Xbox Live Coming to Switch Could Signal a New Era of Competitor Collaboration

It could mean as little as cross-platform achievements, or it could plant the seeds for the future of video games.

[Jin_Sakai]

Has Nintendo agreed to this or what? Either way Nintendo is awful at online so they need all the help they can get. You can’t even message your friends for crying out loud.

[S2Killinit]

Yeah i wonder if Nintendo is ok with this. Cant Nintendo make their own service? Seems like MS wants Nintendo’s share of the pie.

[Eonjay]

Microsoft is trying to turn social gaming into a service and they are trying to appeal to developers by providing said services that span multiple platform infrastructures. It doesn't make sense to Sony because they are already providing that service on their platform and PSN is wildly lucrative. It may make sense to Nintendo because Microsoft would be able to add social gaming features that Nintendo doesn't currently support.

Microsoft can benefit by licensing out Xbox Live to developers.

I wouldn't be surprised if we see other entities offer similar service. I also can't predict their long term success either.

It isn't transforming gaming. The services already exist.

[crazyCoconuts]

I don't see any evidence of Nintendo agreeing to integrating their platform with XBL. Looks like this journalist is being sloppy.

[rainslacker]

Not to my knowledge. MS is releasing some API integration for enabling XBL functionality within games, but that's not integrating XBL on the console level. This would be game specific implementation, which is already allowed on other consoles through 3rd party log in stuff within games. On PS, it still has to work through Sony's own PSN protocols, and I'm not sure what's required on Nintendo, but I imagine they also require you not to circumvent their own network protocols.

The things in question here would be more practical for those who develop on PC, but enable XBL integration for various features.

[PhoenixUp]

“Is it possible that Microsoft brings Game Pass to Switch?“

Now you’re getting way too ahead of yourself.

“Would it be too outlandish to think we’d see Nintendo games added to Game Pass?”

If you even have to ask a question like that you should already know the answer.

[Gemmol]

If it came I would sign up.....probably switch to Xbox next generation to keep both switch and Microsoft connected

[Gemmol]

All it means the people who complain of no trophies can finally stop, if the games use Xbox live then just like Minecraft you will get Xbox trophies.

If every developer use it people can collect as much trophies as they want

I’m more curious on which one will developers use.......Xbox live for cross play or will they use Epic tools for cross play only difference Xbox live have trophies

[rdgneoz3]

Playstation has trophies, xbox has achievements.

[Gemmol]

Thanks for the fix I will know that better in the future when I switch from switch and ps4 to switch and Xbox next gen system

[Ninte]

Stuff Nintendo online, anything got to be good for the switch.

[Pancit_Canton]

Remember their Minecraft slogan.

" Survive Together"

[DillyDilly]

Microsoft characters in the next Smash Brothers OH YEAH

[mandingo]

Hey more money for MS if they push Live on to Nintendo platforms. Xbox live subs are what make them their money

[--bienio--]

Game pass for Nintendo switch and the same for M$ eco system ( read PC) I’m very excited what happens Now!!

[averagejoe26]

Gamepass for Switch isn't happening.

Nothing even remotely suggests that.

[NeoGamer232]

The gaming world would be a much better place if Microsoft's network and OS were on every platform, Microsoft/Sony/Nintendo collaborated to make a gaming console, and All games from Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo could be played on that gaming console.

Gone are the days of exclusives to win. All three companies are doing well in gaming. Now, it is time they all collaborated to unify the console community.

[RauLeCreuset]

"Gone are the days of exclusives to win."

No thanks. You can keep that future.

[rainslacker]

Only Xbox fan boys would ever think MS having so much dominance would be a good thing. The rest of the world either doesn't care about such things, or actively hates MS for many reasons. MS having dominance of the OS market has held back computing for years. Why would it further gaming? The only people who would gain, would be MS.

If MS had that dominance, they would drop out of the console market. They likely wouldn't even worry about producing games anymore. They wouldn't need to. In the mean time, it's likely that the console makers would make less money, making consoles less likely to get made. I see no good future if MS were to have their OS on every platform, as if it was the expected norm. It would stagnate progress, just like PC progress stagnated for three decades, until mobile started threatning MS dominance on the OS market. So much so, that MS changed its business model to be more akin to Google and Apple, who were making more money, doing less work, and gaining market share, while MS was losing it in droves.

[NeoGamer232]

I am a gamer first and foremost... I have had a console in every single generation and in the last four generations I have owned every console.

I don't give a crap who is winning or losing... I just play fun games whether it is God of War, Uncharted, Halo, Gears, Forzas, Marios, Zeldas, or whatevers. My biggest motivation is that right now I have to buy three consoles to be able to play every console game. I only want to buy one. It would save on HDMI connections to my TV, save me money, and let me have one gaming profile for every game. I absolutely hate that I have to have a PS, XB, and Nintendo profile to game. Not to mention Steam, my iOS Gaming profile, and my Google gaming profile. There is no logical argument against one console OS, multiple hardware vendors and being able to play every released console game on that console. The only people that would argue that want to spend more money or are delusional.

