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Engadget: Nintendo seriously needs to fix multi-Switch game sharing

Deleted member 58846

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I saw this article on my feed, and I think there's something worth talking about here. On the face of it, Nintendo's sharing system is identical to the PS4 and Xbox One, so it shouldn't be a problem, but given the portable nature of the Switch, as well as the implicit assumptions about family sharing a product like the Switch Lite comes with, I think this is something the company needs to rethink. Simply aping the PS4/Xbox One system doesn't work. Nintendo needs to come up with a new system of digital content sharing.

Nintendo seriously needs to fix multi-Switch game sharing

Now that the Switch Lite ($200) is out, Nintendo fans are coming to a sad realization: Sharing digital games between multiple systems stinks. You can set one console as your primary, allowing you to play games anywhere without an internet connection. But to play digital titles on secondary systems, you'll have to be connected to the internet (it's also authenticated every three hours, GamesBeat's Jeff Grubb confirmed over the weekend). Even worse, you can only play games through the account that originally purchased them. That's a problem for families where one parent account typically buys digital games, as writer Gary Whitta learned over the weekend.
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RockmanBN

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It's really annoying. I can share Destiny 2 with my brother and we can both be playing online together, but Nintendo's says no.
 
StraySheep

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I feel like the part that no one ever talks about with this is it's easy if you just buy the games physically...

Like on the Beastcast last week Dan going nuts talking about buying a third switch just so he can share games with his wife.

Edit: quoting myself from below

StraySheep said:
[this wouldnt work] For the use case of playing it with someone else at the same time, which is kind of a gray territory to begin with. A lot of people just want want to share games within the house when it comes to this stuff, in which physical is always going to be easiest regardless of platform.

Sometimes I wonder how this is screwing up account and purchase history, especially on the switch. I'd rather my girlfriend have her own account, cloud saves, and occasional digital double dip then having her stuck on my account on a second switch
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Zyrox

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I see no problem with the current sharing system. I share games with my brother just as I do on PS4. In an age of smartphones it's also not really a problem to go through the authentication process when on the go. Just use the phone as a hotspot for a sec. Done.
 
OP
OP

Deleted member 58846

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Falchion said:
Yeah Nintendo is still really lagging behind in some of these key aspects of our all digital future.
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As the article says, it seems like on this front, Nintendo is identical to Sony and MS, but it's just that what works for them does not necessarily work for the Switch, which has portabilty considerations.
 
Skel1ingt0n

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I have a Switch V2 and a Switch Lite (the former replaced my launch system), and I definitely dreaded it. A lot.

And while it's a far cry from where it should be - Nintendo gonna Nintendo - it's not quite as awful as I anticipated.

1. Switch Lite is Primary. Goes with me everywhere. Works like it should 100% of the time. Just like if it were my only one.

2. Switch V2 is my Secondary. Stays docked 99% of the time. Since it's connected to Wifi, it can authenticate whenever it likes. Works just like it should.

3. Saves - this is where it gets kinda tricky. For Cloud Save-enabled games, it works like it should. So long as my Lite connects when I get home, my cloud saves are always good to go between devices. However, for games that don't support cloud saves - Animal Crossing or Pokemon Go - I can individually select a "Save Data Transfer" and as long as both Switches are on me, it takes about three minutes start to finish.


It's less than ideal, yes. But so far, I haven't run into any huge problems. That said, I don't have secondary users on a Switch.
 
Skittzo

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RockmanBN said:
Last time I tried that it kicks you out if the other's online?
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There's a way to do it, I don't know the exact method but it has to do with playing it on your friend's primary Switch and having your friend play on yours. You do this by just setting their Switch to be your primary one, I think.

Other people can give you more details but it's supposedly identical to the way it's done on the PS4.
 
SpaceCrystal

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I'm buying myself the newer version of the Switch soon (not a lite), & I was wondering if I would be able to copy my Super Smash Bros. Ultimate game save onto the newer Switch model while also having it's game save on my older model?

I have cloud saves & I'm also subscribed to Nintendo's online network, if that helps.
 
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StraySheep

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Deception said:
How? You'd have to buy two physical copies of the game.
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For the use case of playing it with someone else at the same time, which is kind of a gray territory to begin with. A lot of people just want want to share games within the house when it comes to this stuff, in which physical is always going to be easiest regardless of platform.

Sometimes I wonder how this is screwing up account and purchase history, especially on the switch. I'd rather my girlfriend have her own account, cloud saves, and occasional digital double dip then having her stuck on my account on a second switch
 
Gaiaknight

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skittzo0413 said:
There's a way to do it, I don't know the exact method but it has to do with playing it on your friend's primary Switch and having your friend play on yours. You do this by just setting their Switch to be your primary one, I think.

