Switch Online Now Has Over 36 Million Subs, Nintendo Says It Will Continue To Improve Expansion Pack Tier

GB and GBA please.

@Erigen Man! I was about to say that first! Oh well, but yeah GB and GBA games on NSO would be nice right about now 😀

GBA and wii, give me the gba and wii!

If only the improvement was making the online free

GB/C and GBA games would be a good initial addition, but ultimately GameCube and Wii games would be the precipice of what the NSO expansion could, even if only 1st party games.

Question : Are you a Switch Online member?

Me : I only subscribed normal NSO for $20 to get online play access, nothing else.

Dear Nintendo, we want the Disney+ model, not the Disney Vault.

Really? For me, I'd rather just purchase a few games and be done with. But then again, I have a snes mini and still have my wiiu with most n64 games on there, so I'm good

As much as I love n64 games, I can't sub for $50/year. Not sure what would bring me in tbh.

Thats insane. For reference, Sony announced they had 45.6 million subs to their PS Plus service. By this time next year, Nintendo may have the largest subscribed user base of the 3 main consoles. Just wow

I can understand to an extent having to pay to play games online. What I don’t understand is why they keep the legacy games attached to the service instead of allowing us to cherry pick the games as you could with Virtual Console and essentially own them and not lose them every 12 months.

Ah yes, paying to play online. I miss when Nintendo charged the right price of "nothing at all". It is vexing that people actually buy this, but it is sadly expected at this point.

I realized a long time ago I don't need Switch online and I haven't looked back since. Unless you really want to play classic games there's just no reason to have it in my opinion.

Some good numbers. I'm satisfied with the service, but yeah, it could always get bigger and better. Hoping for the Gameboy family of systems in the future.

BEETLE ADVENTURE RACING 🚗 🚗 🚗

I’m tired of screaming this. Make it happen, Nintendo!

GoldenEye was announced nearly two months ago! Release it!!!

The problem I have with NSO is I don't don't play Mario Kart online (SHOCKER). I only play Fortnite and Rocket League and they don't need NSO to play Online.
Once I realised this, I stopped paying for NSO about two months ago.
As regards what others have said about buying individual games, SERIOUSLY, how many times will you buy these games?
I bought a few on the Wii VC years ago and it was bad enough when I learnt you had to pay 99p/£1.49 a game to transfer to Wii I which is one reason I never got one.
Years later, I'd get a New 3DS XL. As there wasn't a way to transfer from Wii or an Online Account, I did buy a few games again but I WONT be buying them a THIRD time...

...Saying that, I'll probably buy Mario 1 again.

And Mario 2.

And Mario 3.

And World, Land and 6 Golden Coins.

I only use NSO for Splatoon 3 and cloud saves. If they want me to get the expansion, like most said - include Gamecube and Wii library.

They should've given us more incentive to stay subscribed in September when it was time to renew. Announcing GameBoy for NSO in the Fall Direct would've been a nice perk to hold people over. But it's just more N64 games we already knew were coming, and most of them aren't exactly big hitters. Where's Smash Bros., Diddy Kong Racing, Banjo-Tooie?

All games on all systems, as a free service. An allocation of gold coins each month as well.

Ugh. Renewal is coming up this weekend. At this point, the only feature we’re dependant on is cloud saves.

It would be so simple for them add Gameboy/GBC/GBA, but they’d rather drip feed their loyal customers than give them access to a true evergreen service.

Long live my beautiful emulated collection, while my physical versions stand pretty on the shelf, with ever growing collector’s value.

Ah yes "improve".

No matter how unrealistic it is, but I am waiting for free multiplayer or none at all. To be honest most multiplayer games are too competitive anyway to enjoy some comfortable gaming.
And I do not want to pay for subscriptions. Plus I prefer collecting older games and play them on original hardware instead of borrowing them.

It would be my dream if they added GB and GBA games. Nothing else matters to me. I just want to be able to play my favourite games from those handhelds on Switch

I've bought Super Mario 3D All Stars to own a physical copy of Mario 64 and I want a Zelda version with at least Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask as well. I have NSO+ because of these last two games, but with both (and Banjo Kazooie) 100% completed I am struggling to find something to play in their current library. I know that there are some absolute classics in their, but none seem to grab my attention. I am hoping that Nintendo will release GB/GBA games soon, otherwise I am transforming my good old GBA SP in a Slate and call it a day for my NSO subscription.

no matter what other consoles get added im fine with my $35 family pack. not as compelled to have access to dozens of older games ill never give a proper play through

Well, I am no longer one of them. I think I am closing in on a year without a sub and I don't think I have missed it one bit.

I know it won't sell subs, but maybe SEGA can consider adding SEGA CD games?

We've seen they're possible on the mini and I can't imagine the file sizes are TOO big, so why not make the Mega Drive library a little more interesting?

Been subbed for about 2 years now, the Expansion is also included, I really have no problem with the price. It's more than affordable 🤷🏾‍♂️

@MS7000,

Or be grateful it was free for all those years, and when they did charge it was a pretty decent deal, hence all those subscriptions.

