Back in January, Nintendo revealed the Switch would have a dedicated online service that members would have to pay a fee for, à la PlayStation Plus or Xbox Live. The company also announced that it would be coming in Fall 2017, and until then it was to be free for all Switch owners. Today it looks like those plans have changed a bit. The service, titled Nintendo Switch Online, will be launching in the big ol’ window of “2018.”
Along with the announcement of a delay and the confirmation of the name, the service now has a price model: one month for $3.99, three months for $7.99 and a full year for $19.99. Paying members will get access to Online Play, Nintendo’s online lobby and voice chat app, and exclusive Nintendo eShop deals, in addition to the free features. Until 2018, Online Play will remain free for all players. Players will also have access to a free, limited version of the online app that will be made available sometime this summer. There’s no word yet on what this app will include, but we would imagine with Splatoon 2 just around the corner, some form of voice chat will be made available.
Paying subscribers also get access to download the Classic Game Selection, an assortment of older titles from previous Nintendo systems with added online play functionality. The Nintendo Switch Online site gives Balloon Fight, Dr. Mario and Super Mario Bros. 3 as examples.
Is Nintendo Switch Online what you expected? Are you bummed out about the delay? Are you just flat out excited that we have more info on the service? Let us know in the comments below, on Facebook and Twitter!
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Written by Jaxson Tapp
As a lover of gaming and the written word, Jaxson currently fills his time not only with playing games, but also writing about them. Ready for anything, Jaxson’s passion for puzzle games, JRPGs, tough platformers, and whimsical indies helps him bring a well-rounded opinion to Nintendo Wire’s reporting.
