Does the Nintendo Switch Expansion Pack Last Forever?
No, the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack does not last forever. It is a subscription-based service requiring continual renewal to maintain full access to everything included.
A Look at What You Gain with the Expansion Pack
The Expansion Pack grants access to a growing library of Nintendo 64 & Sega Genesis games spanning many fan-favorite franchises, including:
- The Legend of Zelda (Ocarina of Time, Majora‘s Mask)
- Super Mario (64, World, Yoshi‘s Story)
- Kirby (64: The Crystal Shards, Dream Land 3)
- And over 100 other classics
It also unlocks the Happy Home Paradise paid DLC for Animal Crossing: New Horizons, with design gameplay exceeding over 30 hours by some estimates. Players can let their creativity run wild while redecorating home interiors for island villagers.
Finally, signing up secures the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass. This includes waves of 48 remastered tracks releasing through 2023 and 2024 like Coconut Mall from Mario Kart Wii and a sky-high course themed around The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword.
Costs and Subscription Durations
The Expansion Pack is $49.99 annually for an individual membership or $79.99 for a family plan covering eight accounts. For context, the base-level Nintendo Switch Online runs only $19.99 per year for an individual or $34.99 for a family group.
Subscriptions operate on a 12-month basis. Your exact start and end dates vary according to the initial sign-up date. For example:
| Start Date | End Date |
|---|---|
| January 15, 2023 | January 14, 2024 |
You must manually renew to continue enjoying uninterrupted access. Otherwise, membership benefits deactivate once the year is up.
Weighing the Core Online vs. Expansion Pack Memberships
Here is a comparison showing exactly what you obtain with each Nintendo Switch Online tier:
| Benefit | Core Membership | Expansion Pack |
|---|---|---|
| Online Multiplayer Gaming | Yes | Yes |
| Cloud Save Data Backups | Yes | Yes |
| Exclusive Member Offers | Yes | Yes |
| NES & SNES Game Library | Yes | Yes |
| Nintendo 64 & Genesis Games | No | Yes |
| Happy Home Paradise DLC | No | Yes |
| Mario Kart 8 Booster Pass | No | Yes |
The Expansion Pack essentially piles on an extensive nostalgic back catalog plus substantial DLC. Hardcore fans of Animal Crossing or Mario Kart who want to maximize content may find the extra $30 annual cost justifiable.
More casual players satisfied with multiplayer and classics like Super Mario World could stick to the cheaper base-level membership instead.
Losing Permanent Access After Subscription Lapse
Should an Expansion Pack subscription end, regained access requires resigning up and paying the $49.99 yearly fee again. In the meantime:
- Downloaded N64 & Genesis games become locked and unplayable
- The ability to visit Animal Crossing vacation homes vanishes
- Upcoming Mario Kart 8 tracks getting released cannot download
Even cloud save data could disappear without an active membership. This contrasts a one-time DLC purchase like the Mario Kart 8 Booster Pass, which does not need recurring subscription.
To directly answer the original question – no, the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack does not last indefinitely. It must be continually renewed as a subscription service costing $49.99 annually. Decide whether the extras justify that recurring spend for your needs.
