The Nintendo Switch is the company’s Little Engine That Could. The underpowered tablet console has gone toe-to-toe with Sony and Microsoft’s next gen powerhouses and has held its own. This has lead it to becoming one of Nintendo’s most successful and popular consoles to date. Because of this, it’s also the Nintendo console with the most 3rd party support since the GameCube.
While gamers can play series like Doom, Final Fantasy, Portal, Civilization or Diablo on the go, there are still a fair number of franchises that haven’t graced Nintendo’s hybrid console. With this list, we’ll break down some of the series and franchises that have yet to make the jump to Switch, the argument for porting them over and how likely it will be.
Far Cry
Ubisoft has been one of the biggest supporters of Nintendo in recent memory. The Switch has seen titles like Rayman Legends, Valiant Hearts and Child of Light. Yearly releases of Just Dance games and a multitude of Assassin’s Creed ports. That’s not even mentioning the Starlink collaboration with StarFox or the surprisingly great Mario+Rabbids series. Even prior to the Switch, the Wii U received releases of Assassin’s Creed III and IV, Splinter Cell Blacklist and Watch Dogs as well. Far Cry is one of Ubisoft’s longest running and most successful franchises behind Assassin’s Creed so to not see it on Switch is a little odd.
Before becoming a Ubisoft property, the original Far Cry was a Crytek title. Crytek would go on to create the Crysis trilogy which recently came to Switch. Not only do these games have similar gameplay styles but Crysis has been a benchmark for visuals for years. Being able to run on Switch and look as good as it does makes a strong argument for Far Cry.
Far Cry 3 / Ubisoft
The open world shooter genre is something the Switch can certainly handle as well. Games like the aforementioned Crysis, the Borderlands series and newer games such as The Outer Worlds work well enough. Needless to say, there’s a blueprint to porting this style of game to Switch.
In terms of which games might be the best to port, there are some options. The Far Cry Compilation released in 2014 for PS3 and Xbox 360 would be a great start. This package offers Far Cry 2, Far Cry 3 and it’s expansion, Blood Dragon. Considering these were 7th generational games, there shouldn’t be too much work that needs to be done in order for them to run smoothly on Switch. Fitting all 3 games on one Switch cart could be an issue though. Releases such as Ubisoft’s own Assassin’s Creed Rebel Collection could be the ideal move. This offered one game available on the cartridge with the others being downloadable from the eShop.
Far Cry 4 saw versions on the PS3 and Xbox 360 as well as the PS4 and Xbox One. Taking the 7th generation build of the game and optimizing it to run on the Switch’s hardware could be the way to go. When it comes to the newer titles, it might be a bit trickier. Far Cry 5 or even Primal could receive ports that sacrifice visual fidelity for performance, something similar to the titles like 2016’s Doom.
Ubisoft has employed streaming technology to bring a Cloud version of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey to Switch. Utilizing the same technology for Far Cry could be viable. Considering Far Cry 6 was aiming for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S standards, a Switch port, even with streaming, could possibly be off the table. Regardless, there is potential for Far Cry to have an active presence on Switch.
With Ubisoft’s strong relationship with Nintendo, seeing some older titles ported to the system is definitely a possibility. With specific releases on Switch like Assassin’s Creed Rebel Collection coupled with existing remasters of Far Cry 3 and Blood Dragon, there’s a real chance to be playing Far Cry on the go in 2023.
Yakuza (Like A Dragon)
Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio (RGG) released the first Yakuza title in 2005 on the PS2. What would start out as a niche cult classic series has turned into a juggernaut for both RGG and SEGA. The most recent entry, Yakuza 7: Like A Dragon, has become the most successful title internationally for the series. This success has lead to spin-off series like Judgement (or Judge-Eyes), upcoming remakes such as Like A Dragon: Ishin! and new titles in Like A Dragon 8 and The Man Who Erased His Name. Needless to say, Yakuza (more recently rebranded as it’s original title in Japan, Like A Dragon) has a bright future ahead of it.
