After the disaster that was the Wii U and, to some degree, the launch of the 3DS, Nintendo struck gold with the Nintendo Switch. Thanks to its vast library of games, specially first-party, the hybrid console has become really successful. Ever since releasing over 5 years ago, the Nintendo Switch has reigned the handheld market. We have already talked how the Nintendo Switch complements very well other cloud services. Despite it’s first-party offerings being really great, the console has struggled to give a home to the latest AAA releases. Sadly, its hardware was already slightly outdated back in the day, and things have only gotten worse. Thankfully, some developers and porting studios have enough expertise that some games from the previous generation have managed to be ported over. Games like DOOM Eternal, The Witcher 3 and No Man’s Sky are available on the console natively.
In some other cases, the games cannot run properly on the console. At least, without a major compromises, or a rewrite of the code. In those cases, the base case scenario to bring the game to the Nintendo Switch is a Cloud Version. Over the last few years, cloud gaming has garnered the attention of both the casual and, to some extent, the hardcore public. The technology has advanced fairly quickly, and so what many considered impossible, has greatly advanced. Nowadays, those with a decent Internet connection can stream games thanks to the cloud. Usually, people just stream the video, but with video games, inputs need to be registered, and send back to the source. This is all possible, and in such a way that input lag is barely noticeable.
The uses of cloud gaming
Usually, people that can’t access the games they desire use cloud gaming services. Those without a compatible console or powerful computer, will miss the latest releases. This way, gamers that don’t want or can’t invest in hardware, can simply use cloud services in order to enjoy the currently popular games. It is no secret that despite being in the early adoption phase, cloud gaming has already changed how people enjoy video games. That’s one of the many reasons this webpage exists, in fact. Here at Cloud Dosage, we believe in the future of cloud gaming as an alternative to those who prefer it. Our goal is to provide the latest news and curated content.
Cloud gaming and the Nintendo Switch
As previously stated, the Nintendo Switch hardware is falling behind for the latest AAA games. Even demanding indie titles will not be able to run properly on the system due to the limitations. Developers and publishers, who truly want their games available on the console, will need to resort to cloud solutions. This way, it doesn’t affect the integrity of the game, nor does it require major compromises. Simply set up a special PC version of the game and stream it directly to the user console. Despite being a decent list of companies providing cloud technology to gamers on systems like PC and mobile, the Nintendo Switch has mainly one company responsible for that: Ubitus.
In their own words, Ubitus is a cloud gaming enabler. Despite not being well-known by the gaming community, Ubitus has managed to provide a varied set of games for the Nintendo Switch via the cloud. Many developers and publishers have resorted to their technology in order to let people enjoy their games on the Switch. Even companies like Square Enix have relied on Ubitus’ cloud gaming services in order to release classics like the Kingdom Hearts franchise on the Nintendo Switch. That’s just one of many examples, As of now, there are over 10 cloud-only games on the Nintendo Switch. Japanese gamers got the first taste of the cloud gaming world on the Switch in 2018, with the release of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey and Phantasy Star Online 2. The first games that got a cloud release globally are Hitman 3 and Control: Ultimate Edition.
But does it work?
The technology behind Ubitus’ cloud services is great. Games look as expected, and input lag is decent. However, there’s a major issue regarding the Nintendo Switch: its connection capabilities are rather limited. The hardware used by Nintendo has a small cap of connection speed. Even thought you connect your console to a quick network, chances are your Switch will barely reach 40 megabytes of download and upload speed. Those are fine for most multiplayer games, such as Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. The issue comes when your needs are more demanding. It is safe to assume that cloud gaming will not be ideal? Not really. Ubitus’ has taken that into account. The streaming quality is set to 720p, which can sometimes look blurry when there’s a lot of action going on. Also, to account for connection issues, the quality can suffer some drops.
Most cloud games on the Nintendo Switch run at 30 fps. Even thought it is not ideal, I would say that Switch players are used to their versions of the games running at that frame rate. In some cases, the games feature a performance mode that seems to help, in exchange for some graphic quality. Since most games will already look blurry and a bit messy, I’d say that better frame rate is more important. The good thing about cloud gaming, in general, is that trying out games is really easy. This is also the case on the Nintendo Switch, since all cloud-only games offer a demo. Login to the eShop and download the free demo, that acts as a launcher, and start playing right away.
The future of cloud gaming on the Nintendo Switch
With more and more demanding titles releasing, it is safe to assume that Ubitus’ will keep working hard in order to bring more games to the console. It will be interesting to see what other developers and publishers start releasing their latest next-gen entries on the Nintendo Switch via Cloud Versions. Square Enix has already published the Kingdom Hearts saga, after years of fans asking for a Nintendo Switch release. Capcom, announced earlier this year that all of their latest Resident Evil games would be available on the Nintendo Switch via the cloud.
Who knows if other companies will strike a deal with Nintendo in order to release more cloud versions of games on the platform. Perhaps, Microsoft could even bring their future releases, like Hellblade 2, to the Nintendo Switch via xCloud. Thanks to Ubitus’, which services have improved over the last months and releases, the gates of cloud gaming have opened for Nintendo players. Despite many being worried about cloud gaming will affect digital ownership and even physical releases, some have already made use of its advantages. When you don’t own the latest consoles or a powerful computer, yet want to enjoy the popular games at the moment, sometimes cloud gaming can be the solution.
Have you tried any cloud game on the Nintendo Switch? What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments section below.
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