Nintendo Switch Twitch app unlocked – is Amazon Prime Video imminent?

(Image credit: Future)

published 15 November 2021

Good news for Nintendo fans who like to watch games as well as play them: the official Twitch app is now available for Nintendo Switch as a free download via the eShop.

While there’s no shortage of places to watch Twitch already — be it on your phone, console, smart TV or laptop — the Switch has a natural advantage in that it can, uh, switch from handheld to big screen mode in one deft move.

This means gamers can watch the best Nintendo Switch games being played, while they're watching T3's Nintendo Switch OLED restock tracker, on the go as well as at home.

Its disadvantage, of course, is that the app can’t stream your gameplay. Unlike the Xbox Series X and PS5 which can broadcast gameplay directly from the app, the Switch still needs additional hardware in the form of a PC capture card, which explains why Nintendo streamers are that bit rarer.

But for consuming, it’s just fine, with the minor caveat that the app won’t show chat while watching. If you want that, you’ll have to scan a QR code to your phone to read and comment there instead. Not ideal, but not exactly a deal breaker.

The most exciting thing about the arrival of Switch, of course, is that it’s owned by Amazon, which also happens to run Prime Video. If Amazon is willing to push Twitch to Switch, could that mean movies and original TV series will also follow?

Well, it’s possible, but the ball may not be in Amazon’s court given the general progress of adding streaming apps to Switch has been so slow. While YouTube, Hulu and Funimation have already appeared on the Switch, the platforms that aren’t there — including Netflix, Disney Plus and Now TV — are conspicuous by their absence, given all three are readily available on Sony and Microsoft consoles.

Hopefully the arrival of Twitch indicates that this will change soon. Because the flexibility to shift between handheld and docked modes makes the Switch a streaming dream.