Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack Is Way More Expensive Than Expected

Nintendo has announced the price tiers and a release date of October 25 for its Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack upgrade, but you’ll have to pay up if you want to get your hands on those sweet Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis games. A 12-month individual membership that includes the Expansion Pack will cost $49.99 a year – a $30 up-charge from the standard Nintendo Switch Online (NSO) one-year option. Those who wish to take advantage of a Family Membership with the Expansion Pack will be charged $80 a year instead of the usual $35 for a year. Nintendo Switch owners who already subscribe to Nintendo Switch Online get a prorated discount if they wish to upgrade, with each user getting a unique price depending on the amount of time remaining on their current plan.

The additional price for the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack is steep, but there is another strange wrinkle to today’s pricing update. Since its announcement, players have been excited to get their hands on the Expansion Pack because it grants access to a selection of Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis games, with more scheduled to arrive post-launch. However, as announced during today’s Animal Crossing: New Horizons Direct, users who purchase the NSO Expansion Pack will also gain access to that game’s new Happy Home Paradise DLC when it launches on November 5. The DLC on its own will cost $25, so including it along with Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis games will make it a better value to Animal Crossing players (but not to anyone else).

The current iteration of Nintendo Switch Online allows players to take advantage of Nintendo’s multiplayer services. It also provides access to a large and growing library of NES and SNES classics, so if the year-long Nintendo 64, Sega Genesis, and Animal Crossing add-ons aren’t for you, the standard membership will still be available for purchase. Either way, it might be a good idea to find some friends to start a family plan with ahead of the October 25 release date of Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack.