Digital Nintendo Switch games potentially cannot be shared, locked to one console at a time

NintendoSwitch_hardware_Console_05-1.jpg

If you were hoping Nintendo had finally decided to step into the modern era of online purchases, you might be disappointed to hear that, according to a Q&A session at the NYC Nintendo World Store, digital Switch games will only be able to be played on one system at a time, and that multiple purchases will be needed to play your digital games on separate consoles. The context of this comes from a YouTuber asking Nintendo's GM of Planning and Development, Shinya Takahashi, if a Nintendo Account's digital games could be shared between two Switch consoles. The response is as follows:

Consumer: “If I want to take my system with me… if I were to buy a digital game, could I buy it once, or would I have to buy it multiple times so they can use those games?”

Takahashi: “Currently we don’t have a system like that in place for Nintendo Switch, but we haven’t made any final decisions about how we would approach that going forward in the future, so unfortunately I can’t provide any concrete answer for you right now.”

While this doesn't mean games are forever locked to a console, and you will likely be able to use a system transfer feature, this is a much less accessible way compared to how competitors Xbox, PlayStation, and Steam allow consumers to download their titles to multiple systems.

:arrow: Source
 
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Captain_N

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like it matters. its a portable system. bring the system with out. duh. no need to login in to another players switch. stop being lazy. this is not an issue. its good for home based consoles but switch is a portable
 
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Ninty's just doesn't want to learn.
Unless they actually change their minds later



I bet they're doing this because there are people stupid enough to buy the game twice for two switchs. Tsk.
 

nickzero

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It's a good news. Don't take personal, but in some places ( far far away), shared accounts are SOLD like a candy FOR MONEY, for that reason the stores don't sell physical games.
 

spiderman1216

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It's a good news. Don't take personal, but in some places ( far far away), shared accounts are SOLD like a candy FOR MONEY, for that reason the stores don't sell physical games.
Stores won't sell physical games either if we find a way to crack the switch and pirate games, this is just poor on Nintendo's part, MS does this, hell I think even Sony does this. Physical games are a convenient way of not having to download the game with a shitty internet connection, so it wouldn't affect digital stores much to begin with in places far far away. Also you do realize that there are games that aren't sold physically right?, so stores wouldn't be having issues anyway, not to mention in those places far far away those games are most likely used so Nintendo won't be making jack.
 

spiderman1216

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it makes sense imo. people share logins often to avoid purchasing
Couldn't you just switch accounts though. Like I sell you a log in password, so you can get access to my games. Like how does this work?

Also what if the Switch breaks and you have to buy another one, does that mean rebuying the games?
 
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Hozu

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I don't get why everyone seems to be up in arms about not being able to play the digital version of a game on multiple consoles at the same time with merely a single game purchase. You can't do that with physical games. You can take the Switch with you anywhere. You don't lose the purchases if your console dies - you just have to call Nintendo and get your account info transferred over, then redownload your games. What, you want to not have to pay full price for the game by sharing it with someone else who bought it?
 

spiderman1216

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I don't get why everyone seems to be up in arms about not being able to play the digital version of a game on multiple consoles at the same time with merely a single game purchase. You can't do that with physical games. You can take the Switch with you anywhere. You don't lose the purchases if your console dies - you just have to call Nintendo and get your account info transferred over, then redownload your games. What, you want to not have to pay full price for the game by sharing it with someone else who bought it?
I think the reason people are up in arms about is it because it seems like an inconvenience, when Sony, Microsoft, and even Valve do seamless account transfers for example, I used Steam on my old shitty laptop in 2014, when I got my proper desktop and used my account I only had to type in a pass code. For Sony and Microsoft, you can transfer your account to multiple consoles if you see fit, I don't see why Nintendo can't do this, and having to call them up sounds like a hindrance.
 

leon315

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The question was implicit and unclear: the right one should be am I allowed to share my digital purchases through same N account on 2 or more switches??
 
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Ericthegreat

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Nintendo... I was off about getting the switch but this just guarantees I won't get it soon.:hateit: I feel like they wish to fail or something. Dumb business decisions and all. I had hope..
I think they're only going for kids who want to play Mario games, and care less about adult gamers.
 

DSAndi

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Im all up that you cant share gamecartriges as well once you played it in your switch. So when your switch breaks you have to buy a new game cart aswell.
Come on Nintendo do it !
 

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