Take-Two Executive Reiterates Plans for Long Term Support of Switch

Great news. For the other developers, however, we'll have to wait and see.

Saying we are excited about supporting the Nintendo Switch long term and then saying all we have to announce is a basketball title really seems at odds with each other. So I hope they have some other titles to announce soon, say perhaps E3?

Instead of 0 games on a Nintendo platform, we'll have 1game on a Nintendo platform!

In all seriousness though, can't wait to see the true extent of Switch third-party at E3.

"The only thing we can announce" and "the only thing we have planned" are two different beasts but I could just be kidding myself.

Come oooooooon, Red Dead 2!

So far, Take-Two has is planning to publish 3 games in 2017:

-NBA 2K18
-WWE 2K18 (has not been officially announced yet, but it will come)
-Red Dead Redemption 2

NBA 2K18 is coming to Switch. WWE 2K18 might come to Switch. RDR2 probably won't.

There is a possibility, however slim, that GTAV could come to the Switch, which would be huge. Specs shouldn't be an issue whatsoever; Rockstar's willingness to make a Switch port will be.

GTA!!! Pllllllease!!

Imagine the meltdown if GTA V was ported to the Switch. It seems unlikely considering the sheer scope of the game (and the obvious expense that a minimum 64GB cartridge would require), and the fact that it would be more expensive than most third-party games to port over, but hey, if last gen consoles can handle it… I wouldn't rule out the possibility. I want at least one semi-realistic open world game on Switch, and I have no interest in Take-Two's sports titles (unless motion controls are cleverly implemented).

@sillygostly Switch is getting a port of the superior Lego City Undercover.

@FragRed " the only thing WE CAN announce is the basketball title" so, we have to wait until E3 or Nintendo Direct it seems.

@sillygostly GTA V is 3.5-years old. A part of me thinks that that ship has already sailed, but when it still manages to top the charts on a weekly basis, maybe it's a good thing. Although I'm sure it won't be there at launch, maybe sometime in the fall; a four-year old game at that point. It's weird, it could go either way. I do know that GTA V sold as much copies as the entire software library for the Wii U (around 70-80 million).

@sillygostly Switch is more than capable of running the game (it's running well on ps3/360!) and carts can be as big as they want with shorter loading times and better data transfer for open world games than Blu Ray, no need for install too.
Imagine a portable GTA5, makes fanboys jelly!

Sounds good to me.
By the sound of it they have more to announce in the future.
At least they reiterate that they are in for the long haul and handled it better than EA, who pretty much said show me the money.
I'd also wager that there are more developers who have something to announce either soon or more than likely at E3.

I would love them to release Red Dead or the BioShock trilogy on Switch.
Unfortunately for Switch owners we will probably be in for Max Payne when they don't announce any of them.

@Octane Holy carp, I can't believe GTA V is going to be four this year. It can go to preschool, though with its behavior it probably shouldn't. You're right, that ship has probably sailed, but it is an evergreen title of sorts. Was Watch_Dogs 2 any good?

@Octane : Yes, it's unlikely, and yes, the game has been out on the market for a while now, but as you've also pointed out, it is still selling in healthy numbers, and the game is yet to be released on a portable device, so there is a strong value proposition in releasing it on the Switch, if Rockstar/Take-Two decide to take the plunge.

I'd even settle for a slightly watered down GTA game (like how the PSP versions were spin-offs based on the main-series PS2 games) as a testing ground if porting GTAV in its entirety proves to be too risky an investment.

@sillygostly "the game is yet to be released on a portable device"

Good point.

I'd like a spin off GTA game at that, too, but that takes dev time, of course.

Red Dead would be nice.

@Octane I got like six notifications from you in my email, what happened?

To me bringing 2K's Sports series to Switch makes a lot of sense, as they fit the family image of Nintendo. The other stuff remains to be seen.

I sure hope we see more games from 2K than just one iteration of NBA 2K. It's good to see them have good hope for the system, though.

@TheLobster I managed to break the system and double (or hexa) post.

Edit: Someone also deleted my last post...

@wiggleronacid it would be amazing if they brought back baseball.

@Octane The site was glitching really bad for me a little bit ago so I'm not surprised you hexa posted.

Talk is cheap. They'll be gone at the first sign of trouble. Just look at Wii U.

More specifically, here’s what Slatoff had to say about the Wii U:

“It is an HD platform that has the processing power to develop a compelling triple experience. If it takes hold of the market, that is good for us. So from that perspective, we are very excited about that.”

https://gamerant.com/take-two-interactive-no-ports-wii-u-tao-92492/

How many third party AAA titles will the switch have by year end?
FIFA, NBA, Skyrim, Dis5, .....
Vs
How many third party AAA titles did the Wii u have year one!
FIFA, NBA, Mass effect, Darksiders, cod, Asscreed, need 4 speed. Sniper V2, injustice,......

I think this sounds like they have more to announce but are holding back until E3 or another point in time

@SLIGEACH_EIRE then NBA 2K was released on Wii U and bombed so bad. 2K decided no more games.

@Lord FIFA's not AAA, nor is NBA. Skyrim is great but it's an old game.

@FragRed They said that is all they are 'ALLOWED' to announce.

@SLIGEACH_EIRE AAA titles are titles that have high production values and/or costs, both Fifa, and NBA have these values.
As for Skyrim I agree it's an old game with a HD make over, but also would qualify due to the cost and investment back then and now.

Portable GTA. I would like GTA 3, Vice City, San Andreas, IV (& DLC) & GTA V.

Who does remember The Godfather game on the wii? Imagine a GTA with those controls and HD rumble! The feeling of a baseball bat! Differences between a shotgun and a automatic rifle! Gyro aiming! gosh I would go nuts!

