When we relay news to you about the retro game libraries on Nintendo Switch Online, it is usually because Nintendo added more games. They have been doing that every month for a good while now, and it’s likely that it will happen again within the next week or two. Unfortunately, for the first time in Nintendo Switch Online’s history, the opposite is going to happen.
Nintendo of Japan’s official social media has announced that Super Soccer is going to be removed from the SNES Nintendo Switch Online library in Japan on March 28th. For now, it is only in Japan. It is worth noting, however, that the game is also available in western regions. It is not out of the realm of possibility that the game may suffer the same fate in the west too. If so, we’ll let you know. For now, you can see a social media post relaying the news down below.
[NSO – SNES]
— OatmealDome (@OatmealDome) February 28, 2025
Super Soccer will be removed from the service on Mar 28 at 1 am UTC.
While this has only been announced in Japan so far (as of this tweet), the game is also available in the West, so it might get removed over here as well. https://t.co/HVr9RpGdAq
That’s new right? Is this the first time a game was removed without prior warning beforehand? Did a license end or something? Will Rare games eventually be pulled if Nintendo doesn’t eventually renew their agreement with Microsoft for example?
“Without prior warning” What are you talking about? 🤨 It says in this very article you’re commenting on, that the game will be removed on march 28th.
I’m talking about how Nintendo has removed content before. Like Mario 3D All-Stars and the Mario 35 online game. They told us before those games even launched that they would only be available for a limited time. This time, they never said that any game from the online service could be taken down and now we’re getting a notice after its been available on the platform.
There’s a difference as one gave us plenty of warning, letting the audience know ahead of time that the game isn’t always going to be available. The online store on the other hand, Nintendo never said they might take down retro games available (to my knowledge) and now they seem to be changing that. Sure they’re giving us a heads up before it happens, but its not the same thing. They should have made it clear when they announced the service that this could happen.
You’re back tracking now and making a mountain out of a molehill.
This has nothing to do with limited time release. The article clearly stated this will happen. With notice…at a later date.
Dude, it’s still a concern regardless of whether or not Nintendo gives us prior warning. Don’t be so pedantic over his initial phrasing.
@CosmicTornado – It’s not pedantic to point out inaccuracies. ChaosInvoker initially claimed this game was removed “without prior warning” which is false (probably didn’t read properly).
Then they shifted to compare different scenarios (limited releases vs. subscription content removal).
The concern about games potentially leaving NSO is valid, but the original comment misrepresented the situation. Nintendo is giving advance notice here, which is the standard practice for subscription services.
I’m not back tracking, I’m clarifying my statement (do you even know what backtracking is? Its when you’re changing what you said prior. I meant what I said the first time, just didn’t do an excellent job clearly explaining what I meant so I reworded it in my follow-up post, so there’s a difference).
And I am concerned about this for a good reason. People paid money for these classic games. What happens when Nintendo doesn’t renew the arrangement with Rare and a game like Banjo Kazooie leaves the platform and people that paid for the online service just to play that game lose their money because Nintendo failed to communicate that games could be removed? I think it would irritate more people than you want to believe. Now, realistically I don’t think they’d take a game as popular as Banjo Kazooie off the platform without a big notice way ahead of time, but who knows? This kind of terrible practice is becoming common with our digital world where people pay for something and it gets removed and those people are just out the money.
I’m not backtracking at all! I meant every word every post. Seriously, reread my posts, they all line up with what I’m saying, I just never thought I had to elaborate so much. But apparently I need to spell it out for you why this is an issue. They’re giving a one month notice. They literally just announced that the game comes down one month after the notice went up. People that pay for the service get the online service for one full year. If someone pays for the whole year to play a specific game, and lets say for example 2 months into that year a notice says the game will be removed and by the third month it does get removed, that paid customer just wasted their money. Why can’t you see the problem with that?
and so it begins
Wonderful..
Ah, I was wondering how Nintendo was going to keep the catalog restocked with the limited pool of games that exist. Looks like they’ve found a “solution.”
Since this is a third party game, this removal is almost certainly due to Spike Chunsoft and not Nintendo.
You’re probably right, and I hope you are.
Brilliant.
Maybe most Rare games are still safe given Microsoft’s current stance on bringing their games to other platforms, but Goldeneye is definitely gonna get chopped eventually for sure
Maybe it’s about licence, but I don’t want Nintendo to delete games from Nintendo Switch Online. Too few retro games are available to play legally, and I don’t want Nintendo to decrease this rate.
You will own nothing and you will be happy
It’s always morally correct
I have a very wild theory that is probably completely wrong, but…
Are they removing it because the goalkeeper on the box art looks like Trump? And he’s… definitely someone who never deserves anything good or nice to happen to anymore? If the box art for the Japanese version is different then my whole theory is destroyed, but I can’t find anything that suggests the box art is different.
just looked it up and no. the jap box art is just a picture of a real japanese dude catching a football
https://gamesdb.launchbox-app.com/games/images/5893-super-soccer
Ah, I did not find that, thanks.
Does anyone think it is has to do with Sony buying the company that owns Spike Chunsoft? I swear there was a rumor about that.
By the way, all Super Soccer mentions have been scrubbed from Nintendo of America’s website.
Sony owns 10% shares in the Kadokawa Corporation. So maybe.
Confirmed to be leaving on the Switch Online application overseas. Check for yourself.
I like how everyone seems upset about a game they’ve probably never played or even heard of before is leaving the service.