Cloud Saves erased if Nintendo Switch Online Subscription expires

Cloud Saves erased if Nintendo Switch Online Subscription expires

Nintendo provided further details about the Nintendo Switch Online service during the Nintendo Direct presentation. One thing that has been spotted with regards to cloud saves is that once your subscription expires, or you cancel it, you will lose you cloud saves and they will simply be erased.

What does the competition do?

Sony locks its cloud saves behind the Playstation+ membership. But then they are kept for roughly 6 months. Microsoft even offers free cloud saves without an Xbox Live subscription.

So the takeaway on our end is; you’ll need to keep your Nintendo Switch Online subscription up if you want to keep your saves backed up online otherwise you will lose your cloud saves. Wonderful Nintendo … sigh.

Nintendo on Cloud Saves

Q. After my Nintendo Switch Online subscription expires, will my Save Data Cloud files and Nintendo Entertainment System – Nintendo Switch Online save data be erased?

A. Save data stored with Save Data Cloud cannot be kept outside of the duration of your Nintendo Switch Online membership. Nintendo Entertainment System – Nintendo Switch Online also uses the Save Data Cloud, so the same applies. However, if you keep the Nintendo Entertainment System – Nintendo Switch Online save data saved locally on your Nintendo Switch console, then you can use it again if you purchase another membership.


Well … this is something to really worry about to be honest. So Cloud Saves is kinda like us buying it for nothing? To be honest only Microsoft is doing a good job when it comes to this. Because we are living in friggin 2018 … and we have to pay to have a crummy cloud save. Nintendo where is you innovation spirit now?