Switch Online Service Launches on September 18

Since the Nintendo Switch launched last year, all online services were accessible to everyone for free. This will change on September 18 when Nintendo's paid online subscription service finally goes live worldwide. More information will be revealed in the re-scheduled 09/14/2018 Nintendo Direct tomorrow but here's what we know so far:


Switch owners will have to subscribe to the Switch Online Service if they want to utilize online multiplayer features in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate, Splatoon 2, and many other games. Without it, only single-player and local multiplayer modes for these games will be accessible. Nintendo eShop, Friend registration and management, the sharing of screenshots over social networks, Nintendo Switch Parental Controls, system and software updates, and Nintendo Switch News will not be affected. In addition, these requirements will not affect online features in Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo Wii U as they will still remain free.


The subscription plans range from $3.99 (around P216 monthly) to $19.99 (around P1,080 yearly) for one Nintendo Account or $34.99 (around P1,890 yearly) for a Nintendo Account Family Group of up to 8 members. A 7-day free trial will also be available when the service goes live. It is yet unclear if Prepaid Cards specifically catered to the service will be available locally but you can still purchase a subscription via the eShop through normal means: local credit/debit card, PayMaya, Nintendo eShop Prepaid Card etc.

20 NES games (also known as Family Computer in Japan) will be available at launch, with new titles to be added regularly thereafter. These games are enhanced with online multiplayer features which lets you compete or cooperate with your friends around the world. Other features like share your screen or pass the controller will depend on the game. The 10 announced titles so far are:

• Soccer
• Tennis
• Donkey Kong
• Mario Bros.
• Super Mario Bros.
• Balloon Fight
• Ice Climber
• Dr. Mario
• The Legend of Zelda
• Super Mario Bros. 3

Speaking of playing with your friends, the subscription also lets you utilize the Nintendo Switch Online smartphone app. Using the app's Online Lounge, you will be able to send online play invitations to players on your friend list. The app also lets you quickly send invites via social networks and messaging services. When you're invited to a game, you'll get notified right away via a push notification on your smartphone. Once players are connected, you can use voice chat openly with friends while in the online lobby and during online play (depending on the game). While the app itself is still unavailable in our region for some reason, you can still download it through the use of a VPN service similar to Fire Emblem Heroes and Animal Crossing Pocket Camp. To further enhance your experience with the voice chat feature, an equally convoluted setup can be used though this is entirely optional.

The ability to backup save files through the Save Data Cloud Backup feature is also one of the key selling points of the service. Nintendo says that the vast majority of Switch games will support this feature however others like Splatoon 2 won't be able to as a form of abuse or cheat protection. The list of compatible games will be available in the future.

Lastly, Special offers and deals will be available to members although no further information is currently available as to what these are. One of the most plausible features might be exclusive digital discounts on the eShop similar to the current My Nintendo rewards.

Source: Nintendo
Original background photo from: Jayvee Santos Salac