Entertainment apps on the Nintendo Switch 2 aren't on the list of Nintendo's priorities, it seems. While the previous handheld supported YouTube, Crunchyroll, and a limited number of popular streaming services, the Switch 2 isn't lucky enough to be part of those experiences. In the ongoing age of handheld PCs taking over the portable gaming console space, it feels like a regression.
Nintendo's aversion to streaming apps and third-party entertainment continues to baffle me. Sure, there are likely notable barriers to consider on the legal front, but I want more than just new Switch games to keep my mind occupied. The days of handheld consoles purely focusing on gaming are a thing of the past, and I'm all for pushing forward systems to give me a wealth of things to do beyond grinding FPS games or getting my ego shattered in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Look, I really like my Nintendo Switch 2.
Even if it's still a common cause of hand cramp due to its thin form factor, the Switch 2 is an impressive piece of kit. It undercuts most portable rivals price-wise, offering power that can often outpace the Steam Deck and give other options, such as the Asus ROG Ally, something to contend with. Its launch roster of games feels considerably more adult, with RPG hits like Cyberpunk 2077 and Elden Ring standing out in the Switch 2's growing game library.
But it still feels like Nintendo isn't fully ready to embrace a more mature image, and excluding apps like YouTube, Netflix, and Amazon Prime cement that notion for me. Out of all the console giants, Nintendo's friendly family image is part of the company's DNA. Most advertisements for the Nintendo Switch 2 love to harp on this aspect, presenting friends and families together in cosy homes, grinning and laughing to their heart's content.
I can't imagine these hypothetical people sitting down to watch superheroes snort cocaine or fornicate with each other in Gen V on Amazon Prime. Instead, the Nintendo Switch 2 is a gaming-first handheld, but it oddly feels like a waste of the Switch 2's hardware. There's the refined kickstand, perfect for resting the console on a pull-down tray on the train or on a bedside cabinet.
The 1080p touchscreen with 120Hz support is easy on the eyes, and already ideal for catching up on your YouTube subscriptions or weekly TV shows. Yet, despite promising a native YouTube Nintendo Switch 2 application in June, it still isn't here. You can't even use the previous iteration of the application, either, due to compatibility issues. Speaking on making original Switch games and apps work with the latest handheld in April, Nintendo's senior director of entertainment and planning, Takuhiro Dohta, expresses how it isn't a straightforward process.
"If we tried to use technology like software emulators, we'd have to run Switch 2 at full capacity, but that would mean the battery wouldn't last so long, so we did something that's somewhere in between a software emulator and hardware compatibility," he says. So maybe it's a conscious decision to omit entertainment applications, at least right now.
Either way, it needs to change sooner rather than later. Looking for more handheld console news? We've got the latest information on the ROG Xbox Ally price and a handy Lenovo Legio Go S SteamOS review for you to check out.