The Nintendo Switch got its new 6.00 update yesterday with the launch of the Nintendo Switch Online service. This new update is bringing some new options for the users; options that make their new Online service compatible with the console, as well as a new feature that allows players to take their games with them without their console.
As reported by IGN, Nintendo Switch owners are now able to take all of their Nintendo Switch games with them even when they're not bringing the console with them. This is possible thanks to a new option that gives players the ability to designate a "primary" and "non-primary" Nintendo Switch console—which can be done through the user's Nintendo Account.
By having a designated primary console, users can download all of their games and access them on a non-primary unit anywhere they go. While this sounds pretty good on paper, there is a catch; and that is that in order for these titles to be played on the non-primary console, users are required to be be connected to the internet. If the connection is lost, the game will be paused after "a certain amount of time".
Another hurdle that users may need to jump over is the fact that if games are being played on the non-primary console, and the primary console is accessed, the game will automatically be paused on the non-primary console—thus preventing players to play the games simultaneously.
Sony has been doing something similar since the PlayStation 3 days, where users could create up to 5 different "non-primary" consoles, except all of these would be able to access every downloaded game at all times. What Nintendo is trying to do here is prevent their games to be shared with more than one console(or Nintendo Account if you rather).
While there is logic behind Nintendo wanting to protect their intelectual properties, and those of third party developers, the problem lies in the fact that an internet connection is needed in order to access these games. The Nintendo Switch's main feature is the ability to take it anywhere the user goes, and sometimes this means going to places where they won't have access to the internet.
Some other users may purchase multiple consoles for either their family members or significant others, and not being able to play these games on different consoles may represent a problem as they likely won't want to pay for said games more than once.
The ability to designate a primary and non-primary console to play their games on the go without actually taking the console with them is nice, but not when an internet connection is required, or when the primary console is also active. Hopefully Nintendo will address this situation and realise that they are far behind when it comes to online services, especially when other rival companies have been doing it better for over 10 years.