While Like A Dragon has been primarily a PlayStation exclusive, Yakuza 7 changed that as it released on Xbox as well as PC. The shift in both branding and expansion is the perfect timing for the series to finally appear on a Nintendo console. While being rivals in the 90s, SEGA and Nintendo have an incredible relationship in the modern era. From the GameCube onward, SEGA has supported Nintendo consoles for decades. The Switch is home to series like Sonic The Hedgehog, Persona, Shin Megami Tensi, Valyria Chronicles and Super Monkey Ball. Switch Online Expansion Pack subscribers even have a free library of classic SEGA Genesis titles available to them.
Being narrative driven, crime thrilling, action RPGs, Like A Dragon’s absence from Switch feels very much like Persona’s did. This series feels almost tailor-made for the console. As the series has been around for close to two decades, there’s plenty of titles to choose from. The best place to start is with the Yakuza Origins titles and Remastered Collection.
Yakuza 0 / RGG / SEGA
The Yakuza Origins bundle exists on many digital storefronts and is a package of Yakuza 0, Kiwami and Kiwami 2. The Kiwami titles are remakes of both the original Yakuza and its sequel on the PS2.Yakuza 0 acts as a prequel to those titles. This bundle would be great for newcomers. It would give those who haven’t experience the series a place to start Kazuma Kiryu’s journey. There’s one slight issue with this and that is that these are all PS4 titles.
While plenty of PS4 games have been successfully ported to Switch, that doesn’t mean it’s a walk in the park. Like A Dragon titles offer extremely detailed worlds, a photo-realistic art style and dozens of mini-games and side content across 40-50+ hours of gameplay. Porting one of these games would probably be an undertaking let alone an entire trilogy of games. While it would be a great starting point and certainly not out of the realm of possibility, the best case scenario for seeing Like A Dragon on Switch might be the Remastered Collection.
Containing Yakuza‘s 3 through 5, The Yakuza Remastered Collection are all upscaled versions of Kiryu’s PS3 outings. It would be easier and therefor cheaper to upscale PS3 games to Switch as oppose to optimizing PS4 titles. The obvious issue with this route would be picking up an entire saga of games halfway through its story. That could be a hard sell to a new audience. If SEGA wants Like A Dragon to succeed on Switch, it might have to start small. Porting a hypothetical Kiwami Duology could be the perfect middle ground. This would give newcomers a place to start while keeping the scope of the endeavor realistic.
Despite what RGG Studio Head Masayoshi Yokoyama has stated, the series should have a place on Switch. Nintendo has proven with the Switch that it’s not just a home for family friendly games. With SEGA and Nintendo being as chummy as they are and Like A Dragon‘s momentum never being stronger, 2023 would be the perfect time to beat up thugs on the streets of Kamurocho whenever and wherever one wants.
Call of Duty
One of the most successful and well known franchises on the planet, Call of Duty, has had a decent history with Nintendo. From the GameCube to the DS to the Wii and Wii U, Call of Duty has been a fairly consistent release on whichever Nintendo console is relevant. As hardware improved, Call of Duty pushed the boundaries of visual fidelity and performance so it’s not surprising it never made the jump to Switch.
With Activision being purchased by Microsoft, the idea of Call of Duty on any platform other than Xbox was in limbo for a time. Recently, Phil Spencer reiterated that Microsoft would treat Call of Duty like they did Minecraft. This would mean making it accessible on as many platforms as possible including Nintendo’s. This has opened the floodgates for potential Call of Duty experiences on Switch and beyond.
One of the trickier aspects in porting games to Switch is keeping the spirit of said game in tact while sacrificing just enough as to not set the poor little tablet on fire. With Call of Duty’s main draw being its fast-paced, twitch shooting, having a sub 60FPS version of any title wouldn’t be a good investment for either side.
There are plenty of older, classic Call of Duty games that would work wonders on Switch. Call of Duty 2 or the original Modern Warfare, Black Ops 1 and 2, World at War, even Ghosts or Advanced Warfare could work well with very little drawbacks. The problem is, Call of Duty lives and dies on it’s multiplayer offerings.
