Gaming

Fortnite on Nintendo Switch will not require a Nintendo Switch Online subscription

Will other FTP games follow suit?

by
Josiah Motley
September 17, 2018

Image: Josiah Motley / KnowTechie

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Nintendo’s upcoming online service, Nintendo Switch Online, has been getting some heat about some of its ridiculous requirements, and it hasn’t even released yet. When it does release (tomorrow, Sept. 18), gamers do have one silver lining about the service – it will not be required for some online games. This includes the hit battle royale title Fortnite.

Announced in a Nintendo blog post in the Q&A section, “Some games, such as Fortnite, can be played online without a Nintendo Switch membership.”

There is no other mention of what other titles could be playable online without the online service, but it’s quite possible other free-to-play games on Nintendo Switch will fall under the same ruling. Or maybe it will only be Fortnite, considering the massive fanbase the game has across all platforms, including mobile.

What about games like Warframe?

It is possible Nintendo will follow PlayStation’s stance on FTP online games in that none will require access to the for-money service to play free games but is also possible Nintendo will pick-and-choose what titles will be able to be played online with paying for Nintendo Switch Online. Considering how their cloud save features will work, I wouldn’t be surprised to see this being decided on a game-by-game basis.

Nintendo Switch Online releases on September 18 and will cost gamers $20 per year. Monthly plans are also available, but considering that your cloud saves instantly go away when your subscription runs out, it makes monthly plans extremely risky.

Are you getting Nintendo Switch Online? Let us know in the comments below!