No, You Cannot Buy Nintendo Switch Games on Steam
To clearly answer the question – no, you cannot directly purchase Nintendo Switch games on the Steam PC gaming platform and storefront.
While Steam has an enormous catalog of over 50,000 games for PC, the Nintendo Switch is a dedicated gaming console with its own distinct library and eShop store. So Nintendo first-party exclusives like Mario, Zelda, and Splatoon can only be bought on the Switch itself.
However, here is a more nuanced breakdown of the relationship between Steam and the Nintendo Switch:
Steam and Switch Game Availability Comparison
| Platform | 1st Party Nintendo Games | 3rd Party Games | Total Games |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nintendo Switch | All + exclusives | Thousands, including indies | ~4,300+ |
| Steam | None, emulation only | 50,000+, including major indies | 50,000+ |
As this table shows, while Steam massively outpaces the Switch library in total games, especially among third party indie and AAA games, it does not have any official Nintendo IP games. Nintendo still develops Switch exclusives unavailable elsewhere.
However, some popular third party indie games release both on Steam and Switch, like Hades, Shovel Knight, and Cuphead. So purchasing options vary by game.
Playing Switch Games on Steam Deck and PC
An important recent development is the Steam Deck – Valve‘s new Linux-based handheld PC that can technically emulate Nintendo software. Early adopters have managed to successfully emulate and play certain Switch games on the Steam Deck via unofficial software.
The same is possible on a regular gaming PC using emulators like Yuzu or Ryujinx. But while exciting for gamers, unofficial emulation falls into questionable legal territory regarding game IP rights.
So the Steam Deck offers unofficial potential for Switch gameplay portability combined with the vast Steam ecosystem. But native first-party Nintendo titles remain restricted to Switch consoles only at this stage.
Nintendo‘s Stance on Exclusivity and PC Games
Unlike Xbox‘s Game Pass service with cross-platform support, Nintendo still sees inherent value in console-exclusive IP to drive Switch hardware adoption. Porting Mario Kart or Animal Crossing to Steam would undermine the profitability of Nintendo‘s integrated console-software business.
In a 2021 interview, Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa reiterated that:
We have no intention to port big IP titles on other platforms
So don‘t expect official Nintendo games on Steam anytime soon. But Switch emulators continue advancing, so unofficial support grows every month within Steam‘s flexible PC environment.
Summarizing the Steam and Nintendo eShop Relationship
While I‘d love to play Super Smash Bros or classic Zelda remakes on my gaming PC, Nintendo sees the Switch‘s exclusives as critical to its business model. Players can enjoy shared third party indie games across both Steam and Switch, but iconic series like Metroid, Mario Kart, and Splatoon remain locked to Nintendo‘s consoles.
That won‘t appease PC gamers used to open ecosystems like Steam. But with advancing Switch emulators on multi-purpose devices like the Steam Deck, the boundaries may slowly blur over time. We‘ll have to watch what both Valve and Nintendo do next in response!
Let me know what other perspectives, insights or data points you think I should cover regarding Steam and Switch game purchases. This remains a hot topic among our community – understanding the nuances allows all of us to make informed gaming decisions.
