Twitch is ending support for its Nintendo Switch app.
In a notice on its support page, the game live-streaming service says it will pull its app from the Nintendo eShop on Nov. 6, and existing users will lose access on Jan. 31, 2024.
Users began receiving emails about the shutdown yesterday, but the message says only that Twitch "made the hard decision to remove the Twitch App from the Nintendo Switch." In a statement to The Verge, a Twitch spokesperson didn't really elaborate, except to say that "Nintendo remains a valued partner and we appreciate all of the support the Switch community has provided to Twitch and our streamers.”
As The Verge notes, this may not be a huge loss for the Nintendo Switch community. The app had a lot of issues on launch with user complaints lasting well into 2023. There were a variety of functions that you couldn't use in the app, including accessing the chat, broadcasting your streams, or subscribing to creators. In short, it was a bit of a mess.
Last month, Twitch began allowing streamers to simulcast their streams to multiple platforms, so at the very least, Switch owners still have YouTube. We'll have to see if Twitch returns with the launch of a next-gen Switch.
