Nintendo has begun charging Switch users to play games online under a new subscription initiative.
Nintendo Switch Online is the company's answer to Microsoft's XBox Live and Sony's PS Plus, and allows gamers to compete against each other anywhere in the world via a wireless connection.
Here's everything you need to know.
What is Nintendo Switch Online?
The Switch, the Japanese consumer electronics giant's seventh major console, was first launched in March 2017.
A "hybrid" device, it can be used like a tablet or docked to connect to a television.
Switch Online is a pre-existing feature enabling users to access the internet to engage in multiplayer matches and buy and download games from Nintendo eShops.
But, as of 19 September, you will have to buy a membership to take advantage of it.
How much does it cost and how can I get the best deal?
An Individual Membership costs £3.49 for one month, £6.99 for three months or £17.99 for a year. That's half the price of its competitors.
A seven-day trial is on offer but engaging in it requires you to enter your bank details anyway and you have to manually opt-out to avoid automatically being charged for a paid subscription when your free week is up.
Alternatively, you can buy a Family Membership, which accommodates up to eight accounts for just £31.49 a year, an absolute steal in anybody's book.
What do you get for your money and is it worth the price?
It is if you value the online experience. Games you were previously able to play via the web like Mario Kart 8, Mario Tennis Aces and Splatoon 2 will no longer offer that feature without a subscription.
While the functionality of such games does not appear to have been enhanced in tandem with the introduction of the new paywall, your subscription will give you access to several new features.
These include the ability to save data on the cloud, a smartphone app offering voice chat, access to a suite of vintage NES games and exclusive member offers.
The cloud saving is potentially a major boost, meaning your progress won't be lost even if the device itself is lost, stolen or damaged, but is not compatible with big titles like Dark Souls Remastered, Dead Cells, FIFA 19 or NBA 2K19, nor will it be with the forthcoming Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!
Those NES games though... The feature promises access to such retro delights as Super Mario Brothers 1 and The Legend of Zelda.
The member's offers, incidentally, include a deal for a pair of first-generation NES controllers at £49.99, enabling you to properly enjoy those vintage titles in the proper fashion once the devices are launched in December.
