Twitch is now on the Nintendo Switch

We still don’t have Netflix on the Nintendo Switch, but now we’re one step closer to being able to use it as a viewing platform as well as a game one, because Twitch app just launched on the Nintendo Switch eShop, and it’s a free download that’s available now on the eShop.

The app is pretty straightforward. There’s a Home tab with recommended streams for you to watch, a Browse tab to look for streams by game or category, and a Search tab. I checked out a couple streams, and they looked great, especially on the Switch OLED’s screen. The app is only for watching streams; you can’t use it to stream your gameplay.

The Switch Twitch experience is somewhat more limited than what you might be used to from the Twitch website or app. One big change is that you can’t see a stream’s chat on your Switch’s screen or a TV screen, though you can scan a QR code to see chat on your phone.

If you want to sign in to your account, you, fortunately, won’t have to wrestle with typing your password in using the Switch’s controls or the touchscreen. You can either scan a QR code on your phone or enter an eight-digit code shown on your screen at https://www.twitch.tv/activate.

Streaming options on the Switch are still fairly limited, though there is also YouTube or Hulu if you want to watch something in between trips to your Animal Crossing: New Horizons island. Here’s hoping we get Netflix someday.