Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack Release Date and Pricing Revealed

The expanded service goes live on October 25 (October 26 in Europe). Pricing for Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack is set at $49.99 / £35.99 per year for individuals. It goes up to $79.99 / £59.99 for the family plan.

[strayanalog]

No thanks. If this Expansion came with other consoles as well, then maybe, but I have a Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis that work fine.

[deleted]

Absolutely insane pricing. They need to expand the offering greatly if they want to even come close to this price. Invest in licensing rights to games that would otherwise get excluded. Right now, this is not enough for the price.

[Unknown_Gamer5794]

It’s also worth noting that almost, if not all those Genesis games have been released in other ways on modern consoles too, and you can keep those for a one-time purchase. So, it really comes down to how much you love these N64 games. It’s definitely not worth it to me.

[Seraphim]

Classic move. Introduce consumers to a price friendly model they can support then later add a more expensive option for special treatment. By the Switch 2 they'll probably add Gamecube games and charge $80/yr.

I'll admit that it's nice to have access to those NES/SNES titles but personally I've barely touched any of them. I think I've fired up about 3-4 games for a very short stint since the service launched. Though I did just finally get the SNES controller so I plan on re-playing Breath of Fire in the foreseeable future. It's convenient to have, much easier than digging out the NES and hooking it up, though, I still have to do that for some games anyway. Personally I don't see myself spending $50/yr. Anyone playing online and taking advantage of these classics will surely find it reasonably priced still but for me the value just isn't there. Then again, if they add Crusader of Centy on the Genesis and some other titles I may bite for 1-3 months when I feel like playing them then revert back to cheap ass $20 package lol

[Chevalier]

Maybe join someone on a family plan? If it's enough people it would be cheap. The plan does allow up to 8 people. Would be cheaper than a single person account.

[deleted]

@Chevalier So for those who have families and can't piggy-back off of others? I'm not paying $80 a year for myself and daughter.

[Knightofelemia]

Maybe once Sega starts dipping into the Master System, Saturn, Game Gear, Dreamcast libraries and if Nintendo dipped into the Gameboy through Gameboy Advanced libraries and Game Cube I might consider it. I own the Genesis games through Anniversary Collections and the Genesis Mini and Genesis carts. I own the N64 carts so I am good. And the whole can't party chat with friends, no ability to message a friend and have to use a stupid code to add a friend yeah I am still good. Hell Nintendo should bug Konami to add the TG-16 to the online roster I know there are fans who like that console.

[princejb134]

power stone 2 would be awesome

[GoodGuy09]

Good lord I thought itd be only another $10-$15. If they ever add gamecube and gba games without additional cost, then I think itd be worth it. Sad nintendo doesnt keep it reasonable, which would actually fight against people just simply pirating, this encourages people to do it more lol.

[Jin_Sakai]

Seems Nintendo didn’t have much of a choice considering the licensing cost.

“NSO Expansion Pack is likely expensive due to licensing costs (SEGA in particular was paid a lot after low Wii VC sales for Genesis)”

“3rd parties titles (Konami, Capcom) are also being licensed for Genesis NSO. So the licensing costs begin to add up after awhile.”

https://twitter.com/emilyro...

[deleted]

Sega has made so many of their classics available through previous collections, this feels like a waste of their budget. I would have preferred they doubled down on Nintendo systems and pay licensing for titles that were on their own systems. The point being, there is no legal way of playing these Nintendo games lost to history, without chasing down expensive cartridges. Give us a reason to stay away from Roms! I want to play things legally and will happily pay for an adequate service... keyword, adequate.

[HansyJ]

My main concern is I only really care about the Nintendo 64 I don’t care about the saga nor the animal cross so basically paying 90% of the cost for stuff I don’t care for. No thanks

[gold_drake]

isnt it odd to you that this only shows up now?
the pricing was revealed yesterday, and almost no website criticises them. the comments on the youtube video are full of people calling them out. and still, almost no piece of media says anything bad about it.

they are all scared they get cut off from nintendo if they do so.
this is nintendo.

[Tacoboto]

IGN's article was posted over 24 hours ago so it showed up exactly when the pricing details were revealed to them, on a Friday when the bad news stories are dumped, in combination with Animal Crossing DLC news.

Which this Expansion Pass gives access to - $25 of that $30 optional fee accounts for the cost of that PDLC.

