Nintendo Switch Games Just Got A Huge Advantage For Multi-Console Owners

Yesterday, Nintendo Switch Online launched, bringing with it classic NES games and paid online multiplayer. One feature of Nintendo Switch Online (or, more specifically, firmware update 6.0.0) that wasn't heavily advertised, however, is the ability to play games across multiple consoles. Realizing that you can play games across multiple consoles is definitely exciting, but of course, there are a few exceptions.

Keep in mind that we're only talking about digital software that's been downloaded from the eShop, as playing a physical game on another console is as easy as popping a cartridge into the slot and booting it up. With that out of the way, Nintendo has detailed what you can and can't do with owned content on consoles other than your primary Switch in a new article on its support site.

Your primary Switch is the one you're using when you connect your Nintendo Account to the eShop for the first time. You can only have one primary console at a time, and when you add your Nintendo Account to other consoles, they won't be activated as your primary one unless you've already deactivated your main Switch. You can download your content to non-primary consoles, but you can only play that content while that Switch is connected to the internet.

The game you're playing will pause automatically when you lose that internet connection and resume when your connection is restored. Only the person who purchased the digital content can start it on a non-primary console, and if your Nintendo Account is used to access content on any other Switch, your gameplay on the non-primary console will be paused as well. Nintendo breaks down this interaction in the gallery of images you see above.

So, you have a bit of flexibility when playing your games on other consoles, so long as your Nintendo Account isn't being actively used on another Switch and you maintain a persistent connection to the internet. While Nintendo's approach to Switch DRM might prove to be frustrating at times, but it's certainly better than no having multi-console support at all.