Nintendo Switch 2 dev reveals GameShare requires tonnes of optimisation, but launch title Survival Kids has managed to use the feature to its fullest

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As an eager Nintendo Switch 2 fan, I’m thrilled about the upcoming launch titles, but I believe Survival Kids could stand out as the most compelling demonstration of the new console’s GameShare function. It might not share the spotlight with blockbusters like Mario Kart World and Cyberpunk 2077, but its potential to showcase the power and convenience of GameShare makes it a game I’m eagerly anticipating!

Initially appearing underwhelming when showcased alongside Nintendo’s latest handheld, the revamped version of Konami’s 1999 Game Boy Color exclusive created by Unity seemed enjoyable but lacked excitement. However, upon closer inspection, it appears that this cooperative game could be showcasing the most innovative use of the console’s GameShare feature to date.

Survival Kids uses Nintendo Switch 2 GameShare for co-op

At the unveiling of the Nintendo Switch 2, a new feature called GameShare was presented, enabling players to utilize a single game version on various consoles. During the presentation, this functionality was demonstrated using relatively basic games like Clubhouse Games 51, Big Brain Academy: Brain vs Brain, and Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker.

On the other hand, this feature was demonstrated not just in basic games but also in more sophisticated titles like Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury (with cooperative play) and Super Mario Odyssey. Yet, it seems that Survival Kids could be the most advanced application of this feature upon the console’s launch.

Through GameFile, the creators of the game have disclosed that a single copy of the game supports two-player cooperation running at 60 frames per second (fps). Furthermore, they’ve enabled three-player cooperation, but at 30 fps. Moreover, this multiplayer feature allows for one player on the Nintendo Switch to join in the fun as well.

Andy Dennison, the producer of Survival Kids, stated that the creation of the game was intended to demonstrate Unity’s capability to support any developer in creating games for the potential Nintendo Switch 2. He expressed this by saying: “the evidence is clear with our release on launch day, incorporating even some more advanced features, such as GameShare.”

It’s worth noting that creating games for use with GameShare isn’t straightforward. This is because such games essentially display multiple perspectives of a single game on a single console and broadcast these views to other devices, much like the Wii U system that split views between a television and a handheld gamepad.

The producer described GameShare like this: “You can use one camera that normally displays on the screen, but instead, it gets compressed and sent as a stream to another device. This device could be a Switch 2 or even an original Switch. Because your other player might be in a different location, we need to create a second audio mix, which means adjusting the sound for the different speakers.

Dennison clarifies that this characteristic necessitates a significant amount of optimization not just to display these perspectives but also to transmit them smoothly. “In essence, we put a lot of effort into optimization,” the developer stated. “To put it simply, our efforts allowed us to accommodate three players. In other words, we render three viewpoints for three distinct players and three unique audio mixes. And we possess the capability with Unity and Nintendo Switch 2 to handle that.

From the user perspective, Dennison explains that it’s as straightforward as clicking a button found on the main page. There’s no need for any downloads, instead, you can directly stream it. As far as the internet connection goes, if it’s stable, everyone seems to be enjoying an excellent experience.

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2025-06-02 15:10