Do You Need a Separate Nintendo Online Account for Each User? The Ultimate Guide
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The short answer is: No, you don’t necessarily need a separate Nintendo Online account for each user, especially if you opt for a Nintendo Switch Online Family Membership. However, understanding how Nintendo accounts and memberships interact with user profiles on the Switch can be a bit tricky. Let’s break it down to ensure everyone in your household gets the most out of their gaming experience without unnecessary costs.
Understanding Nintendo Accounts and User Profiles
Before diving into the specifics of Nintendo Switch Online, it’s crucial to distinguish between Nintendo Accounts and user profiles on your Nintendo Switch.
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Nintendo Account: This is your overall account with Nintendo, tied to an email address. It’s your key to purchasing digital games, managing your online presence, and accessing Nintendo Switch Online services.
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User Profile: A user profile is created directly on your Nintendo Switch console. Each profile allows a different person to save their game progress, customize settings, and generally have a personalized experience. You can have up to eight user profiles on a single Switch console.
While multiple users can exist on one Nintendo Switch, accessing Nintendo Switch Online’s benefits requires a bit more organization.
Nintendo Switch Online: Individual vs. Family Membership
Nintendo Switch Online is Nintendo’s paid subscription service that unlocks online multiplayer for compatible games, access to classic NES and SNES games (and more with the Expansion Pack), cloud saves, and other exclusive features. There are two primary types of memberships:
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Individual Membership: This membership covers only one Nintendo Account. If you purchase an individual membership, only the Nintendo Account associated with that membership will have access to the online benefits.
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Family Membership: This membership is where the savings come in. A Family Membership covers up to eight Nintendo Accounts that are linked within a Nintendo Account family group. This is significantly more cost-effective for households with multiple Switch users.
How the Family Membership Works
The Nintendo Switch Online Family Membership is linked to a Nintendo Account family group, not a specific Nintendo Switch console. This is a crucial distinction. The administrator of the family group purchases the Family Membership. Then, they invite up to seven other Nintendo Accounts to join the group.
Key Points:
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Everyone within the family group, regardless of which Nintendo Switch console they’re using, benefits from the Nintendo Switch Online service.
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Multiple users on the same console are not automatically covered by a Family Membership. Each user must have their own Nintendo Account and be added to the administrator’s Nintendo Account family group.
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The Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack version of the Family Membership offers the same benefits as the standard Family Membership, plus access to a library of classic N64, Sega Genesis, and Game Boy Advance games, as well as DLC for select games like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.
Sharing Digital Games
The ability to share digital games is linked to the primary console designation of a Nintendo Account. A Nintendo Account can designate one Nintendo Switch console as its primary console.
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On the primary console, anyone can play digital games purchased by any Nintendo Account that has registered the system as their primary console.
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On a non-primary console, only the Nintendo Account that purchased the digital game can play it. This requires an active internet connection to verify the license.
This means you can purchase a digital game with one Nintendo Account and, as long as that account designates the console as its primary one, everyone with a user profile on that console can play it. Keep in mind that the other consoles will not have access to the game.
Setting Up Your Nintendo Family
To effectively use the Family Membership, here’s a step-by-step guide:
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Create Nintendo Accounts: Each person who wants to use Nintendo Switch Online needs their own Nintendo Account. If they are under 13, a parent or guardian will need to create a child account for them.
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Form a Family Group: One adult (18+) should create a Nintendo Account family group. This is done through the Nintendo Account website.
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Invite Family Members: The family group administrator can invite other Nintendo Accounts to join the group.
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Purchase a Family Membership: Once the family group is set up, the administrator purchases the Nintendo Switch Online Family Membership (or the Expansion Pack version).
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Enjoy the Benefits: All members of the family group now have access to Nintendo Switch Online features, regardless of which console they’re playing on.
The Bottom Line
While you can technically get by with a single Nintendo Account on a single Switch, doing so limits the experience for other users. The Nintendo Switch Online Family Membership is almost always the better value for households with multiple players. It allows everyone to enjoy the benefits of online play, classic games, and cloud saves, while also allowing each player to maintain their individual game progress and settings.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can multiple users use the same Nintendo Online account?
No, this is not recommended. While technically possible, it leads to numerous problems. Only one person can be logged into a Nintendo Account at a time. Moreover, you’ll share the same save data and online progress. The Family Membership solves this issue.
2. If one player purchases a family membership, do the others still need to be added to the family group?
Yes. Purchasing the Family Membership only grants the administrator the license. Each user needs to be invited and accept the invitation to join the family group to access the online benefits.
3. Do both people need Nintendo Switch Online if playing on separate consoles?
Yes, unless you have a Family Membership. With an Individual Membership, each Nintendo Account needs its own subscription. The Family Membership covers up to eight accounts, regardless of the console they are using.
4. Can family members share digital games on Nintendo Switch?
Yes, through the primary console system. The Nintendo Account that purchases the digital game can designate one Nintendo Switch console as its primary console. Anyone on the primary console can play that game. The digital game will not be available offline on consoles that are not the primary console.
5. What does the Nintendo Switch Online individual membership do?
The Nintendo Switch Online Individual Membership provides online play, access to a library of classic NES and SNES games, cloud saves (for most games), and access to the Nintendo Switch Online app (for voice chat and other features in supported games). The Expansion Pack offers the same with the addition of N64, Sega Genesis, and Game Boy Advance games.
6. How much is the Nintendo online family plan?
The Nintendo Switch Online Family Plan costs $34.99 per year. The Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack Family Plan costs $79.99 per year.
7. Can you have two Nintendo accounts on one email?
No. Each Nintendo Account requires a unique email address.
8. Can you have two profiles under one Nintendo Account?
No. User profiles on the Nintendo Switch console are separate from Nintendo Accounts. You can have up to eight user profiles on a Switch, but each should ideally be linked to a separate Nintendo Account to take full advantage of online features.
9. Is Nintendo online family worth it?
Yes, especially for families with multiple Switch users. The Family Membership is significantly cheaper than purchasing multiple Individual Memberships.
10. How many family members can use Nintendo online?
A Family Membership covers up to eight Nintendo Accounts in a Nintendo Account family group.
11. How does Nintendo Online family work across different consoles?
Players using a Family Membership can access the Nintendo Switch Online service on any Nintendo Switch console, as long as they are logged in with their Nintendo Account and are part of the administrator’s Nintendo Account family group.
12. What is the difference between individual and family Nintendo online memberships?
Individual Memberships cover one Nintendo Account. Family Memberships cover up to eight Nintendo Accounts within a Nintendo Account family group.
13. How many users can be linked to a Nintendo Account?
A Nintendo Account can only be directly linked to one user profile on a Nintendo Switch console. However, one can create up to eight user accounts on one console.
14. Does Nintendo online family share games?
Indirectly. You can download your purchased games on your primary Switch console, allowing all other profiles on that console to play the game. It is possible for friends to share a family plan if they decide to.
15. What is the difference between the Nintendo Switch Online Family membership and the family membership with Expansion Pack?
The main difference is the additional games and DLC offered by the Expansion Pack. This includes access to classic N64, Sega Genesis, and Game Boy Advance games, as well as DLC for select games. The base service gives users cloud storage and enables them to play games online.