The NSO Expansion Pack is expensive because of licensing costs

Many fans were left shocked and disappointed at the announced price for the Nintendo Switch Online’s Expansion Pack. Normally costing £17.99 per-year, the Expansion Pack doubles that price while simply adding N64 and SEGA Mega Drive games. According to one insider however, the added costs actually come from SEGA being given a great deal of money for the licensing of its games.

The biggest benefit to the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack is the fact that the service adds a number of Nintendo 64 and – surprisingly – SEGA Mega Drive games. Doing so however has doubled the cost of Nintendo’s subscription service from £17.99 a year to £34.99 (or £59.99 for a family membership), putting it in line with the likes of PlayStation Plus.

Considering the fact that these games are simply emulated versions, the added costs may seem too steep for what is being offered. According to Nintendo leaker Emily Rogers however, “Licensing costs are likely main culprit behind NSO expansion's bold price. I heard Sega were paid very, very well. This is notable because Sega weren't big fans of Wii's VC service due to low sales, revenue split, and lack of marketing. Hence why Sega didn't support Wii U VC.”

SEGA reportedly isn't the only one being compensated either, with Konami, Capcom and more also being paid handsomely for the inclusion of their games. While an understandable cost increase for Nintendo, it does beg the question as to whether licensing these titles will ultimately be worth it. With such high subscription costs and such a relatively weak library announced so far (Sonic 2 being the only Sonic game available), it will be interesting to see how many Switch owners actually subscribe to the Expansion Pack.

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KitGuru says: What do you think of the price? Is it worth it in your opinion? How can they make the service more enticing? Let us know down below.

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