Nintendo confirms you’ll have to pay a monthly or yearly fee to use the Switch 2’s C button once the free trial period is up

Nintendo has verified that users will be required to pay to utilize the Switch 2‘s built-in voice chat and screen-sharing features, effectively rendering the C button unnecessary unless you subscribe to Nintendo Switch Online for an additional $20 per year.

If you missed the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct announcement, let me bring you up to speed. The enigmatic C button truly activates the device’s chat capabilities. Much like Discord, you can join group audio calls, share your screen so friends can see your gameplay, and even use a camera that can overlay your face on the screen. It’s an impressive feature and means you won’t need any third-party apps for effective multiplayer gameplay. However, there’s a significant catch. Once the complimentary period ends on March 31, 2026, you will only be able to enjoy this service if you are subscribed to Nintendo Switch Online.

Considering that Nintendo is currently facing a plethora of calls to “reduce the price” of its remarkably pricey Mario Kart World, which retails for $80, this seems like a rather greedy move. Fortunately, other forthcoming Switch 2 titles are not nearly as costly.

In a discussion with Polygon, Vice President of Player and Product Experience Bill Trinen mentioned that if you press the C button without an NSO membership: “You will be introduced to the NSO subscription there and get a glimpse of some of the features.” So, unless you pay, you have a button that simply points you to an advertisement on the console you’re already spending $450 on.

Trinen further states that the chat feature is “integral to the overall platform experience,” and “NSO is truly a vital part of the Nintendo Switch 2 experience,” which, to me, only makes it more unbelievable that it isn’t provided for free.

PS5 and Xbox Series X|S players also have to pay to access most multiplayer games, which has unfortunately become an industry standard for console gaming — but they can still utilize all chat functions without any additional charges.

In the meantime, check out the best free games you can play to save some money.