We got a glimpse of some new information about Nintendo's Switch Online Service yesterday during the Direct, but most of what was shown there was already known. To help shed a little more light on just what a subscription entails, Nintendo put a FAQ up on their site. The details are as follows:

• As already stated before the Direct, all Switch users (used to be only launch users) can get a 7 day free trial. This gives you access to online, voice chat, cloud saves, and the NES games.
• Those two wireless NES controllers are only purchasable if you have a current paid Nintendo Switch Online sub.
• The full list of 20 playable NES games for subscribers was revealed: Soccer, Tennis, Donkey Kong, Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 1 and 3, Balloon Fight, Ice Climber, Dr. Mario, The Legend of Zelda, Double Dragon, River City Ransom, Ghost's N Goblins, Tecmo Bowl, Gradius, Pro Wrestling, Excitebike, Yoshi, Ice Hockey, and Baseball.
• Each month, a new set of games will be added to the group.
• October will add NES Open Golf, Solomon's Key, and Super Dodge Ball
• November additions are Mighty Bomb Jack, Twinbee, and Metroid.
• December brings Wario's Woods, Adventures of Lolo, and Ninja Gaiden.
• Additionally, if you ever lapse in your subscription, you will lose all cloud data. "Save data stored with Save Data Cloud cannot be kept outside of the duration of your Nintendo Switch Online membership." If you cancel or let it expire, you'll lose all data saved on the cloud.
• If you play the NES games, you need to check in every 7 days by going online to verify your account.

Source: Nintendo UK
Source: Nintendo of America

 

[KiiWii]

Wow had to google the Yoshi game, never seen that one before

The last two points suck the most...

Also: will the golf or any of those titles be motion controlled?!

 

[KingVamp]

The extra controllers for NES Classic are $10. There may be some added value for wireless versions, but 3x the cost?

I would find 40 more a fair price so 20 a piece

Yeah, I was looking at wireless controllers in general, I have to agree.

 

[Sonic Angel Knight]

This is simply not true. Lets not forget the save data exploits to get access to both the PSP(with Lumines) and the Vita(can't remember the name) so they can't use this excuse.

Let's not forget that I specifically said "CONSOLES" and those "PORTABLE" systems aren't their main focus right now nor does it lock features behind online subscription like the ps4 and xbox one does with their online multiplayer.

Why do you think the vita had the setup it has now? You saying that it wasn't at all cause psp had a save exploit system created by homebrew exploits? You can't do anything on vita without the content manager system on the pc or a ps3, and you can't even backup save data unless you back up the entire game with the content manager. Why would sony suddenly allow users on psp to put anything they want on a memory stick then turn around and need a exclusive memory card, content manager and more restrictions on vita?

This is why I said specifically their CONSOLES wasn't using save data to exploit for homebrew.

 

[A Plus Ric]

Go one further.
While I can't predict too far into the future I am fairly confident in saying that you will really need a PC for the remainder of the Switch new releases lifetime. To that end the 300 for a nice refurb machine + cost of a switch + gearing it up gets you something nice.

Again though it is not the money but the principle. If you are going to charge for something which has been free and has not all of a sudden got more expensive then you had better be offering something of note for it.

They are offering starting off NES games instead of having to buy them. So already you get all those NES games for the price yearly of what they were charging almost for 4 of those games to own. Don't let playing roms via emulators cloud your judgement on what is "something of note" Xbox live used to offer playing with cheaters they couldn't catch for 60 a year and it was one of the most popular things ever. Also don't have to worry about Windows or Apple or anyone else selling everything you say or do on the thing to every company around so you can see 50000 adverts on your Facebook or other pages about whatever you were talking with your wife that day or typing in a game. There is advantages to it all. Especially since its portable and 1/3rd the costs of all others. You think they are going to profit from 20 a year from people? I highly doubt they will make any profits from their online service. And If you think a 300 dollar refurbished machine is playing a lot of the new AAA games. Get out of here. Every new game has been requiring better specs and more and more out of ya. For a portable that plays well and has online 20 dollars a year is chump change. Its literally nothing at all.

