Switch is the latest console to lose this feature

If you’re used to sharing your gaming exploits on social networks, you’ve probably noticed the impact of the new Nintendo Switch update. As of June 10, the console is no longer able to communicate with X (formerly Twitter) in order to facilitate posting screenshots or finding contacts in the game. The removal of this feature seems to be the only change applied since patch 18.1.0 of the console, other than the usual stability improvements that each update promises. Here’s what we can read in the detailed note shared by the Kyoto-based company:

All forms of social network integration have therefore been removed, including in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Despite the sudden appearance of this change that may upset many players, this change actually comes quite late. In fact, PlayStation console users lost the sharing feature in November 2023, while on Xbox the disappearance of Twitter compatibility dates back to April 2023. Although the reason for this abandonment by manufacturers has never been explained, it certainly stems from the new network pricing policy applied by Elon Musk.

API access for $42000 per month… What does it mean?
Since the acquisition of Twitter by the big boss of Tesla and SpaceX, the platform has undergone many changes in its operation and its relationship with money. In addition to the democratization of the Twitter Blue subscription, which has become X Premium to take advantage of certain features, some tools reserved for companies have also been victims of drastic increases. This is especially true for access to the social network’s API, which is now billed starting at $42,000 per month, compared to $2,899 for the most expensive package in the past.

But what is an API, and why has this change turned away all video game makers? This acronym stands for “Application Programming Interface”. It is a tool that allows two applications or platforms to communicate with each other, in order to extract and share data. Subscribing to Twitter’s API is therefore mandatory to implement sharing functions on gaming consoles.

Now that this bundle is almost fifteen times more expensive, it’s no wonder Sony, Xbox, and Nintendo have decided to part ways with it. Promoting their platforms via gamers’ Twitter shares is certainly not lucrative enough to justify such a monthly expense. This feature is therefore not about to return on the various machines in the sector. To post their screenshots on X, Switch players can use the smartphone transfer tool to retrieve their images and post them themselves.