Nintendo Switch Netflix: Streaming apps won't be available for the console at launch

Culture

We finally know the Nintendo Switch will launch on March 3 at the cost of $299.99. We also know it won't come with any games or a Pro controller. You'll have to buy a micro SD card if you want more than 32GB of memory, and aside from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, there won't be a ton to sink your teeth into come launch day.

In short, while the console looks cool — and Zelda looks great — it won't be perfect on day one. It's been said it took a while to build Rome, too. But thanks to Kotaku, we know one more feature the console won't have on March 3: Netflix.

Nintendo Switch Netflix: Don't expect to stream video anytime soon

Nintendo recently answered some of Kotaku's Switch-related inquiries. The company's responses cover a broad range of topics, from backwards compatibility — there is none — to whether it will have achievements. (We don't know yet.) However, one of the more interesting tidbits focuses on video-streaming services like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Instant Video:

"All of our efforts have gone toward making the Nintendo Switch system an amazing, dedicated video-game platform, so it will not support any video-streaming services at launch. However, support for video-streaming services is being considered for a future update."

There you go. If you want to marathon through Frasier, you'll have to do it on one of the countless other Netflix-compatible devices you probably own already. The ubiquity of these services on other devices means it's probably not a big deal Switch won't support them at launch, but it's still a bit strange.

It's safe to assume Netflix will come to Switch eventually. The Wii U app worked perfectly fine; hopefully, the Switch app will, too.

More Nintendo Switch news

For more info on what Nintendo revealed during its Switch presentation, here's where you can get details on the console's pricerelease datepre-orders and battery life. If you're interested in the Nintendo Switch's games, here's info on the new Super Mario Odyssey game, Legend of Zelda: Breath of the WildSplatoon 2Xenoblade Chronicles 21-2-Switch and the goofy boxing game Arms.