Nintendo Switch 2 gamepad will feature a new paid button

The presentation of the new Nintendo Switch 2 console sparked discussions, in particular about the high cost of games, and the Game Chat feature with the new C button.

This was reported by Mobidevices.

What's wrong with the C button in Nintendo Switch 2

During the large-scale Direct event, Nintendo representatives demonstrated a new C button located on the right Joy-Con and designed exclusively for Game Chat. It allows you to communicate with friends and share your gaming achievements with them in real time.

However, the company left out an important nuance: to use the C Button and its chat, you must have an active Nintendo Switch Online subscription. The free period for using the feature will end on March 31, 2026. After that, you will need to pay $19.99 per year for Nintendo Switch Online (NSO) to maintain access to Game Chat. If you don't have a subscription, the C Button is effectively useless.

According to Nintendo's Vice President of Player Experience and Products Bill Trinen, the cost of the C button is justified because Game Chat is considered part of the overall user experience of the platform. He also emphasized the importance of the NSO subscription for the Nintendo Switch 2 ecosystem.

In addition, Trinen spoke about some new advantages of the console: in particular, Switch 2 owners will be able to access classic GameCube games, as well as free updates for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom.

As a reminder, Elon Musk decided to once again show off his gaming skills and Starlink stability as he simultaneously livestreamed playing Path of Exile 2 and slowly progressed through the initial stages of the game.

We also wrote that mobile gaming has taken a big step forward thanks to cloud technologies and improved performance of smartphones and tablets.