On Amazon UK, a product titled "Nintendo Switch Online Membership - 12 Months | Switch Download Code" poped up at a cost of £19.99. On the same page a 3 month version for £7.99 is also listed and both have a release date of September 30th 2018.

It should be noted however that in the description of the item it says "Preliminary", so it might change.

Nevertheless, it is not the first time that a retailer, much less Amazon, has leaked advanced knowledge of a product. And when it comes with that many specifics, it is even less likely to be a simple placeholder or speculative product.

Below is a screenshot of the listing:

• Preliminary release date.
• You'll be able to play co-operative and competitive games online by signing in with your Nintendo Account.
• With this paid service, you can enjoy online multiplayer gaming as well as a dedicated smart device app that connects to your Nintendo Switch system and helps you connect with friends for online play sessions.
• Members will have ongoing access to a library of classic games with added online play, such as Super Mario Bros. 3, Balloon Fight and Dr. Mario.

Source

 

[Xathya]

dos mean thes subscribe for families is the delay??? or even worse:

cancels??

 

[Xzi]

Pokemon Let's Go was stated to not have online, only local multiplayer. The 2019 Pokemon should have online.

Incorrect, this was later clarified. Let's Go will have online battling and trading.

http://www.newsweek.com/pokemon-lets-go-pikachu-eevee-online-features-subscription-954348

Hardcore anti consumer....who do Nintendo think they are? seriously?

They probably think they're one of the three options for console manufacturers, charging a third of what the competition is for online. "Hardcore anti-consumer," melodramatic much?

 

[StormEye]

Online gameplay is the least desired aspect of the Switch console for me.

It was the home console level (albeit a bit of downgrade) experience with the added portability that was the most desired part of the Switch.

Due to this, every game I play on Switch is a single player main game, and I do not multiplayer component, I do not play it.
The only exception to this is offline capable multiplayer games like Bomberman.

So, the online service that the Switch is providing only provides cloud game save and NES emulation.

I do not care too much for emulation of NES games, though I am not entirely against subscription model for this.

However, charging for cloud game save is extremely greedy practice of Nintendo when it does not even provide offline backup of saves. They are essentially holding game save as hostage to make players be more encouraged to buy into paid online service. Nintendo is the only console manufacturer that does not allow free save backup solution. It is widely believed that Nintendo is not allowing offline save backup because of console hacking situation, and if it is such a case, Nintendo essentially is making end users to pay for the security of Nintendo company.

Edit: Made changes to first sentence to make it more clear.

 

[Xzi]

Online gameplay is the least desired aspect of the Switch console.

In complete disagreement with you here. Nintendo kicks out some fantastic first-party games with online features every generation (Pokemon, Smash, Mario Kart/Mario sports games). We might even get online for Metroid Prime 4 and an Animal Crossing game. All that and more for $20/year.

Now, compare that with Sony, who is truly all about the single-player story-driven stuff lately. I appreciate that in its own right, but without first-party support I'm not sure what it is they think they have to offer that makes online play (PSN) worth $60/year. You can play all the same games online for free on Steam.

 

[pedro702]

So just because you can pirate the game mean Nintendo have no right to charge you 20$/year subscribe fee to play them? Well, tell that to them after TX SX release, maybe Ninty will send you some free game too because you can play it for free now. Make sense, right?

And don't say it like you know people, I know plenty of guy would pay that much to play Tank on Snes with other guy online.

people including me already bought those games on wiivc and wiiu vc, paying now 20$ a year to rent them yet again is just cheap imo.

 

[StormEye]

In complete disagreement with you here.

I think there is a misunderstanding. It is the least desired aspect by me. Others may be different.

 

[pedro702]

Tennis will be out this month, way before online. Arms is also a first party game. Smash will most likely release before online does, if not than most defiantly barely afterwords just like Pokemon. So lets do exclusives only then.