 

[zoogie]

Glad this happened.

Now homebrew has another legitimate excuse

 

[TheDarkGreninja]

Should update the article to reflect the fact it's stored for a period of time after cancellation.

 

[zoogie]

Should update the article to reflect the fact it's stored for a period of time after cancellation.

How would an indeterminate length of time give you any piece of mind?
Is the grace period one day, or one year?

Not worth mentioning unless there's some sort of minimum grace period.

 

[mituzora]

Let's not forget that I specifically said "CONSOLES" and those "PORTABLE" systems aren't their main focus right now nor does it lock features behind online subscription like the ps4 and xbox one does with their online multiplayer.

Why do you think the vita had the setup it has now? You saying that it wasn't at all cause psp had a save exploit system created by homebrew exploits? You can't do anything on vita without the content manager system on the pc or a ps3, and you can't even backup save data unless you back up the entire game with the content manager. Why would sony suddenly allow users on psp to put anything they want on a memory stick then turn around and need a exclusive memory card, content manager and more restrictions on vita?

This is why I said specifically their CONSOLES wasn't using save data to exploit for homebrew.

While I see your point, since when are portables not consoles? Not to mention the Xbox also had a save data exploit seeing that you would prefer a home console example. (the OG xbox had a splinter cell save data exploit to allow unsigned code to run on it)

The Vita while yes, everything had to go through the content manager, there was still a way to back up your data locally without paying for cloud storage. there is more to requiring content manager than just one exploit. They wanted a complete lockdown so there wasn't any way of storing homebrew in general even if there was an available exploit.

Anyways without going out on a tangent, their cloud management stuff is ridiculous. I hope we can agree on that one at least

 

[TheMrIron2]

This is really god damn disingenuous. It's a complete shambles especially compared to other services, holding standard features hostage behind a paywall and its only excuse is "it's cheap". Well, I guess you get what you pay for; a subpar service which is literally highway robbery at this stage.

What I like about Switch right now is that the online service is cheaper, but it's terrible - and the multiplatform games are even worse, being more expensive due to cartridges and being a markedly inferior experience. Why would anyone buy an unhacked Switch at this point?

 

[Rabbid4240]

Jesus christ just homebrew your switch and get an emulator. NES games are like the only reason you'll get it anyway. Cloud saves my ass.

 

[ANTONIOPS]

Hey Nintendo, I'm banned so no online for my but I'm gonna pirate the shit outta you! Anyway, I was going to purchase the games I like BUT, you know, Nintendo won't allow me to update even my lovely purchased games, so.... there's no other way, I'm really sorry Nintendo.....

 

[wurstpistole]

To be fair, the NES controllers are supposed to be used with the NES games they're offering with their online subscription. Outside that there's no real use for them. And if you're interested in using them for emulators for some reason, you're better off buying 8bitdo's controllers, especially considering the price of the official ones.

Way ahead of ya. Sf30 pro and nes30 pro in my drawer

 

[TotalInsanity4]

Man...remember when Animal Crossing on gamecube CAME with free NES games? Those same free NES games now on switch paid online?

Yeah, it is kind of annoying getting free games as a bonus for paying for an unrelated exclusive service for the console when you could be getting those same free games for paying for an unrelated exclusive game, but for an older console

 

[DarkSeele]

So according to you consumers can't complain about a price and call them out for that ? We just have to keep quiet and keep our mouth shut and just be verbal by paying it or not ?? Hmm, if it were just so simple.

Who said anything about consumers can't complain, keep quiet, etc.
The guy I was responding to said, "Do you even care that it's 60 freakin' dollars for two NES-style controllers that you can only get with an active account?".
My point was you really don't have to buy them, It's as simple as that.



That said, they're definitely doing this to create another reason for people to buy the online service. Why would anyone buy these? I hate the NES controller as it is and tend to use my SF30 every time I play retro games.
Any Nintendo fanboy collecting everything from them is going to buy these controllers to use WITH the online service. They probably already own an NES classic too.
Collectors are always going to spend dumb $$$ on dumb shit, surprise surprise.

