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Nintendo kills X integration for Switch in June

So much for social.

Justin Carter, Contributing Editor

May 9, 2024

1 Min Read
Photo of the Nintendo Switch OLED.
Image via Nintendo.

At a Glance

  • Console makers made their systems with social media in mind, but X's steep API prices have greatly undermined those efforts.

Nintendo finally called it: come June 10, the Switch will no longer have integration with X, the app formerly known as Twitter.

After that date, players will no longer be able to post screenshots and videos from the console. Likewise, players won't be able to send friend requests to people they follow who appear in their Suggested list on the Switch.

Last year, Microsoft and Sony did away with X integration for their respective consoles. Access to X's API is fairly pricey at $42,000 per month, prompting the three console makers (and Blizzard) to pull back.

Nintendo added that this'll affect how posting works for Splatoon 2 and 3, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. For Splatoon 3, players will be able to transfer pictures via their phones, or to their PC via USB cable.

Video games can no longer play in social media's playground

When the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One launched a decade ago, social media integration was touted as a big new feature. Sharing pictures clips to Facebook and then-Twitter gave visibility to games and enabled a sense of community among players.

With that integration now gone on X's end, it puts games somewhat at a disadvantage. Put bluntly, not everyone will want to go through hoops to post a picture or clip online when consoles previously made it fairly easy to do so.

In response to Nintendo's tweet, X's video game-focused account stressed the company was "dedicated to enhancing and supporting gaming-related features."

"Our partnership with Nintendo remains strong," it continued, "and we are working together to ensure a smooth transition for all users. We will continue collaborating with partners to bring new and exciting experiences to our global gaming community."

About the Author(s)

Justin Carter

Contributing Editor, GameDeveloper.com

A Kansas City, MO native, Justin Carter has written for numerous sites including IGN, Polygon, and SyFy Wire. In addition to Game Developer, his writing can be found at io9 over on Gizmodo. Don't ask him about how much gum he's had, because the answer will be more than he's willing to admit.

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