Xbox and Nintendo Miss Out on a Lucrative Collaboration Opportunity

Xbox first announced the concept for their cloud gaming project back in December 2020. Fast forward five months and the dream has become a reality. Two days ago, Xbox finally released the xCloud on PCs with Windows 10 and Apple phones and tablets. Microsoft began this by sending Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers invites to test the Cloud experience.

In a Microsoft stream, fans spotted Xbox head Phil Spencer and Executive Sarah Bond, both showcasing their Nintendo Switch devices in the background. As a result, fans are speculating on a collaboration between the two gaming tycoons. The collaboration is expected to be in the form of the Nintendo Switch supporting and running the xCloud.

ALSO READ: Xbox Cloud Gaming to Start Beta Testing by Inviting Select Game Pass Ultimate Members on PC and iOS

Nintendo confirms that it will not incorporate the Xbox Cloud

Executive Director and Video Game Advisor for The NPD Group, Mat Piscatella further elaborated why the collaboration would be beneficial to both parties. While he admits that the presence of the Switch in the background of a Microsoft presentation does not directly relate to a collaboration he points out that “Nintendo would get a massive content gain and sell millions of incremental Switch [consoles], [and] Xbox Cloud would be in front of millions of new potential subscribers.”

I mean c’mon… another Switch on the shelf. Xbox Cloud app on Switch seems a slam dunk where everyone wins. https://t.co/wT3LN8ljkG

— Mat Piscatella (@MatPiscatella) April 20, 2021

Since then, various rumors regarding the Xbox Cloud making its way to the Nintendo Switch have surfaced. However, industry analyst Dave Gibson busted this myth on Twitter. He revealed that although the collaboration would be mutually lucrative, Nintendo has directly told him that they do not wish to incorporate another streaming service on the Switch.

Microsoft will attempt to keep up with their biggest competitors in the industry, PlayStation. Piscatella revealed that the PlayStation 5 console became the fastest-selling in United States history. It broke this record in terms of both overall sales and units sold despite the shortage of parts PlayStation is experiencing.

US NPD HW – Nintendo Switch was the best-selling hardware platform in both units and dollars during the month of March. In the first quarter, Nintendo Switch was the unit sales leader while PlayStation 5 ranked first in hardware dollar sales.

— Mat Piscatella (@MatPiscatella) April 16, 2021

Are you excited to try the new xCloud? Do you think that Xbox will be able to compete with PlayStation’s current sales? Let us know in the comments down below.

ALSO READ: Report: Xbox Game Pass Might Make Its Way To Steam

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