Nintendo has confirmed that the Switch won’t feature any multimedia functionality when it launches on March 3.
We already knew the Switch won’t have Netflix at launch, and now we know it won’t have anything at launch. Nintendo has confirmed that multimedia functionality isn’t something Switch will launch with. That means no Hulu Plus, Amazon Prime Instant Video, HBO Go/Now, Spotify, Pandora, or any other streaming media service. Due to its reliance on game cards, we already know it won’t support any physical media.
Nintendo confirmed this in an interview with Kotaku. Nintendo said that Switch is a gaming platform first, and that’s what they’re focused on. While the system won’t support this functionality at launch, it may in the future.
This lack of functionality puts the Switch in direct competition with iPads, iPhones, and other smart devices when users are on the go. With only limited space in a carry-on, users will now have to choose whether they want console quality gaming, or their multimedia. Nintendo could have made this an easy choice by incorporating multimedia into Switch, but it looks like that ship has sailed. It’s especially baffling since the Wii U had almost all of these platforms on it. Heck, even the 3DS has this kind of support. Not to mention that the Switch’s console competition, the PS4 and Xbox One, have all of these services and more. Hopefully the likes of Netflix, Hulu Plus, and other services make their way to the Switch sooner than later.
Nintendo Switch is out March 3 worldwide.
