The Nintendo Switch has been doing wonderfully in the gaming market over the past few months. It’s already sold a few million units worldwide, and it’s looking to be one of the “hot items” for the holiday season.
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That said, the system needs a little bit of a boost in the third party department. It already has great games from Nintendo, including ARMS, Splatoon 2 and Super Mario Odyssey, but the third party support seems anemic, with FIFA 18, WWE 2K18 and NBA 2K18 at best. That’s not including the stellar indie support, but it’s definitely missing Call of Duty: WWII and Assassin’s Creed Origins this holiday season.
But the good news is that things are looking better – and the main reason for that is Bethesda. Sure, 2K Sports’ support is top-notch, and it’s nice to see EA give a minor bit of love to the system, though more is needed. But it’s Bethesda’s one-two punch that could deliver for the Switch, and show third party developers what the system is all about. Let’s break down the reasons why below…
More Big Names For The Console
Franchises can go a long way into providing strength for a console. Even if it’s one that’s years old, like Skyrim. It’s true that the game’s Special Edition has already come out for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, but this is the first release that will truly make the game portable – and being able to play it on a long car trip or an airport (as depicted in last year’s debut ad for the Switch) sounds like magic to us.
Not to mention Doom. It was one of last year’s biggest hits, and the fact we get to play it on the go now is remarkable. Plus, it’ll look pretty good playing at home too, even without the 60 FPS boost.
And don’t forget we’ll get Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus next year, too. Can’t go wrong with a brand that thrives on putting those damn Nazis in their place.
Development Will Show Just How Well The Nintendo Switch Performs
Some developers have been iffy when it comes to supporting the Nintendo Switch, mainly because they believe it can’t quite hold a candle compared to Xbox One and PlayStation 4 hardware. But that seems more like an excuse than anything else, as the best developers usually take challenges head-on and come up with a way to get the games to run on the hardware.
And that’s just what Bethesda has done with Switch. Doom may not be the trailblazing 60 FPS game it was last year, but it still looks remarkable on the Nintendo hardware. For that matter, Skyrim has pretty damn good graphics as well – and that’s a huge game to port to the system. And we have full confidence that Wolfenstein II will follow suit.
By seeing what Bethesda does with the hardware, it’s more than likely that other developers will step up, maybe even to the point of going, “Anything you can do, I can do better.” Hell, if Activision can pump out quality Call of Duty games for Wii U, they sure can do the same for Switch. (Yes, that’s a challenge.)
Bringing In More “Mature” Gamers
We’ve already heard the stories about how Nintendo is trying to go after more of the “mature” crowd with its audience, hoping to allure developers that have more visceral stories to tell outside of the usual kiddie fare. That’s a first for them, as they usually cater to more of the kiddie crowd – so it’s a move that’s to be encouraged.
And all of Bethesda’s licenses fit into that mold. Doom is all about cutting demons down to size, maybe even with a chainsaw; Skyrim can get pretty violent with its spellcasting and combat; and Wolfenstein II…well, you get to slaughter Nazis. So there you go.
Bethesda’s trio of games could help pave the way for more mature-related brands to come to the system, like Assassin’s Creed and Call of Duty – especially if they sell as well as the publisher believes they will. Considering the slim pickings of software otherwise, it’s going to look like a good – and bloody – Christmas for Switch fans. (Please don’t take that the wrong way, family gamers – you still have Mario Odyssey and other all-age favorites.)
The Bottom Line
What it really comes down to is companies taking a chance on Nintendo Switch. It’s already got a tremendous install base, and the publisher’s development teams are showing just what it can do, no matter what kind of genre it’s gunning for. So now it’s just a matter of attracting the right teams to come on board, and Bethesda could go a long way into doing that.
“But they’re just releasing ports, Robert!” Well, ports seem to do well in this day and age. Look at how well Skyrim sold on the PS4 and Xbox One…years after the game initially came out. Case rested.
Here’s hoping Bethesda gives the Switch the jolt it needs to attract more developers. Who knows, we might just be playing the new Call of Duty on it a few months from now. Fingers crossed.
