Monster Hunter World Director Explains Why No Nintendo Switch Version Is Planned

The release date of Monster Hunter World is coming quickly with the game out later this month, but it doesn't appear that Nintendo Switch owners will get a version for themselves even after the game releases.

Currently scheduled to release on Jan. 26 for the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 with a PC version coming sometime later in the year, the Nintendo Switch is the only major platform that's not receiving its own version. The Switch is sometimes excluded from game ports due to concerns about the console's power when it comes to running more demanding games, and while that may be a concern now for any potential plans in the future for a Switch version of Monster Hunter World, the game's directors Kaname Fujioka and Yuya Tokuda told IGN that they'd started work on the game before the Switch was ever even announced.

"We don't have any plans for the Switch at the moment. Part of the reason is that the title has been in development for almost 4 years," the directors said. "At the time we had to commit to our hardware choices, we decided on using the most powerful current generation consoles available at the time, which was Playstation 4 and Xbox One. So [the decision was made] before the Switch was even announced or on sale."

But going back to the idea of what platform can run their game the best and whether or not the Switch would be a suitable fit for those needs, the directors also added that both the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One were the systems that best fit with their ideas. They added that they don't "just look at everything," they look for what's a good fit for their games.

"It's also because for every title we decide what the best fit for hardware is for the concept. We don't just look at everything. It's more like 'if we want to achieve this kind of game concept, where's the best place to achieve that?' and for this title the Playstation 4 and Xbox One were the best fit for us."

Monster Hunter World is scheduled to release on Jan. 26.