Nintendo’s New Family Group Option Doesn’t Seem Limited to Families
Nintendo Switch owners can now create Family Groups ahead of the console’s online services launch in September.
Nintendo Switch Online is a paid service that gives members access to online play, a selection of NES games, cloud saves, and more. A 12-month membership will cost $20 for an individual person or $35 for a family. So, if you have more than one Switch user in a household, the family membership can save you some money. But it also appears that a group of friends could do the same, whether they live together or not.
Starting May 15, up to eight Nintendo accounts (including child ones) can be linked as a family group by heading over to the website. Child accounts created before May 15 are automatically added to your group, according to a Nintendo FAQ translated by Perfectly Nintendo. You can add new members by simply entering their email address and sending them an invite.
Right now, there doesn’t appear to be any restrictions on who you can invite into the Family Group, which means the feature isn’t region-locked. You don’t even have to be family, technically. But, your account can’t be linked to more than one Family Group, according to the Japanese FAQ.
The person who creates the Family Group is considered the admin. You can also set up a specific family member as a guardian who can manage parental controls for any child account in the group, but only members 18 and up can become one. They can’t manage controls for other guardians or the admin. Additionally, all emails associated with child accounts will only go to the person who create it, not to guardians.
Nintendo points out that members of a Family Group can’t share eShop funds, purchase history, or My Nintendo Points.
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