Other people can give you more details but it's supposedly identical to the way it's done on the PS4.
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literally no different than it is on playstation
 
OP
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SpaceCrystal said:
I'm buying myself the newer version of the Switch soon (not a lite), & I was wondering if I would be able to copy my Super Smash Bros. Ultimate save onto the newer Switch model while also having the save on my older model?

I have cloud saves & I'm also subscribed to Nintendo's online network, if that helps.
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Yeah, you'll be able to have your save across both systems in that case.
 
Duffking

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Skel1ingt0n said:
I have a Switch V2 and a Switch Lite (the former replaced my launch system), and I definitely dreaded it. A lot.

And while it's a far cry from where it should be - Nintendo gonna Nintendo - it's not quite as awful as I anticipated.

1. Switch Lite is Primary. Goes with me everywhere. Works like it should 100% of the time. Just like if it were my only one.

2. Switch V2 is my Secondary. Stays docked 99% of the time. Since it's connected to Wifi, it can authenticate whenever it likes. Works just like it should.

3. Saves - this is where it gets kinda tricky. For Cloud Save-enabled games, it works like it should. So long as my Lite connects when I get home, my cloud saves are always good to go between devices. However, for games that don't support cloud saves - Animal Crossing or Pokemon Go - I can individually select a "Save Data Transfer" and as long as both Switches are on me, it takes about three minutes start to finish.


It's less than ideal, yes. But so far, I haven't run into any huge problems. That said, I don't have secondary users on a Switch.
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This is pretty much where I am. Lite for travel, big boi for in the house and possibly the sofa. Cloud saves take care of most of it and the Lite is designated the primary account to ensure it doesn't need to sign in.

And bonus, I'll be able to keep using the main switch when the lite is inevitably in for repair for joycon drift :(

JershJopstin said:
Use separate profiles
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I'm guessing the solution is:

a) Player on primary switch plays on a different profile
b) Player on secondary switch that needs to do the internet checkin plays on the main profile

?

Sounds fine, as long as you don't use the account you bought the game with on the primary switch for your saves?
 
Gaiaknight

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RockmanBN said:
Gonna need to try this again
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to properly gameshare on switch which unfortunatly does require a internet connection to do because you need to

1. Make your Nintendo Account primary on there switch
2. Make there NIntendo Account primary on there switch
3. make sure your switches are connected to the internet
4. enjoy (unless you end up with no wifi)

without an internet connection you can only play games your friend owns untill you do an online check in every couple hours.
 

Romanithegreat

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Nov 21, 2018
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I game share and have no issues kids use their own accounts on their switch which has my account as primary and I use my switch which is the secondary. I'm pretty sure it works the same on xbox and ps4 as we gameshare on those also with no issues
 
StraySheep

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AndreGX said:
How does that help those with nearly 3 years worth of digital purchases?
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Yeah it's true it sucks for those who have already gone down the mostly digital path. That was just a decision I made early on is that I hoped eventually my girlfriend would get into games and want a switch of her own. When she gets one in a few months she will have about 15 carts waiting for her if she wants.

I would say I am also sympathetic to the console owners situations here of how letting things get too loose will lead to more exploitation than already happens. Tricky stuff all around. It would be really nice if there was a way to prove that Nintendo accounts belong to family and they can share purchases
 
Phellps

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It's 2019. It's really easy to use your phone's internet connection to validate your game and then you have three hours to play before validating again.
I don't see the problem in this system at all, and anything beyond this will be abused even more.
 
Sonicfan1373

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I don't think this system was ever intended for allowing families to share multiple copies of the same digital game with each other. But rather make it easier for individuals to access their own personal games from different Switches that they personally own. Much like with a single physical copy, you can't play a single copy of a game on two devices simultaneously (and digitally you are paying for a single license much like with buying a single physical copy).
 
Kouriozan

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2 Switch at home and soon 3 for Animal Crossing, yes they need to fix this quickly.
Nintendo want multiple Switch per household but don't make sharing easier...
 

Deleted member 52823

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Im confused. This is exactly how it works on PS and Xbox. Otherwise, people will abuse the system, and it's already possible to abuse it as it is now (game share = one purchase, two copies of the game).

I've been Game sharing since PS3 (originally they let you have 5 or 6 accounts tied to one purchase, with no online requirement either).

Edit

Just because Switch is portable doesn't mean you're entitled to share your digital purchases with ten people.
 
delete12345

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Aren't we waiting on Doug Bowser to deliver us the news about game sharing? They're probably kinking out the final details before announcing this in an upcoming Nintendo Direct.
 
