What is Nintendo Switch Online and do I need it for Switch 2?

Watch This Product

Watch products with ShopSavvy for price drops, stock alerts, deals and more.

Ask Agent About This Product

Nintendo Switch Online is Nintendo's paid service for online features. Here's whether you need it for your Switch 2.

The short answer:

If you want to play games online with other people, yes. If you only play single-player games, no.

What it costs:

Basic: $20/year individual, $35/year for a family of up to 8. Expansion Pack: $50/year individual, $80/year for a family.

What basic gets you:

Online multiplayer in games like Mario Kart World, Splatoon, Pokemon. Cloud save backups. A library of NES and SNES games.

What Expansion Pack adds:

Nintendo 64, Sega Genesis, and GameCube games (GameCube is Switch 2 only). DLC for Animal Crossing, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Splatoon 2. Switch 2 upgrade packs for Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom.

What you DON'T need it for:

Single-player games offline. Buying from the eShop. Free-to-play games like Fortnite and Rocket League online.

Already have a membership?

It works on Switch 2. Just sign in with your Nintendo Account.

Compare Nintendo Switch 2 prices at major retailers.