Nintendo revealed some specific details regarding the plans for their upcoming online service for the Nintendo Switch Thursday evening.

The service, called Switch Online is set to launch in North America “sometime in 2018” and will cost $19.99 for a full year membership.

Switch Online launches next year and will only cost $20 per year.

The Switch Online service will function in much the same way that Sony’s PS Plus, or Microsoft’s Xbox Live services function: mainly as a paid gateway to online play.

According to Nintendo’s website, Switch Online will allow users to interact through voice chat, create online lobbies, and set gaming appointments.

Nintendo also says that Switch Online will provide players the ability to download classic games from their cavernous library, and that those titles will have added online play features.

While access to free downloadable Nintendo classics was already known; the original plans for that feature had been the cause of some controversy.

The original plans for downloadable incentives for Switch Online were to grant the subscriber access to a new game each month. The catch though, was that once the month was over, the access to that title would end, and the user would have to purchase the title outright to continue playing it.

This stood in stark contract to Sony’s and Microsoft’s services, both of which allow you to keep your titles. (In Sony’s case, you keep your license to the title as long as you are a PS Plus member. If your subscription lapses though, you have to buy the game.)

Thankfully, Kotaku’s ace Jason Scherier reached out to Nintendo and confirmed that the Switch Online incentives will not be taken away after each month:

“Nintendo Switch Online subscribers will have ongoing access to a library of classic games with added online

You’ll get Super Mario Bros. 3 for free! And you can play with a buddy online!

play. Users can play as many of the games as they want, as often as they like, as long as they have an active subscription.”

Super Mario Bros 3., Dr. Mario, and Balloon Fight – all complete with online features, were three games that Nintendo listed as examples of what’s to come when Switch Online launches next year.

Players will continue to be able to fully enjoy online gaming with their Nintendo Switch for free until the 2018 launch.

Yours truly accurately predicted that Nintendo would launch their online service at the $20 price point in my Nintendo E3 2017 Game Plan article, which launched last week. Be sure to check it out for my full thoughts on what Nintendo is going to show at E3 2017.

Also be sure to join NerdBacon for our full coverage of Nintendo’s E3 2017 presentation, Tuesday, June 13th at 11am EST, on our Twitch channel – Twitch.tv/nerdbacon.

What are your thoughts on Switch Online? Is it a good value? Or is $20 a year too rich for your blood?

Let us know in the comments section below.

Written by The Watchman

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