Apparently, the Nintendo Switch will delete your Cloud Backup when your online subscription ends

Although the much-requested cloud backup system arrives on Switch, there is apparently a big advantage. If you stop paying for an online subscription to your switch, Nintendo will not retain your backup data and it will be deleted.

According to a FAQ page on the Nintendo website, "Save data stored with Save Data Cloud can not be stored outside the duration of your Nintendo Switch Online subscription." Nintendo then adds that if you keep your backup data "locally on your Nintendo Switch console, you can reuse it if you buy another subscription."

So, if you buy a subscription, it may be in your best interest to also keep the most important game data on your console, because in case of problems with your subscription, you will probably lose your backups. It should also be noted that not all games support cloud backups – like Pokemon, let's go Pikachu! / Eevee and Splatoon 2 – depending on what you play. .

Nintendo's online membership can be continually maintained through automatic renewal. All subscriptions will be automatically renewed unless you select the "Terminate Automatic Renewal" option in the account information settings. Renewal rates are determined by your last online purchase. If you buy a 3-month subscription and you buy one for 12 months, your account will automatically renew every 12 months.

The FAQ page details some other clarifications of other services related to Nintendo Switch Online membership. If you play in an online party with a group that uses voice chat, you will not be automatically added to the voice chat group. You will be asked in advance if you want to participate in the group's voice chat when you join the party for the first time. In addition, you only need one online membership for your Switch family of consoles, as long as all your consoles are linked to the same account.