Nintendo Switch Online Launch, Price and News: What Will Players Be Able to Enjoy from the Service?
Nintendo Switch will launch its very first paid subscription service online. Called Switch Online, the service will be similar to the Xbox Live Gold for Xbox players and PlayStation Plus for PlayStation 3 and 4 owners.
Nintendo targets Switch Online for launch in 2018 despite previously announcing it will be coming in the latter part of 2017. Fortune reported the company didn't detail the reason for the delay but Nintendo should be able to look forward to something different.
Unlike the PlayStation or Xbox services, which collects a $60 membership fee yearly, Switch Online will reportedly only cost $20 annually. Subscription may also be availed of for $4 monthly or $8 for three months.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
Nintendo Switch currently opened its online gaming service for free until the 2018 launch, as per its official site. Gamers can use the service via their Nintendo Account. The trial period, however, won't provide players with access to other features.
For instance, Nintendo Switch users will have need to get a phone app, which is available only for download through the summer, to be able to chat among other online players. They will also need to use a splitter device to attach and activate the headphone.
Under Switch Online, gamers will be able to play classic Nintendo games like "Super Mario Bros 3," "Balloon Fight" and "Dr. Mario." These collections have been updated to include online capabilities that allow players to enjoy the game with their friends or other gamers from all over the world.
Nintendo is expected to add more classic games from NES and Super NES to this feature when the service rolls out completely. The company also assured gamers that Switch Online won't affect free online games for the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U users. "Classic Games Selection is different from the [Virtual Console]," a company spokesperson said, via Famitsu.
