Free Nintendo Switch Online Officially Available For 24 Hours

Published Jul 27, 2026, 5:47 AM EDT Tom Wilson is a Gaming Features Writer at Screen Rant. Over the past five years, Tom has worked as the Editor-in-Chief at The Game Crater, as a Staff Writer for GamingIntel, a List Writer at TheGamer, and, of course, as a Senior Writer at ScreenRant. Tom has experience writing reviews, guides, news, and features, and has been responsible for teams of writers, training them and editing their work. Tom graduated with a Masters in Multimedia Journalism, and has since gone on to build up his portfolio of games journalism work. Nintendo Switch Online has delivered a fairly substantial amount of value to subscribers over the years, adding iconic titles from previous console generations as added bonuses, as well as making DLC for games like Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Mario Kart 8 accessible for free. This is, of course, on top of granting access to online multiplayer for the vast majority of compatible titles. While some may feel it isn't quite as worthwhile as its counterparts, it has been seen as a fairly necessary service for those who enjoy Nintendo's older titles or simply want to play online with friends. Fortunately, for those still sitting on the fence and questioning whether NSO is worth the cost, Nintendo is offering a brand-new deal that will net you with a free month of the service at no added cost. This comes at a rather convenient time, as Nintendo Switch Online's price hikes have made the service even more costly for users in specific regions. Of course, there is a slight catch, as those interested in grabbing the free month will need to do so rather quickly. Back in June, Nintendo unveiled a brand-new deal for Nintendo Switch Online, which gave prospective purchasers an entire month of the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack completely for free if they decided to go all-in on a 12-month subscription. Ostensibly, this gave users 13 months for the price of 12, a deal that, while not mind-blowing, is certainly worthwhile for those already contemplating picking it up. The deal also applies to existing users, who can simply upgrade to the Expansion Pack tier or buy an additional month on top of whatever is left of their current subscription. The Expansion Pack tier, for those on the original Switch, comes with Nintendo 64 games, GBA titles, Virtual Boy games, SEGA Mega Drive titles, and the aforementioned DLC. For Switch 2 owners, the NSO Expansion Pack tier also adds free upgrades for select titles, including Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, as well as all currently available and soon-to-be-added GameCube games. Really, this tier should appeal to those interested in checking out the back catalog of Nintendo titles, as that is where the majority of the value comes from. To qualify for the free month, users must purchase a 12-month individual or family membership of the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack tier. This deal can be accessed via Nintendo's official website, but those interested must act quickly, as it ends in just one day on July 28, 2026. That shouldn't pressure prospective buyers into purchasing it, however, as these kinds of deals including free months of NSO roll around every so often. Additionally, even with the recent price hikes, a month of NSO + Expansion Pack would cost around $4. Of course, a single month can't be purchased individually, but the added value users are getting isn't substantial enough to warrant impulsively buying it. Regardless, it's a great option for those already looking to renew their subscription or have been carefully considering purchasing one for some time. The added month gives those interested in checking out the older Nintendo titles even more time to sink their teeth into them, which may be necessary for some, as there's quite a few of these games available. As Nintendo plans to add even more to Nintendo Switch Online over the coming month, now is definitely not a bad time to jump onboard. Brand Nintendo Original Release Date March 3, 2017 Original MSRP (USD) $299.99, ¥29,980, £279.99, €329.99 Operating System Proprietary, codenamed Horizon Storage 32 - 64 GB, expandable via microSD VR Support No