Nintendo's New GameShare Feature Doesn't Work How You Might Think
June 6, 2025
Nintendo has highlighted many new features for the Switch 2, but, out of all of them, GameShare is probably the most enigmatic. Nintendo has been pretty low-key about it, sharing little about how the feature actually works. With the console now in our hands, though, we can definitively tell you how GameShare takes advantage of Nintendo's hardware. It's fairly impressive stuff; though, the technology isn't exactly new.
Forget DS Download Play, Think Steam Remote Play Together
Many Nintendo fans were quick to compare GameShare to DS Download Play when it was first announced, and the similarities are easy to see. GameShare works in a fairly different way, however. No downloads are forced, since the Switch 2 actually hosts and broadcasts the game to other consoles — whether locally or online. A more apt comparison for GameShare would actually be Steam Remote Play Together, but even that comparison isn't perfect.
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What makes GameShare distinct from Steam Remote Play Together is that GameShare allows for each player to have their own unique 'version' of a game. In Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics, for example, each player will have their own unique screen when playing certain minigames that depend on hiding information. In theory, this means that just about any multiplayer game could work via GameShare. Assuming the Switch 2 can actually run it decently well, that is.
Using The Full Power Of The Nintendo Switch 2
The Nintendo Switch 2 is quite the upgrade over its predecessor, but it can't perform miracles. The console needs ample processing room to be able to both run the game and stream it. This requires sacrifices. By default, the Switch 2 runs all supported games at a lower resolution, using up only about 80% of the screen. The black bars you see cannot be removed. From there, changes to the quality of the experience will vary from game-to-game. A few titles will cap their frame rate at 30fps, for example. Input lag can be a bit of a problem. The host appears to be exempt from these specific downgrades; though, there is no escape from the black bars.
GameShare is not meant to be treated as a definitive experience. It is far from perfect. Still, it's a neat way to introduce friends to some games in your collection, so it makes for a perfectly fine feature on the Switch 2. Even the Switch 1 benefits from GameShare; however, it can't host any games itself. Hopefully Nintendo actually gives this feature proper support going forward.
