Nintendo Switch Online Expands: GameCube Classics and New Features Arrive with Nintendo Switch 2 Launch

With the highly anticipated launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 on June 5, 2025, Nintendo is ushering in a new era for its online platform, Nintendo Switch Online.

This significant update brings a host of exclusive features, expanded classic game libraries, and enhancements designed to elevate the experience for both existing and new members.

Expanding the Nintendo Classics Library – GameCube Arrives Nintendo Switch Online, now rebranded as Nintendo Classics, will soon offer an extensive collection of titles from the beloved Nintendo GameCube era.

Subscribers to the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack can look forward to playing acclaimed games such as The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, F-ZERO GX, and SOULCALIBUR II on the new Nintendo Switch 2 hardware.

Additional titles are set to join the library in the future, each featuring options like retro screen filters and widescreen enhancements to preserve the nostalgia while utilizing modern visuals. Authenticity is a key focus for Nintendo's rollout.

To offer players an experience closer to the original GameCube gameplay, a wireless controller modeled after the classic Nintendo GameCube controller will be available exclusively from the My Nintendo Store for Switch Online members.

This accessory aims to provide fans with tactile familiarity on new hardware while remaining entirely optional for those who prefer standard controllers. GameChat: Open Access and Ongoing Benefits For those who enjoy multiplayer experiences, GameChat—Nintendo's integrated voice chat service—will be accessible without a Switch Online membership during the GameChat Open-Access Period, which runs until the end of March 2026.

After this date, continued use of GameChat will require an active Nintendo Switch Online membership, further underscoring the value of ongoing subscription benefits. Upgrade Packs for The Legend of Zelda Series In a notable new benefit, Expansion Pack members on Nintendo Switch 2 will receive complimentary upgrade packs for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.

These exclusive Nintendo Switch 2 Editions unlock enhanced versions of these critically acclaimed titles at no extra cost, provided players already own the corresponding Nintendo Switch games. Redesign and Renaming: Nintendo Switch App Nintendo has also announced key changes to its mobile software.

The Nintendo Switch Online smart device app will soon become the Nintendo Switch app, supporting voice chat and game-specific features for titles such as Splatoon 3 and Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

On the Nintendo Switch 2, users can utilize GameChat for voice communication in both exclusive and compatible games without the need for the app.

The updated app introduces "ZELDA NOTES," a new service designed to assist players during their quests in the upgraded Zelda titles, and now supports seamless access to up to 100 of your latest screenshots and video captures for easy sharing. Importantly, the new Nintendo Switch app will be available to all Nintendo Account holders, independent of Switch Online membership, broadening access to important social and sharing features across the Nintendo community. A New Chapter for Nintendo Switch Online The Nintendo Switch 2's arrival, alongside these major Nintendo Switch Online improvements—including the introduction of GameCube classics, enhanced GameChat, Nintendo Classics, and new upgrade packs—signals a substantial leap forward for Nintendo's digital ecosystem.

Both longtime fans and newcomers have much to anticipate as Nintendo continues to deliver fresh content and features for its dedicated player base.

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