Nintendo Switch Cloud Saves will have a buffer period

When Nintendo Switch Online launched last week, users were quick to spot a potentially concerning detail: it wasn’t clear whether Save Data Cloud files would be able to be restored if an account lapsed.

Most other console online services offer a buffer period to renew online subscriptions, if not offering a fully free cloud save service. But the original wording of the Nintendo Switch Online FAQ made it unclear whether this was going to be the case.

Nintendo, however, added a clarification on its FAQ stating that as long as users resubscribe within six months, their Save Data Cloud files will be restored. The full policy is as follows:

If a Nintendo Switch Online membership expires, users won’t be able to access their Save Data Cloud backups. However, Nintendo will allow users who resubscribe within 180 days to access their previous Save Data Cloud backups.
Classic games in the NES – Nintendo Switch Online collection and the save data for those games will not be removed unless the user chooses to do so manually. These items are stored locally on the Nintendo Switch system but cannot be accessed without an active Nintendo Switch Online membership.

We’ve reached out for comment from Nintendo and will update as necessary.