I thought this was interesting. We’re a (goes off and counts them) 4 Switch console family, so obviously we like the new wee Fat DS. Zelda, anything Mario and Animal Crossing all very popular in the frog household.
What this is though is a full priced game with a 44 MB download that is played entirely over the internet and on a different data-centered computer - the Switch console is used just to display and relay controls, so streamed.
With the roll-out of 5G and houses with better internet (remember, the Switch has no network port other than wireless) I guess this could work. No install time or waiting for patches.
It’s also nice that it doesn’t let you even buy it unless you play the demo level and it says your network is all ok, so that’s a good thing.
Jumping into Hitman 3 for the first time on Switch, you’ll be instructed to play a short demo set in the ICA training facility in order to ascertain whether or not your internet is capable of running the game at an acceptable level. Play the demo for a couple of minutes and you’ll unlock the option to purchase the full experience and jump right into the action with no further downloads or hold-ups. The client itself is free to download, and less than 50MB in size, so, if you’re tempted, it’s really a no-brainer to at least give this a whirl and see how your home network holds up.
I wonder if this is a taster of things to come?
Note: AFAIK Hitman 3 can’t run without an internet connection on any platform, due to ‘reasons’ (probably DRM).