PSA: Nintendo Switch Online's Free Trial Charges You If You Don't Cancel

Nintendo's online subscription service for Switch is finally. The service rolled out earlier this week, and you'll now need to have an active subscription in order to play most Switch games online going forward. If you're still undecided about signing up, Nintendo offers a free trial--but like most trial periods, you'll be charged if you forget to cancel. [Update: We're now coming up on the one-week anniversary of Switch Online's launch. If you were quick to sign up for a trial, you're approaching the automatic renewal date. That means you should cancel soon or sign up for a one-year membership if you're looking to subscribe long-term and want to save a bit of money.]

Switch owners can now sign up for one seven-day free trial of the Switch Online service from the console's Eshop. However, as detailed on Nintendo's website, if you don't disable automatic renewal before the trial period ends, your trial will automatically convert into a one-month subscription, which runs for US $4 / £3.49 / AU $6.

In addition to online play, the Nintendo Switch Online service provides subscribers with access to a library of classic NES games. 20 titles are available at launch, with more to be added to the service on a regular basis. These classic games also boast online play and other modern amenities, such as HD resolution, voice chat through the Nintendo Switch Online phone app, and save states.

Nintendo Switch Online members are also able to back up their Switch save data via the cloud. However, some Switch games, such as Splatoon 2 and the upcoming Pokemon: Let's Go, Pikachu and Let's Go, Eevee, will not support this feature. You'll also need to have an active subscription in order to maintain your cloud saves.

The Nintendo Switch Online service rolled out alongside the console's 6.0 update. You can read more about the service in our roundup of everything we know about Nintendo Switch Online.