Nintendo's Price Hike Is Causing An Uproar
Nintendo's confirmed what we all expected when it announced a new subscription tier, the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack. The new service will comes with some of the most popular Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis games from the '90s and 2000s. Even better, it includes the new "Animal Crossing: New Horizons" DLC. The new plan seems like the best of both worlds for retro gaming fans and "Animal Crossing" lovers. Unfortunately, the price tag totals to more than double the standard Nintendo Switch Online subscription.
Nintendo isn't changing its basic Nintendo Switch Online subscription, which still costs $20/year for individual accounts and $35/year for family accounts that can fit up to eight members. However, fans can't seem to stand the idea of the expansion pack plan costing $50/year for a solo account and $80/year for a family version, even with the perks. So far, there are less than 30 games confirmed for the N64/SEGA collection, which subscribers will have access to on top of the 100+ NES and SNES titles included with the base package.
Some argue that the plan might be worth it, but others warn about the fine print. Here are a few hangups that players have with the new subscription.
How the new Nintendo Switch Online subscription actually adds up
Nintendo hasn't confirmed all the details about its latest subscription plan, but the internet has been debating over the available information so far. For example, it's unclear if Nintendo will offer monthly expansion pack subscriptions. At this time of writing, only an annual subscription price is available. Nintendo also confirmed that the "Animal Crossing" DLC will cost $25 on its own.
One Redditor suggested that the upgrade might be worth it since a standard solo Nintendo Switch Online subscription and "Animal Crossing" DLC pack cost $45 together. So it doesn't seem that unreasonable to pay $5 extra for the $50 expansion pack subscription. Unfortunately, those who want retro games without the "Animal Crossing" don't have the option to opt-out of paying for a DLC they don't even want.
Also, despite some arguments for the expanded subscription, many considered paying for the DLC a huge catch. Subscribers will apparently need to keep paying for the DLC each year in order to retain access to it, as opposed to the one-time fee eShop buyers need to pay. Players mainly interested in the DLC can purchase it separately and keep it instead of paying to play it "at no additional cost" with the upgrade.
"Animal Crossing" fans don't need to upgrade their subscription to indulge in the latest island shenanigans. Even so, the tricky wording seems to be confusing enough people for it to cause an online debate. It's unclear how Nintendo will fare with the upgraded subscription once the "Animal Crossing" hype wanes. Until then, Nintendo fans can save by sharing a family plan with friends or passing on the expansion pack subscription.