Nintendo recently confirmed details on the Switch Online + Expansion Pack, which will debut on October 26, 2021. If the Switch Online subscription adds DLC for all first-party Switch games, then the Expansion Pack can justify its price point, and offer a different approach to video game subscription plans. As more information has been revealed regarding the Switch Online + Expansion Pack, the addition of N64 and Sega Genesis games may not justify the annual price increase to $49.99, but the inclusion of otherwise paid DLC for Animal Crossing suggests a different value model that Nintendo’s subscription service could leverage.
The original Switch Online membership was reasonably priced, at $19.99 USD per year, for online Switch gaming and access to NES and Super Nintendo classics, and its low price point helped avoid any direct value comparisons to services like Game Pass or PlayStation Now.