What can be effectively criticized, since you've surely got a strong opinion on this? That... it's completely optional? That it comes with an expensive DLC for one of their top selling games? That the library will grow not just on their own IPs, but third parties including Sega and Microsoft and others?

Personally, since it is optional, and I don't have animal crossing, I'm fine not letting this affect my life unless the friend I'm on a family plan with wants a few more bucks a year. I'll say ok, buy him a drink, and maybe once I'll play an N64 game

[Tacoboto]

Mhmmm, not a single word to explain the disagreement.

[campofmusic]

Tatics, that's the name of the game.

You post a announcement without price to not get any backlash, you announce the price couple days later and get less backlash, less backlash, less articles bashing nintendo, less articles bashing nintendo, more chance for them to slip this shit under the radar.

Tactics, the name of the game.

[Lexreborn2]

They really want an extra 30 a year for a sub to the sega master collection that’s been on Dreamcast, ps2, psp, PS3, 360, PS4, Xbox, PC? And for 4”n64 games they had on Wii, Wii U and remade on 3DS? Nintendo really ain’t been shit for a while but come one?

[Inverno]

Do yourselves a favour and jailbreak your Switch if you have one that can. All the N64, NES, SNES, GB/GBA and Sega games you want without having to pay an over priced yearly sub. Actual themes that also change the layout and look of the UI, ways of backing up all saves offline, the option to use any other console controller, and a Homebrew community that will continue to support the Switch in ways that you didn't think were possible. It's been totally worth it since I did it.

[Petebloodyonion]

I have yet to subscribe to Nintendo online it's not this mediocre offer that will change my mind.
How about putting basic online features like a robust online experience instead of adding games that we bought on the Wii, Wii u, 3ds, NDS, etc.

Also, I'm pretty sure that we all have 5 ways to play Sonic since Sega released 1000000000000 versions of the game in compilations, re-released, retro console, cereal packing, etc

[jznrpg]

Yeah …definitely not worth $59.99 to me . I don’t play Animal Crossing why would I pay for the DLC?? I was thinking it would be another 10$ or so but 30$ more I’ll pass . I have a Genesis hooked up right now and a bunch of games and if I wanted to I could pull out my 64 . It’s not enough for me to pay 30$ more

[Neonridr]

it's ridiculous that it's more than double the price just for that. I'm a Nintendo owner and can say I won't be upgrading my membership anytime soon.

[MazeRunner]

no way. not worth the extra money. Nintendo needs to reevaluate their pricing on this one

[CrimsonWing69]

Lol, I’m ok. Thanks for being Nintendo, Nintendo.

[ken2813]

Switch online is terrible! 3ds had better online

[ken2813]

People cancel your switch online. Teach Nintendo a lesson. Maybe they will add proper voice chat.

[Silly gameAr]

Cheaply made hardware, and overpriced software. That's the Nintendo way now in days apparently.

[campofmusic]

F Nintendo

[ocelot07]

I have never subbed to Nintendo online. All I know about it is that it's cheap like £20 a year. So once this N64 thing releases does that mean the subscription service raises in price to £60 a year?

[Neonridr]

the N64/Genesis thing is completely separate. You can still keep the original subscription at the price you have or you can swap over to the "expansion pack" one for all that extra money. It's definitely not worth it at that price right now. Maybe someday if they add more Sega consoles and tons of games for each.

[ocelot07]

Would love some sega Saturn love i would deffinetly subscribe.

[LiViNgLeGaCY]

What the actual HELL?? This is insane.

[ChiefofLoliPolice]

That price is insane for what is currently offered. They are going to have to offer way more games and consoles before I even consider. Got a N64 with the N64 hdmi kit and a Sega Genesis with a RGB bypass. I'll stick with that.

[Neonridr]

I've got an Analogue Mega SG and a Mega SD cartridge which lets me play Sega CD games as well. I am covered in that regards. But I'm not paying over double the price just to get access to a handful of N64 games.

[ChiefofLoliPolice]

Agreed. That is fucking insane. They better add Master System, Saturn, Dreamcast, OG Gameboy and Color, GBA, GameCube with some heavy hitter titles to even begin to justify that price.

[Destiny1080]

that DLC alone, would have cost 40 bucks, so this is looking like a great deal overall

[Neonridr]

for one year maybe, but then the following year you are still paying the same price without the DLC.

[starforge71]

no thanks we are getting ripped off with psn and xbl so gonna pass on this because im not paying that price for what i consider old games FU Nintendo