Nintendo's new Switch Online service is slated to be released in the second half of September, but we still know very few details about how the service will operate. The delayed Nintendo Direct will probably share more details on the service, but one thing we do know is that developers will have to opt-in to the cloud saves service.
This seems counter-intuitive, since the whole point of paying for an online service that offers cloud saves is to make sure all of your data is in the cloud should your Switch get stolen or need repairs. According to an update on Nintendo Life, developers must tick a box when submitting games to Nintendo to decide whether to support cloud saves. Games that have already been released will need to issue an update to support cloud saves.
Because the feature is opt-in, physical games will begin including a logo on the back of the case that says whether or not the game supports cloud saves. You can see an example of this in the tweet below. The Japanese text reads, "Compatible with Save Data Cloud Backup of Nintendo Switch Online."
薄桜鬼買ってきたんだが、気になる表記が。『｢NintendoSwitchOnline｣の｢セーブデータお預かり｣に対応しています。』か… pic.twitter.com/RzeQxqZIpt
— みのり (@MIN428) September 6, 2018
Consider supporting Ninty Today by using our Amazon link to buy anything you need. We'll get a small cut of the sale that goes toward keeping you informed about the hottest Nintendo news and it helps keep the site ad-free.