Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack is not the rip-off people are making it out to be

Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pass costs $50 annually for an individual subscription plan, and that price is not actually as expensive as people think once you break it down.

[Neonridr]

the problem with this logic is this. I buy the family plan for me and my kid to have Switch online. He isn't paying for his own, so I'm still out the money for both, even if it's less per individual unit.

It's Costco pricing, I get more at less per unit sure, but I'm still paying more at the end of the day.

[AKR]

This is a very specific situation, albeit still a very unfortunate one. I can definitely see how it miffs someone like you; and I'm sure there are many more with similar circumstances. A parent-child option would've been nice too, but I guess in the grand scheme of things, I'm not quite sure there are that many services that even have pricing models like that. I guess the argument is that the child could simply use their parent's membership, but if you're trying to keep your libraries separate (or even have multiple systems), then that still doesn't work.

[PhillyDillyDee]

You can add me to your plan if it makes you feel better. You get 8 slots after all.

[Neonridr]

lol

[iplay1up2]

Nintendo could easily charge $9.99 per N64 game. With more games being added, I don't mind $50 for a year. People need to get over it. It isn't like Nintendo is forcing people to pay more..

[PhillyDillyDee]

If they continue to add the n64 classics than it will be more than worth it. I’ll probably get it once they add f zero.

[Neonridr]

see that's the thing, eventually it'll be worth it, but asking this much of an increase for a handful of games is ridiculous.

[ShadowWolf712]

I wish they WOULD charge $9.99 per game. In the shop. So I could buy the ones I want and not waste money otherwise.

[CyberSentinel]

Same here.
I want to OWN my games, and not just “rent” them. I want to be able to play “my games” offline, without any internet at all.

[Smellsforfree]

My problem is with the Animal Crossing expansion pack being bundled with it. Seriously Nintendo? Subscription based DLC?

[Neonridr]

I mean if you play AC then the first year is a good deal if you were planning on getting the DLC anyways, but then the pricing goes back to being dumb.

[meganick]

Yeah but if you acquire the AC dlc by getting the expansion pack, then you can only access that content if you remain subscribed. At least that’s what I’ve heard.

[Servbot41]

After one year you are paying double for an expansion. It's a ripoff.

[Neonridr]

@Servbot41 - I'm saying that if the DLC costs like $20 or something then you are paying less for the service, but then the following year when there's no DLC you are paying more for less essentially. It's dumb.

[NotoriousWhiz]

Why is that a problem? You can still purchase it separately. My issue is with the subscription offering things that can't be paid for outright. Just let me buy the N64 games I want to play.

[Azurite]

Thought the expansion would cost +25% or +50% more, "it's just an expansion after all", did not expect it to be +150% more.

[badz149]

it's Nintendo, dude! your expectation was too high for them. (shall I say "too low" in this case?)

[luckytrouble]

There always have to be Nintendo apologists which is why they can just forever get away with these half-assed overpriced non-efforts. Remember that first and foremost you're paying for the ability to use online services, then simply ask yourself if the $50 for NSO gets you the same value and performance as PS+ or Xbox Live Gold. Packaging in a few games you'll play probably once, maybe twice over the lifetime of your NSO membership does not suddenly make it okay to leave the core part of the subscription benefit stuck 15 years in the past.

[thesoftware730]

What do you get beside party chat on Xbox(base sub) and PSN? Please dont tell me Netflix and social media.

They both provide games on a sub service, PSN and XBox live provided mostly old games as well, and to some Nintendo's old games are better than both other systems.

So they both allow you to play online, Nintendo also has the neat rewind feature that kids love..and games being worth it is all subjective..some people think MK, Mario, Zelda, kirby..ect are more fun than most Xbox or PS games.

I'm not trying to rain on anyone's parade, but to me it comes down to what games you want to play..some of the NSO games are not cheap if you find them at retail or online, and My kids love retro gaming and I enjoy it with them, because it shows them a different period of gaming they missed.

[Silly gameAr]

You're high. You can't compare that selection to what people get out of PS Plus. You must be out of your mind.

[Welshy]

@thesofware730 Corporate shills/defenders like you are the reason they have the balls to even try this. The mind boggles that (part of) the Nintendo community are defending this BS.

PS+ on PS5 instantly gives you 20 of the best AAA games of the generation as soon as you sign up, that alone is more value than this "expansion pack" before you even factor in the 3 other games included monthly.

Nintendo are nothing short of con artists at times who just milk their easily pleased and apologist community dry. If Sony or MS tried this the Internet would destroy them, just look at the reaction to MS trying to double the price of XBL Gold.

[thesoftware730]

@ Welshy
Corporate shill? me? never.