Re-releasing older Call of Duty games on Switch wouldn’t align with Activision’s business model as Call of Duty has employed microtransactions and battle passes for years. Activision would have to maintain servers for decades old games for one platform which could potentially detract from the newest title that releases. Look no further than only the original Modern Warfare 2‘s campaign being remastered for an example.
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare / Infinity Ward / Activision
While a Modern Warfare or Black Ops Trilogy being playable on the go would be great, it’s highly unlikely Microsoft/Activision would go that route. Newer titles would be ideal for the company to maximize profits and keep the whole series on brand but this poses a problem for Switch. The size of modern Call of Duty games far exceeds what the Switch is capable of even if handled by port professionals such as Panic Button or Saber Interactive. And Cloud streaming a multiplayer game with Nintendo’s matchmaking seems like a nightmare.
One compromise could be Call of Duty Mobile and Warzone. A Free-To-Play version of Call of Duty made its way to mobile devices and since then has seen player counts well over half a billion. Utilizing assets, characters, maps, guns and kill streaks from previous games, Call of Duty Mobile is the perfect handheld conglomeration of the shooter giant that would pair very well with the Switch.
The developers have implemented traditional controls through Bluetooth controllers or handheld devices from Power A or Razer. This would make the transition to Switch in that area seamless. Touch controls could also be kept for those who are so inclined. It shouldn’t take too much work to get the mobile build to run smoothly on the Switch’s hardware. With a massive install base, cross-play could be used to have the Switch version hit the ground running.
With online shooters like Overwatch, Warface and Paladins having a presence on Switch, a version of Call of Duty Mobile would feel right at home. In terms of Warzone, it recently had a mobile version released as well. The same arguments apply although there might have to be some compromises for Switch considering the size and scope of the mode. Apex Legends, Fortnite and Spellbreak have all made the jump to Switch so it’s only a matter of time before Warzone does.
The major hurdle is definitely Nintendo’s online infrastructure. Even it’s competitive first party titles like Super Smash Bros. or Splatoon suffer from disconnects and lag on a frequent basis. This could scare away Microsoft/Activision from sparing the resources for these ports. But the upside (aka money) could be the deciding factor. With the 10 year deal to bring Call of Duty to Switch, we’ll have to wait and see how it pans out.
Fallout
Bethesda has been one of the surprise supporters of the Switch. Skyrim was one of the first titles shown off in the console’s reveal trailer in 2016. Since then, Doom, Wolfenstein, The Elder Scrolls and Quake have all graced the Switch in one fashion or another. Impressive ports of Doom 2016 and Eternal, Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus and Youngblood as well as the aforementioned Skyrim were games nobody saw coming. But there’s been one franchise that’s been surprisingly absent from the Switch’s library and that’s Fallout.
This isn’t entirely true as the mobile title Fallout Shelter has been on Switch since 2018. While it’s a fun distraction, there’s no replacement for the real thing. Fallout has been one of Bethesda’s biggest properties since acquiring the rights to the franchise from Interplay in 2007. To not see the main series on Switch is a bit puzzling considering Bethesda has been more than willing to put everything and anything on the console.
Taking the classic PC games and porting them to Switch could be possible. Games like Baldur’s Gate, Diablo, Wasteland or Disco Elysium employ similar gameplay with modern controls that would make Fallout 1 and 2 viable options. Porting every game in the Fallout Anthology would be a dream come true but that’s a bit unrealistic.
More realistic would be the Game of the Year Edition of Fallout 3 and the Ultimate Edition Fallout New Vegas. Classic games in their own right, the full packages of each game would be mammoth releases on Switch. With Skyrim running impressively well, there shouldn’t be any issues with Fallout 3 or New Vegas. Being similar to games in the same engine poses very little port problems as compared to future titles.
