I've had a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription for little over a year now and it's been great. I've been able to play some older Game Boy Advance games I never got to experience as a kid as well as revisit classic N64 games like Banjo-Kazooie. Now with the Switch 2 on the horizon, the Switch Online subscription is going to start including GameCube games – plus be required to use the new GameChat function – and I couldn't be more excited. What I'm not excited about is the increased prices for the new console and games.
The price of the Switch 2 was revealed to be $449.99 and the new Mario Kart game is going to cost $80 at launch. These price increases make me think that a Nintendo Switch Online price increase is probably inevitable. If you are looking to pick up a subscription for the first time, there are still gift cards available at some retailers that you can purchase now instead of later. These are only available for new subscribers and do not stack upon existing subscriptions.
Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack Gift Cards - 12 Months
These gift cards are currently available at Walmart and Target, but sold out at Amazon. These are e-gift cards that will be sent to your email where you'll be able to add the subscription to your account via code. The 12 months don't start counting down until you actually access the membership, so there's some leeway about when you start it. If you redeemed the membership right now, you would still have access when the Switch 2 launches in June this year.
Will there be a NSO price increase with the Switch 2?
Although Nintendo has not mentioned anything about a price increase to any of the Switch Online membership plans in the U.S., it seems likely that it will happen. Prices have already started to increase in some regions outside of the U.S. in 2025 and with the Switch 2 looming, it's likely we will see the same thing occuring here.
What Does the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack Include?
The gift card we've featured above is specifically for an individual membership. Here's everything that has been confirmed to be included as we head into the Switch 2 era.
- Provides a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack pass to 1 account
- Access to online play
- Mario Kart 8: Booster Course Pass included
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Happy Home Paradise expansion included
- Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion included
- *The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Upgrade included (Switch 2)
- *The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Upgrade included (Switch 2)
- Full access to the Switch Online N64 library
- Full access to the Switch Online Game Boy Advance library
- Full access to the Switch Online SEGA Genesis library
- Full access to the Switch Online NES library
- Full access to the Switch Online SNES library
- Full access to the Switch Online Game Boy library
- *Full access to the Switch Online GameCube library (Switch 2)
- Cloud saving
- Full access to the Nintendo Switch Online mobile app
- Unique offers and discounts