Before Online release -

1st Party
Mario Tennis Aces,
Splatoon 2,
Mario Kart 8,
Arms,
Pokken Tournament,

3rd Party
Fast RMX,
Super Bomberman,
Sonic Forces,

After Online Release (and we dont knows) -

Smash Bros,
Pokemon Lets Go,

Even the games that are out before online, is still more online payable Exclusives than either XB1 or PS4, and they charge 50 for online. You can say you dont want to pay 20 dollars, thats fine, you can say it isn't worth it to you. However you cant say it isn't worth it period due to lack of games, it beats both the other consoles already. The consoles have Halo, thats about it lol, and thats just Xbox. Maybe a couple of Racing games. 99% of the exclusives are Single Player and most the Online Multi games on both consoles are available on PC where they can be played for free.

the diference is every freaking 3rd party on other consoles has online multiplayer stuff, from racing games,FPS,etc, on ps4 you got 90% of all games with online multiplayer so its a very wide choice also sonic forces and super bomberman are not exclusive 3rd party games.

so while ps4/xb1 lack 1st party online games preety much all 3rd partys that dont release on switch have it, they probably have almost 100 games with online or more by now.

 

[DeletedMember411838]

I think there is a misunderstanding. It is the least desired aspect by me. Others may be different.

The issue is you didn't frame it that way.

Also I am with him, Nintendo has more exclusives that have online play than any other console. By a whole lot. Arguably they are the only ones subscribtion worth paying for.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

the diference is every freaking 3rd party on other consoles has online multiplayer stuff, from racing games,FPS,etc, on ps4 you got 90% of all games with online multiplayer so its a very wide choice also sonic forces and super bomberman are not exclusive 3rd party games.

so while ps4/xb1 lack 1st party online games preety much all 3rd partys that dont release on switch have it, they probably have almost 100 games with online or more by now.

The problem with that statement, is that all those games you speak of. Can be played on PC for free, and at much better quality, with much greater options, you can use a KB/Mouse, you can use any controller you want, ECT.

There is a reason that consoles have begun to go multiplat Multiplayer online, because the PC destroys then in numbers of online players. The games on Switch do not have the luxury of being playable on PC.

I did not know that super Bomberman was avaible on other systems, as to Sonic yes you are correct I meant Sonic mania, which is exclusive.

Also you keep changing the goal posts, I name 3rd party games, and you state first party is what matters, and disregard the 3rd partys, now you say well PS4 and Xbox have hundreds of 3d party games, make up your mind lol.

 

[StormEye]

The issue is you didn't frame it that way.

Yes, so I have made changes to the first sentence of my original post.

 

[anhminh]

people including me already bought those games on wiivc and wiiu vc, paying now 20$ a year to rent them yet again is just cheap imo.

I brought those game on nes too but no discount either.

 

[pedro702]

The issue is you didn't frame it that way.

Also I am with him, Nintendo has more exclusives that have online play than any other console. By a whole lot. Arguably they are the only ones subscribtion worth paying for.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------



The problem with that statement, is that all those games you speak of. Can be played on PC for free, and at much better quality, with much greater options, you can use a KB/Mouse, you can use any controller you want, ECT.

There is a reason that consoles have begun to go multiplat Multiplayer online, because the PC destroys then in numbers of online players. The games on Switch do not have the luxury of being playable on PC.

I did not know that super Bomberman was avaible on other systems, as to Sonic yes you are correct I meant Sonic mania, which is exclusive.

Also you keep changing the goal posts, I name 3rd party games, and you state first party is what matters, and disregard the 3rd partys, now you say well PS4 and Xbox have hundreds of 3d party games, make up your mind lol.

sonic mania is not exclusive either, no sonic game is exclusive to the switch...

what i meant is psnplus and xbox1 give you free games that are well somewhat actual releases(atleast this gen relleases) and you have online for hundreds of games avalable.

nintendo gives you some vc games that were released already to death on wii,wiiu and even snes,nes mini and can be emulated an a damn toater being the only perk the online netplay emulators have been doing or years and even counting 3rd partys ou probablly dont have 20 games.

I brought those game on nes too but no discount either.

dont compare the two... what i mean is most people already got the games anyway on wii,wiiu or een snes/nes mini or emulated them so there is little incentive on renting them, if we could keep them atleast maybe but renting no thanks, this are 25+ years games they are not current games so nintendo not even offering them to keep if you signed for one year to you is ridiculous.