Magnus

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Wait whaaaaaaat
Current systems (any of them) allow you to share games digitally and have both parties play the game simultaneously together?? How the fuck did I miss this?

I thought Share Play on the PS4 explicitly tied up your console while a friend jumped in and effectively remote played your game. My buddy and I did that once for him to show me where something was in Arkham. Lol.
 
Skittzo

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delete12345 said:
Aren't we waiting on Doug Bowser to deliver us the news about game sharing? They're probably kinking out the final details before announcing this in an upcoming Nintendo Direct.
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No, we're waiting on him to tell us how to easily transfer saves and profiles back and forth between Switches or something like that. It was in reference to the Switch Lite announcement.
 
delete12345

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skittzo0413 said:
No, we're waiting on him to tell us how to easily transfer saves and profiles back and forth between Switches or something like that. It was in reference to the Switch Lite announcement.
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Huh? We already have a way to transfer game saves and profiles. I probably don't understand why there should be another way of transferring game saves and profiles. I thought the announcement is referring to game sharing. Am I wrong?
 
FiXalaS

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Duffking said:
This is pretty much where I am. Lite for travel, big boi for in the house and possibly the sofa. Cloud saves take care of most of it and the Lite is designated the primary account to ensure it doesn't need to sign in.

And bonus, I'll be able to keep using the main switch when the lite is inevitably in for repair for joycon drift :(



I'm guessing the solution is:

a) Player on primary switch plays on a different profile
b) Player on secondary switch that needs to do the internet checkin plays on the main profile

?

Sounds fine, as long as you don't use the account you bought the game with on the primary switch for your saves?
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But if you play on a different profile you'll play with a different save file no?
 
tenderbrew

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As a dude who is raising a family and would love to share all his digital games with his kids eventually, I do hope it becomes more simplistic. Even the legit ways you do it on all platforms always sounds a little "hacky" (e.g. throwing in airplane mode, etc.)
 

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Magnus said:
Wait whaaaaaaat
Current systems (any of them) allow you to share games digitally and have both parties play the game simultaneously together?? How the fuck did I miss this?

I thought Share Play on the PS4 explicitly tied up your console while a friend jumped in and effectively remote played your game. My buddy and I did that once for him to show me where something was in Arkham. Lol.
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Create an account. Set it as primary on your PS4 (for example). Purchase a game on it. Download it. Log out, log in to your main account.

Give the game share account login information to your friend/relative/whatever. Said person logs on, downloads it, and just like that, you just paid $30 each for the new Call of Duty.
 
Duffking

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FiXalaS said:
But if you play on a different profile you'll play with a different save file no?
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Yeah. I assume that's how you have to do it though, since the player on the secondary switch presumably can only play the game using the profile which bought the game, which means the player on the first switch which bought the game needs to know in advance if they're planning to play this way and always use a secondary account to play.
 
PirateKingERA

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The One Who Knocks said:
As the article says, it seems like on this front, Nintendo is identical to Sony and MS, but it's just that what works for them does not necessarily work for the Switch, which has portabilty considerations.
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Yes I share an PS4 account with a friend and I can confirm we can't log onto that account from 2 PS4s at the same time, meaning we can't play online or even single player together from the same account, HOWEVER, if you set that account as the primary account on one of the PS4s you can use other accounts on that same PS4 to play online with a friend using that account from a different PS4, not sure if it's the same as the Switch.
 

teacup

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This will be a decider going forward especially as more and more gamers who grew up in a later gaming stage play games as they age and have children.
I've got a 9 month old but when she's old enough to want games of her own a decider will be- what's easiest for me to have it all work between my account and hers, and at the moment it sure as he'll isn't Nintendo.
All of them could work harder on this though.
 
tenderbrew

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teacup said:
This will be a decider going forward especially as more and more gamers who grew up in a later gaming stage play games as they age and have children.
I've got a 9 month old but when she's old enough to want games of her own a decider will be- what's easiest for me to have it all work between my account and hers, and at the moment it sure as he'll isn't Nintendo.
All of them could work harder on this though.
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But they are all literally the same.
 
Skittzo

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delete12345 said:
Huh? We already have a way to transfer game saves and profiles. I probably don't understand why there should be another way of transferring game saves and profiles. I thought the announcement is referring to game sharing. Am I wrong?
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I could be wrong but I thought it related to using a Lite when you're out and about then coming home to play on the OG Switch docked, and transferring the saves instantly or seamlessly when doing that. There's really nothing more they have to do about game sharing for that scenario.
 
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