Fallout 76 / Bethesda Game Studios
Fallout 4 would be difficult considering what a massive leap in both scope and fidelity it is from the previous games. A downgraded version might be too compromised to be sellable. Being a Bethesda title, Fallout 4 has its fair share of performance and visual glitches that could make porting it a disaster. However, the wizards over at Saber Interactive were able to cram The Witcher 3 onto the Switch so it’s not an impossible task.
Fallout 76 might be one of the reasons as to why Fallout hasn’t been seen on Switch yet. Fallout 76 was Bethesda’s attempt at taking the Fallout franchise in the “live service” direction. Despite one of the most abysmal launches in recent memory, the title is still wildly popular. Last year, it’s end of year active player count surpassed 13 million overall.
Because of it’s “live service” nature, Fallout 76 has a stable and profitable revenue stream for Bethesda. This could be the direction they take the franchise in the future. If that’s the case, porting old games could muddy the water, detracting from selling 76 to potential consumers. Bethesda themselves have even stated that Fallout 76 isn’t doable on Switch which is cause for concern.
After being acquired by Microsoft, it seems Bethesda titles are going to be Xbox and PC exclusives as seen with the upcoming Starfield. To have Fallout continue to appear on other consoles in any capacity opens the door for criticisms of new product exclusivity. This could be a PR nightmare Microsoft chooses to not engage in. While the allure of Fallout on Switch is intoxicating as well as achievable, it doesn’t seem like it could be a reality anytime soon or even at all.
Metal Gear
Konami has been responsible for some of gaming’s greatest franchises. Contra, Castlevania, Suikoden and Bomberman are all classic series that have appeared on Switch in recent years. One of Konami’s most prominent franchises (Silent Hill notwithstanding) hasn’t and that’s Metal Gear. Hideo Kojima’s brainchild of over 25 years has had north of 25 titles spanning multiple generations, systems and playstyles ripe for the picking for Switch ports.
Though most associate the series with PlayStation, Metal Gear has an extensive history with Nintendo. The original Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2 were NES titles. The often forgotten Metal Gear: Ghost Babel was a Gameboy Color entry for the franchise. Metal Gear Solid was remade by Silicon Knights on the GameCube under the Twin Snakes moniker. And solely because it had 3 in the title, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater was ported to the 3DS.
Nintendo Switch Online could be a potential starting point for the series. Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2 could appear on the free NES offerings that Nintendo Switch Online subscribers have access to. While those games have their merits, it’s definitely not where the series hit its stride. Metal Gear Solid for the PS1 is the game that made Metal Gear and Kojima household names. While the Twin Snakes remake exists, it’s not a fan favorite for numerous reasons. While Konami might see the potential in releasing individual games on Switch, their more recent releases could point to a better solution.
Konami took a break from their Pachinko Machine business to release some video game compilations as of late. Contra and Castlevania Anniversary Collections were released in 2019 with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Cowabunga Collection coming out in 2022. These collections would be the perfect delivery method to get Metal Gear not just on Switch but on current gen hardware.
Metal Gear Solid Legacy Collection was released in 2012 and included:
Metal Gear, Metal Gear 2, Metal Gear Solid, Solid 2: Sons of Liberty HD, Solid 3: Snake Eater HD, Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots and Peace Walker HD. Now that’s a collection.
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker / Kojima Productions / Konami
As this collection released exclusively on PS3, it could take some finagling to get ports to work right on Switch as the PS3’s infrastructure was notoriously cryptic. But being PS3 titles, performance and visuals shouldn’t be an issue. Fitting all these titles on one Switch cartridge would be nigh impossible so splitting the collection into two halves could work. One could envision Peace Walker, Solid and Solid 2 on one cart with Solid 3 and 4 on another. The PS Vita’s Metal Gear Solid HD Collection, containing Sons of Liberty and Snake Eater, is a good blueprint of how these games are ported to an underpowered handheld.
