Nintendo Switch Online exists in an odd space. It's not always particularly beloved by users, yet it's central to a lot of Nintendo games. It's increasingly hard to get the full experience of a Nintendo Switch game without subscribing to Nintendo Switch Online, since everything from Animal Crossing: New Horizons to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has an online multiplayer component. Even if fans aren't always happy with NSO's cost or stability, there's some major benefits to the service. For instance, the library of retro games from the NES and SNES are a major selling point, giving tons of Switch users the chance to experience classic titles.
Part of what makes NSO's game library great is that Nintendo adds new titles regularly, making NSO more worth the price. As time goes on, Nintendo fans have speculated about what games could join the service, and it just revealed that NSO will get games from both the Nintendo 64 and the Sega Genesis. That's great, but there's a catch: Switch users have to pay for an NSO expansion to play these games. Nintendo might have made a misstep here, as NSO's reputation probably isn't going to improve if Switch users have to pay even more money for N64 and Genesis games.
The New Additions to Nintendo Switch Online
Nintendo fans have been debating what generation might join NSO for a while now. A lot of fans thought Game Boy and Game Boy Color would be next, but with the announcement of N64 games, it looks like home consoles are Nintendo's biggest priority. One can hardly complain about the N64 games that NSO will offer, as classics such as Super Mario 64 and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time will be available as soon as the bundle is available, with the likes of Banjo-Kazooie and Majora's Mask yet to come.
The Sega Genesis games are far more surprising. Sega is very much independent from Nintendo, so it's strange to know that games from a Sega console will make their way to this Nintendo-based service. Shocking as that announcement may be, it's a huge win for classic Sega fans. Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Castlevania: Bloodlines, and many other games from the Sega Genesis will be available through NSO soon.
These sets of games are fantastic contributions, and yet they might weigh down NSO as much as they lift it up. Nintendo said in no uncertain terms that the N64 and Sega Genesis libraries are expansion packs for NSO, rather than traditional expansions to the NSO library offered at no additional cost. Nintendo hasn't clarified how much it'll charge for these packs, but even the mere principle of needing to pay extra will grate on some fans.
Expansion Packs Could Obstruct Nintendo Switch Online
The precedent set by the introduction of Nintendo Switch Online expansion packs is worrying. The implication seems to be that if the N64 and Sega Genesis packs sell well enough, Nintendo will introduce more. Game Boy games could come to NSO, followed by other consoles like the Nintendo DS and GameCube, but they could all be hidden behind paywalls. Fans may have to keep upgrading their Switch Online membership to get access to their favorite classic games, which will build up annoyance over time. The last thing NSO needs is more detractors, but expansion packs could be a source of many new critics.
Xbox Game Pass subscribers don't constantly have to make new purchases or increase their monthly payment to get games, by contrast. Instead, while Xbox Game Pass games might only be available temporarily, Microsoft doesn't keep raising the price of the service every time there's a new wave of games. Fans are happy with the consistent price, and Microsoft pulls in a ton of revenue, even as it keeps adding different games to the pass.
Expansion packs for NSO suggest that Nintendo wants to generate more revenue, attract new users with new generations of games, then make those users pay extra for the games they're looking for. NSO would certainly still attract new users if the N64 and Genesis games joined its library at no additional cost. What's more, NSO probably garners new users every time a new Switch game with online components releases. Expansion packs just don't seem like a wise way to increase the service's userbase, nor do they improve its reputation among those already pay for it.
Nintendo Switch Online's Future
Even if Nintendo fans begrudgingly pay extra for the expansion pack, NSO may still suffer in the long term. Users will undoubtedly use it as a new reason to criticize the service, framing it more negatively than before. It's fantastic to see Super Mario 64 and other classics available on Switch long-term, but Nintendo should reconsider its approach to expanding NSO after this. The N64 and Genesis expansion pack struggles to improve Nintendo Switch Online by virtue of being a paid expansion pack.
One hopes that Nintendo will have a change of heart and go back to the Game Pass model of just expanding the NSO library. It's probably too late for Nintendo to cancel the additional cost of the N64 and Genesis pack; in the case of that expansion, fans will just have to hope the price is reasonable. Depending on fan feedback or how well the expansion pack sells, maybe Nintendo will decide to go back to simply adding games from new consoles to NSO. It'd be great to play Game Boy games, GameCube games, and more on Nintendo Switch Online, but it's hard to say if more retro content will be worthwhile if fans have to pay up every time.