Since its launch in 2018, the Nintendo Switch Online (NSO) has been a lightning rod for debate among players. Fans have argued over whether its two-tier price structure constitutes good value, questioned the quality of emulation — sometimes patchy at first with certain N64 games but steadily improved — and grumbled about the erratic release schedule for retro titles.
Game drops often feel random, and major titles, particularly from third parties, are still missing in action, which has fueled frustration with Nintendo’s approach. The deal has been sweetened over time, with a handful of paid DLCs bundled in and retro libraries gradually expanded. Today, I reckon many would concede that, overall, there’s a fair amount of bang for buck on offer.
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Yet, there’s still a glaring shortcoming to NSO that’s too often unacknowledged: while access to Nintendo’s eShops and online services are region-free, many of the perks and benefits of an NSO subscription are effectively gated to players in a handful of major territories that Nintendo dubs "The Americas," "Europe," "Japan," and "Hong Kong/Taiwan/South Korea."
To access online play, gamers residing elsewhere have no option but to purchase an NSO subscription through another region's eShop, as there's no dedicated local eShop or online service. In Singapore, where I’m based, it’s common for players to set their Nintendo accounts to a different region, usually the United States, to access the eShop, which is what I do.
Crucially, you’ll need an NSO subscription to unlock certain exclusive perks, from physical rewards that can be redeemed with Platinum Points to hardware accessories like NES, SNES, Sega Genesis/Mega Drive, Nintendo 64, and GameCube controllers. The catch is that Nintendo won’t ship these items outside of the select territories where they are officially offered.
I’ve paid full price for NSO for nearly six years. I love having convenient access to an expanding library of Nintendo classics. But I’m getting awfully salty about being region-locked out of buying NSO-exclusive retro controllers directly from Nintendo’s site and not being able to access subscriber-exclusive apps like Nintendo Music, which aren’t on local app storefronts.
I’m embarrassed to admit that I’ve had to resort to eBay resellers to obtain NSO controllers, a punishing workaround for paying subscribers. It’s perplexing why Nintendo doesn’t offer these products through their official retail stores (for example, on Singapore’s major ecommerce platforms like Shopee and Lazada) or at least allow for international shipping.
While part of me was tickled by Nintendo’s recent announcement of bringing Virtual Boy to NSO, news that a subscriber-exclusive stereoscopic 3D peripheral (ranging from $99.99 / £66.99 for the replica, or $24.99 / £16.99 for the cheaper cardboard model) is required has my blood boiling, both for the paywalls and because Nintendo won’t sell me one outright.
Other attempts to reap the rewards of my NSO subscription have been similarly vexing. On a recent trip to the United States, I attempted to redeem some goodies with my Platinum Points and have them mailed to a US address. But Nintendo wouldn't accept my foreign bank card to pay for local shipping. The same bank card is accepted on the US eShop, however.
As for smartphone apps, the Nintendo Switch App only recently went live in Singapore, but other offerings like the Nintendo Today calendar and news app, as well as the aforementioned subscriber-exclusive Nintendo Music app, are missing in action. With a bit of tech skullduggery, though, it is possible to change regions and access those apps from foreign app stores.
It has to be acknowledged that Nintendo's policy regarding region-locking has shifted significantly for the better since the release of the Switch, the first time a primary console has been region-free. From the NES all the way through the Wii U, Nintendo's home consoles were region-locked, a policy also carried over to the entire Nintendo 3DS line of handhelds.
Still, as long as Nintendo is officially selling hardware and software outside of major territories while leaving online play tethered to a foreign NSO subscription, it should at least ensure that paying customers in those places receive equal access to the service’s touted ecosystem of physical rewards, smartphone apps, and hardware accessories.
There are signs that Nintendo is beginning to address the issue by opening new eShops, with Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, and Taiwan reportedly due to get local eShops and, in theory, online services.
NSO has proven its worth over the years, steadily growing into a more compelling package as more retro titles become available, new consoles join the fold, and online play improves with services like GameChat. But clearly, the experience is not equal for all, and that’s something that Nintendo has to grapple with for the sake of its most engaged players.