Phantom Pain is where Konami could run into trouble. Prior games were more non-linear narrative driven adventures but Metal Gear Solid V took the series open world. While every game before it could be easily ported to Switch, the open world poses a problem just due to how large the game is in general. Ground Zeroes could be a nice consolation prize of sorts. Since the title amounted to no more than a demo for the real Metal Gear Solid V, it doesn’t seem likely.
While Phantom Pain was predominantly advertised as a then “next gen” game for the PS4 and Xbox One, there were previous gen releases on the PS3 and Xbox 360. While these versions came on multiple discs and weren’t as clean as their “next gen” counterparts, they still get the job done. Some tinkering around with these versions could be a way Konami is able to cram Kojima’s last Metal Gear on Nintendo Switch. Ideally, one would love to see Konami release Metal Gear Solid V: The Definitive Experience on Switch but that’s a bit of a pipe dream.
Konami and Nintendo have had a relationship that spans generations and Metal Gear is no stranger to a Nintendo console. Snake has been a regular in Smash Bros. since 2007 after all. While Phantom Pain might be a 50/50 shot, there’s certainly promise with porting the rest of the series to Switch. With the producer of the Metal Gear franchise promising a big year for the series in 2023, let’s hope that includes seeing something Switch related.
Mass Effect + Dragon Age
This one is a Bioware double dip of sorts. Bioware is in the upper echelon of RPG developers. Titles like Baldur’s Gate and Knights of the Old Republic are some of the best RPGs on the planet and (luckily for this list) are available on Nintendo Switch. While these titles are legendary, modern Bioware is best known for Mass Effect and Dragon Age. Both series have trilogies just ripe of porting to Switch.
While Bioware has been predominantly a PC and mainstream console developer, they have dappled with Nintendo in the past. One of their more obscure titles, MDK 2, was ported to the Wii in 2011. They developed Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood for Nintendo DS which most Sonic and Bioware fans choose to forget exists. A port of just Mass Effect 3 (for some reason) made its way to the Wii U in 2012 and finally, the aforementioned ports of Baldur’s Gate and Knights of the Old Republic have more recently come to Switch.
The argument for Mass Effect and Dragon Age to be playable on Switch pretty much makes itself. Story rich games with deep RPG elements and fun combat have made their home on Switch in the past. RPGs such as The Witcher 3, Kingdoms of Amular: Re-Reckoning, Skyrim, The Outer Worlds and Dragon’s Dogma just to name a few. Mass Effect and Dragon Age would fit right at home on Switch and should be relatively painless to port.
Ideally, traditional Trilogy releases for both series would be nice. Luckily for the sake of this article, Mass Effect is already halfway there. The Mass Effect Legendary Edition were remasters of the original three titles complete with (mostly) all of their respective DLC to form one of the best releases of 2021. Being exclusive to modern consoles at the time, some of the post processing and visual effects would have to be scaled down in order for these to run more efficiently on Switch.
Mass Effect 2 & Dragon Age: Inquisition / Bioware / EA
Dragon Age is where it gets a bit awkward. If there were to be a scaled back port of the Legendary Edition of Mass Effect, this would make scaled up ports of the original Dragon Age games rough by comparison. This hypothetical port relays heavily on a potential Legendary Edition of Dragon Age for modern consoles so take it with a grain of salt. Dragon Age Origins and Dragon Age II are both 7th generation titles, meaning the jump from PS3 or Xbox 360 to Switch shouldn’t be too bad. Dragon Age Inquisition could be a tougher challenge.
The Game of The Year award winner in 2014 was similar to many of the titles discussed thus far and was released on both modern and next gen consoles at the time. The 7th gen version, while compromised, could be a starting point in getting Inquisition to run on Switch. Being massive RPGs, these releases would most likely employ the single released cart with most of its content acting as downloadable content. But the road block preventing these ports from happening could be their publisher.
EA hasn’t had the best relationship with the Switch thus far. After going all in on the Wii U and getting burned, EA has been very selective with what they bring to Switch. Games that align well with Nintendo’s “family friendly” exterior make for a safer investment in the console. Games like It Takes Two, Plants Vs. Zombies, Fe or Unravel fit that model nicely. Then there’s the titles that bring in the big bucks. FIFA and Apex Legends are the biggest titles from EA on Switch primarily because of their source of revenue for the company with their loot boxes and microtransactions.
