YouTube app coming 'soon' to Nintendo Switch 2

YouTube has confirmed it is working with Nintendo to bring its video streaming app to the Switch 2 "soon," addressing one of the new console's notable omissions at launch.The announcement came via the official TeamYouTube account on X after users reported that the original Switch's YouTube app is incompatible with Nintendo's latest handheld. When Switch 2 owners attempt to open the transferred app, they receive an error message stating the software cannot start."We're working with Nintendo to make YouTube available on the Switch 2 soon," the company posted in response to user inquiries. No specific timeline or additional details were provided about whether YouTube will update the existing app or create a Switch 2-specific version.The YouTube compatibility issue extends beyond a single app. Nintendo has previously confirmed that several popular streaming services from the original Switch don't work on the Switch 2, including Hulu, Crunchyroll, and Japan-based platforms Niconico and Abema. None of these services have announced updates for the new console.

The situation mirrors the original Switch's launch experience, when YouTube took over a year and a half to arrive on the platform. The app finally debuted on the Switch eShop in November 2018, well after the console's March 2017 release.Released on June 5, the Switch 2 features several hardware improvements over its predecessor, including a larger screen, magnetic Joy-Con controllers, and a more powerful custom Nvidia processor. While the console maintains backward compatibility with most Switch games and apps, streaming services appear to require specific updates to function properly on the new hardware.