Nintendo’s online Switch services are experiencing an outage when we need them most

Published March 17, 2020

The era of social distancing is going to put a lot of existing systems to the test. Nintendo’s online services for the Switch have been experiencing outages in the U.S. and parts of Europe. The company noted the issues on social media, adding that it’s “looking to rectify the situation as soon as possible.”

The official Network Maintenance Information page noted that it is currently “Unable to connect to the network service.”

Surely not the most dire of situations, though many are no doubt relying on such services to help pass the time, as more and more cities enact bans on gatherings and closures of schools and restaurants to encourage social distance in order to curb COVID-19’s spread. Microsoft’s Xbox Live also experienced a multiple-hour outage over the weekend.

Nintendo is currently readying the system for the release of Animal Crossing: New Horizons. The latest entry in the series looks perfectly positioned to help eat away some hours when it’s released March 20.