Poll
01

What is GameShare on Switch 2?

GameShare lets one Nintendo Switch 2 share a game with up to three other consoles, so only one of you has to own it.

The catch: a Switch 1 can only join from the same room. Over the internet, every console in the session has to be a Switch 2.

02

Can you GameShare from a Switch 2 to a Switch 1?

Yes, in the same room.

What a Switch 2 and a Switch can do with GameShare, in the same room and online
In the same room Online, through GameChat
Switch 2 shares a game it ownsYesYes
Switch 2 joins as a guestYesYes
Switch joins as a guestYes, over local wirelessNo
Switch shares a gameNoNo

Nintendo says some Switch 2 games suit a Switch badly because of the accessories or controls they need.

03

Which games support GameShare?

51 games with a GameShare tag on Nintendo's US store

Page 1 of 3

When a game has a Switch 2 Edition, the tag is on that edition's page. Nintendo says the list keeps growing.

04

How do you start GameShare on Switch 2?

The host starts it from the game, usually from its main menu. The steps differ by game, and Nintendo's support site has a "How to Start a Multiplayer Game" page for each one.

GameShare with friends in the same room

  1. HostStarts GameShare + Local Play from the game's menu
  2. GuestSelects the GameShare icon on the HOME Menu, then Join GameShare and A Local User
  3. GuestPicks the host's user and the session it finds nearby
  4. HostStarts the session when everyone has joined
The Join GameShare screen on a Switch 2 asking who is starting the session, with A Local User and A User in a GameChat Session as the two optionsStep 2: A Local User
Frame from JSkeleton's Nintendo World on YouTube
05

What do you need for GameShare, and what are the limits?

Up to four consoles play from one copy, the host's included. Each game sets its own modes and number of players.

What the host and each guest need, and what a guest can't do
HostOwns the gameGuestUp to 3
ConsoleSwitch 2Switch 2, or a Switch in the same room
Owns the gameYesNo, plays while the session lasts
Latest system updateNeededNeeded
Nintendo Switch OnlineGameChat needs it since March 31, 2026To share onlineTo join online
Image qualityLower: streamed from the host, and online can lag
Age ratingTheir own restriction still applies
Records videoNot on a Switch
After the sessionCan't keep playing

The update is in System Settings, then System, then System Update. After the session, the game's icon stays on the guest's HOME Menu with a link to the eShop, and some games leave save data for the full game.

06

When do you need GameShare, and when don't you?

It fits1 copy, up to 4 consoles

One copy, a console each

Only one of you owns the game and everyone has their own Switch 2 or Switch nearby.

You may not need it1 copy, 1 console

One console on the couch

A game with split screen takes one console and one copy. Super Mario Party Jamboree plays four on one screen.

Split-screen games on Switch →
You may not need itA copy each

Everyone owns the game

Its own online mode usually lets in more people. Jamboree takes 2 to 8 online, against GameShare's four consoles.

Co-op games on Switch →
It doesn't workOnline, on a Switch

Playing apart on a Switch 1

Online sharing needs a Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch Online on both ends. Room-only games like Split Fiction need everyone in one room.

The Switch 2 filter on our all-games page shows every game that runs on a Switch 2, including Switch games that also run on it.

07

Other questions

Is Mario Kart World on GameShare?

No. Mario Kart World, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Splatoon 3 and Mario Party Superstars have no GameShare tag on Nintendo's US store.

How do you check if a game has GameShare?

Open the eShop, go to Search/Browse, scroll down to Filtered Search and turn on the two GameShare filters under Gameplay Style.

Does GameShare work the same in every game?

No, each developer decides how it works. In Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics, each player gets a different screen in card games and mahjong, so nobody sees another hand.

Can one GameChat room run more than one GameShare session?

Yes, with different games. GameChat is generally limited to people on your friend list.