The Switch is unusual as it has launched without a fully-fledged online gaming platform to support it. Nintendo today confirmed its timeline for launching Nintendo Switch Online, saying the system is on track to be released in 2018.
The service will let Switch owners connect with friends, chat online and play a library of curated classic games for one subscription fee. Pricing options will be $19.99 for an entire year, $7.99 for a quarter or $3.99 for a single month. This is slightly less than the subscription plans offered by the Switch’s main rivals, Sony’s PlayStation Network and Microsoft’s Xbox Live.
Unlike these consoles, the Switch’s Internet features won’t be fully baked into the console itself. The company will not be releasing an update that adds chat features to the Switch’s software. Instead, most of the social capabilities offered by Nintendo Switch Online will be accessed via a companion smartphone app.
This approach allows the Switch to remain focused on pure gaming. It also gives players a better typing experience, avoiding the need to engage with fiddly on-screen keyboards or strange layouts on the Switch itself. Rather than creating a sub-standard on-device experience and a companion app, Nintendo has taken the unconventional route of making the app the centre of the platform.
“This paid service lets Nintendo Switch owners enjoy online multiplayer gaming as well as a dedicated smartphone app that connects to your Nintendo Switch system and helps you connect with friends for online play sessions,” Nintendo said on its website. “Our new dedicated smart device app will connect to Nintendo Switch and let you invite friends to play offline, set play appointments, and chat with friends during online matches in compatible games.”
Nintendo will be launching a limited early version of the app this summer. It’ll be available for free and offer compatibility with an unconfirmed list of games. The company hasn’t stated which features and titles will be offered during this early period. It can be expected that most of the service’s headline capabilities will remain in development until 2018.
One of the service’s main selling points, the access to classic games, has already undergone a significant revision. Nintendo was originally planning to let players download one classic game per month to their Switch console.
The company confirmed to Kokatu today that this is no longer the case. It will now be offering “ongoing access to a library of classic games,” a system that sounds very similar to Microsoft’s just-launched Xbox Game Pass. The news has been welcomed by fans.
With the Switch still seeing very strong sales, the confirmation that Nintendo’s new online platform won’t arrive until next year could dishearten some buyers. It also means Nintendo will miss the important holiday season, potentially putting off some would-be customers looking to game with friends in the winter. The company is clearly taking the time to polish the service though, ensuring it gets off to a good start when it arrives.
