Nintendo’s Online Service Officially Detailed!

We’ve known about Nintendo’s plan to add an online service to the Nintendo Switch since it was announced. Ever since then the details have been scare. Nintendo continued giving journalists the whole “the service will be detailed in the coming year”. Well now, we can all finally know what Nintendo intends on officially doing.

Features:

Online Play

Battle it out or cooperate with players around the world in compatible games like Splatoon™ 2, ARMS™, Mario Kart™ 8 Deluxe, Mario Tennis™ Aces, and Sushi Striker™: The Way of Sushido.

Nintendo Entertainment System™ – Nintendo Switch Online

Enjoy 20 NES games with added online play for the first time ever, and more games added regularly.

Save Data Cloud Backup

Save your data online for easy access. Details about this feature will be available before the paid service launches in September.

Nintendo Switch Online app

Enhance your online experience for compatible games with this smartphone app.*

Special Offers

Stay tuned for news on special deals and offers for members.

Plans and Pricing:

Individual Membership (One per each Nintendo Account holder.)

1 Month-$3.99 USD
3 Months-$7.99 USD
12 months-$19.99 USD 

Family Membership (A Nintendo Account holder may invite up to seven others to join a family group; all members of the group will have access to Nintendo Switch Online.)

12 Months-$34.99 USD

FAQs:

Q:How do I purchase a membership for Nintendo Switch Online?
A:After the September 2018 launch, Nintendo Switch Online memberships will be available for purchase on Nintendo.com, in Nintendo eShop on your Nintendo Switch system, and through select retailers.

Q:Which games require a Nintendo Switch Online membership to access online play?
A:Nintendo Switch games such Splatoon™ 2, ARMS™, Mario Kart™ 8 Deluxe, Mario Tennis™ Aces, and Sushi Striker™: The Way of Sushido, will require a Nintendo Switch Online membership, but other games will vary.

Q:How can I tell if a game requires a Nintendo Switch Online membership for online play?
A:We will share information on this topic at a later date.

Q:What pricing plans are available?
A:There are individual memberships and family memberships (for up to 8 users). Individual memberships are available in 1-, 3-, and 12-month increments, while all family memberships are for 12 months.
View all plans

Q:If I own multiple Nintendo Switch systems, will I need a separate membership for each one?
A:No. Nintendo Switch Online can be used on any device by signing in with the Nintendo Account that purchased the membership.

Q:If someone buys an individual membership, can other users on the same Nintendo Switch system use that Nintendo Switch Online membership?
A:Individual memberships can only be used by the Nintendo Account holder who purchased the membership.However, you can share the Nintendo Switch Online features across all the Nintendo Accounts in a family group by purchasing a family membership.

Q:How do I create a family group?
A:Starting May 15, 2018, it will be possible to create a Nintendo Account Family Group via your Nintendo Account settings. Up to eight Nintendo Accounts (including child accounts) can be linked as a family group.

Q:Can child accounts be added to a family group and use a family membership for Nintendo Switch Online?
A:Yes. Any Nintendo Accounts associated with the family membership can use the service features. Parents may use Nintendo Switch Parental Controls to set restrictions for online play; restrictions for the Nintendo Online Service app can be managed with your smartphone’s parental control restriction settings.

Q:Where can I find Parental Controls in my Nintendo Account settings?
A:Once logged into your Nintendo Account, click on Parental Controls in the left navigation bar.

Q:Is Nintendo Switch Online needed for online play for the Wii U™ or Nintendo 3DS™ family of systems?
A:No, this service is only for Nintendo Switch systems.

Q:When the paid service starts in September 2018, will membership plans be charged automatically?
A:No, Nintendo Account holders may purchase a Nintendo Switch Online membership plan at any time after launch.

Q:If I don’t purchase a Nintendo Switch Online membership plan, will my Nintendo Switch system have any online features?
A:Yes. Online features including 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 by the launch of the Nintendo Switch Online paid service.

Q:How do I set up and use Save Data Cloud backup?
A:More details will be released soon.

 

Overall Thoughts:

Now that you know all of that, I can speculate a bit. I feel like this isn’t all of the information that we’ll get in regards to their online service. I feel like we will definitely get more surprises at E3. Whether that’s in Nintendo’s official stream or during their days of Nintendo Treehouse Live during E3. I just feel like there’s going to be more and they wanted to give us the base details now before E3 so that they can build upon it at E3. This is all especially because the service launches in September!

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