Days after Nintendo Switch had launched worldwide, Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime had explained that applications for streaming services such as Netflix would “come in time.”
Their conversations with those companies have continued, and in that time we have seen Hulu release on the portable home console in North America as well as Niconico in Japan. Nearly a year on, Nintendo Switch owners are rightly wondering where Netflix is, but it doesn’t sound like it will be available anytime soon.
When asked on Twitter over the weekend as to whether there was any news on when it could be expected, Netflix customer service responded in a since-deleted message: “There are currently no plans for Netflix on Nintendo Switch.”
After the angry furore that comment had caused, a Netflix spokesperson has today stepped in to explain: “We are still exploring the opportunity with Nintendo, but don’t have definitive plans to share at this time.”
Nintendo had wanted to launch Nintendo Switch with a “singular focus” that presented it to consumers as a dedicated gaming device that you can play at home and take on the go. Although now, owners are increasingly looking for more ways to spend time with the portable home console.
“What I would say is this: We built the Nintendo Switch to be a world-class gaming device, meaning we want you first and foremost to play games on the system and have an incredibly fun experience,” Fils-Aimé had explained.
“We’re talking to a range of companies about other services, companies like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon — things that will come in time. In our view, these are not differentiators. What differentiates us is the way you play with the Nintendo Switch and what you can play. And that will continue to be our focus into the future as we continue driving this platform.”
