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.

Source

 

[DarthDub]

Is this really news? I'm seeing conflictions here..

 

[Bladexdsl]

there's 2 threads about this now which one is getting closed? the other one was made 1st

 

[Slattz]

I feel like that quote was taken really out of context, it doesn't really confirm if they will be locked to a console or not.

 

[Chary]

https://www.destructoid.com/eshop-downloads-on-the-switch-won-t-be-console-locked-419346.phtml

Eh...Guys.,,,

That's just as vague. It still could be tied to a per system basis, just with a different method of redownloading games.

Clickbait. Thanks for wasting my time OP! Why on earth is this on the front page?

Nothing confirmed or denied.

Oh, go calm yourself.

Nintendo: "unfortunately I can’t provide any concrete answer for you right now."
Chary: you guys! games are still locked to your account!!!!
gbatemp: *cancels preorder*
Me: but...but...nobody said anything about actual consoles or accounts on that thing???

then why is there a big Temp article saying 'Nintendo games cannot be used on multiple consoles at the same time' when Nintendo has said nothing to that effect? This isn't news.

The guy in the video asks if a person will be have to buy multiple digital copies between two systems. The person in question responds that there is no method for this. Logically, going off this, it implies that there will not a way to use your account on other systems. He sounds like he's asking to be able to buy a game, and then allow people to download it to other switches. Much like how Steam lets you. It could also mean no game sharing, and even then, that's still a feature supported by other competitors. Granted, listening to the audio over the transcript again, the interviewer totally botches his phrasing. And I will admit I should have listened to that a bit more closely. That being said, I'm usually wary with what news I publish. If you honestly feel triggered by the vague content, then I apologize, I'm only trying to inform, as you can see by literally every other post I've made here in the past few years. I've not done any sort of clickbait here, only going over what appears to be true. If people are legitimately cancelling their preorders over this, that's hilarious. But we know Nintendo at this point, its not unwarranted to believe that they are incapable of common sense when it comes to online.

If you look at Ars Technica, they published the same story, with the caveat that they currently have their own Switch demo unit to test out. They seem quite certain of it, and they went ahead with the article, leading me to think they have some sort of inside knowledge. You can read that article here.

My Nintendo News also wrote up an article as well, though they are a smaller publication, so theirs does not hold as much credence.

 

[Tigran]

My only problem with the article... is I still didn't fully understand the guy's question, or the response fully. But I figured it would be one system at a time type deal.

 

[Taleweaver]

That being said, I'm usually wary with what news I publish. If you honestly feel triggered by the vague content, then I apologize, I'm only trying to inform, as you can see by literally every other post I've made here in the past few years.

I already knew of your reporting skills, and you absolutely do a good job of reporting things. Granted, I initially thought you drew conclusions too fast, but seeing how other sources bring this as well gives this more credibility.

Unfortunately, both arstechnica and nintendo news also draw conclusions based on nothing but the same question and answer. Seeing how that answer is apparently also translated (from Japanese, I guess), I'd say there's a reasonable chance that the question got misunderstood (seeing how CrazyDopeTastic asks "If I buy a game, will they be able to play?", it's not too farfetched that Takahashi assumed that CDT wants to have multiple people playing at the same time with just one copy).

 

[Meteor7]

Nintendo... I was off about getting the switch but this just guarantees I won't get it soon. I feel like they wish to fail or something. Dumb business decisions and all. I had hope..

With this new turn as well as everything else considered, it really feels like Nintendo has no idea what they're doing and are dooming what should be good products. With how viciously they attack homebrew/mods and the Youtubers that cover them (or any nintendo content at all, but that's nothing new) as well as fan games, it seems like lately Nintendo had decided to take the dictator's approach: stop what you don't like via oppression, and they're poised to quickly lose all customer affection and loyalty if they keep this up. I thought the Switch would save Nintendo as a company, I really did, but lately I've been wondering if I'd truly be upset if they went bankrupt at this point.

 

[Clydefrosch]

why exactly would i be able to buy a game once and play it on 5 consoles simulaneously?

 

[LichbannMejolaro]

why exactly would i be able to buy a game once and play it on 5 consoles simulaneously?

Game sharing

 

[StarTrekVoyager]

Errr, being able to play a game on several consoles while buying it only once is something called illegal copies/piracy. Of course Nintendo won't allow that.

 

[tri_fin]

Still think this is click food as this is obviously an emotive issue and whilst I suspect what you are saying will be true I do think the posting is out of line. I guess expect more from this site?

 

[LongLiveTheKing]

I hope it would be like psn where you can have your stuff on more than one console. I gameshare with my twin brother it is really the only perk to going digital and if you own more than one console.

 

[LichbannMejolaro]

Errr, being able to play a game on several consoles while buying it only once is something called illegal copies/piracy. Of course Nintendo won't allow that.

Well, I'm not that sure that it is piracy.

I have 2 PS4s in my house and my brother and I just have to buy a digital game once to play on both consoles at the same time. You may call it piracy, but Sony allows it.

 

[Westwoodo]

Eh nintendo are always late to the party.

 

[Gourmet]

If you guys only knew how many digital games were ilegally sold in Brazil and other gray markets because of account shares, both PSN and Live, you'd understand.

 

[StarTrekVoyager]

Anyways, who is really going to buy two Switches? A feature like this would be only used for illlegal purposes.

 

[Arras]

Eh. As long as purchases are tied to the account and I can remotely deactivate the old console and redownload everything onto a new one if I ever break/lose it, that's all I need, and I don't think this answer implies anything in that regard. The account sharing features I've never used. I guess it's useful in a very specific setup? The switch already mitigates some of this by being able to just bring it with you, anyway.

 

[dragonjud]

Errr, being able to play a game on several consoles while buying it only once is something called illegal copies/piracy. Of course Nintendo won't allow that.

Apple devices, Microsoft devices, Sony devices for the last 10 years have allowed the buyer of digital content to use such content at the same time (yes the same time) on multiple devices. Everybody knows Nintendo still refuses, but Nintendo fan boys are the most blind in the entire industry. So, yes, go on believing that it is illegal and buying the same game multiple times...

The only reason you are mad now is because all 'Nintendo officials' were going with the 'we have nothing to announce at this time' bs. Instead, this guy went off script and told the truth which is: 'No, day one you cannot do this, and rethinking it will depend on how many sheep we can get to follow along with the old method.'

 

[StarTrekVoyager]

Are you really going to buy two Switches? I mean, nobody's going to do that, unless they're stupidly rich.

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Oh, and the article doesn't even give a proof of that, it wrongly interpretes someone saying "I dunno"

 

[Sheikah Impa]

Is this really surprising? Game sharing is a bit looked upon these last two gens. I don't know about xbone, but ps4 has gotten a bit strict with it too. At least your purchases are tired to your account.