 

[DeletedMember411838]

sonic mania is not exclusive either, no sonic game is exclusive to the switch...

what i meant is psnplus and xbox1 give you free games that are well somewhat actual releases(atleast this gen relleases) and you have online for hundreds of games avalable.

nintendo gives you some vc games that were released already to death on wii,wiiu and even snes,nes mini and can be emulated an a damn toater being the only perk the online netplay emulators have been doing or years and even counting 3rd partys ou probablly dont have 20 games.

Honestly that is reaching man. So I have had Gold since 360, and PS+ since launch. You know how many of those "Free games" I have actually played? Zero.

The very few decent games they have given away, are so old that I already owned them or never cared to get them. The rest is indie trash that doesn't sell on the store. They are not a charity, they only give away the junk that either doesn't sell, or doesn't sell anymore.

While the VC games are old, they are good old games, that I may actually play time to time for nostalgia, I will take that any day over some indie walking dead anime movie game hybrid crap.

The fact that as you said, people keep buying the VC games shows they actually have value, the crap the other 2 consoles peddle, really doesn't. This is of course all opionion based, some people may like some of the free games from the other two, I never have had the pleasure.

Your also not really renting the games, they are a free gift. It's 20 dollars a year man, you guys are really overreacting over 20 dollars, that's a decent lunch, once a year.......

If it was 20 a month, I could see an issue, if it was 100 a year even then. For me it's actually more like 9 dollars, as I have my wife and 2 kids and it's 35 for all of us to have our own, per year. Great deal, it's pennies.

 

[anhminh]

dont compare the two... what i mean is most people already got the games anyway on wii,wiiu or een snes/nes mini or emulated them so there is little incentive on renting them, if we could keep them atleast maybe but renting no thanks, this are 25+ years games they are not current games so nintendo not even offering them to you is ridiculous.

They are more than one game so for 20$/year you want to own them all? And just because the game is 25+ years mean they are worthless enough to give you for free? I don't think that how money work.

 

[the_randomizer]

Microsoft 2001: "They won't mind!"
Sony 2013: "FREE MONEY!1!!1!1!"
Nintendo 2018: "They do say the online should be more like other companies..."

Which is isn't, it's worse than how other companies do it.

 

[Deleted member 420418]

At least the prices are low.

 

[Jayro]

with what? 5 nintendo games that have online? is it even justifiable paying 20 bucks a year?

Well now that we have Checkpoint, the cloud saves part doesn't seem like such a big deal anymore... And what if you restore your save file to an earlier save? Will it just sync again, and get over-written by the online copy?

 

[FAST6191]

You guys are way overreaching the value of 20 dollars per year, that's the cost of a decent lunch, 1 time.

Nobody is arguing otherwise that I can see.
It is the principle of charging in the first place, especially when free online has demonstrably worked for decades now and it is not like bandwidth or servers have gotten relatively more expensive, especially not for the styles of games Nintendo put forth into the world.

 

[|<roni&g]

Good to see a few people waking up and realising Nintendos paid online is a joke with very few games to play. Nes games with online don't count, they will get real old real fast.
$20 a year for a service which is currently free.... how could anyone be looking forward to that. It's like a ransom, pay us $20 or we are taking your online from Mario Kart 8 away.
Really unfortunate to see nintendo going that route.
They would be much better off and sell more units if they boasted about their free online.

 

[pedro702]

They are more than one game so for 20$/year you want to own them all? And just because the game is 25+ years mean they are worthless enough to give you for free? I don't think that how money work.

i would have prefered that every month subscriptio they give you 1 or 2 nes/snes titles, instead of renting you 20.

Can´t wait to see when paid online comes around and we will keep the same shitty servers we have now wich are preety bad for mk8, if smash turns into another lag fest and people paying for it it will be a shitstorm.

 

[FAST6191]

if smash turns into another lag fest and people paying for it it will be a shitstorm.

You have been around here for how many years and posts now? You know full well it will bring the apologists in "it's their first time on a new console", "it is a fighting game therefore hard", "give it time and they will patch it"...