Nintendo Switch Online

Nintendo Switch Online (NSO) is an online subscription service for the Nintendo Switch video game console. Nintendo Switch Online features include online multiplayer, cloud saving, voice chat via a smartphone app, access to a library of Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) games, as well as other promotions and offers. Following an interim period where Nintendo offered online multiplayer free of charge, the subscription service officially launched on September 18, 2018. The service is Nintendo's third generation online service after Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection and Nintendo Network.
Reviews for the service were mixed. Its affordable price compared to other online services was generally praised, but its smartphone app, NES content library, small selection of cloud save-supported games and lack of dedicated servers were criticised.
History.
The Nintendo Switch was announced in January 2017, with its release on March 3, 2017. Nintendo stated in its pre-release announcements that the system would eventually require the purchase of a paid "online service" but that they would be available to all users at no charge until the service launched. Features announced included a companion smartphone app, as well as access to a free Nintendo Entertainment System game per-month. The service was initially planned for late 2017. By June 2017, Nintendo pushed back the service's release until 2018, but did establish the pricing plans for the service, with an average annual price of , depending on region. Then-Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aimé explained that the delays were to ensure that the service was "world-class", and had enough of its announced functionality available on-launch to justify its cost. Nintendo aimed for a lower price point in comparison to PlayStation Plus and Xbox Live Gold, as the service does not include the same range of features as these subscription services provide. Then-Nintendo president Tatsumi Kimishima stated that the price point was a subject of importance in designing the Switch's online services, and that regardless of what competitors were doing, "it's a matter of getting our content to the consumer at a price point that would make them happy, and then we're willing to look at what else we can do going forward."
The Nintendo Switch Online service was launched on September 18, 2018. A Nintendo Direct two days before the release detailed the full set of features that would be part of the Online service, including a larger and persistent library of NES games for subscribers (with 20 available on launch, and more to be added on an ongoing basis), as well as cloud save support. The initial launch covered 43 markets, with more markets expected to follow later.
In September 2018, Nintendo Switch consoles imported to China started experiencing connectivity issues there, due to the Nintendo Switch Online service using Google's servers, which are blocked in China.
On March 28, 2019, Twitch announced that Twitch Prime members can claim up to a year of free Nintendo Switch Online membership between March 28, 2019 and January 20, 2020.
The service officially launched in South Korea and Hong Kong, on April 23, 2019.
On September 4, 2019, Nintendo announced in a Nintendo Direct presentation that Super NES games would be added to the service the following day under a separate app.
On December 1, 2020, the 11.0.0 software update for the Nintendo Switch system software was released, which added a Nintendo Switch Online app to the console’s home screen.
Usage.
By December 31, 2018, approximately three months after its launch, the service had gained more than eight million subscribers. Nintendo reported in late-April 2019 that the service had 9.8 million subscribers. The service reached over 10 million subscribers by July 2019, and over 15 million by January 2020. The service had reached over 26 million members by September 2020.
Features.
Multiplayer.
Nintendo Switch Online is required to access online multiplayer on the majority of titles. Some free-to-play multiplayer games, such as "Fortnite Battle Royale" and "Warframe", are exempt from this requirement, and can be played online freely without a subscription.
Cloud saves.
Cloud storage allows save data for many games to be synchronized online, so it can be recovered if the user must move their Nintendo Account to a different Switch console or if they use multiple consoles. The feature is not supported for some games including those with certain forms of online functionality such as item trading and competitive rankings, citing concerns surrounding the possibility of abuse that could "unfairly affect" gameplay.
Users will lose access to their cloud saves should they allow their subscription to lapse, though there is a grace period of six months to renew the subscription and recover them before they are purged.
According to the list below, there are currently games which do not support cloud save functionality.
Companion app.
The Nintendo Switch Online Smartphone App is a console companion application developed and published by Nintendo for use alongside the Nintendo Switch Online service. Released on July 21, 2017 for use on iOS and Android devices. The app features voice chat and "game-specific services" for games such as "Splatoon 2", "Mario Kart 8 Deluxe", "Arms", "Mario Tennis Aces", Nintendo Entertainment System for Nintendo Switch Online, "Super Smash Bros. Ultimate", and "".
Communication.
Users can voice chat through the Nintendo Switch Online mobile app on smartphones. Voice chat functionality is not available natively through the Switch console; Fils-Aimé justified the decision by explaining that "Nintendo's approach is to do things differently. We have a much different suite of experiences than our competitors offer, and we do that in a different way. This creates a sort of yin and yang for our consumers. They're excited about cloud saves and legacy content but wish we might deliver voice chat a different way, for example."
Classic games service.
Since the Wii, Nintendo had offered games from their older consoles through the Virtual Console service, however, they would not use this for the Nintendo Switch. Instead, Switch Online subscribers can access Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) apps, both which feature a persistent and expanding library of classic titles from those systems. Access to the games are available as long as the user has an active subscription, and a user must connect to the internet at least once a week to continue to access the titles while offline. Games with multiplayer modes support both local and online play; online play functionality is a first for NES and SNES games.
Certain NES games released on the service beginning in October 2018 also have an alternative version labeled "SP" ("Extra" in some regions) which either starts the player near the end of the game or starts the game with the maximum amount of items and lives. Most of the games released in both the Americas and PAL territories are the original NTSC-U versions, including their North American naming and 60 Hz support. The Western NES variant of the software is available in South Korea, while the Japanese Family Computer variant is available in Hong Kong.
During its first year, the Online service provided a new batch of NES games on a monthly basis. However, with the addition of SNES titles in September 2019, Nintendo stated that new NES and SNES games would no longer be made available on a regular schedule though would continue to expand both libraries over time.
The service is home to several titles that were not available on the Virtual Console including "Crystalis", "Journey to Silius", ' and "Star Fox 2". Some games saw their first re-release in any form since their original debut such as "Pro Wrestling", ', and "Stunt Race FX". The service also marks the first ever North American release of the SNES games "Pop'n TwinBee", "Smash Tennis", and "Mario's Super Picross".
NES games.
With the launch of the Nintendo Switch Online service on September 19, 2018, NES games were made available with 20 titles available at launch. Subscribers can access them through a dedicated app. , there are 87 games available, including:
Super NES games.
Announced in a Nintendo Direct on September 4, 2019, Super NES games were added to the service worldwide with 20 titles on September 5, 2019. They are available in a separate app from NES games. , there are 52 games available, including:
Offers and promotions.
Switch Online subscribers are also granted access to special offers and promotions from Nintendo; on launch, those who purchased a 12-month subscription or family plan received special in-game items for "Splatoon 2", and Nintendo opened exclusive pre-orders for special wireless controllers based on the NES controller, specifically intended for use with the aforementioned NES app. Similarly, a special wireless SNES-based controller designed to work with the Switch was made available to purchase exclusively to Online subscribers shortly after the service added support for SNES titles.
Coinciding with the anticipated release of "Super Mario Maker 2", a price-reduction promotion was announced during the game's Nintendo Direct that was available exclusively to Nintendo Switch Online members. The promotion introduced "Nintendo Switch Game Vouchers", which allows purchasers to download two qualifying Nintendo Switch games for a set price of $99.99 MSRP, compared to a $120 sum of buying both games separately.
Nintendo has also offered free original games for those with an Online subscription. "Tetris 99" was released as a free to play title for subscribers in February 2019, though has subsequently offered paid downloadable content and retail versions of the game for non-subscribers. "Super Mario Bros. 35" was released in October 1, 2020, and was only available through March 31, 2021. "Pac-Man 99" was released as a free to play title for subscribers in April 2021 with paid downloadable content available. 