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Nintendo Switch Online service surpasses 8 million users

Nintendo's recently revealed data includes yet another significant milestone with Switch Online users going over 8 million.

Charles Singletary Jr

February 1, 2019 11:30 AM

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The Nintendo Switch Online service was slightly late to the Switch launch party, but that doesn't mean a bunch of players didn't welcome it with open arms. The service has a ways to go, but has already welcomed over eight million users since launching in September 2018.

Nintendo lowered Switch guidance in the most recent earnings release, but there are still positive elements to recognize if you're one of the people digging deeper into the company's recent performance. Revealed in the financial results briefing for the fiscal year ending in March 2019, Nintendo said the launch of Nintendo Switch Online was off to a "good start" with over 8 million accounts subscribed:

"In last September, we launched Nintendo Switch Online, a paid service that expands the online functionality of Nintendo Switch. Nintendo Switch Online has had a good start, with the number of subscribers surpassing 8 million accounts not including free trials. In keeping with our goal of providing Nintendo Switch owners with “More Games. More Features. More Fun,” we are working on continuing to expand the service offerings."

"Note: Includes accounts within Family Membership"

Multiple users can access the Nintendo Switch Online Family Membership accounts, so 8 million is a rough estimate with the actual number of people accessing Nintendo's service definitely higher than that. Nintendo Switch Online features online play, cloud saving, a smartphone app for communication, special offers, and a growing library of classic NES titles. The most recent NES games added to the collection are Blaster Master and Zelda 2.

Nintendo has also shipped over 32 million Switch consoles while selling over 163 million games on the platform, so things are looking up for the Japanese company. There are rumors that a new version of the Switch is in development, specifically one focused on cutting some features and focusing on portability along with a lower price point. As far as how likely this rumor is to be a reality, things are looking pretty strong. Stay tuned to Shacknews for additional gaming and tech updates.

Charles Singletary Jr

News Editor

Charles Singletary Jr keeps the updates flowing as the News Editor, breaking stories while investigating the biggest topics in gaming and technology. He's pretty active on Twitter, so feel free to reach out to him @The_CSJR. Got a hot tip? Email him at Charles.Singletary@Shacknews.com.