YouTube App Reportedly Landing On Nintendo Switch This Week
As much as we like Nintendo's hybrid Switch console for gaming, there is not much in the way of non-gaming entertainment, and certainly not on the level of an Xbox One or PlayStation 4. If the latest rumor has any truth to it, however, Nintendo might be starting to change that with the introduction of a YouTube app, perhaps as early as this week.
The streaming situation on the Switch is underwhelming at the moment. Nintendo launched the console with not just a limited catalog of games (which has since been rectified), but also a lack of any streaming video services. That changed a year ago this month when Nintendo introduced support for Hulu. However, both Netflix and YouTube remain noticeably absent.
This past summer, Best Buy accidentally listed support for both Netflix and YouTube in a Switch ad. When asked about this on Twitter, the retailer said it was "indeed an error," and then alluded to rumors.
This is indeed an error on our part and we apologize for any inconveniences. While it has been rumored to be coming, we have no solid information on if and when. ^Dave
— Best Buy Support (@BestBuySupport) June 11, 2018
"While it has been rumored to be coming, we have no solid information on if or when," Best Buy's support team stated.
Might things finally be changing? French-language website NintendHOME reports seeing YouTube app suggestions when scouring Nintendo's website for new games. There is no actual YouTube app available on the Switch, but the app suggestion that some are purportedly seeing has users wondering (and hoping) if an announcement is imminent.
❓Rumeur – L’application YouTube devrait arriver prochainement sur Nintendo Switch, plus précisément le 8 novembre si on en croit le site de Nintendo America. pic.twitter.com/NgvBhDJu1G
— NintendHOME (@NintendHOME) November 3, 2018
According to the tweet and the image that posted along with it, a YouTube app will land on the Switch this Thursday, November 8.
We can't speak to the legitimacy of the rumor—it's entirely possible the image is a fake—but the timing makes sense. Nintendo recently fleshed out the Switch's offering with a paid online service that includes free access to a growing number of retro games. Introducing a YouTube app not long after would further increase the Switch's appeal, especially to those who are on the fence about buying a less powerful console (compared to the Xbox One and PS4).
