Nintendo Switch Leak Reveals a Very Unexpected Port

A new Nintendo Switch leak has revealed a very unexpected port. There are some certain games and genres that don't grace the Switch, Switch Lite, and Switch OLED very much. For example, there are hardly any 4X strategy games on the Switch, and that's partially because there are hardly any 4X games on consoles in general, and the Switch especially because it's not very powerful and 4X strategy games tend to be very demanding, especially on the CPU. That said, when a 4X strategy game comes to the platform, it's notable. Following in the footsteps of Civilization VI, it looks like Humankind is going to be the next one to make the leap.

Humankind was just announced this week for console, but not the Nintendo Switch. This hasn't changed, but the ESRB -- the organization that rates games for release in North America -- has gone ahead and rated the game for Nintendo Switch. This isn't an official confirmation the game is coming to Switch, but it's the closest thing you're going to get.

"This is a strategy game in which players develop a civilization through exploration, collecting resources, and engagement with societies," reads the ESRB's rating of the game. "From a top-down view, players move units around a hexagonal grid-like map, choosing action paths over a series of turns. Players send troops (e.g., infantry, swordsmen) and eventually military vehicles (e.g., tanks, helicopters, battleships) to hunt animals and attack rival units. Fighting is turn-based, highlighted by battle cries, clashing sounds, gunfire, and small explosions. Some timeline events reference alcohol/legality of alcohol (e.g., Prohibition). The words 'damn' and 'hell' appear in the dialogue."

Developed by Amplitude Studios and published by Sega, Humankind debuted back in August of last year. It's unclear how well it sold, but it garnered a 78 on Metacritic.

"Humankind is Amplitude Studios' magnum opus, a historical strategy game where YOU will re-write the entire narrative of humankind – a convergence of culture, history, and values that allows you to create a civilization that is as unique as you are. How far will you push humankind," reads an official blurb about the game. 

If you've played the game on PC, you'll know it has some optimization issues and doesn't particularly run well on low-end PCs, so it's hard to imagine how it will run on Nintendo Switch.