Pokemon Let's Go Online Functionality Requires Paid Nintendo Online Account

Nintendo Switch Online won't have to wait long for its first acid test.

News by Nadia Oxford, Staff Writer

Updated on 6 June 2018

Pokémon Let's Go Pikachu and Let's Go Eevee will require players to have a Nintendo Switch Online subscription if they want to battle and trade online, The Pokémon Company says. Nintendo also confirms the upcoming Pokémon games will have simplified online features compared to mainline Pokémon releases.

"Battling and trading with other players over the internet or locally will be available in [Let's Go Pikachu and Let's Go Eevee]," a Pokémon Company spokesperson tells Eurogamer. "However, the feature set will be somewhat simplified in comparison to previous games in that there is no GTS [Global Trade System], Wonder Trade, or Battle Spot (Rating Battle, Free Battle, and Online Competition, etc.) for example. Further details will be revealed at a later date."

With a mere 150 Pokemon running around, I guess you don't need Wonder Trade.

The Pokémon Company also confirms "An active membership for the Nintendo Switch Online service will be required" to access online battling and trading in Let's Go Pikachu and Let's Go Eevee.

The Nintendo Switch Online service launches in September, and Pokémon Let's Go Pikachu and Let's Go Eevee are coming on November 16. It's not surprising the online portion of Game Freak's new Kanto adventure requires Nintendo's paid subscription service, but given the popularity of Pokémon, Let's Go Pikachu and Let's Go Eevee might wind up being the first big test for Nintendo Switch Online's stability.

Make sure to check out our guide to everything you need to know about Pokémon Let's Go Pikachu and Let's Go Eevee. Now's a good time to start thinking about who your starter is going to be (hint: Eevee is the right choice).

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Nadia Oxford

Staff Writer

Nadia has been writing about games for so long, only the wind and the rain (or the digital facsimiles thereof) remember her true name. She's written for Nerve, About.com, Gamepro, IGN, 1UP, PlayStation Official Magazine, and other sites and magazines that sling words about video games. She co-hosts the Axe of the Blood God podcast, where she mostly screams about Dragon Quest.

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