an audio recording tool to get some of the songs I like. There wasn't an official way to download music, at least not when I used it.

 

[Pippin666]

I can tell you already how this thread will go...

There'll be a bunch of people unable to understand that people use devices differently to them saying things like "why would you want that?" and "just use your phone". There'll then be another group of people arguing the use cases, and the first group of people will get defensive and provide more and more ridiculous arguments.

At the end of the day it's irrelevant as Nintendo clearly doesn't see value in adding media playback facilities into their device. Their argument seems to be "everybody already has another device that can do that", not realising that they have the chance to be that device therefore potentially replacing a competitor's product.

BULLSHIT. A console cannot replace a phone.

Pip'

 

[Ericthegreat]

Hmm, I think this depends on how hard it is to port spotify to the switch, and if it would be worth it to them to do upkeep on that version.

 

[Pleng]

BULLSHIT. A console cannot replace a phone.

Pip'

And nobody ever said that it could, or should...

 

[GoldenBullet]

If Nintendo can't get voicechat done correctly, I can't see them making spotify work correctly. I think Sony has a partnership with spotify anyways so they wouldn't want to share that feature anyways.

 

[phonz]

they should add bluetooth headphones support first [=

 

[huma_dawii]

I wouldn't use it, I have a thousand devices with Spotify already. It's like YouTube I have it everywhere... but somehow I still installed on my Switch ahahha

 

[aykay55]

Okay, that doesn't sound too bad. Can you legally/officially download Spotify songs when you have a subscription?

I tried Spotify a few years ago and I used an audio recording tool to get some of the songs I like. There wasn't an official way to download music, at least not when I used it.

Yes you can. Here’s a full list of features included in the subscription: https://www.spotify.com/us/premium/

If Nintendo can't get voicechat done correctly, I can't see them making spotify work correctly. I think Sony has a partnership with spotify anyways so they wouldn't want to share that feature anyways.

There is a clear business incentive for both Nintendo and Spotify, so it might be possible. And no, the Spotify app is available on both Xbox and PS4. The PS4 even has an auto-pause feature which will stop your music during a cutscene in your game and resume it when it ends.