The Assassin's Creed games have a reputation for pushing console hardware to the limit, and in some cases well beyond those limits. So it wasn't too surprising when Assassin's Creed Odyssey wasn't announced for the Nintendo Switch. Compared to the hardware inside the PS4 and Xbox One, it comes up well short. However, the Switch is getting a version of Odyssey, but only Japanese Switch owners will be able to play it.

It looks as though Ubisoft managed to get around the hardware limitations imposed by the Switch by opting to stream the game to Nintendo's hybrid console instead. So on Oct. 5 when the game launches in major markets on PS4, Xbox One, and PC, a "Cloud Version" will also be made available in Japan.

As GamesIndustry.biz reports, Ubisoft will charge gamers roughly $6.50 for a day pass to try playing it in streamed form. Alternatively, a full game pass lasting two years can be purchased for $75.

The day pass exists not only to allow gamers to try the game and see if they like it, but also to test whether it's actually playable. Streamed games require a reliable connection that maintains a minimum speed so as to allow the streaming to function without stutters, which would obviously ruin the experience.

Ubisoft is copying what Capcom already did when it opted to offer a streaming version of Resident Evil 7 on Switch in Japan. As well as getting around the hardware limitations of the Switch without requiring a lot of optimization work on the game, it also meant Switch owners only needed to download a 45MB game client in order to play. It seems likely the Cloud Version of Assassin's Creed Odyssey will require a download of similar size.

Not offering the Cloud Version outside of Japan may have a lot to do with the reliability and speed of internet connections elsewhere in the world. However, I doubt many gamers would be happy to pay $75 for two years of access to a game that will essentially disappear from a Switch forever after that.