Nintendo says Virtual Console isn’t coming to Switch — but don’t worry

Nintendo announced details around its upcoming Nintendo Switch Online service Monday night and soon after confirmed that there is no plan for the Virtual Console to come to the Switch.

“There are currently no plans to bring classic games together under the Virtual Console banner as has been done on other Nintendo systems," a Nintendo spokesperson said Tuesday.

That doesn't sound like great news for fans of classic games, but fear not, because Nintendo isn't going to just forget about classic games like that. As a part of its online services, Nintendo announced that it will be giving subscribers access to a bunch of classic NES games at launch with more games to be added regularly.

When the service launches in September, Nintendo Switch Online subscribers will be able to play 20 NES games, including classics like The Legend of Zelda, Super Mario Bros., and Donkey Kong. It's not exactly the robust list that the Virtual Console boasts on the Wii U or 3DS, but that doesn't mean Nintendo is abandoning its lineup of classics.

For one, Nintendo will be adding more NES games to the Switch's online service regularly, which currently sounds like it's going to work sort of like Netflix and allow subscribers to have access to any game they like without any extra cost beyond the subscription price. There's no saying the service won't expand to SNES games, but that remains to be seen.

Even if online subcribers don't get every game they want through the service, there are already a handful of classic games in the Nintendo Switch eshop. The Arcade Archives line of games has put out several classic games like the arcade versions of Punch-Out!!! and Double Dragon, and King of Fighters and Metal Slug from the Neo Geo among other titles. More classic games are likely to follow.

The only thing that will officially not be coming over to the Switch is the title of "Virtual Console," which could mean that your past virtual console purchases won't ever be transferrable to the Switch, which is a bummer, but it's not the end of the world.