Nintendo Switch Online Launches - How To Sign Up & What You Need To Know

By TJ Denzer · September 19, 2018 at 12:10 AM UTC

Nintendo Switch Online services will be launching today at 8PM PT/11PM ET. We have all the details you'll need here, like info on the NES Classic library, how to sign up, and what you'll get.

The Nintendo Switch Online service has been a subject of interest and debate as Nintendo slowly rolled out all of the details on it around the September 2018 Nintendo Direct, but the service launches on September 18, 2018. With online play and a library of NES games now coming to the handheld hybrid console, we’ve gathered the details you’ll need for sign up and other important information here.

Nintendo Switch Online supposedly launches at 8PM PT/11PM ET on September 18, 2018 or 4AM BST September 19, 2018 in the UK. Online capabilities for the Switch will be under scheduled maintenance beginning three hours before launch, so 5PM-8PM PT, 8PM-11PM ET, and 1AM-4AM BST. After this period, the update should be ready which will allow users to sign-up for and engage with the Switch Online service.

How To Sign Up For Nintendo Switch Online

There are going to be three ways to sign up for Nintendo Switch Online service. The first is to head directly to Nintendo.com and create an account directly on the website which you can then access through your Switch. You can also create an account directly through your Switch by heading to the Nintendo eShop and selecting the Nintendo Switch Online option there. Finally, you can head to retailers and pick up subscription cards. It would appear that at this time, Amazon, GameStop, and Best Buy are the available retailers for 3 month and 12 month subscription cards to Nintendo Switch Online.

Selecting a payment plan is going to be the only other major decision in sign-up for the service. At this time there, are a few options available for the service. 1 month of service will run $3.99, 3 months runs at $7.99, and a full year will be $19.99 for an individual account. If there are multiple Switch players in your household, Nintendo also offers a family plan which is $34.99 for one year and available to use for up to 8 Nintendo Account holders. Clearly, Nintendo means to incentivize a larger dedication to the service with huge discounts on the higher end of service and accounts.

Even so, one of the other incentives is a 7-day free trial which Nintendo offers to allow players to see if they enjoy the service or not, after which it will prompt a payment option. Players will still have to create an account to enjoy the trial, but if they find themselves disinterested afterwards, they need only not pay to continue service.

What Nintendo Switch Online Offers

The NES Classic Library is most certainly one of the biggest draws of engaging in the Switch Online service.

Obviously, the major reason to jump into Nintendo Switch Online is so that you can continue to play online against other players in games like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Splatoon 2, and upcoming games like Super Smash Bros Ultimate. If you’re an online player on the Switch, then the Nintendo Switch Online service will be pretty much mandatory. That said, there are other benefits to engaging in the service.

The first and arguably foremost is Nintendo Switch’s version of the Virutal Console. For now, it’s a library of 20 original NES games that Nintendo has given HD treatment and many of which are enabled for local or online multiplayer. The launch games include The Legend of Zelda, Donkey Kong, Balloon Fight, Tecmo Bowl, and more. You can see the full list of launch titles on the Nintendo Switch Online page, but more games are expected to come to the library with Nintendo hinting at the possibility of adding Super Nintendo titles in the future.

Another big one is Cloud Saving which will allow players to store saves for games online in their Nintendo Account and free up space on their console. As many Switches have very limited built-in storage, this could be seen as a huge benefit for anyone who hasn’t invested in extra storage for the system.

You’ll also be able to purchase exclusive gear for the Switch with an Online service account. With a 12-month or family subscription, Splatoon 2 players will get a bonus code that allows them to download special gear for their Inklings in the form of jerseys and shoes. The jersey in particular is based on that of the GG Boyz who won the Splatoon 2 World Championship at E3 2018. Fans of the team and the pro Splatoon 2 scene will most certainly want to get in on it.

The GG Boyz win at the Splatoon 2 World Championship inspired a new look for the Inklings and you'll have to get in on the Switch Online service to claim the new threads for yourself.

Another more curious offer exclusive to Nintendo Switch Online account holders is a set of new classic NES Switch controllers. Styled around the original NES controllers, these special JoyCons are apparently only available to order through Nintendo Switch Online accounts. It’s a bizarre move for a console to offer hardware for purchase through a subscription service only, but if you want to get in on these classic controller styles for the Switch, you’ll need to be in on the service.

Is Nintendo Switch Online Worth It?

As with anything, there is some good and bad in the Switch Online service - hopefully something Nintendo is dedicated to improving over time.

This is the million-dollar question (or rather $20 at most). With the Nintendo Switch Online service costing far less than any other console subscription service by far, it’s arguably not much to ask to be able to get in on the action. Even then, Nintendo Account holders can explore the 7-day free trial on start-up to be able to see for themselves whether the service is worth it or not.

Despite its low cost, there are most certainly some concerns that have come up about the Nintendo Switch Online service. For one, the service is still Peer-to-Peer (P2P), meaning connectivity is dependent heavily upon the internet connections of all players involved in games. This is less attractive than servers hosting games by far, but it doesn’t seem like it’s going to change in the immediate future.

A far more pressing concern is what happens if you let a Nintendo account expire. According to Nintendo themselves, there is no back-up system or grace period in place to keep Cloud Saves should a Nintendo Online Service subscription expire. That means the saves will be deleted and lost if not backed up locally. In addition to that, Nintendo mentioned that in order to keep titles claimed from the classic NES library, users would have to log in to the service at least once in a seven-day period. This might not be an issue for anyone who plays constantly, but could be problematic if one goes on vacation or other extended leave and leaves the Switch at home.

Even so, the Nintendo Switch Online service seems to offer at least a decent baseline of services to engage in for those interested. Although there are a few things to be desired, it will be interesting to see how the service evolves after roll-out. Those interested should definitely gear up for the Nintendo Switch Online launch at 8PM PT on September 18, 2018.