Xbox Game Pass has quickly become one of the dominating conversation points of this generation of video games. The Xbox console is synonymous with the subscription service, and that has been by design. However, there has been talks about expanding Xbox Game Pass to platforms beyond the walls of Microsoft; which has already happened via xCloud with mobile devices. The next step could be bringing Xbox Game Pass to Nintendo Switch Online.
Thanks to the most recent surprise Nintendo Switch Pro report, the rumor mill has been churning about a new console from Nintendo. And thus, the idea of Xbox Game Pass coming to Nintendo hardware seems again more plausible. Over the past few months, there have been various leaks, redacted official documents from court hearings, and speculation that the Xbox subscription service could find its way to Nintendo's hybrid console. The Switch Pro would be a dream come true platform for the service.
The Nintendo Switch Pro Rumors
The Nintendo Switch Pro rumors appear to be at an all-time high. If true, the Switch Pro could be ready for pre-order as soon as this summer. The console has been leaked on multiple retailer websites across various regions, and the details mostly line up between reports and leaks. While the info should be taken with a grain of salt, and nothing is confirmed until Nintendo says so, the Switch Pro's supposed price ($400-$450), release window (sometime in the fall), and general specs have all been leaked.
According to reports, the Switch Pro will be larger, support an ethernet cable, have an OLED screen, be of higher resolution (possibly 4K), and be generally more powerful. Additionally, the Switch Pro will replace the 2017 original Switch. However, the Switch Lite will remain side-by-side with the new Switch Pro on store shelves.
Xbox Game Pass and Nintendo Switch Rumors
In terms of Xbox Game Pass coming to the Switch, there have been rumors of the concept for quite some time. However recently, evidence bubbled to the service thanks to redacted information regarding conversations between Xbox and Nintendo from the recent Epic vs Apple lawsuit. Apparently, Nintendo wanted the conversations to be struck from public consumption — specifically when Microsoft was talking about xCloud (the Xbox streaming platform) related topics — which is certainly intriguing.
Earlier this year, there were rumors that Nintendo and Microsoft struck a groundbreaking deal. Although the specifics of the deal are not known, many speculated that it could have something to do with Xbox Game Pass coming to the Nintendo Switch. To add intrigue to this idea, the rumor specifically mentioned that the community will learn the details of the deal in the Fall. Now that the Switch Pro may be launching in the Fall season, a new revelation has presented itself; the Microsoft and Nintendo deal could have something to do with the Switch Pro.
At first, the idea of Nintendo allowing the Xbox subscription service to be on its hybrid console seemed a bit improbable. However, Game Pass on the Switch does not seem so far-fetched anymore. There have been redacted discussions between Nintendo and Microsoft, and head of Xbox Phil Spencer wants to see the service on as many platforms as possible, so the service could work on a Switch Pro. If there are any Nintendo fans who are hesitant about the idea, the benefit of the service on the Switch would be great.
Xbox Game Pass Value
The value of Xbox Game Pass has become nearly impossible to deny. Microsoft has worked hard on building up the subscription over time. Xbox Game Pass started as an intriguing program, but now it is an almost "must-have" for Xbox gamers.
Since starting the service; Microsoft has added all first-party software as day-one content, it has purchased many studios that now fall under that first-party Xbox Game Pass umbrella (including the massive Bethesda acquisition last year), and Microsoft has been able to make surprise deals to bring games to Xbox Game Pass on the title's launch day. All of these things have made Game Pass grow in its value proposition, which has also allowed its subscriber count to skyrocket.
The huge acquisitions of studios like the aforementioned Bethesda/ZeniMax, inXile Entertainment, Obsidian Entertainment, and Ninja Theory bring in enormous franchises such as Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Wolfenstein, Doom, Wasteland, and future exciting projects like Avowed and Starfield. Meanwhile, stealing the exclusivity from Sony and bringing MLB The Show 21 to Xbox Game Pass was a big deal, as was the arrangement to obtain Outriders for the subscription service. The better that Xbox Game Pass has gotten, the better it could be for the Nintendo Switch if it were ever to come to the Nintendo platform.
Why Xbox Game Pass Would Be Even Better on Switch Pro
One of the key principles of bringing Xbox Game Pass to the Switch has always been around xCloud, as it is likely that the less powerful Nintendo console would not be able to handle some of the higher-end AAA titles on the service. Nintendo has already toyed around with cloud-based games like Doom Eternal on the Switch, so this would be no different. However, the Switch Pro could theoretically handle Xbox Game Pass in its truest form and allow players to download the games as well to play them natively.
The specifics of the Switch Pro are of course unknown, as of now the Switch Pro itself may not even be a real console, but there is a chance that the system is along the same lines as an Xbox Series S, or even have the capabilities of 4K or 120 FPS. If this is the case, Xbox Game Pass on the Switch Pro would work just like it does on the Xbox Series X|S and/or Xbox One. Meanwhile, if the service were to be brought on the standard Switch Lite as well, players could utilize xCloud. In many ways, Xbox Game Pass and xCloud is a dream team combo, and the Switch Pro and Switch Lite would be a great platform to showcase this.
There is a chance that Xbox Game Pass would be limited if it were to come to Nintendo Switch Online. Nintendo may not want the same games that are currently in its eShop to also be on a subscription service that is under the Xbox umbrella. It could instead be that Xbox titles that are not natively on the Switch platform can be played through the Xbox Game Pass service, and Nintendo would obviously get a cut of that subscription pie for anyone who enjoys it through the Switch.
Even if limited, there would likely be plenty of Nintendo fans who would be happy to enjoy Xbox titles on Switch Pro or Lite through Xbox Game Pass. Phil Spencer wants to see the service on as many platforms as possible. The Nintendo Switch is on track to be the highest-selling console of all time, so it would make sense for Microsoft to get its subscription service on Nintendo's beloved console.