It seems to a case of Wait and see. Just like wii u really. So yeah let's wait and see

@cfgk24 he never said that

He said but the only thing we can announce is the basketball title.

That could mean they have other games in development or it could mean NBA 2K is the only game for now and won't commit to anything else until they are solid numbers.

Ask the same question at Christmas. Once the initial launch allocation sells out to the core audience and nobody buys it over the summer so Nintendo either take out the dock and sell it for £180 or knock £50 off the asking price and Christmas has gone we'll know how successful it's going to be

The more I think about this release date window the more it makes sense provided Ninty can maintain sale momentum. Third parties can hang back and wait to see how many units sell in the launch window then they can decide whether or not to prepare some ports (enhanced ports, new titles, whatever) for the holiday season. Ninty has to keep up the good marketing (seen so far) through the summer and hopefully more devs will commit more releases including hopefully some Triple As

@RadioHedgeFund clever marketing can maintain sales through the summer. It's the perfect vacation machine for kids for starters. Also families may buy more than one which will increase sales even further. I think it could take off!

Obviously this is just PR, I will say though, people who are bashing 2K's support because it's 'only announced a basketball game' are underestimating the importance of sports games to a console's success and more importantly underestimating the importance of NBA 2K. This isn't some shovelware, nothing game, this is one of 2K's biggest properties.

It doesn't bother me because I'm fine with what's been announced for Switch. But in terms of third party AAA support it is worse than Wii U. The success of the 'true' launch of Switch in holiday 2017 rests almost entirely on E3.

@Gamer83 well said. This is only good news.

Starting to think this could be a memorable E3 this year.

@beazlen1 I've no doubt it will take off, but much like the 3DS when that came out its brazenly too expensive.

WWE likely will be released but we all know that everyone wants a Rockstar title.

@RadioHedgeFund it maybe too expensive for some no doubt. But if you'd said to me 5 years ago we'd be able to buy a console more powerful and more modern than a WiiU with quality first party games for less than the WiiU and it's effing portable I would have laughed my ass off. With this is mind I don't think it's expensive. I think it's bloody genius. Ninty have made some bad decisions recently but this isn't one of them. So far everything indicates like the good times are coming back! (And hopefully Eternal Darkness and a new Metroid)

I just hope Nintendo doesn't try to turn this into the next Wii....

The biggest AAA games from third-party developers won't arrive on the switch in full form. Most of them are already working on 4k graphics for the mid-gen consoles and PC. I don't believe that Red Dead Redemption 2 could make it to the Switch in full form, even GTA V with its full online capabilities would be a long shot.

Last 2K NBA on the PS4 was a 32 gigs download on day one with updates adding up to it, so Switch players probably getting a nerfed version of that game, also.

The best the Switch can hope for is being a big sales hit, so that these developers will make unique games for it, and not just underpowered ports.

@beazlen1 a portable console that plugs into your TV and allows local multiplayer is Nintendo's holy grail and they've been working towards this since the Super Gameboy. I too think it's s great idea.

But it's £50 too expensive to buy as a second console and launching 3 months too early. Had they waited until Summer when people are more likely to buy a portable, packed in MK8DX and launched with Splatoon 2 and offered basic functionality like Netflix and a web browser then it would be a different story.

I love Nintendo as much as the next fanboy. I still use Miitomo! But they're not infallible and I find it hard to get excited this early.

@Al_Godoy fully agree about not getting most AAA newer games on the Switch. If the Switch maintains sales momentum throughout the year I think we will begin to see more games from these studios made for the Switch. All about sales though. I would really like to see sports games supported on the Switch. I don't like basketball games but I would get football, baseball, hockey and soccer or a combination of some

@kobashi100 2k13 on wii u was the last gen version.. hopefully 2k18 is based on the ps4/xb1/pc versions. I will get it if its solid.

@FragRed
Yes the wording was specific. Hopefully they meant all we can announce in a " mums the word until E3" way. Third party support will be he difference in a medium success to a blockbuster success. And no I'm not saying every game.

Just show the public that they can also get several third party titles to top off their 1st party offerings.

@SLIGEACH_EIRE
How do you determine what is a AAA game? Because I will say FIFA achieves top 10 sales year in and year out.

If it's good and it sells. They will. But if it does bad they will ditch in a heart beat

@SLIGEACH_EIRE
What is your definition of AAA?? I would like to know.

FIFA 17 was the best selling game of 2016. NBA 2K17 was the best selling sports game in America in 2016. Both franchises (along with Madden NFL) are relatively high investment games that have become huge mainstays in the current gaming landscape.

@westman98 I'd like WWE to return to Nintendo consoles (But not just an App for the Network, lol. XD). Are you basing that off guess work or is there a source?

We will see in time Take-Two... we will see in time. Patience.

Talk is cheap. Ill believe it when I see it.

@Angelic_Lapras_King
Guesswork

If Take-2 actually has anything else to announce for the Switch outside of NBA 2K, the next most obvious and likely candidate would be WWE 2K.

"the only thing we can announce is the basketball title."

As a WWE and college football fan, this has me interested.

@westman98 Yeah true, and as the PC version of 2K17 was only just announced/released, they'll probably wait till they announce 2K18 for all the systems.

Though its a shame we never got a game for Wii U, I thought the gamepad would be perfect for Creation modes as well as a thriving Miiverse community but oh well, maybe they can take advantage of the Switch's touch screen....

You can't plan to support something long-term and not have other projects planned; it's paradoxical. At this stage I doubt Nintendo is twisting their arm to hold their games for later presentations.