Nintendo Switch Online

Nintendo Switch Online logo.

This article is about the subscription service. For other applications and services that use this name, see Nintendo Switch Online (disambiguation).

Nintendo Switch Online is a suite of online services for the Nintendo Switch console available via subscription.

Subcriptions may be purchased digitally via the eShop directly or via purchasing a physical card at retailers which contains an eShop code. Limited-time free trials of the subscription are occasionally distributed by Nintendo.

A given Nintendo account must have an active subscription to Nintendo Switch Online in order to access online gameplay features in the majority of Nintendo Switch games; this applies to Splatoon 2 and Splatoon 3. Prior to the service's launch in 2018, Splatoon 2's online modes could be accessed for free.

An active subscription is additionally required to use the Nintendo Switch App and Nintendo Music smart device applications.

Release history

The Nintendo Switch Online service was announced at the Nintendo Switch Presentation Event on 12 January 2017. The service was said to launch in Fall 2017 but was delayed to 19 September 2018. Until then, users could access online play free of charge.

A second subscription service called Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack was announced on 23 September 2021 then launched on 25 October 2021.

Description

Features

An active Nintendo Switch Online membership includes the following exclusive features:

• Access to online play.
• Access to the Nintendo Entertainment System, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, and Game Boy retro game library applications.
• Access to the Nintendo Switch App, which contains SplatNet 2 and SplatNet 3 among other Nintendo game applications.
• Access to Nintendo Music.
• Access to GameChat on Nintendo Switch 2, though it will remain free until 31 March 2026.
• Access to the Save Data Cloud backup system: certain Nintendo Switch games offer cloud syncing, allowing for save data to be transferred between systems.
  • Splatoon 3 save data may be synced.
  • Splatoon 2 save data cannot be synced.
• Access to the Nintendo Switch Online application on the HOME Menu.
• Exclusive eShop offers regarding digital purchases and physical controllers.
• Splatoon 2 players who purchased a twelve-month membership any time before 31 August 2022 were able to receive a special set of exclusive in-game gear: the Online Jersey clothing and the Online Squidkid V shoes. Shortly after obtaining the membership, an email would be sent to the registered address, containing a code to redeem in the eShop. These codes could be redeemed until 31 December 2022. Upon redeeming a code, the gear items appear within a box in the middle of Inkopolis Square.
  • In the case of a family plan being in use, the related e-mail would be sent to the plan's admin's address containing eight codes total.

The Expansion Pack membership plan offers the additional exclusive features:

• Access to the Nintendo 64, SEGA Genesis, Game Boy Advance, and Nintendo GameCube retro game library applications, the latter of which is exclusive to Nintendo Switch 2.
• Access to downloadable content for certain games, of which Splatoon 2's Octo Expansion is included.

Subscriptions plans

Nintendo Switch Online launched with two membership options: individual or family plans.

Individual plans grant online access to one Nintendo account. Family plan subscriptions allow for one account holder to invite up to seven different Nintendo Accounts to share online features access under one plan, for a total of eight actively subscribed accounts. The account holder who had paid for the subscription is referred to as "admin/parent or guardian", while the invitee accounts are referred to as "family group members".

There are three duration options for individual membership plans: one month, three months or twelve months. Family membership plans durate exclusively twelve months. The Expansion Pack plan is only available for twelve-month plans, with the option to upgrade an existing plan to an Expansion Pack plan.

Free trials for a standard Nintendo Switch Online subscription lasting seven days are occasionally distributed by Nintendo in the form of eShop codes. Accounts that have previously used a trial code can activate subsequent trials.

Splatoon-related trial periods

Free seven day trials of the subscription have been distributed alongside certain Splatoon demos. Upon downloading these demo applications, a limited-time eShop code would be sent to each player's registered e-mail address. These demos are:

• Splatoon 2 Special Demo offered a free trial for its March 2019 demo period.
• Splatoon 2 Special Demo 2020 offered a free trial for its April 2020 demo period.
• Splatoon 3 Splatfest World Premiere offered a free trial for its August 2022 demo period.