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Nintendo Switch Cloud Save Data Disappears If You Cancel Subscription (arstechnica.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the public-service-announcement dept.

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: Nintendo Switch game save data stored in the cloud is only available "as long as you have an active Nintendo Switch Online membership." If you eventually cancel the $20/year subscription, Nintendo is "unable to guarantee that cloud save data will be retained after an extended period of time from when your membership is ended." That wrinkle in Nintendo's plan was not included in the details of yesterday's Nintendo Direct presentation, but it can be found digging through the FAQs and customer support pages on Nintendo's website this morning. On the plus side, Nintendo clarified that you will be able to transfer cloud-based saves between Switch systems just by signing in with your Nintendo account on as many consoles as you want. But Nintendo also said it will continue not allowing local backups of save data to an SD card or other outside storage. UPDATE: It's worth noting that cloud saves on PlayStation systems remain accessible for six months after you cancel a paid PlayStation Plus account, while cloud saves on Xbox Live are offered for free in perpetuity.

5 of 71 comments (clear)

  1. Yeah, and? by Desler · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Why would any expect Nintendo (or any company) to continue to store your data when you stopped paying for the service?

    1. Re:Yeah, and? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

      The rub here is that Nintendo disallows local storage, something that Sony and Microsoft both allow. This changes cloud storage from what it should be used for, i.e. one of multiple backup options that is handy when it is available, into "the basket in which all my eggs are stored." And you're renting the basket.

    2. Re:Yeah, and? by StormReaver · · Score: 2

      If they are not, then this article is FUD.

      No it's not. Just because all the bad actors act the same doesn't make the bad behavior any better. They all still suck.

      I still have saved games from 15 years ago on my hard drive, and sometimes I still play those old games from time to time. And I don't have to pay someone in perpetuity for them. This article is yet another reminder of who owns your data when you store them on someone else's machine.

  2. So in other words.. by CptLoRes · · Score: 4, Insightful

    They are holding your save data hostage for money.

  3. No local save, no thanks by fox171171 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I find the thing people are ignoring, and yet is the most important thing, is:

    But Nintendo also said it will continue not allowing local backups of save data to an SD card or other outside storage.

    I see no reason to ever own such a device. After hearing that, I wouldn't use a Nintendo Switch if someone gave me one.