Leaked Nintendo Switch SDK Reveals Save Data Transfers And Guest Login Incoming

One of the most highly-requested features for the Nintendo Switch is something that arguably should have been included from the beginning (and is already possible with previous Nintendo handhelds) — the ability to transfer game save data to another device. In its current state, if your Switch has a major hardware malfunction or your device is lost, there is no way to recover any progress made in your library of games. This could be an absolutely dreadful experience if you have already devoted dozens of hours exploring Hyrule in Breath of the Wild.

However, a new leaked document that allegedly pertains to the Switch SDK shows that support for game data backups is incoming. According to the documentation, Nintendo explains:

In the future, we plan to provide a feature to transfer account save data among multiple consoles. As a result, there is the possibility that user accounts with uninitialized account save data will be added. Note that your design must work without issue, even in this case.

That is a much-appreciated change in policy for the Japanese gaming giant, and one that Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime hinted at earlier this month. "I can't say there's a solution coming, but we do hear the message," Fils-Aime coyly stated in a recent interview.

Another feature that will reportedly arrive on the Switch is support for Guest Login:

We are considering a feature in the future (tentative name: Guest Login) to access existing network service account information without linking to a user account. This feature would allow temporary access to the network service account linked to the Nintendo Account by logging into the Nintendo Account within the application. This feature would, for example, make it possible to upload a character you have raised as online data and then use that data on a friend’s NX (without creating a user account).

Both of these features will be welcome additions to the Nintendo Switch, which has been a breakout console sales success since it debuted in March. The console is rarely in stock for more than a few minutes, and supplies are expected to remain tight through the holiday season.

Charlie Scibetta, Nintendo of America Senior Director of Corporate Communications, recently revealed in an interview that the shortages are “definitely not intentional”. He then added, “We’re making it as fast as we can. We want to get as many units out as we can to support all the software that’s coming out right now… our job really is to get it out as quick as we can, especially for this holiday because we want to have units on shelves to support Super Mario Odyssey.”