See you just described what I said, your own feelings, not everyone loves the 20 games you get with PSN..and even if they do what if they enjoy Nintendo games more? Your whole argument makes no sense for someone who is not in to Sony's style of gaming.

Also Nintendo DOES add games to their service as well, so again...what is the real difference? A preference of games..the party chat?(what if I don't like talking to people while gaming?),You get some really highly rated games with the expansion pass from Nintendo and Sega.

All you said n your post was pretty much, Sony games are better than Nintendo's games, your opinion. To top it off most games that is offered from Xbox live(base) and PSN are mostly made up of old games as well.

[Welshy]

My point is that Sony are giving an equivalent on their platform that would require Nintendo to give you 20 of the top games on their platform (including modern exclusives like Mario Odyssey/Breath Of The Wild etc) to match up to Sony.

20 AAA games aren't the same as 20 games from 20/30+ years ago, what you consider to be "better" is irrelevant, nor did I say that they were better.

If Sony more than doubled PS+ in exchange for a small handful of emulated PS1 games (which is the true equivalent of what Nintendo is offering) I would equally be calling it a total ripoff.

[thesoftware730]

@ Welshy

See you did it again, you can label the games whatever you want AA, AAA, A, BCDEFG...It don't matter bro, they are all games, besides most nintendo game are indeed considered "AAA" ,and you keep saying 20 new games..the majority are not new, and Nintendo expansion is giving you like 23-24 {NOT 10, and the games that are currently on there} games along with NEW animal crossing DLC.

All of it is based on the value of gameplay that you prefer, some people hate GP, I think its great, game and value wise...but most people will tell you gampass is made up of old games and Indies..see its all about the value you place on the selection of games that make it worth it or not. A game is a game is a game..If someone gets PSN and play the games for 50hrs total and another get NSO expansion and play the games for 200hrs, who got more enjoyment or time vs value?

If you want to emulate games on PC then good, do it..but try to buy most of those games at retail and tell me how much they cost you. Most people prefer official channels of getting games...just look how fast the mini systems sell..and the MSRP for the mini systems are like $70-80 and you get less content with those, why is no one up in arms about that?

Once again the service has wayyyyy more than 10 games..

[MetroidFREAK21]

No, it definitely is a ripoff. I don't care about the animal crossing DLC and I literally own every launch N64 game (minus sin and punishment) on actual cartridge for an actual N64... unless the internet quality is somehow magically better, it's a ripoff

[Outlawzz]

Not worth it right now, definitely a ripoff at this price. In time it may become better if they're consistent. Drip feeding the most obscure games then yea won't happen. Personally I wanted some gbc and gb advance games.

I get ps plus usually on a good sale for around $30 a year and that comes with modern games monthly so it's a hard sell for me personally.

[metalgod88]

It's cool that we can play like 10 game online. It's cool, that we have all these NES/SNES games we've already played, it's cool that we can now play Sega games which have already been available on pretty much every system for the last 5 years. And It's cool that we can play the 10 or 12 N64 games on the switch.. you get my drift?

The problem is that there's almost nothing new here and they want to charge an additional 30 bucks just to be able to play a very small handful of N64/Sega games, some of which were available on the 3DS.

Until more games are added for the N64, its just not worth the money. I love Nintendo, but...no man. Just no.

[Spenok]

Your opinion is wrong. Yes it is.

[AKR]

An opinion is never objectively "wrong". That's why it's called an opinion and not a fact.

[Spenok]

False. Opinions can be wrong.

It just depends on what the topic the person is opining on. People regularly hold false opinions on any myriad of things.

http://www.houstonpress.com...

[Christopher]

It's my opinion that the coronavirus is made up and doesn't actually exist.

[ecchiless]

@xtopher

Darn you.... now i cant say your "opinion" is wrong... cause is an opinion!!!!

[antikbaka]

seems some ppl just can stop drinking corporate piss

[galgor]

Eh... Yes it is.

[HansyJ]

Yes it is.

[Silly gameAr]

Well, I was wondering when people were going to start defending it.

[badz149]

they were kinda late because the amount of Nintendo's poo they have to swallow this time around is too much for them to handle but alas, they endured it and were able to publish this buttlicking piece!

[ecchiless]

nintendoenthusiast <--- k, no need to see more.

[Rachel_Alucard]

I had a feeling this kind of article would pop up here. The one where they do the opposite of what the viewers feel on purpose to drive up hate clicks. Worked with Kotaku, thegamer, polygon, and others.

[Welshy]

Yes it is.

[badz149]

HAHAHAHA....PREACH, nintendoenthusiast.com!!

as expected from SHEEP!

[Yui_Suzumiya]

I'll get it once more is available

[starforge71]

if i cant buy what games i want then i am not interested.