Topic: The Nintendo Switch Online Subscription Service Thread

So far I'm very pleased with the NES aspect. The phone/tablet app doesn't really impress me, in part due to how limited it is. But I acknowledge it is technically providing voice chat... for a limited number of games.

I dig the Netflix-style interface. Just a few observations. I definitely either need to per-order the NES Controllers or just use the grip. My hands are way too big for the Joy Con turned sideways.I think this is a pretty solid selection of titles, and I am afraid my NES Classic may have seen its last play. I didn't get the download until late so I have tomorrow to look forward to Pro Wrestling. Great Puma is going down.

I thought I read somewhere that more games had 'Game-specific services'? I updated the app and it still looks exactly the same with only Splatoon 2 to choose from.If I open voice chat and select 'Supported software' it's also just Splatoon 2.

Mario Tennis: Aces, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and ARMS also now support voice chat. But only Splatoon 2 so far looks to have specific services.

Have any "Exclusive Offers" gone live?

@Angelic_Lapras_King not yet. I doubt they will till Thursday in the US

So... some questions:

1. One Switch, two accounts:
My girlfriend and I have an account each on my Switch. If we both want to play online from our accounts, is it enough with just one $20 subscription or do we both need to subscribe, alternatively going for the family subscription?

2. Several Switches, several accounts:
I have some friends with Switch. You can say it looks like this: 1 Switch with 2 accounts, 1 Switch with 2 accounts and 1 Switch with 1 account. In total 5 unique accounts on 3 Switches.
If we want to share the cost, we could set up a family subscription as described in this article? If we do that, is it possible to play online at the same time? For example if we would like to play Splatoon 2 together with 3 of the accounts on the 3 Switches? Or is it only one account at the time that can use the service if it's a shared subscription on serveral Switches?

@Angelic_Lapras_King @faint The exclusive offers are the 2x NES pads and Splatoon 2 gear with more 'Members only deals' added regularly. MyNintendo have an offer to exchange 500 gold coins for a fiver off the NES pads. I reckon those who said not to expect much from these members only deals were probably correct.

Obviously I'm not serious when I claim to be from a future where Nintendo purges retro consoles to make their online service a succes.

To give my actual opinion on the current online service. I'll hold off from subscribing for as long as there's no interesting online game to play. Animal Crossing will likely be the point where I sign up. I'm just very tired from all the subscriptions being forced on us gamers. So many Nintendo fans are so gullible ''Nintendo needs the money!'' ''Look at how much you get!''

When I buy a game console and a videogame, I somewhat expect to be able to play games without further ado. For the same reason I do not approve of DLC that isn't really an addition but more like content being withold for extra profits. Multiplayer is a big part for most games, the mode that let's us enjoy our hobby with friends and family. Now if you think about it, online play is now a mode locked behind a paywall, I find this similar to scammy DLC, the kind that is optional but not really optional.

I wonder how Nintendo fans would react if local play was locked behind a paywall. It's the same concept except it doesn't involve online servers that need maintenance. You're sitting down with a friend to play Super Smash Bros and a screen pops up: Pay a monthly fee to use another controller.

You payed for the console, you bought the games. Heck, make them more expensive if that's needed to continue developing online games (which I personally find hard to believe) Please make it about actually serving the players again instead of trying to entangle them. It costs us more time and complicates the thing I like doing most in my leisure time. The Switch had all the potential to become the best virtual console ever, you were the chosen one!

You can probably conclude that I also dislike it when restaurants ask a service fee... especially when the service is bad

Now waiting for comments like ''Nothing in life is for free, look at how much service Nintendo is giving us! '' and I'm like, do they now?

@BMO_Advanced 100% agreed.

So for all my landjsvalgsbskavdka about the switch online service, I might be signing up anyway :/

Some friends of mine asked if I want in on their family group plan, and that's kind of hard to say no to cause, well, monster hunter

Can anyone who has set up a family group confirm how it works and that there aren't any unexpected restrictions?

I'm interested too in knowing if anybody has set a family group already and if it works as we hoped, without strange restrictions, without having to share personal passwords with anyone...

I'm not going to play online regularly, I've seen it in the 1+ year I've owned the Switch, so I'm going to use the online services once in a while, thus I'd prefer to pay 5 euros per year than 20. I almost have the 7 candidates to join the group, but we're waiting to see if its doable the way we want.

I set up the family Group with a friend, it's really easy to do, ( there's a step by step article on here) i went to my Nintendo Account, clicked Family Group & then sent invite emails to the people i wanted in the group & once they accepted the invite purchased the Membership, We've all managed to get online ok & there doesn't appear to be any restrictions & we didn't need to give passwords to each other.

@Jen10 Thanks. Now I need to know if you can purchase the subscription on South Africa, currently the cheapest, and then change the region back to yours.

@Quarth
Did you get an answer to your question?
I am wondering if I need to add my wife as a family member even though we both use the same Switch.
Cheers, John

Probably not, the NSO subscription would be linked to your South Africa Nintendo ID which can no longer be unpaired from the profile made for it. Similarly if you live in North America, your normal Nintendo ID can no longer be unlinked from your profile. You'd need to create a Family Group that contains both profiles and buy a Family subscription. Which would probably defeat the purpose of what you want to do.

@Moroboshi876, sorry i've no idea about that
@JohnG if you & your wife have different profiles & game saves etc then yes i would think you would need a Family Membership, i've got 2 accounts ( both mine) which is why i created a Family Membership with my friend.

Quick question for those that have paid for the service already, do you free recieved gold points for signing up the way you do for buying digital games? Thanks.

@FaeKnight No, that would happen if I used a different profile. I'm talking about changing the region of my main account to South Africa and then change it back to my region. It's what I do to buy games from that eShop. My profile would remain linked to my account. The thing is whether they force me to stay in South Africa when I get the Online Service or I will still be able to change regions. I think I should, because I could actually move there or anywhere in the world and change regions like I've been doing freely until now, but just in case.

@redd214 I didn't get any Gold Points but i was able to use the Gold Points i already had towards the cost of the membership.