With the streaming wars heating up, Netflix can only benefit from having its service on as many devices as possible, especially when some of its competitors are on the Switch. Perhaps Netflix could make the argument that there hasn’t been enough demand for a Switch app, and while I think it’s probably wrong about that, I also think it doesn’t really matter. That’s especially true when Disney and NBC are in the process of pulling their content from Netflix.
With Disney, Hulu, Amazon, and soon NBC all looking to topple Netflix with competing services of their own, Netflix needs all the customer goodwill it can get. That’s a lot of devices Netflix is missing out on by not making an app for the Switch.Įven if every single Switch owner out there has another device that can run Netflix, there’s still the reality that giving customers more ways to watch only endears them to your service further. If that’s the case, my follow-up would be “what could a Switch app hurt?” As of Nintendo’s latest financials, there’s more than 42 million Switch consoles out there. Obviously I can’t speak for Netflix here, but that seems like an argument the company could make. Perhaps Netflix thinks that there’s no reason to develop an app for the Switch since those who want to watch on a handheld device probably have a smartphone in their pocket. Switch owners are left feeling like the odd one out, but that could be down to the simple fact that the Netflix app already is everywhere. Smartphone? Xbox One? PlayStation 4? There are definitely Netflix apps for all of those. Smart TV? There’s probably a Netflix app for it.
If you have some kind of device that can connect to the internet, chances are you can download Netflix to it. It’s something of a head scratcher considering that Netflix is on pretty much every device imaginable.