Rumor: Xbox Game Pass Coming To The Nintendo Switch

We have seen several things throughout 2018 we never thought would ever happen. Cross play available between platforms (even if only for a few games), Nintendo and Microsoft being all buddy buddy with advertisement, Minecraft achievements from Xbox on the Switch, the list continues. But if what is being reported is at all a real thing, it defies all of these.

Game Informer brought up a report from Direct Feed Games, a source they refer to as “an outlet that has a strong track record for rumors especially centering around Nintendo”. The report states that Microsoft is planning to bring their entire Game Pass library to the Switch through the power of streaming and cloud service. I will be honest, I have had a day to process it and it still sounds unreal. Here is that report-

There have already been many substantial rumors about them bringing the Xbox App to the Switch for achievements and Xbox Live communication, so it leads into this narrative. If this is in fact true, I see three parties affected by it, so let’s go down the list.

• Microsoft

If this actually happens, Microsoft can chalk up a huge win with this. They have already showed they have more interest at this point in services and not what box it’s being brought to. If you can bring a huge library to a system that still lags behind its competition (and not in a bad way, it’s just been out for less) that nets you a huge install base that would definitely drop that kind of money? That’s a win win. Not to mention any of the multiplayer games like Player Unknowns Battlegrounds are going to require Xbox Live, so you just captured those dollars as well. There really is not a bad point for Microsoft in this juncture, besides maybe you do not sell an Xbox. But for them, you have associated yourself with one of the hottest consoles out there and expanded you Game Pass and Xbox Live base to over 32 million consoles and it costs you almost nothing.

• Nintendo

Another win for Nintendo mostly. You take a competitor and utilize their market and their resources on your system. I mean, we are talking every major Xbox release like Gears Of War and Halo ending up on the Switch. That is just crazy to think about. I assume Nintendo would also reap a percentage of anyone subscribing on the Switch, but who knows how that deal would play out. In any case you just grew your library at the expense of a competitor and gained a new selling point for your portable hybrid console. The biggest detractor is games  will not play natively so a good internet connection would be required, and not everybody would be able to do that.

• Developers

I hate to say loser here because I do not know that anyone truly loses here, but developers are the ones who miss furthest. While you gain a new audience perhaps, developers (especially indie) have been porting their games over to the Switch and seeing massive success on the platform. For instance, Hello Neighbor is already on the Switch but also on Game Pass. What if you are a developer that made a deal with Microsoft for Game Pass because you needed the money, you are working hard on a Switch port because you know that is going to add a big revenue stream, but then Game Pass is on the Switch? I know not everyone is just going to buy Game Pass as opposed to buying an indie game on the eShop, but it has to affect sales a bit. While it brings some devs exposure, it can also slow some of that revenue as well.

This is all heresay at the moment, with nothing official at all for now. But what a possibility right? I guess we will wait and see the final verdict, which may be as soon as Game Developers Conference next month. Tell us what you think about all this in the comment below!

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