Last year, Nintendo announced that just like Xbox and PlayStation, it will also release an online subscription service that will provide players with various services for its latest console, the Nintendo Switch. Nintendo has recently announced on its website that Nintendo Switch Online will not only offer online play services, like it initially indicated, but that the monthly subscription fee will now also cover "Special Offers."

Unfortunately, no other details have been given on what these "Special Offers" will include, but one can assume that it may be something similar to Xbox Live Gold, which gives players up to four free games every month, as well as exclusive weekly discounts for its members. Nintendo's service is also much more affordable than those of Xbox and PlayStation, with a single month of the service only costing $3.99, three months costing $7.99, and a full year only $19.99. Nintendo Switch Online will also provide a 12 month family membership for a reasonable $34.99 USD.

When one takes into consideration what Nintendo Switch Online subscribers will gain, which now includes Online Play, Save Data Cloud Backup, utilization of the smartphone app, access to 20 Nintendo Entertainment System games, and Special Offers, it seems to be a good value. Some of the games that will require subscription to the service will include Splatoon 2, ARMS, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Mario Tennis Aces, and Sushi Striker: The Way of Sushido, among others, while some online games, such as Fortnite Battle Royale, will be playable without an Nintendo Switch Online subscription for now.

Nintendo Switch Online will release in the second half of September of this year, and hopefully the Special Offers that Nintendo is promising will be games that are worthwhile, just like Xbox that often offers blockbuster games for free to Xbox Live Gold subscribers or PS Plus that does the same for PlayStation consoles. As the Nintendo Switch catalogue is also rapidly expanding, we can look forward to hopefully also getting many classic games at a discounted price as part of the Special Offers package.