Back in January, Nintendo revealed that an online membership program would be implemented for the Nintendo Switch on a pay-by-month model, with a tentative start date of Fall 2017. Once the program launches, Nintendo Switch owners would no longer have access to the console’s online features unless they are subscribed to the paid service. Fast-forward to now, the company has announced that their Nintendo Switch online membership program is being delayed into 2018, which means free online play for the Switch for the rest of this year. They have also revealed the features online membership subscribers would be entitled to, and at which price points, depending on how many months are purchased at one time. The available pricing options are as follows:

• 1 month – $3.99
• 3 months – $7.99
• 12 months – $19.99

For a quick comparison, the cost for a year’s membership of PlayStation Plus and Xbox Live Gold is $60. Even if Nintendo Switch owners go with the 1 month option for an entire year, that would only amount to $48. Members will, of course, need a Nintendo Account in order to access the online membership services. Nintendo has also released a graph that breaks down the feature differences between the paid and free memberships. To sum it up, Nintendo Switch online membership owners will have access to online gameplay and online lobby and voice chat (through a smartphone app, available this summer), as well as exclusive eShop deals. Those with the free membership also have access to the eShop, along with access to friend management, screenshot sharing across social media, and access to the Nintendo Switch parental controls app.

Nintendo has also confirmed that online membership subscribers will have access to “a compilation of classic titles with added online play, such as Super Mario Bros. 3, Balloon Fight and Dr. Mario.” The feature is being called ‘Classic Game Selection’, though its name is subject to change. The compilation of classic games will be available to console owners as long as they have an active subscription to the Nintendo Switch online membership program.

So, what do you think about Nintendo’s upcoming subscription program? What are your thoughts on the available features, compared to those found on Sony and Microsoft consoles?  Let us know in the comments section below, and as always, stay tuned to DFTG for all the latest gaming and entertainment updates! Don’t forget to follow Don’t Feed the Gamers on Twitter for our 24/7 news feed!