According to Nintendo, “Please note that Nintendo Switch owners won’t be automatically subscribed to the service when it starts, so they will need to purchase an individual or family membership in order to avoid disruption of their online play in compatible games.” Basically it means that just because it has launched, it doesn’t mean that you will be subscribed as it will still be an option as to whether or not you want to go through with it.
That being said, the Nintendo Switch online service is priced a lot cheaper compared to the competition. Gamers who aren’t sure if they want to pay for it can opt to go for the 1 month option which is set at $3.99. Alternatively for those who know that this is something they’ll be using often, going for the 12 month membership upfront is cheaper at $20 for the entire year.
The Switch’s online service is something new that the company is trying. Prior to this Nintendo never bothered to charge gamers for playing games online. We’re not sure if there are plans to eventually hike up the prices, but for now it’s still very affordable. In the meantime those who are interested can actually pre-purchase their subscriptions.