Updated

Updated · Nintendo Everything · Aug 12

Shapefarm Makes Orbitals a Switch 2 Exclusive as GameShare Lets 1 Purchase Power Co-op

Updated

Updated · Nintendo Everything · Aug 12

Shapefarm Makes Orbitals a Switch 2 Exclusive as GameShare Lets 1 Purchase Power Co-op

Q: Since only one player needs to buy Orbitals, what hidden catch might exist in its highly anticipated 80s anime-style cooperative campaign?

The likely catch is that “only one copy needed” does not mean “no extra hardware or requirements.” Orbitals is a mandatory two-player game, and while Nintendo’s GameShare and the game’s Friend’s Pass-style option let a second person join without owning it, both players still need the setup to play. Locally, each player must use a full control scheme. Reports from hands-on previews say you cannot simply split one Joy-Con pair and hand over a single Joy-Con, as you can in some Nintendo co-op games. Each player needs either their own pair of Joy-Con or a Switch 2 Pro Controller. That makes the “one purchase” promise less generous than it sounds if a household lacks enough controllers. Online play also has conditions. Official store materials say Nintendo Switch Online membership, a Nintendo Account and internet access are required for online features. So the free second player may still face subscription and connectivity requirements, depending on how they join. There is also a more basic catch: Orbitals cannot be played solo. Its campaign is built entirely around asymmetric co-op, communication and teamwork. If you do not have a reliable partner, the fact that only one person needs to buy the game matters less. So the hidden catch is practical rather than deceptive: one copy may be enough for access, but not enough for controllers, online requirements, or the second player themselves.

3 articles · Updated · Nintendo Everything · Aug 12

Shapefarm said Orbitals will launch only on Nintendo Switch 2 on September 3 because the console’s GameShare feature best matches the game’s co-op design.
Jakob Lundgren said players can buy 1 copy and still play together online through GameShare, extending the same one-purchase logic as local multiplayer.
Lundgren added the studio already uses GameShare during development and testing, sometimes linking another console when a spare controller is not available.
Nintendo surfaced the explanation in a new Creator’s Voice interview, adding detail to its latest push for the co-op adventure ahead of launch next month.