The inevitable has finally come and with Nintendo, the last of the three console platform holders has opted for a paid online service. Nintendo Switch Online is the name of the service which enables online functionality in games among other for Nintendo Switch users.
But hold on a second, weren’t people already able to play multiplayer games like Splatoon 2 online on the Nintendo Switch? Yes, they were. But starting September 18, so in four days, only users who pay for Nintendo Switch Online will be able to continue playing games online. The paid online service was originally planned to arrive in 2017, the same year as Nintendo’s new Switch handheld-console hybrid, but the launch had later been delayed to 2018.
Nintendo Switch Online will cost $3.99 a month, $7.99 for three months and $19.99 for a yearly subscription.
Nintendo released a video showcasing Nintendo Switch Online, its features, benefits and pricing but fans of Big N aren’t exactly happy, going by the Dislikes the video has garnered on Youtube.
As shown, Nintendo Switch Online looks pretty barebones compared to the direct competition of Playstation Plus and Xbox Live. The ability to play games online is even touted as one of the major selling points. Salt on the wounds of users who have already been playing their Switch games online for over a year.
More interesting is the announcement that together with Nintendo Switch Online, original NES games will be arriving for the Switch. That’s a feature fans have been asking for ever since the Switch launched. A neat addition is the ability to play multiplayer NES games online.
Unquestionably, one of the highlight features of Nintendo Switch Online are Cloud Saves. A great option every other console is already offering. Sadly, there’s a catch. Once your subscription expires, all Cloud Saves get deleted.
Now, this one is controversial, as it is a new feature but may seem laughable for users on PSN, Xbox Live and PC. Voice Chat. It’s not the feature itself but how Nintendo has decided to implement it. To use voice chat in games on the Nintendo Switch, users will not only have to pay for the online service but also use a smartphone app where they will talk to other users. Not an elegant solution at all.
For more details head on over to the Nintendo Switch Online website.
