Orbitals Will Be Playable on the Old Switch Through the Power of Friendship

Co-op adventures built exclusively for two players hold a special place in many people’s hearts, since there just is a distinct, satisfying magic in sitting down with a friend, figuring out mechanics together, and overcoming challenges as a team – especially when the developers don't force both of you to shell out full price just to play together.

And, as we approach the upcoming launch of Orbitals, the developers have just announced a suite of player-friendly features that make jumping into the game easier than ever, including a way to bring original Nintendo Switch hardware into the mix.

Leveraging the Global Friend’s Pass

Launching exclusively for the Nintendo Switch 2 on September 3, Orbitals has been crafted from the ground up as a purely cooperative experience. But while the main game takes advantage of Nintendo’s next-gen platform, the studio has confirmed that you won't necessarily need two shiny new consoles sitting on the couch to enjoy it with a buddy.

In a detailed breakdown of the game’s multiplayer options on their official website, the team revealed the launch of the “Orbitals Global Friend’s Pass”, a dedicated application hitting the Nintendo eShop for free alongside the main game.

The concept is wonderfully straightforward: as long as one player owns a full copy of Orbitals on Nintendo Switch 2, they can send an invite to a friend who has downloaded the free Friend’s Pass app. Once connected, the second player gets to experience the entire campaign alongside the host without spending a single extra dime – much like It Takes Two did back in 2021 and many other co-op titles did the same in the following years.

For those who are still on the fence about whether the game’s mechanics are right for their co-op duo, the Friend’s Pass application also houses a free local co-op demo. This allows two players on a single Nintendo Switch 2 to jump right into the opening chapter and test out the waters before deciding to commit to a full purchase.

However, what really makes this release strategy particularly cool for long-time Nintendo fans is how it handles local multiplayer across different console generations. While full online play and native local co-op require a Nintendo Switch 2, the team has integrated Local GameShare support.

This means if you own a copy of Orbitals on your Switch 2, you can actually team up locally with a friend who is using an original Nintendo Switch, a Switch Lite, or an OLED model. Through this Local GameShare feature, your partner can join the action directly on their older handheld screen without needing to upgrade their system just yet, making the jump to next-gen feel far more inclusive for existing hardware owners.

If both of you have already made the upgrade to Nintendo Switch 2, you will also be able to utilize Online GameShare alongside GameChat features, provided both accounts have an active Nintendo Switch Online membership.

So, in an industry where multiplayer titles far too often push double-dipping and aggressive monetization, seeing a studio actively design ways for players to share their purchases is always something worth celebrating! Whether you are planning to share a single screen, connect online via the Friend's Pass, or bridge the generational gap using an older Switch model via Local GameShare, Orbitals seems determined to make sure lack of extra hardware isn't the reason your player two gets left behind (and I love it!).

Orbitals

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