Nintendo Switch Online, the planned paid online subscription service for Nintendo's hybrid console, is rumored to launch in the fall of 2018.
Nintendo Switch Online, which will function similarly to PlayStation Plus for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox Live Gold for the Xbox One, has long been delayed. How long will Nintendo Switch owners have to wait for it to launch?
Nintendo Switch Online To Launch Fall 2018?
Wccftech spotted in Nintendo's Italian website that Nintendo Switch Online will launch in the fall of 2018. If that date is true, then the service will be about one-and-a-half years delayed from the release of the Nintendo Switch in March this year.
The website has since been changed to simply state a 2018 release. There are two explanations for this: either Nintendo Italy made a mistake of unveiling the Nintendo Switch Online launch date too early, or the website stated wrong information.
It should be noted, however, that in an earlier announcement of Nintendo Switch Online, it was said to be first arriving in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Does this mean that the initial launch date of the service will be much earlier than the fall of 2018? Or will the service launch worldwide simultaneously, since it has already been delayed?
There are other rumors that there will be a Nintendo Direct in January, which would be the perfect time for Nintendo to divulge more details on the timeline for Nintendo Switch Online. Hopefully Nintendo Switch owners will soon find out when they can expect the hybrid console's subscriptions service to become available.
What Will Nintendo Switch Online Offer?
It has been a while since Nintendo has provided an update for Nintendo Switch Online, so here is a quick refresher on what it will offer to Nintendo Switch owners once it arrives.
For an annual fee of $19.99, a quarterly fee of $7.99, or a monthly fee of $3.99, a Nintendo Switch Online subscription offers online gameplay, access to a voice chat app and an online lobby, free game downloads each month, and exclusive Nintendo deals.
The Nintendo Switch Online release date was initially set for late 2017, but it was delayed to sometime in 2018. It was also later revealed the subscription will offer access to a Classic Game Selection service that will allow gamers to play retro games from Nintendo's old-school consoles.
A Nintendo Switch Online app was rolled out in July in line with the launch of the multiplayer shooter Splatoon 2. However, the app was criticized by gamers for its voice chat feature.
The Nintendo Switch Online delay is one of the few hiccups for the hybrid console this year though, as the Nintendo Switch had a very successful 2017.