Other than the occasional Need For Speed remaster, that’s it from EA. No Dead Space or Skate or Mirrors Edge or Battlefield. Needless to say, EA seems to not view Switch as a viable platform for most of their franchises. This is where the possibility of seeing Mass Effect or Dragon Age on Switch takes a nose dive. There’s no evidence to show that EA is willing to pony up the resources, time, money and effort to port these games even if the audience is there and even if it’s certainly achievable. EA would most likely look forward to Mass Effect 4 and Dragon Age Dreadwolf than backwards to older games they don’t think could be profitable anymore.
Madden NFL Football
Speaking of EA, the Madden franchise has to be one of their most famous. Besides FIFA, Madden is one of EAs most recognizable and successful sports franchises. With FIFA being on Switch, it’s strange to not see Madden there as well. Obviously on a grander scale, European Football is much more popular than American Football so it makes sense why if EA were to choose one of its golden geese it would be FIFA. That’s not to say Madden wouldn’t be worth a port at least.
Madden is the best selling sports franchise of all time. With over 130 million copies sold over it’s existence, it’s been the best selling game of its release month for 23 years straight. Despite the quality of the games taking a dip year over year, Madden is still a big seller. Most major sports are represented on Switch in one capacity or another except for Football. Baseball is covered by RBI Baseball and more recently MLB The Show. NBA 2K and FIFA have been supporters since 2017 for Basketball and Soccer respectively. Golf has made its way to the Switch with PGA 2K. For those not looking for simulation style games, Mario certainly has you covered in various sports. But for those looking for a Football game on the go, there aren’t very many options.
Madden has been on nearly every major Nintendo console since the GameCube and EA is clearly willing to support (arguably inferior) ports of sports games to Switch. With little to no competition on console, it seems like a match made in heaven. Choosing to port every years entry to Switch similar to FIFA could be problematic for the development team. As a compromise, an unorthodox direction could be taken that’s modeled off of the series’ only appearance on the 3DS.
Madden NFL Football / EA
Madden NFL Football for 3DS is the series boiled down to its essence. No Year or Cover Athlete. Just traditional 11-on-11 football with a Season mode and current (at the time) rosters. Having one singular release with yearly patches for new modes or roster updates would be the ideal state of most of EA’s properties. It could be the way Madden makes its way to Switch but that’s unlikely.
Out of all the titles in this list, Madden is probably the least likely to appear on Switch. With how little EA supports the console and with how much extra work it could take, it might not be a financially viable option for the publisher. The recent release of MLB The Show on Switch showed its possible for an annual sports franchise to start up on Switch. Here’s hoping EA took some notes.
Batman: Arkham Series
Rocksteady set the bar for Superhero games when Batman: Arkham Asylum launched on Xbox 360 and PS3 in 2009. Since then, the series has been a standout in the beat-em-up adventure game genre. With fluid combat, fun detective gameplay and a classic voice cast, the Arkham series is the Bat at his best. Despite it’s arcade-like gameplay and wide appeal, The Dark Knight has yet to make it to Nintendo Switch.
Considering Batman is a comic icon, he’s appeared in many video game forms over the years. From the NES onward, the Caped Crusader has swooped his way onto Nintendo consoles for decades. More recently, Arkham City and Origins made their way to Wii U, with the side scrolling spin-off Blackgate releasing on 3DS. These releases alone prove that the Arkham series has a place on Switch. A recent compilation would be the perfect vehicle for bringing Gotham City on the go.
Batman Arkham Asylum / Rocksteady Studios / WB
Released in 2019, the Batman: Arkham Collection featured Rocksteady’s entire Arkham Trilogy including all post-launch DLC in one neat package. Prior to this bundle, the Return to Arkham release featured remastered versions of Arkham Asylum and City for the 8th generation of consoles to bring each game up to par with Arkham Knight. While Arkham Asylum and City were 7th gen games, Arkham Knight is where it gets more complicated.