They looked absolutely awful while attached the the imo:
https://i.imgur.com/7nAOCMl.jpg


Famicom ver. of this from the Japanese Direct:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DnAvbWpWsAIU2lf.jpg:large

My 8BitDo SF30 controller looks way better than those abominations. And it was $30 for full SNES layout, so you can use it for most 2D switch games and several 3D ones.




Sorry Nintendo but it looks like 8bitdo gets my business when it comes to retro controllers.

 

[TheDarkGreninja]

How would an indeterminate length of time give you any piece of mind?
Is the grace period one day, or one year?

Not worth mentioning unless there's some sort of minimum grace period.

We know there is, though. What that period is, is unknown. However, if you expect them to store it free of charge (even though I don't agree with us paying in the first place), you've got to be nuts.

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

Hey Nintendo, I'm banned so no online for my but I'm gonna pirate the shit outta you! Anyway, I was going to purchase the games I like BUT, you know, Nintendo won't allow me to update even my lovely purchased games, so.... there's no other way, I'm really sorry Nintendo.....

I don't think this is really the thread for you to be whining about this.

 

[kumikochan]

Who said anything about consumers can't complain, keep quiet, etc.
The guy I was responding to said, "Do you even care that it's 60 freakin' dollars for two NES-style controllers that you can only get with an active account?".
My point was you really don't have to buy them, It's as simple as that.



That said, they're definitely doing this to create another reason for people to buy the online service. Why would anyone buy these? I hate the NES controller as it is and tend to use my SF30 every time I play retro games.
Any Nintendo fanboy collecting everything from them is going to buy these controllers to use WITH the online service. They probably already own an NES classic too.
Collectors are always going to spend dumb $$$ on dumb shit, surprise surprise.

They looked absolutely awful while attached the the imo:
https://i.imgur.com/7nAOCMl.jpg


Famicom ver. of this from the Japanese Direct:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DnAvbWpWsAIU2lf.jpg:large

My 8BitDo SF30 controller looks way better than those abominations. And it was $30 for full SNES layout, so you can use it for most 2D switch games and several 3D ones.




Sorry Nintendo but it looks like 8bitdo gets my business when it comes to retro controllers.

Yeah def I agree with you on that but I must say that collecting well my personal opinion is becoming less and less as time passes on and games are also becoming less worth in price. Think the collecting bubble and retro bubble is almost gonna burst.

 

[the_randomizer]

I mean, I'm glad that we finally know that we can actually download the NES games, but NES only is a huge turnoff IMO.

 

[Supster131]

Should update the article to reflect the fact it's stored for a period of time after cancellation.

That's not what Nintendo is saying though.

After my Nintendo Switch Online subscription expires, will my Save Data Cloud files and Nintendo Entertainment System – Nintendo Switch Online save data be erased?

Save data stored with Save Data Cloud cannot be kept outside of the duration of your Nintendo Switch Online membership. Nintendo Entertainment System – Nintendo Switch Online also uses the Save Data Cloud, so the same applies. However, if you keep the Nintendo Entertainment System – Nintendo Switch Online save data saved locally on your Nintendo Switch console, then you can use it again if you purchase another membership.

Source: https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Nintendo-Switch/Nintendo-Switch-Online/FAQ-1374625.html

 

[TheDarkGreninja]

That's not what Nintendo is saying though.

https://en-americas-support.nintendo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/22521/p/897

We are unable to guarantee that cloud save data will be retained after an extended period of time from when your membership is ended. However, you can continue to use the save data that is saved to your system memory.

Confirms saves are at least stored for some time after you cancel. And even then, if you really wanted to keep your stuff backed up, why would you cancel membership anyway? Seems illogical to me.

 

[kumikochan]

https://en-americas-support.nintendo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/22521/p/897



Confirms saves are at least stored for some time after you cancel. And even then, if you really wanted to keep your stuff backed up, why would you cancel membership anyway? Seems illogical to me.

No it doesn't. It literally says '' we are unable to guarantee'