Nintendo Switch Online Service To Arrive This September 2018
After being delayed in 2017, Nintendo has announced that the online subscription service for the Nintendo Switch will be launched this September. The service is expected to be the company's answer to the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live, offering online multiplayer for a small fee.
In addition to online play, Switch owners will also get access to a library of classic Nintendo games such as "Super Mario Bros. 3," "Balloon Fight" and "Dr. Mario." However, unlike PS Plus or Xbox Live Gold where players can access the games as long as they keep paying, the games will only be available for the month they were released meaning that when the next batch rolls out, they will be removed.
This basic feature will then be upgraded with new features such as leaderboards and multiplayer. Given that these are mostly 8- and 16-bit games, these upgrades will only be given where they are applicable.
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According to the official Switch Online website, the service will cost $3.99 a month, $7.99 for 3 months, or $19.99 per year. This is markedly lower than its competitors and in line with the range, Nintendo President Tatsumi Kimishima gave back in February.
This is the first time a Nintendo console has charged a fee for online use. While definitely not unprecedented in the industry, this is a massive leap for Nintendo especially with Switch sales continuing to skyrocket. The company recently announced that the hybrid console has surpassed the Nintendo Wii's lifetime hardware sales less than a year since its release.
And the Switch train isn't about to stop anytime soon with Nintendo set to launch the Labo line of cardboard accessories for the Switch. Dubbed Toy-Cons, the build-it-yourself are expected to make the console appeal to the mainstream market by added new ways to interact with its games other than the Joy-Cons.
Expect Nintendo to announce more details about the Switch's new online service in the coming months.
