More Thoughts From Me #257: The Switch’s Cloud Solution

I am a huge Nintendo Switch fan. I guess some people might even consider me a Nintendo fanboy. But even I realize that the Nintendo Switch isn’t the most powerful console out there. There are third party games that the system just can not handle. So what’s the solution? It looks like Nintendo and third parties think its the Cloud.

Last year Control came to the Nintendo Switch via a streaming solution. The Cloud version of Control wasn’t the first streamed game to Switch. Previously Resident Evil 7 and Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey received Nintendo Switch Cloud verisons…in Japan Only.

Control was the first Cloud game to come to the Nintendo Switch in the West. And now Hitman 3 is available as a Cloud game.

To play these games, you have must download an app for free, check your internet connection with them, and then decide to purchase them. Though you don’t actually own the games. You can play them as long as you have a constant and stable internet connection to stream them to the Nintendo Switch.

But one of these days, you’ll no longer be able to play them. They just won’t be available to play via the Switch. Is it really worth it to pay full price to play these games?

I was talking to a friend recently about this and we both thought that a streaming service would be better than the Cloud solution for individual games at full price. Perhaps a Cloud based Xbox Live Game Pass?

Paying a service to play games is at least honest. You know you are renting the games. And you are getting more than just one game. Paying full price to stream one game seems like a bit much.

Look at what Nintendo has done with Switch Online. Instead of buying a whole bunch of NES/SNES individually yet again, you pay $20 for the Switch Online service and get a bunch of games! Yes, you are basically just renting the games on your system where as on previous systems you owned the games. And yes one of these days you won’t be able to play these games on your Switch…

However you are getting a ton of games right now for $20. You don’t have to buy these games yet again. You can always go back to your previous systems and play them there too.

So why not do a Cloud service for the Switch instead of making us pay full price?

Maybe Nintendo or someone will do this sooner or later. I hope so.

So far I have no interest in Control or Hitman. I wonder how I’d feel if say Kingdom Hearts 3 came to the Switch via Cloud streaming. Well that and/or Final Fantasy 7 Remake! Yes I have those on the PS4 but wouldn’t it be amazing to see them on Switch? It would. I’d have a hard time buying them for 60 as a Cloud version though. I’d also have a hard time resisting. Yes I am a total hypocrite.

Lets hope we see Xbox Live Game Pass or some other Cloud-like service for third party games soon.

More Thoughts From Me is an opinion column. The thoughts expressed here are mine and mine alone. I’d love to play the Kingdom Hearts games on the Switch!