Nintendo Switch Online
| Developer | Nintendo | 
|---|---|
| Type | Online service | 
| Launch date | September 18, 2018 | 
| Platform(s) | |
| Status | Online | 
| Members | 34 million (as of September 2024) | 
| Website | nintendo | 
Nintendo Switch Online (NSO) is an online subscription service operated by Nintendo for its video game consoles, the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. The service is Nintendo's third-generation online service after Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection and the Nintendo Network. The subscription service officially launched on September 18, 2018; an expanded tier of the service, Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack, was released on October 25, 2021.
Nintendo Switch Online features include online multiplayer, cloud saving, voice chat via a smartphone app or GameChat, access to special profile pictures, as well as other promotions and offers. The service also include access to a library emulated retro games called Nintendo Classics. Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack includes access to additional retro systems' libraries (up to GameCube as of June 2025) and downloadable content for Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Splatoon 2. The Nintendo Switch 2 Edition upgrade packs for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom were added as additional benefits for Expansion Pack members in June 2025.
The base service on the original Nintendo Switch received mixed reviews; criticism at launch was directed at the requirement of using a smartphone app for voice chat, software library, limited selection of cloud save titles, and technical issues, although its price was praised. The Expansion Pack add-on also received divided responses, with controversy directed at its higher price.