Nintendo has revealed the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack's release date, price, and subscription upgrade details. The new Nintendo Switch Online tier was first revealed during the September 2021 Nintendo Direct and was shown to include a variety of Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis games, but specific details about how much it would cost and when it would be available weren't shared at the time.
Since its announcement in 2017, Nintendo Switch Online has been viewed in a relatively negative light because of its quality of service and perceived underutilization. Dedicated servers for first-party Nintendo games which require NSO for online play, such as Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Splatoon 2, have long gone unanswered, and disconnects and lag have continued to be a persistent issue for many Nintendo Switch players. Other criticisms of Nintendo Switch Online highlight its slow drip feed of classic NES and SNES games, lack of a messaging system, and spotty support for cloud saves on a game-by-game basis.
In a new Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack overview trailer, Nintendo has announced its release date and pricing of the upgraded service in a new trailer (with even more details viewable on the official Nintendo website). The NSO Expansion Pack is releasing October 25 and will cost $50 per year for individual memberships and $80 for a family membership. Current NSO subscribers can receive a discounted price when upgrading to the Expansion Pack plan, prorating its price based on the number of days remaining in the user's current membership. However, the discounted rates have not yet been shared at publication time. In addition to access to N64 and Sega Genesis games, the newly revealed Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Happy Home Paradise DLC will also be included with Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack.
The first games to be released under Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack include classics such as Super Mario 64, Mario Kart 64, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and more. But less frequently released N64 games such as Banjo-Kazooie and Paper Mario will be released for Expansion Pack subscribers in the future. Multiplayer games such as Mario Kart 64 can also be played online with up to four players, and - just like with NSO's NES and SNES games - players can create suspend points to pause and resume playing at any time. In addition, Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis Switch controllers will be available to purchase for all Nintendo Switch Online subscribers.
A starter price tag of $50 annually is likely more than many NSO subscribers were expecting. It's unclear how many players will be willing to shell out that much per year for more retro games and additional content for Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and it might not help players who were already on the fence on the Expansion Pack's value. Although this upgraded service does offer a variety of classic N64 titles, Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack's price tag may be a hard sell for some existing and potential subscribers.
Sources: Nintendo, Nintendo/YouTube