Nintendo has recently announced that its paid online service will launch in September of 2018. Originally set to launch almost a year earlier, in Fall of 2017, Nintendo's answer to Xbox Live and PlayStation Plus was pushed back to 2018 with little explanation given as to why. Now it seems the team over at Nintendo is ready to share their new service with gamers all over the world.
For those who are unaware, the new online service is set to make several important changes and additions to the way gamers play Nintendo Switch titles. The first and most obvious comes in the form of online play, which will now require players to pay a fee to experience online multiplayer in games like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe or Splatoon 2.
The service will also give gamers access to a full version of the Nintendo Switch Online Smartphone app with features such as voice chat, friend invites, and game lobbies. A limited free version of the app is currently available for players to try.
In terms of pricing for the online service, Nintendo has made it clear that it won't charge as much as the other gaming giants. The base price is $3.99 per month with three month and full year plans available at $7.99 and $19.99, respectively. This is significantly lower than Nintendo's competitors over at Xbox and PlayStation, each coming in at around $9.99 per month, or $24.99 for three months and $59.99 for a full year
All of this comes at a pivotal time for Nintendo. The studio has been on a high as of late thanks to the runaway success of the Switch, which was recently reported to have sold close to 15 million units in 2017, not to mention the critical acclaim afforded to titles like Mario Oddessy and The Legend of Zelda: Breathe Of The Wild. Nintendo is sure to want to keep the good vibes flowing so a smooth launch of this service will go a long way to repair Nintendo's reputation of being behind the times with regards to online play and help return the grandfather of gaming companies back to its former glory.
The Nintendo Switch is now available.
