Nintendo’s newest Fiscal Year Ending March 2021: Corporate Management Policy Briefing summary has been released in English, and it has a rather striking update regarding Nintendo Switch Online subscribers. While one of the last updates put the service at 15 million subscribers around January 2020, the new figure is 26 million. And, based on the image and data, it seems to be Animal Crossing: New Horizon’s “fault.”
First, the last count came up during the Corporate Management Policy Briefing: Nine Months Financial Results Briefing for Fiscal Year Ending March 2020. The service was only briefly mentioned there, with Nintendo noting at the time that there were over 15 million paid subscribers. As shown by the latest graph, this bump came after Pokemon Sword and Shield were released.
However, the most substantial surge comes on the graph after Animal Crossing: New Horizons. As the game requires an online membership to visit with other people or share designs made at the Able Sisters’ shop, it seems to have influenced and push the numbers up past 26 million.
As part of the statement about it, there was a confirmation that Nintendo will continue to release compatible and “attractive” titles. Most recently, Donkey Kong Country 2 and Mario’s Super Picross were revealed as Nintedno Switch Online September 2020 additions. Super Mario Bros 35 will be a new, free battle royale game for Nintendo Switch Online subscribers when it launches in October 2020.
Nintendo Switch Online is $19.99 for a one year single-person membership and $34.99 for a family plan for a year.
