Previously rumored earlier this month, Nintendo has since confirmed the inclusion of Nintendo 64 and (surprisingly) Sega Genesis titles to Nintendo Switch Online. While Game Boy/Game Boy Color games were teased for the service more recently, there has been a long-standing rumor that the Switch's online service would receive some kind of content expansion. At some point in October, Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis games will be available to Nintendo Switch Online subscribers. However, the big change is that these additions, unlike the NES/SNES games on Switch Online, is that N64/Genesis games will only be available on an additional paid tier.
Comparatively speaking, Nintendo Switch Online as a console online service is far more of a value compared to PlayStation and Xbox. The lack of certain content and features is certainly the drawback in comparison, but the potential in expanding the free game offering has always been the subject of speculation by fans. With the lack of Virtual Console on the Nintendo Switch compared to previous Nintendo consoles, fans have been wondering what new console libraries could be added to Nintendo Switch Online. However, the price hike is understandable, but the only caveat is the additional subscription tier needs to have an appropriate price to match the offering.
Adding N64/Genesis Games to Switch Online Sweetens The Pot
When it was first revealed, the Nintendo Switch's upcoming online service was largely conventional and pretty basic in comparison to something like PS Plus and or Xbox Live. It wasn't until the reveal of the NES games on Nintendo Switch Online where the service started to seem a bit more interesting, not inherently because of the 20 added games at launch, but the potential for more. Of course, most fans thought of Nintendo's previous Virtual Console iterations, a storefront that allowed the previous Wii/Wii U consoles to play classic games through software emulation.
Adding NES games to Nintendo Switch Online for free made many expect more games, and more systems, to be added in the future. Since then, multiple additional NES games, as well as SNES games, were added to the service. A few years into the service's existence, rumors and reports started to discuss future Game Boy and N64 additions to the service, which makes sense. Additional games have undoubtedly sweetend the pot for Nintendo Switch Online, especially with the lower monthly/yearly price. However, with the N64/Genesis games only being added alongside an additional price hike, Nintendo needs to strike a very fine balance in how its priced.
What Is A Reasonable Cost For N64/Genesis Content On Switch Online?
On the one hand, a price hike for the additional games is understandable. Much like Netflix or Xbox Game Pass in comparison, a subscription service can only expand so far before an increase in price is usually enacted by the company behind it. In the case of Nintendo Switch Online, a price hike for additional games isn't particularly troublesome, especially if it's an optional subscription tier. That way, players who wish to keep Nintendo Switch Online without paying more per month/year aren't forced into an additional feature or lineup of games that they don't want. If it was a mandatory price increase, that undoubtedly would've disappointed the uninterested players.
On the opposite side, adding the N64/Genesis games to the existing Nintendo Switch Online experience would make it an incredible deal. Assuming the existing service would've only come with a minimal price hike, Nintendo Switch Online would still be an incredible value for the amount of features/games included with the service. Even if it's just a $10-20 more per year price hike, that's still not all that bad assuming more N64/Genesis games are on the way. However, anything more than that is stretching a bit, especially if it's just for more N64 and Sega Genesis games. It'd be one thing if more systems like Game Boy were also coming to the higher tier, but not just for N64.
Realistically, it would make sense for an additional subscription tier like this to be priced around something like +$2/month, or +$5/year. Any more than that certainly brings the value of N64/Genesis games on Switch into question, especially if other console additions are going to cost more money/additional subscription tiers. Something like an additional $10-20 per year is fine assuming more content is on the way on this tier, but just for N64/Genesis games? The price vs. value of an additional tier at that price point wouldn't make sense at all. Adding these games to Nintendo Switch Online could be a good deal, assuming Nintendo understands its value proposition.