Nintendo Switch 2 Has a Huge Streamer Problem

When Nintendo Switch 2 launches next week, it will be compatible with just about everything on the current system. There are exceptions, however. Nintendo has noted that certain games have issues launching on the system, and some have compatibility issues that are currently being investigated. There are also some things that simply won’t work. Nintendo has confirmed that the current apps for Hulu and Crunchyroll “cannot be used on Nintendo Switch 2.” No details have been offered at this time, but Nintendo’s language implies that a resolution is not planned, and we shouldn’t expect streaming on the new system.

Streaming apps were a pretty big afterthought in the Switch era. The system did not offer apps for services like Max, Disney+, or Peacock. Even Netflix was left out, despite the fact that Wii U had a great Netflix app that offered compatibility with the GamePad’s touch screen. For whatever reason, Nintendo Switch had a pretty small collection of streaming apps by comparison. That small number seems to be going away altogether, and with no official reason provided, we can only speculate about the rationale.

It’s possible that Nintendo simply doesn’t see a reason to continue working with streaming companies. Last month, I spoke with Nintendo of America senior vice president of development and planning Nate Bihldorff. During the interview, I asked Bihldorff about which companies Nintendo sees as its primary rivals heading into the Switch 2 generation. Bihldorff dismissed the idea of Microsoft and Sony as rivals, since both companies have published games on Switch. Instead, he replied that “very broadly, our rivals out there are just everything else that competes with people’s attention.” Following that logic, streaming services could be seen by Nintendo as something that fits into that category, and putting them on the system might distract people from playing games like Mario Kart World.

Whatever the case might be, Hulu and Crunchyroll don’t seem to be coming to Nintendo Switch 2 anytime soon. On the plus side, it does seem like the YouTube app could still come to the system. Right now, YouTube is on the list of software currently experiencing start up issues on Switch 2, but unlike the other streaming apps, Nintendo says that “the issue is being investigated.” This suggests that we should see a resolution at some point, though it’s unclear if it will be ready for the system’s launch next week.

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At the end of the day, streaming services like Hulu and Crunchyroll are already available on a number of other devices. Subscribers should have no shortage of options to use these services, even if it’s not on Nintendo Switch 2. That might be frustrating to those that enjoy being able to stream on a nice size screen in bed, or when the TV might not be available, but maybe we’ll see these options return in the future. Until Nintendo offers some kind of answer, fans will have to wait and see how things play out.

Are you disappointed that the Hulu and Crunchyroll apps won’t work on Switch 2? Did you use any of these streaming apps on Switch? Share your thoughts with me directly on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!