Nintendo, as a whole, has done many incredible things over its lifetime, and many would point to the Switch as one of its best ideas ever. The system has had numerous big titles across the first and third-party space, and the platform itself encouraged gamers to truly “play anywhere” they wanted. However, if one were to point to one of the true “downsides” of the console, they’d likely point to Nintendo Switch Online. That might seem harsh, but the reason for this is simple: it’s the service that is required to use the internet for their titles, both big and small. Without it, you can’t go online and access the servers.
It’s true that the service is only $20 a year, which is a pittance compared to other online services, but Nintendo has offered online access for free since the Wii days, so this threw people for a loop. Furthermore, when it came to the “benefits” of the online servers, they were few and far between. Then, Nintendo did the “Expansion Pack” content for the service, which cost a lot more per year for games that had long since been released and weren’t released on the regular.
Even still, many people partake in Nintendo Switch Online because they want to enjoy the various online modes and options that The Big N’s titles often have. To that end, Nintendo has re-opened the 7-day free trial for NSO, even if you have already used a past trial.
This is quite a bargain, and for those who are still unsure of what they will get through the service, it’s the perfect time to try it out, even if it’s only for a week. Plus, since a holiday is about to drop, and the weekend is really close, you can truly get your “money’s worth” from it before you decide if you want to keep it or not. The choice is entirely yours.
The real question here isn’t whether people will try out the free trial; it’s what Nintendo plans to do with its online structure with its next console. After all, unlike what Sony and Microsoft offer people for their online gaming services, Nintendo truly lags behind. They need to showcase strength in this specific area to draw people in and not have backlash as it had with the Switch. Will they actually do that, though? Or will they continue to go “their own path?” We’ll find out soon enough.
