What you lose when Nintendo Switch Online expires
When your Nintendo Switch Online membership expires, you lose: access to online multiplayer for all Switch games, the NES/SNES/N64/Sega Genesis game libraries included with the membership, cloud save backup for most games (Animal Crossing and a few others have local saves), and any Expansion Pack content if you have the higher tier. Your purchased games and locally-stored game saves are unaffected.
Frequently asked questions
- Will I lose my cloud saves if I cancel Nintendo Switch Online?
- Yes - cloud save access requires an active membership. Download or manually back up important saves before your membership expires. Some games (Animal Crossing: New Horizons, for example) store saves on the cartridge or locally and are unaffected.
- Does canceling affect my Nintendo eShop purchases?
- No. Games you purchased from the eShop are yours permanently. Only the Switch Online service and its included game libraries require an active subscription.