Back in Jan. 12, during Nintendo's Switch-focused keynote, the company revealed a paid subscription model for the forthcoming console's online services, the first time for Nintendo to implement such a model, given that its past online multiplayer efforts have so far been free.
Nintendo Switch Online Services Will Be Cheap
While the service has been confirmed to employ a free trial, which lasts until fall, it didn't soothe the unrest over the possibility that the company could level its pricing tier with that of its rivals Sony and Microsoft, who also have paid online subscriptions for its respective consoles. However, it turns out that Nintendo's online services will be much cheaper.
For now, the figure comes from Nintendo's own president, Tatsumi Kimishima, who tells the Nikkei Asian Review that Nintendo Switch owners can expect to shell out an annual fee of between 2,000 to 3,000 yen, which roughly translates to about $17 to $26.
Granted, Nintendo could round the price up when the service hits stateside, but the cost will still likely come in at half the $60-a-year fee imposed by rival services Xbox Live Gold and PlayStation Plus, as per Ars Technica.
Voice Chat Will Be Handled Via Smartphone
Similar to its rivals, certain online functionalities such as multiplayer, voice chat, and more will only be accessible with a paid subscription. The Switch will handle this differently from its rivals. However, the headline features, such as voice chat, will be facilitated via the owner's smartphone, which will presumably synchronize with the console and thus initiate the voice chat.
The ecosystem sounds cumbersome as it stands, and it really isn't clear if the system can actually handle voice chat by itself or if the whole thing is just a Nintendo-like ploy to purposely prevent users from doing so.
On the other hand, the decision may spring from the fact that the headphone jack rests on the hardware, a design choice that may hamper voice chat if players use the system when its docked. There'd be no way to connect a headset if the Switch is placed that far away, unless users sit abnormally close to their TV.
The system's included controllers and the Pro Controller — a separate purchase — do not have their own headphone jacks, which further complicates things. However, the system does have Bluetooth technology, but Nintendo has yet to confirm whether the system's Bluetooth functionality will support Bluetooth headsets.
Exactly how online services will work has not been fully disclosed by Nintendo yet, which is an unusually laconic move, given that the console's release date is extremely imminent. The only thing confirmed about the paid subscription is that, apart from its main features, an NES or SNES game will also be available as a free download every month, but there's a catch: the game isn't really downloadable — paying players can simply play it for a month until the new free game arrives the following month. By contrast, Xbox Live Gold and PlayStation Plus subscribers can access all their free games as long as they continue paying for the subscription.
These limitations may be easier to swallow given the low price point, although it's entirely possible for Nintendo to introduce higher pricing tiers for added features — perhaps downloadable GameCube titles per month? Anyhow, users can try out Nintendo's online services for free — but take note of its caveats — when the Switch launches on March 3.
