Nintendo Switch: pricing for the Online Service revealed, VR tidbit

During the Nintendo Switch Presentation, Nintendo announced the Nintendo Switch Online Service. It’s a paid service, that includes the following:

• online play for compatible games (co-op, VS, etc.).
• a smartphone app that connects to your Nintendo Switch. It will let you invite friends to play online, set play appointments, and chat with friends during online matches in compatible games (including voice chat), all from your smart device.
• Monthly game download: every month, players will be able to download and play a NES or SNES game (with newly-added online play) for free for a month. Unfortunately, you have to buy it if you want to keep playing it after the “trial” month.
• Exclusive deals: special offers such as discounts on select digital games and content, and more.

There’s still a lot we don’t know about it: how it will work exactly, if online will be paid for all games, if the app will truly be the only way to use vocal chat or game lobbies with friends, etc… But the biggest question players have had since the announcement is: “How much will it cost?!”.

Well, Tatsumi Kimishima shared that very crucial bit of information with the Nikkei earlier today. According to him, the service will cost 2 000 – 3,000 yen (about $17.50 – $26.50) yearly, so about 166 – 250 Yen ($1.45 – $2.20) per month, which is far cheaper than similar services on PlayStation and Xbox (though with less features and “freebies”).

This does seem like a fair pricepoint, though it’s way too early to say that, when we still know so little about the Nintendo Switch Online Service.

In the same interview with the Nikkei, Tatsumi Kimishima explains that Nintendo was currently “studying” VR, and would add it to the Nintendo Switch once they figure out how users can play for long durations without any issues.

This is more or less what Nintendo has been saying for a while, though the bit about adding VR to the Nintendo Switch is “new” (it was already mentioned in the patents docs for the console, which mentions a HMD accessory for the main unit).

The Nintendo Switch will be released on March 3rd worldwide. The Nintendo Switch Online Service will be launched in Fall, with a free period until then (and a free, limited version of the app this Summer).

Source: Nikkei
Via: Serkan Toto