- The app’s overall design has been updated
- You can now see which of your friends are online
- You can change your online-status settings
- You can view your friend code
- Other minor changes have also been implemented
The Switch Online app now reserves a prominent role for Switch friends. You can directly see which friends are online, what they are playing, and how long they played that software. This update makes it easier to see which friends are available for online play on your mobile phone. As such, you won’t need to constantly hold on to the Switch device to check. The update also lets players put themselves in incognito mode. The most prominent quality of life update is the immediate ability to share your friend code through other messaging services. Although this eliminates the tedious process of manually typing the code or reading it out loud, the other still has to input the friend code manually.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNsGXJ6Cl00
Since its launch in 2017, the update has been the largest one to the Switch Online app so far. Before the update, the app already featured various services for a select group of games, including Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and Splatoon 2. The app also featured a voice chat service, although this service lacked in quality compared to alternatives like Discord.
The update comes alongside various enhancements and changes that Nintendo conducts in the Switch online experience. Last month, Nintendo added The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask to the ever-expanding catalog of available games for Switch Online + Expansion Pack members. Similarly, last week, Nintendo added a new reward system. Players can redeem ‘My Nintendo Platinum Points,” which they can earn by doing various missions which change every month. With enough platinum points, players can purchase a variety of vanity items, including custom frames, backgrounds, and characters for their Nintendo Switch profile picture.
The app is available for tablets and mobile devices running at least Android 6.0 or iOS 12.
