Xbox Game Pass is a force to be reckoned with. A Netflix-style service that includes over 100 games for a relatively low monthly fee is surely an appealing offer to many, considering how expensive of a hobby gaming can be. Suffice to say, Xbox Game Pass has been a monumental success for the console manufacturer, which is undoubtedly a reason why Xbox has been so adamant about getting it on every device it can, even if it's not an Xbox.
Many have envisioned the possibility of Xbox's value-packed service heading over to the Nintendo Switch. Both the close relationship between the two industry leaders, as well as Xbox's desire to expand its brand in any way possible, have sparked many debates among fans. Not just about when Xbox Game Pass could come to Switch, but if it's even possible for these two companies to collaborate in such a way. Some recently leaked information from the Epic Games vs. Apple trial doesn't quite provide an answer to the former query, but it does indicate that a resounding "yes" could be the answer to the latter one.
Xbox Game Pass On Other Platforms
Xbox Game Pass originally launched in 2017 for the Xbox One, but the company has since taken steps towards bringing the service to as many platforms as possible. A few years after its launch, Xbox Game Pass arrived on PC in 2019, and later that year, Xbox took its first steps towards getting Game Pass on mobile devices.
Since mobile phones can't quite match up power-wise to an Xbox One, Xbox Cloud Streaming (xCloud) entered the spotlight as a way for people to play Xbox Game Pass games on less-powerful hardware. Microsoft's xCloud streaming beta originally entered public testing in 2019, before seeing a full rollout for Android devices the following year as a feature for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers.
However, the company hasn't had quite as much success bringing Xbox Game Pass to iOS devices. Strict guidelines regarding monetization of apps featured on Apple's App Store prevented Xbox from simply releasing an app functionally similar to the one present on Android. In spite of this, Xbox still found a workaround for iOS devices by making the service a web-based app, rather than one downloaded via the App Store.
There's long been speculation that Xbox will bring Game Pass to even more platforms, and as of last year, that appears to be the plan. A leaked email exchange between Xbox head Phil Spencer and Epic boss Tim Sweeney featured an email from Spencer dated August 2020, where Spencer affirmed his commitment to bringing xCloud to more consoles. It's likely that Spencer was referring to iOS devices here, but could have also been referring to other home consoles such as the PlayStation 4 or Nintendo Switch.
The Case For Xbox Game Pass On Nintendo Switch
The Switch seems like it would be a prime candidate for xCloud due to its lack of power compared to other current consoles. Switch ports of multiplatform games are oft-criticized for making significant sacrifices to graphical fidelity, performance, or both in order to get them running. With the arrival of a new generation of consoles, that graphical disparity will only grow larger.
As xCloud is a feature of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, bringing the service to the Nintendo Switch seems like a clever way to circumvent this technical restriction, and would likely pay off well for both Nintendo and Xbox. The former would likely benefit from a lot of positive press and an expanded library of games, both of which Nintendo could flaunt in marketing and advertisements to further drive home why the Switch is a must-own. Meanwhile, Xbox would surely enjoy the success that comes with having a service on one of the highest-selling platforms in the video game industry.
It's no secret that the two industry titans have gotten along rather well with each other in the last few years. Xbox was more than willing to deliver exclusive titles like Ori and the Blind Forest and Cuphead to Switch, and even worked with Nintendo to get the Xbox-owned characters of Banjo and Kazooie into Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. The two companies taking their relationship even further, by bringing Xbox Game Pass to Switch in the form of game streaming, could be a logical next step.
Redacted Discussions Between Microsoft and Nintendo
A document to come out of the high-profile Epic vs. Apple trial might have added some credence to rumors about Xbox Game Pass coming to Nintendo Switch. During the trial, Vice President of Xbox Business Development Lori Wright gave a deposition, part of which featured a line of questioning centered around bringing xCloud to other platforms, specifically iOS. However, when Wright is questioned about a different topic, her deposition becomes heavily redacted. It was revealed that these redactions were courtesy of Nintendo, who considered Wright's statements to contain sensitive information regarding business dealings between Nintendo and Microsoft.
The non-redacted portions of Wright's deposition explicitly mention the Xbox Game Pass content team was participating in discussions with an unknown party. The documents may not explain who this party is, but Nintendo's desire to conceal that information certainly speaks volumes. While not a confirmation, the implication seems to be that Microsoft may have been meeting with Nintendo about potentially bringing Xbox Game Pass to Nintendo Switch; a prospect that would've been considered a pipe-dream only a few years ago.
It's important to note that nothing is known about Microsoft and Nintendo's sensitive business discussion highlighted in Wright's deposition. No one knows if the talks went swimmingly, horribly, or somewhere in-between. However, assuming the above hypothesis holds merit, it doesn't quite matter how the talks went, but rather that they happened.
It shows these two industry leaders are taking the possibility of Xbox Game Pass on Nintendo Switch seriously, and establishes this console crossover as something that could actually happen. Additionally, in an industry where the major players are known for holding their cards so close to their chests, it's nice to see two of them thinking about combining their hands to build the best possible deck.