@johnvboy How about no? Also, as discussed previously, you and I have very different ideas of what is a "pretty decent deal".

I only have access to the normal tier NSO for the save file backup system.

Most games I already have elsewhere.

@MS7000,

So you are saying that 0.056 dollars a day is too much for the online service, that includes the retro games and the online, and the family membership is even cheaper when you work it out.

Not sure how this sounds in anyway expensive, or is not a good deal, I mean it's not zero a day, but hardly a lot more.

@johnvboy You are paying for something that was free, with no improvements to the actual online experience itself. From here, you look like a sucker to me, regardless of how tiny it is on a daily rate.

I recently got NSO again for splatoon 3 after not having it for over a year. The fact that I use NSO literally for one game feels like a huge rip off. No one would be OK with a $20 fee to access a game every year but we justify this because it’s cheaper than Xbox or PlayStation services. Guess what. A significantly larger portion of those games can be played online where as only a hand few of switch games are online.

As for the retro games. They’re fun I guess. I don’t play them. But ultimately they are there because Nintendo knows what they don’t have any actual online games.

@MS7000,

See when you start to debate saying things like Sucker, it's not helpful, just look it from a point of view not everyone sees the same level of value in things the way you do.

In my opinion it's not a bad deal, in yours it is, we don't agree on this, but on many other things we do.... No big deal.

All the DLC for 1st and 2nd party games should really be free to make the expansion pack worth it. I was actually surprised that Xenoblade 3's DLC wasn't included in the deal.

Never going to happen, but i'll randomly spout out "Dreamcast and GC games on NSO please!"
Also Conker's Bad Fur Day! Maybe it's rose tinted glasses, but the multiplayer in that game was awesome. Heist, Deathmatch and War, top tier.
Make a deal with MS, Nintendo! xD

@MS7000 i pumped a couple thousand hrs between 5 online games, plus nes/SNES on deck. I know, "should just be free" but it ain't. Just don't feel too vexed when some ppl get their moneys worth. I could blow $20 in an arcade much quicker (if they were around )

@CammyUnofficial it’s called NSO. It’s primary purpose should be to allow gamers to play online. But it’s a worse experience than wii u which was free.

If the online was free. And the retro games was $20 that would be more understandable.

I'm very satisfied with my $20 a year base level price. Compared to other services by other consoles, this is pretty cheap. Access to the NES/SNES library is a fantastic perk.

The value of +$30 for the NSO expansion however is totally unjustified and N64/Genesis games are a far outcry to pay that price. Personally for me, none of those games are worth playing as I did not grow up in that generation and have no love/nostalgia for that era. Only the Zeldas are really worth playing and I have them both on 3DS, which are arguably the superior versions.

@sixrings sure I believe you and not arguing. I feel bad for those who arent having a good time with it or have crappy connection issues, 20 bucks would probably feel silly to throw away. I guess I wanted to stress that not everyone is feeling the "ripoff" vibes

@CammyUnofficial I don’t doubt some people are not feeling ripped off or are actually liking the service. It all just feels so lack lustre to me. They know they don’t have very many current online games. ARMs died a quick death. Am I still supposed to be excited playing smash and Mario kart after almost 10 years and then there’s splatoon. So the service gets padded with all these extras that it is supposed to feel like a deal. I dunno. Maybe I’m old and cranky.

Instead of adding more random things why not make some actual online games or make a system powerful enough that third parties make online games.

If they insist on adding random things can they add messaging and voice chat? Why am I begging for things offered on the Wii U. I just don’t understand.

*will begin to improve

@sixrings agree with all that and see how that is a step back for a lot of people. Stepping outside my gamer self, only 2 of the 5 games I do online are nintendo games and are the least I play (probably says something). The messaging and voice chat would seem like a given for the price, but who knows, corporations gonna corporate? A shame

I dont think you're old n cranky, leave that to me.

Name names, man!

I quit online last week. I had a good time trying it but don't need it for now. I will return but not getting expansion again. The library needs an "expansion" on games and systems to get me back. Hate how slow they release things too.

It's the weirdest thing whenever NSO Expansion Pack comes up that people can't help but argue about the worth. It's entirely subjective. Either the price works for your tastes and expendable cash or it doesn't.

@Coalescence I think the fact that the price seems so polarizing says something about the service. Only after years of service have I heard similar complaints about Netflix. I almost never hear complaints about game pass. Disney plus is pretty much applauded. NSO is in the same category of Newspaper online paywalls. Except those newspapers are going out of business while Nintendo fans either begrudgingly give Nintendo their money or happily do it defending it to the death.

Still no mention of when the N64 controllers will be readily available. The silence is deafening.

That's what...720 million annually? Not counting expansion subs and I'm not sure if this is individual subscriptions or each person using it via the family packages. But that's a LOT of cheddar. And pretty much destroys any prospect of a return of the Virtual Console in some form. Nintendo likes money too much when it's successful. It would need a giant fail to become consumer friendly again.

