Nintendo has made a significant change to Nintendo Switch Online after an investigation into auto-renewal practices by the Competition and Markets Authority. The service will no longer have automatic renewal set as the default option, and users will now need to turn it on manually.
Michael Grenfell, executive director of enforcement at the CMA, stated:
“As a result of our investigations, a number of changes have been made across this sector to protect customers and help tackle concerns about auto-renewing subscriptions. Today’s announcement therefore concludes our investigations into the online video gaming sector. Companies in other sectors which offer subscriptions that auto-renew should review their practices to ensure they comply with consumer protection law.”
Nintendo is not the only one making changes, as earlier this year, Microsoft worked to provide new terms to more clearly display information on a membership to Xbox Game Pass, including pricing, how to cancel, and how to get a refund. Sony has also made changes as PlayStation Plus subscribers will now be contacted and reminded about how to cancel their subscription if they haven’t used the service for a while, and Sony will end payments if users don’t cancel but aren’t actively using it.