Nintendo Switch paid online services to begin next year, now includes unlimited access to classic Nintendo titles

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Nintendo have detailed their online subscription package for the Switch, which will now go live in 2018, and not later this year, as the company had originally stated.

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by Liam Andrews

@pass_controller

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When Nintendo Switch Online goes live, those looking to play Switch games that feature online multiplayer, such as Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, will need to purchase either a month ($3.99 or regional equivalent), three months ($7.99), or a year’s subscription ($19.99) to the new service. Until the time the paid for service goes live, online multiplayer and other online services will continue to be free of charge.

Nintendo also clarified what bonuses paying subscribers would receive, which now differ slightly from those announced earlier in the year before the Switch had launched.
 
Instead of getting only one free classic game every month, which would then become unavailable again at the end of the month, subscribers will have access to an entire library of retro titles from what’s now called the Classic Game Selections.
 
Nintendo confirmed to Kotaku that subscribers will have “ongoing access… as often as they like” to the classic games (some of which will be updated to include online play) while they have an active subscription. Only NES games are said to be available when Classic Games Selections launches, but titles from SNES’ library of games “continue to be under consideration,” according to Nintendo.
 
Finally, we got our first look at how voice chat will work on the Switch thanks to official Nintendo accessory maker, Hori, who showed off their new Splatoon inspired headset, which you can see below.

The headset comes with a three-way adaptor which allows you to connect the three devices you’ll need in order to use in-game voice chat: your headset, smartphone and Switch.
 
Players looking to use voice chat will need to download an accompanying app on their smartphone, with a test version of the app said to be going live sometime this summer, presumably in time for the launch of Splatoon 2 on 21 July, which is also when the headset releases.
 
Those who do pick up the special themed headset will be gifted an in-game reward that shows their inkling wearing a matching headset of their own.
 
What do you think of Nintendo’s plans for the Switch’s online services? Let us know below.

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