There’s little doubt the Switch could handle Asylum and City, even the remastered versions. Knight had it’s slew of issues at launch and considering it’s a much larger game than its predecessors, it could cause issues on Switch. While it’d be difficult, there’s plenty of examples of open world games on Switch to prove it’s possible. Look no further than games like Dying Light to see how large scale urban/city environments work on the hardware.
The Arkham series would feel right at home on a console where games like Bayonetta, Astral Chain and No More Heroes thrived. It seems WB might feel the same way because (as of the writing of this article) there were rumors in late 2022 of The Arkham Collection coming to Switch in some capacity. While nothing is set in stone, the Arkham titles certainly can and should be available on Switch. To have some of the best Superhero games on the go would be a big get for Nintendo in 2023.
Red Dead Redemption
Rockstar’s Cowboy Simulator is one of their most popular. with the series selling well over 70 million copies worldwide. As successful as it is, the original title has yet to make its way to modern consoles and more appropriate for this list, the Switch. With Rockstar willing to remaster older titles such as L.A. Noire, GTA III, Vice City and San Andreas, Red Dead Redemption should be next in line.
Rockstar has been a supporter of Nintendo consoles here and there for quite some time actually. Grand Theft Auto 2 had a Gameboy Color port, oddly enough. The Gameboy Advance had its own GTA title with Grand Theft Auto Advanced. Manhunt and Bully were both released on the Wii with Grand Theft Auto gracing the DS with Chinatown Wars. Most recently, L.A. Noire and GTA The Trilogy released on Switch as Rockstar’s attempt at supporting the system.
Having really only 3 games in the series, there’s one obvious choice in terms of representation on Switch and that’s the original Red Dead Redemption. Being a 7th gen open world game, there could be some issues in porting it to Switch when it comes to performance. Titles like Skyrim, Saints Row: The Third or Red Faction Guerrilla, while not quite as visually impressive as Red Dead, still run very well on Switch.
Red Dead Redemption / Rockstar
L.A. Noire is probably the obvious argument to make when porting Red Dead to Switch. While not developed by Rockstar, it still utilizes the same engine and gameplay elements as GTA and Read Dead. The Switch port of L.A. Noire is great, even offering nice little touches like Joy Con support as well. A package of the original Red Dead Revolver and a Red Dead Redemption port complete with Undead Nightmare on Switch would wet the appetites’ of those looking for a western adventure on the go.
The big problem facing a Switch specific port is that Rockstar would want to maximize the reach of such a beloved game. The previously mentioned remasters all released on modern consoles. The effort it would take to port the original directly to Switch could easily be diverted into a remaster for all modern consoles. Its safe to say that until Red Dead Redemption comes to the PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC, a Switch appearance isn’t likely.
Red Dead Redemption 2 might not even be worth talking about for Switch considering it took two discs to play when it originally launched in 2018. The game seemed too big for even the PS4 and Xbox One. Considering Red Dead 2‘s file size is 5x that of the Switch’s internal storage capacity, it’d take a miracle and a half to squeeze the game onto Nintendo’s hybrid console.
While rumors of a Red Dead Remaster did circulate last year, it’s unlikely to come to fruition as Rockstar seems dedicated to Grand Theft Auto 6. While the L.A. Noire and the GTA Remasters are promising for a Red Dead recurrence, it doesn’t look like we’ll be living out or cowboy fantasies on Switch anytime soon.
Without any confirmation of a Switch Pro or Switch 2 on the horizon, Nintendo seems content chugging along on its money train. With 2022 bringing some truly impressive ports of No Man’s Sky, Neir Automata and Persona 5 Royal, the future seems bright for Nintendo’s little hybrid. With 2023 in full swing, the potential for many of these titles is there and could make it an exciting year for Switch owners.
So what do you think? Any series we missed? Let us know in the comments!
