Some iPhone and Android users are no longer able to use the Switch Online app

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• The Nintendo Switch Online app no ​​longer supports older versions of iOS and Android, making it optimized for current devices.
• Online multiplayer games like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Splatoon 3 rely on the app for communication, despite mixed reviews.
• Fans are speculating about the app’s future with rumors of a Switch successor coming out in early 2025.

The Nintendo Switch Online the app is phasing out support for older versions of iOS and Android. The mobile app component of Nintendo Switch Online has long been a controversial aspect of the service because it further complicates features like voice chat natively available on rival platforms. Instead of chatting with friends directly from the Switch console or even from a supported third-party app like Discord on the system itself, Nintendo players are forced to download a phone app to communicate with friends while playing online games.

Since many of the best-selling Nintendo Switch games have online multiplayer as a core or prominent feature, countless fans embrace titles like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and Splatoon 3 online regularly. The Nintendo Switch Online app was originally designed to be a hub for these online gaming experiences. Still, mixed reviews on both the App Store and Google Play Store reflect a consensus that the app is a bit of a dud.

As first noted by My Nintendo News, the latest version of the Nintendo Switch Online app (version 2.9.0) will now only support iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch devices running iOS 15.0 or later, and Android devices running Android OS 8.0 or later. The latest iOS version is 17, while the Android OS is now at 14. It should be noted that this phasing out of older operating systems has become standard procedure for gaming apps. Not to mention, iOS 15 has been available since 2021, while Android OS 8 was introduced back in 2017.

The patch notes for the 2.9.0 update also state that “other minor changes have been implemented,” but the app page doesn’t elaborate further. The update comes at a potentially busy time for Nintendo Switch Online, as many players are likely logging in en masse Splatoon 3 7.0.0 update and Side order Launching the DLC.

Outside of the app, it’s already been an interesting year for Nintendo Switch Online. The NSO Expansion Pack has added two acclaimed GBA JRPGs that fans have been asking for for a long time. Not to mention, Nintendo recently shadow-released five different games developed by Rare onto the service.

Fans are probably wondering if the app will stick around when the Switch’s successor is inevitably released. Although the console is still unannounced, the Switch 2 is practically Nintendo’s worst kept secret at the moment. The latest rumors and speculations predict that the new hardware will go on sale in early 2025, so fans could potentially hear something about the console and its networking capabilities in the coming months.

Nintendo Switch Online App Patch Notes Version 2.9.0

• System requirements have been updated to iOS 15.0/Android OS 8.0 or later.
• Other minor changes were introduced.