You Can Now Subscribe To Nintendo Switch's Upcoming Online Service

Nintendo's premium online service for Switch is slated to begin this September. While Nintendo has said it will reveal further details about the service ahead of its launch, those who are already planning on subscribing now have the ability to purchase a membership from certain retailers.

As pointed out by Wario64, subscriptions for the Nintendo Switch Online service are now available for pre-order from Amazon. The online retailer doesn't list what date the service is scheduled to begin, but the memberships are available in two tiers--12 months or three months--and will be delivered via a download code once the service launches. You can order the 12-month subscription for $20 and the 3-month subscription for $8. Likewise, video game retailer GameStop also has both subscriptions available for pre-order from its online store.

On top of those tiers, Nintendo will offer a one-month subscription to the Switch Online service for $4, although that doesn't appear to be available for pre-order yet. Switch owners will also have the option to subscribe to a family plan, which allows up to eight different Nintendo Account holders to share the same membership, even across different consoles. The family plan will be available for an annual fee of $35.

Following the launch of the Switch Online service, Switch owners will be required to have a subscription in order to play most multiplayer games like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Splatoon 2, and the upcoming Super Smash Bros. Ultimate online. Additionally, the service will offer subscribers cloud saves for Switch games, as well as access to a library of classic NES titles with added online play.

The Nintendo Switch Online service was originally scheduled to begin in late 2017 before being delayed into this year. In addition to Amazon, Switch owners will be able to purchase subscriptions directly through the Nintendo Eshop or at other retailers. The service will also only apply to Switch; online play for 3DS and Wii U titles will remain free. You can read more about the service on Nintendo's official website.

This story has been updated.