I’d say it’s suspiciously-timed. My guess is Unity were tired of the shit PR, then tried to flip things around and use this to cast themselves as the victim. So I’m taking this one with about a planet’s worth of salt.
It’s all about that Japanese yen. If Nintendo can save ¥100 here or there, they will. It’s disappointing, because it feels like they miss so many obvious ideas as a result, though.
Counterpoint: I like multiplayer, but just so I can play alongside my friends. I have neither the time nor the energy to give a shit about competitive rankings.