Rumors have been circulating about Treyarch’s 2018 Call of Duty game, which could possibly be the next chapter in the Black Ops series. But with that, we’ve learned that this game could very well mark the debut of the CoD franchise on the Nintendo Switch, the first time it’s been on a Nintendo platform since Call of Duty: Ghosts released back on the Wii U.
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There’s no question that this game would be a pretty big deal, considering it sells in the millions every year, and Call of Duty: Black Ops III, a 2015 release, is still a hit on the sales charts. So Activision needs to play this out very carefully in order for the game to be a success (even though it’s not quite officially confirmed just yet – but we’re likely to hear something soon).
Here are some suggestions that we have when it comes to Call of Duty‘s debut on Nintendo Switch being nothing short of fantastic:
Don’t Skimp On This Version of the Game
The last time Activision attempted to release a Black Ops game on a handheld, it didn’t work in its favor at all. Call of Duty: Black Ops Declassified released in 2012 for PlayStation Vita alongside Black Ops II, and instead of following a similar format to that console game, it simply offered limited missions, even more limited multiplayer and probably the worst presentation we’ve seen from a CoD. Yes, even worse than the earlier PC games in the series.
With that, if Activision does port Black Ops IV to the Switch, it shouldn’t hold back. The game may not be able to run as smoothly as it does on Xbox One and PS4, but the publisher’s talented development teams can still make the game work like a charm on the system. On top of that, it should include all content – we’re talking single player, multiplayer, and, presumably, Zombies.
We know it may take up a lot more space – Black Ops IV may benefit from being one of the first 64GB cartridge games for the Switch – but it’d be totally worth it. Doom and Skyrim didn’t skimp on space on the system, and both turned out to be great ports.
So, yeah, give us the whole experience. Don’t hold back.
Work With Nintendo On Online Features
In the past, Activision attempted to innovate with Black Ops on a Nintendo platform, as the Wii U featured two-player local co-op support. A neat idea, but it didn’t do much in terms of execution because Nintendo’s network wasn’t quite up to snuff with the CoD action.
That shouldn’t happen with the Switch, as Nintendo’s Online network is set to launch in September, and the company has utmost confident it’ll be worth its small but notable fees. And Call of Duty: Black Ops IV needs to be one of the first games that utilizes it to its fullest.
While it may not be able to pack the performance of, say, Xbox Live and PlayStation Network, it should, at the very least, have the features to stand out. And since we’ve had our fair share of hectic online matches in Splatoon 2, there’s no question both Nintendo and Activision could work things out to get BOIV matches up to speed.
It may take a little bit of work, but the effort will pay off as players take on one another.
Oh, and co-op might work this time around, but the screen will be so scrammed, we’re not sure if it’d be a fundamental feature. Still, you never know until you try. Just don’t make it the primary focus.
Go All Out On Advertising
When Activision announced Call of Duty: Black Ops II on the Nintendo Wii U several years ago, it went all out to trumpet its arrival. Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision, took the stage to talk about the game’s performance and features. And even though he’s leaving the company shortly, that shouldn’t stop Activision from putting on a show with Activision.
Whether it’s devoted time during the company’s E3 Nintendo Direct special, or doing a stage presentation at the Treehouse or even on its own stage to showcase just what the Switch version of BOIV can do, Activision needs to make it heard loud and clear that the arrival of Call of Duty on the system is truly something spectacular.
Also, TV ads or even promotion time on another Nintendo Direct special would go a long way into generating buzz for the game. It worked before, and it can work again.
Work On Possible Exclusive Content
This might be a bit tricky, as Activision currently has a deal with Sony to give exclusive Call of Duty content to PlayStation owners a good period of time before Xbox One and PC. But that doesn’t mean the door is closed on the Switch right away – the company can just think of a good work-around.
For instance, imagine offering a free downloadable copy of Call of Duty: Black Ops II to players who pre-order BOIV on the Switch. Not only does that give them something to play for the time being while they wait, but Black Ops II can also serve as a good test title to see how online servers would work for the system, before launching an inevitable beta for the newer sequel.
Or, for that matter, how about exclusive weapons? We’d love to get our hands on, say, a plasma cannon from Metroid Prime 4. That’s just spitballing, though – but maybe a paint grenade from Splatoon 2 would be effective.
Obviously, Sony would get the real goods, but Activision could offer something to make BOIV appetizing for the Switch crowd.
Optimize Every Control Type
Man, is this a crucial feature. People like options when it comes to gameplay, and the Nintendo Switch has more available than you could possibly imagine – motion controls, handheld play, docked play, two-player local, you name it.
Activision needs to put together a system that takes advantage of each of these play types, so that the game is comfortable no matter which variation you go with. For instance, players that love the game in handheld mode should be able to enjoy just as much as those that are relaxing at home. And those that want to try motion controls should have a scheme that fully takes advantage of that – kind of like when Call of Duty: Modern Warfare came out for the Wii. Those controls actually worked great.
Come to think of it, some camouflage Call of Duty style JoyCons would hit the spot, yeah?
It may take a bit of research, but allowing more options for play could make the Switch version of the game look more appealing – and that would be a win for Activision and Nintendo alike.
We’ll keep you informed as we get more information on Call of Duty: Black Ops IV’s possible release later this year.
