Nintendo today released NINTENDO ONLINE. A service that made the once free internet now cost $20 bucks a year for users. Yes, you heard right. No extra features... but now Nintendo is using "NINTENDO ONLINE" the name, to charge all users money for what they already had for free.
"The Switch console launched in March 2017 with free online multiplayer mode for select titles, but while gamers could link up over the internet, features were stripped down compared to experiences typically available on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Users could previously enjoy online competition in a game like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe without extra costs, and some gamers will no doubt be disappointed to learn that's no longer the case. The new service is launching with a seven-day free trial. After that, members will need a subscription, which costs either $4 a month, $8 for three months, or $20 per year. Nintendo has always trailed behind Sony and Microsoft when it comes to online gaming and services, and that will continue to hold true even with the introduction of Nintendo Switch Online.
Nintendo's handling of voice chat with its new service is baffling. Instead of players being able to run voice communications directly through a Switch console and a headset, users must download a mobile app and connect a headset through their smartphone or tablet. That's a clunky and confusing setup"
So far it is commonly said the new system is laggy and cuts sound.
Source"A Decade Late and Without Key Features, Nintendo Is Finally Online Nintendo’s late arrival is being met with jeers, not cheers, by large swathes of the gaming community. Users have had 18 months to trial the service for free and the response has been decidedly negative. Lacking must-have features for today’s multiplayer titles, such as in-game chat, consumers are slamming the platform as frustrating to use, susceptible to cheating and prone to connectivity issues. With the all-important holiday season riding on the success of online brawler Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, analysts say improving the network is more critical than ever.
The paid service officially kicked off on Wednesday. Nintendo declined to comment for this story or respond to criticisms of the Switch Online service."
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