Subscription Service for Nintendo Switch Not Overly Expensive
Online subscription services for consoles are nothing new when it comes to Sony and Microsoft. Month after month we go back and forth over who has the better free games of the month with PS Plus versus Games with Gold and now we get to add Nintendo to the mix. Luckily, to ease you into the idea of paying for yet another online service, it looks like the cost for Nintendo Switch Online is going to be very wallet friendly.
Serkan Toto, well-known industry analyst, relayed the information for the Nintendo Service via Twitter earlier this afternoon. According to Toto, Nintendo president Tatsumi Kimishima has indicated to Japanese publication Nikkei that the online service will only cost around 2000 to 3000 yen per year. To put that in perspective, it’s a range of $17.62 to $26.44 USD a year.
1) Just in: Nintendo president Kimishima tells the Nikkei Switch’s online service will be priced at 2-3,000 yen ($17.50 – $26.50) *YEARLY*.
— Dr. Serkan Toto (@serkantoto) February 1, 2017
3) He says Nintendo currently “studies” VR + will add VR to Switch once they figure out how users can play for hours without problems. /end
— Dr. Serkan Toto (@serkantoto) February 1, 2017
Of course, it’s speculation on our part that the service would be equally priced here on North American shores but we imagine it will be. Considering their competition with PlayStation Plus and Xbox Live Gold it only makes sense to come in significantly cheaper as they build their new audience.
Apart from the apparent cost, Kimishima didn’t share too much else in regards to the service. What we know already is that each month will include a free NES or SNES game available to download and play but unlike the aforementioned competition, the games will only be accessible for a single month. That seems like an interesting choice to make on Nintendo’s part but if the price listed holds true it makes it an easier pill to swallow.
The service will be available upon release on the Nintendo Switch but the full paid service won’t be coming until sometime in the fall. Keep it locked to COGconnected for more information on the Switch and its online service as we have it.