Last week Microsoft brought its Xbox Live service to iOS and Android devices. This meant that developers who wanted to integrate Xbox Live into their iOS and Android games would be able to. There were rumors that this could be the start of something bigger and that it might even make its way onto the Nintendo Switch.
However it seems that will not be the case. According to journalist Russell Holly who attended Microsoft’s presentation at GDC 2019, Microsoft will not be bringing its Xbox Live SDK to the Nintendo Switch. If you’re a bit confused, we get where you’re coming from. Microsoft had recently announced that popular indie game Cuphead, which was previously exclusive to the console, would be coming to the Switch with Xbox Live in tow.
However judging from Holly’s tweet, what this means is that Microsoft will not be giving developers the ability to integrate Xbox Live services into their games for the Switch. Instead it sounds like MIcrosoft might need to approve certain games, such as Cuphead, to use Xbox Live for their games on non-Xbox consoles.
For Switch gamers who don’t own an Xbox console, we suppose this isn’t really that big of a deal, but for those who own multiple consoles, it could be a bummer as far as synchronizing your progress is concerned. In the meantime Microsoft has stated that they do plan to bring more games like Cuphead to the Switch with Xbox Live enabled over the next year or so, such as Ori and the Blind Forest as per the rumors.
Microsoft: No plans for an Xbox Live SDK for Switch right now, but expect more games like Cuphead to come to Switch with Live enabled over there next year.#GDC2019
— Russell Holly @ GDC (@russellholly) March 20, 2019
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