[rainslacker]

@Neo

There is no logical argument that supports that one dominate console OS would be a good thing either. MS had a virtual monopoly on the PC OS market for decades, and it didn't do PC any good.

Even if there was a single OS, it doesn't mean that games would release on all consoles. Plus, a single OS doesn't mean one set of hardware, which would be worse. It mitigates the reason for consoles, and who controls the hardware specs? The one who makes the OS controls the hardware space, and while I'm sure MS would love that, especially if they didn't have to make the hardware, kind of like how Google benefits, what exactly would it provide for the gamer?

These consoles don't need an OS to play games. They have the OS to facilitate things like online services and ecosystems. Gaming was fine before an OS was on systems, or when it was minimal. An OS can be cursury and not owned by anyone.

But no matter what, MS owning that space would be terrible, and there is no logical argument which supports that MS would be the best option to even be considered to be the dominate, or only console OS, because MS has a entire company history of evidence that shows they will only do what benefits them, and no one else.

[majiebeast]

You xbots are so stupid you dont want games you want shitty services with mediocre games like trashdown 3 and sea of no content.

[Elda]

I just don't see this happening.

[Inzo]

Dont want to dampen the excitement but there is a strong rumour going around from some youtubers that the Switch might get MS's online features for free. No I cant give you a link or source because the guys I've reached out to on this have asked to remain anonymous until they can confirm this.

Still, if this true its really going to suck for Xbox gamers.

I also still believe that MS is moving more to becoming a service/publisher, like it or not the evidence is there.

[ArnoDorian]

My uncle works with Microsoft and told another anonymous guy who then told me that they're gonna charge $40 of XBL for Switch, while being $50 for Xbox Platform.

Theres more, we will then see Halo 6 and other Xbox exclusives on to Switch, likewise the same Mario, Zelda games on the Xbox One.

This is getting me all giddy :)

[Godmars290]

Actually wonder if this is going to be another Sony CD deal, given how bad Nintendo is with online now are they were with disc tech then, with MS ending up taking most of the profits from anything Nintendo does online.

Or, if MS is making a cloud based console, could this end up with MS globing the Xbox brand onto Nintendo systems.

[rainslacker]

Personally, I think Nintendo could build its network without the help of MS. MS isn't the only company out there familiar with how to create online social networks. There are literally thousands of companies out there which specialize in such things. Hell, the company I used to work for as an IT specialist had hundreds of clients that we were contracted to do this.

Nintendo just needs to lay out a plan, hire these companies, or their own people, and start building. MS may give them a quicker push forward, but it puts them in a position of being dependent on MS for the future of their network, and changes become increasingly hard as time goes on.

I think it'd be better for Nintendo to forge their own way, because whatever MS may be offering Nintendo, it is probably only for MS benefit, and Nintendo doesn't need to open the door to the devil to avoid a bit of criticism today. They just need to be smart about it, unless they really do just want to hand MS its entire user base for a helping hand, or they have some desire to be MS portable console partner, which is actually more intriguing than all these other rumors, but ultimately, I feel MS would just be using Nintendo, and Nintendo doesn't really need MS to be relevant in the gaming or online space.

[Godmars290]

Only this is about MS possibly gaining long term advantages over Nintendo's short term gains or quick fix. If they can put the Xbox brand on the Switch it gives the industry legitimacy they've been unable to earn but insisting they have. It could also, if they can get streaming working, a console-less console that gives them a massive presence in Japan when they've always floundered before.

[HighPlayer28]

If this happens I hope some Nintendo games could be played on Xbox that will be awesome.

[averagejoe26]

Why would you think that would ever be a possibility?

Nothing even remotely suggests that.

[HighPlayer28]

Could happen were Xbox and Nintendo gamers could play each others past exclusives. That would really be great.

[FallenAngel1984]

People are blowing this out of proportion

This would be like how Steam came to PS3 via Portal 2, except used in more games. It’d be on a game by game basis rather than something baked into the OS like it is on Xbox One

[mkis007]

At the very least it means we are that much closer to the goldeneye remaster being released.

[averagejoe26]

Delusional Fanboys: Xbox games on Switch and Nintendo games in Gamepass?!?

Reality: Logging into your live account on other platforms for the achievements

[jonivtec]

nintendo and xbox exclusives games????so forza on the switch....mario on the xbox...this could be a serious playstation killer....It for sure wont happen but....still could be a serious PS killer.

[Bytor]

If they do that I'm selling my Switch