7 Free days playing NSO..counts like a sub. This number does not mean...paying subs.

@GameOtaku
100% agree with this.
all i want is the ability to buy the legacy games (also some improvements to the emulator like game specific button remapping and more screen options.

I mentioned it on the forums and someone mentioned an apt comparison to what i am looking for would be something like the Capcom arcade stadium (maybe even providing bundles for the games)

i just don't like the idea of access to the games being dependent on the service, its also why i enjoyed things like the Sega Ages games and the various M2 compilations like the ones konami did and the collection of mana.

This thing is pennies now that I have a full group in my family plan, but I wish we saw more frequently added games

So only 1/3 of switch owners have NSO? I'm surprised by that.

@strollin_stu they add online to games like F-Zero and smash melee I'm sold. Otherwise, I'll either just play them on my gamecube or emulate them.

@Not_Soos Goldeneye, Smash, Banjo-Tooie, Diddy Kong Racing, and Donkey Kong 64 please.

And if Perfect Dark is an option then... yes please.

You give me Gamecube games, the Switch will become my favorite Nintendo system ever. It's super close

36 million means a less than 1/3 attach rate which is pretty low. It's not really the resounding success that it's purported to be IMO.
Personally I find even the basic NSO difficult to justify as I just want to play MK8 online, everything else is of no interest at all.
I'm sure there are plenty of others in the same boat which would go some way to explaining the low adoption rate.

scary thing that could eventually happen. here it finally is, every console(through Wii) and handheld(through 3ds) Nintendo & close partner games on NSO... for $150 solo or $250 family a year. select DLC packs & "other" included. anyone game?

Find a way to bring Jet Force Gemini to the N64 expansion.

PLEASE, offer GBA games.

Let me play Golden Sun

whats there to improve? lol, just ditch it! PR talks are always funny! I mean its understandable from a profit-oriented view, give very little and then add a little more instead of giving everything and then not being able to top it anymore. shrugs

@Mando44646
they will come lateron - they cant give everything at once or else it would be impossible to continue improving

@johnvboy #35 ssssshhhhhh....let em rant. That's extortionate.

@6thHorizon,

Not really, as your figure assumes it's one Switch per person/household, whereas it's more likely that people or families will own multiple consoles, so 36 million is still a pretty decent ratio to be honest.

@Krysus
Having the Virtual Console would bring in additional revenue from those that don’t want to pay $50 a year if they don’t care about online play or the dlc (mostly for online games) and just want to play some classic games.

Im a regular family subscriber mainly for my wife’s cloud save for animal crossing. We do play Mario kart online occasionally.
But if the expansion service adds some GB and GBA games, I would pay the extra premium.

@Tandy255 What do you mean by that? I know that Disney vault references Limited-time releases. But what is the Disney+ model?

@Ymas443 Disney+ has most of Disney’s movies and shows available on the streaming service. No more limited time releases. And most were available day one.

Nintendo should do that with NES, SNES, N64, GB, GBC, and GBA. Put ALL of the 1st party titles on the service. No more slow roll outs. And make more deals to get more 3rd party games on there.

There are quite a few games included now, but it has taken a long time to get here. Switch is 5+ years old and we still don’t have the retro handheld games. Why hold back? The Switch undocked would be perfect for GBA games!

For an SNES example, I think it would be cool if they added Mario Paint. Map the mouse controls to the analog stick.

@Tandy255 Oh yeah. Now it make sense. Although, it's still a shame that we won't have a system similar to the Virtual Console again.

Having 2 tiers is unnecessary. Ninty should just go back to the single tier, $20/year model. It doesn’t cost them anything to provide DLC for games that are 3+ years old, nor emulation for games 20+ years old. I already bought a bunch of those N64 games on Wii U on the same Nintendo account, so why can’t I access them through my switch library?

What would make it worthwhile for me would be something like Streetpass….or if they had a bunch of indie exclusives…..do like Apple Arcade. Pay some developers to create some games.

Anyway, I don’t think it’s a bad deal. I just don’t think it’s a particularly good deal. And I wish they didn’t make it such a pain in the butt to access digital games from another console.

I recently bit the bullet and upgraded to the Expansion Pack tier since my base NSO membership was renewing anyway. I gotta say I've been underwhelmed. For some reason I thought they added way more N64 games in the year since they launched that app. Also the NSO App emulator features have been subpar to begin with, but now there's no rewind on N64 either? Smh. And I have no interest in Genesis games, especially seeing as so many have been on every platform in multiple ways for generations now- would've made more sense if they asked Sega for Saturn or Dreamcast games since they're way less easily available.

I have been enjoying being able to play Pilotwings 64, Kirby 64 & Yoshi's Story for my first time though. And the couple DLC's are a nice touch even if most of the games I don't have or care much for (wish they'd add all the Smash DLC to the tier). But they need to do a lot more for me to renew at this tier next year. Game Boy line and/or Game Cube games would be a good start, but again it all comes down to there being more frequent & voluminous drops for each system and improving the emulators & features themselves.

... Wun can only hope.