Newsflash! Nintendo Switch Online launching in September

Nintendo Switch Online will finally launch in September, Nintendo has announced. President Tatsumi Kimishima just announced the news during the company’s latest financial results briefing.

Unfortunately, Kimishima did not go into specifics. More information will be shared later in the year, he said.

Nintendo Switch Online is the paid service for the company's new console. By paying a certain fee each month, players can access Switch’s online features. Subscribers will also be able to download a compilation of classic titles with added online play, along with exclusive discounts.

@onesiphorus: Here's some more what Kimishima has stated

Wow, that's unexpected. Didn't expect them to talk about it this soon.

My thoughts: Although Nintendo has had a spotty past with online, I do have some hope this time around. What has been said gives me some hope. "Attractive (contents or programs) for subscription-based online membership" sounds good. Maybe this will fix and replace the whole phone chatroom thing for Splatoon 2?

You don't hear anyone complaining that it took them this long to get this program going...

I really dislike they are going to put up a paywall for Mario Kart, Splatoon, Rocket League, Pokemon, and the inevitable Mario Maker, and Smash games coming in the future.

If the games, sales, etc are decent I will gladly pay $20 a year for that service, and I bet a lot of other people would too. Corporate greed sucks.

@drummerdave9099: Better than XBLG's $60, though worse than PSN's $10.

The games are already pretty decent - Splatoon 2 is good.

I’m quite interested to see all of what their online service will be like. I’m quite satisfied with what I get with Xbox Live but Nintendo’s service will be considerably cheaper so I’m trying to keep my expectations in check because I doubt that it’ll be quite as robust.

Cos they're Nintendo... they get a free pass. Apparently.

This is the part that intrigues me, but knowing Nintendo, that selection of titles is going to be paltry.

hopefully it is not as shitty as PSN and more like xbox live.

There will be nothing worth paying for.

What I meant was, nobody wants to pay for online services. And this is one case where Nintendo's slow adoption was beneficial.

They won't get a free pass from me if they get it wrong.

can't wait to brag about how much money nintendo made at the end of the year from online services!!!

so hype to join the take it up the ass cows and my lem brothers!! nintendo butt ramming us too now!!! yey!!

lol

I'm excited for the classic games with added online play. I would love to play Mario Kart 64 online!

PSN's $60 you mean?

Why are we excited about this? This sucks. Is it going to be worth the paywall? I don't believe either psn or xbl are. Maybe if you consume their complimentary games the value adds up...

@FireEmblem_Man: But don't you think the fact that they still haven't sorted out even basic online functionality that XBL/PSN had years ago, a year after the Switch launched, means they kinda are getting a free pass?

It will be a long time for Nintendo to match the quality of Xbox Live. I will NOT accept friend codes. TBH, I was more critical to Nintendo with the Wii U, despite all the great hidden gems they have, they just couldn't get anything right with the Wii U.

That sucks.

Not sure if I play Switch online enough to want to pay.

Now there's only PC that's friendly for online gaming. We've lost the last console maker to not have this shit. Sad news.

Can't wait to pay money for awesome features like uploading my highscore in Odyssey and ... doing nothing in BotW?

I don't think it's going to be worth the price. The online gameplay on Switch is too limited to be worth paying for and the mobile app isn't good.

With the games that the switch is offering right now... I am totally fine with staying offline.

... and I would be one PO'd customer if they lock my VC games behind an online pay wall. I been waiting patiently for my games I already bought... twice.

Bait & Switch. Nuff said. :P

@KBFloYd said:

hopefully it is not as shitty as PSN and more like xbox live.

Is it still 2007 or something? PSN has been ahead of XBL for awhile now. Also have fun paying for online just to play Kart and Smash.

Another mega fail incoming.

I'm not expecting wonders, but I really hope they get their online portion right this time around.

Maybe the VC talk has been hush hush because it will be behind a paid service.

Not ready to pay for online yet, but $20 isn't asking for a whole lot, I might later if I get anything that I feel needs to be played online.

I'm mostly interested in what plans they have for it. If it really stays around $20 then it's already better than its competitors.

Not really PC is free.

Oh of course. Yes I wasn't taking the PC into consideration there, just the consoles. In terms of online the PC has forever been out of their league. If the console online services were all for free, then I'd just say server browsers. I wildly prefer having server browsers in my online games or at least some way to play the match I want to play, which is not common on consoles. Or stores. It's much easier to browse and compare prices on PC online stores than on the stores provided by their console services.

@gamerguy3: PSN is 10? Wait what when i looked at the prices for psn it's 60 per year and 25 for three months lol

What's your 84 digit friend code?

Nintendo fans:

i assume it will get by because most people will say, "well it's just $20 a year"

@NathanDrakeSwag said:

@KBFloYd said:

hopefully it is not as shitty as PSN and more like xbox live.

Is it still 2007 or something? PSN has been ahead of XBL for awhile now. Also have fun paying for online just to play Kart and Smash.

When it comes to outage's yeah, PSN had 2 last week LOL.

lol

so is there a party chat feature, usernames, game invites, in game voice chat yet?

Ugh.