Nintendo Switch 2 Game Chat Backend Uses WebRTC SFU and DynamoDB
The session reveals the technical tradeoffs Nintendo Systems made to balance low latency and cost efficiency for a built-in console communication feature that runs alongside games.
Reporting from 1 sources: ASCII.jp.
At AWS Summit Japan 2026, Nintendo Systems engineers detailed the backend architecture for Nintendo Switch 2's Game Chat feature. The system uses WebRTC SFU for real-time audio and video communication, supports up to 12 simultaneous users per group, and employs Amazon DynamoDB for group management. The backend is split into SFU servers deployed across multiple AWS regions, a single-region group server, and a proprietary SFU instance manager.
Nintendo Systems engineers Ryo Takahashi and Koichiro Yoshioka presented the backend design of Nintendo Switch 2's Game Chat at AWS Summit Japan 2026. The system uses WebRTC SFU (server-relayed communication) rather than P2P to reduce client bandwidth and encoder count, despite the added relay latency. The backend is split into three parts: a multi-region WebRTC SFU server group, a single-region group server using Amazon DynamoDB for chat management, and a proprietary SFU instance manager that monitors server health. The group server handles REST API calls for group creation, reference, and usage history. The SFU instance manager writes status updates to a shared DynamoDB table. The design supports up to 12 simultaneous users per chat group and aims to keep client processing load low so Game Chat can run in parallel with games.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.