Nintendo Switch Online’s Expansion Pack is a pricey online plan

By Otto Kratky October 15, 2021

While today’s Animal Crossing Direct was largely about the game’s upcoming 2.0 update and newly revealed DLC, Nintendo also snuck in pricing details for its new version of Nintendo Switch Online. Titled Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack, the service will cost individual users $50 per year, while a family plan version that lets up to eight accounts use the service will cost $80.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack was revealed during Nintendo’s last Direct showcase. The upgraded version of Nintendo Switch Online will give its users access to a library of Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis titles, as well as to the new Animal Crossing: New Horizons paid DLC, Happy Home Paradise. While pricing for the service has been revealed, Nintendo has not revealed when users will actually be able to subscribe to Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack.

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It’s worth noting that Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack’s pricing is a fair leap from what users pay for the base version of the service. A yearlong individual membership for Nintendo Switch Online costs only $20, while a family plan runs customers just $35. In both cases, Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack is more than twice the cost of its basic counterpart.

For users, that pricing might be a bit high. Nintendo Switch Online itself has drawn criticism over the years for its lackluster library of games and Nintendo’s own subpar multiplayer service, which doesn’t offer any voice chat capability. Users may be hesitant to shell more money out to the company without being assured that the service’s base issues will also be addressed in the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack.

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Otto Kratky is a freelance writer with many homes. You can find his work at Digital Trends, GameSpot, and Gamepur. If he's…

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