Overwatch Director "Loving" Nintendo Switch But Admits Porting Game Would Be A Challenge

It would be a good pickup for the system, but I personally don't care about Overwatch.

I know he's not going to elaborate, but what would be the problems-the console specs, the high cost of the port, etc? Nintendo should really try to reach out and get this on the Switch.

Really playing a game like this is better off on one of the big boy Systems. I rather see A quality third party effort and original title that takes advantage of the switch rather than get an inferior port.

@Fuz Probably PC

Yeah common bring it!

I would like to see it ported but I'd probably still play it on my computer most of the time anyways.

Hell yes!! Would quite happily chuck out our Xbone copies in favour of a Switch version.

My partner travels a lot - so a Switch port just makes so much sense for us.

Insert Jeff Caplin joke here

@Luna_110 I agree. He could elaborate more.. most likely it's the costs of porting and having the internal teams available to do it. I'd say hardware could be a potential issue but it's not exactly pushing current Gen systems as it is.

I wouldn't mind having it on Switch.

I love Overwatch, but I don't see any way they could get it on the Switch. Overwatch is always online, so unless they made an offline mode specifically for the Switch, i dont see it happening.

Would be interesting to know what specifically would be challenging. Probably wouldn't get it though as I already have it on PS4, plus it's just a Team Fortress 2 ripoff anyways.

Well if they ever do decide to bring Overwatch to the Switch than that would be a huge huge benefactor of its future success

Not happening. It's firts party (the home ones) and indie games all over again

@MaSSiVeRiCaN why would it be interior,that game hits over 60fps on older tech than a Switch.

An on the go port of Overwatch would be a great thing.

Graphically, the game isn't that demanding.

I love OverWatch, have it for Xbox One, PS4 and PC. I can't see it coming to the Switch but if they could make it work it would be awesome.

No it wouldn't, the Switch is not SOOOO much less underpowered than the xb1, ps4. It's just a bit, and you are obviously lazy. Lower the resolution and the fancy effects and you will almost be there already.

@NintenNinja16 wrestle with jeff prepare for death

Not that a mobile port of Overwatch wouldn't be a great thing, but i much rather take Diablo 3 instead
A portable version of it would probably ruin my sociability entirely...

The issue being, Diablo 3 already has a version suitable for Switch hardware levels (PS360 versions) while Overwatch was made mainly with current gen hardware and PC's in mind. It would need to be severely downgraded.

But there's also the issue of the Switch's lack of mobile Internet, rendering the game almost unplayable on the go. Kinda defeats the purpose.
In a perfect world, it would be released alongside a 4G dongle or a special JoyCon with a Sim slot

But yeah, it would certainly find its audience, but i think it can't really reach its full potential on the Switch

I don't understand why developers make these kind of statements. We already know it'll never happen, they need to actually say so and stop getting peoples hopes up.

Overwatch Switch? Sure.. I'd pick it up

Another bites the dust. Common occurrence with the bigger titles really. Move along nothing here for the switch faithful

I'd rather "unique" third-party stuff. Overwatch is meant to be played on the PC, end of story.

Switch needs both.

@dizzy_boy because they never say never. Actual sales and install bases are a factor - look at how many franchises were expanded or outright ported to GBC/GBA/NDS regardless of the compromises and sacrifices.

On the other hand, right now such developers have other priorities and commitments. Switch has been around for a short while and not everyone can organize a project for a new piece of hardware and assign a team and a budget overnight.

Diablo 3 and Overwatch would be awesome to have on switch. They both have graphical styles that would work well on the portable mode too. Hell, even if overwatch would have to be scaled back, it'd be beyond worth it.

I would buy it since my PC cant handle it and I do not own a ps4 or xbox one.

If this does come out on Switch then I will have to try it out. Just no motion controls or a toggle option to turn it off. I prefer using control sticks for turning.

I expect to hear this a lot from devs over the coming weeks, months, maybe even years if the switch doesn't get decent upgrades over it's lifetime. Up to Nintendo to make sure they upgrade the chips in leaps and bounds each time.

Not a FPS fan barring some exceptions, but if Overwatch was on Switch, I'd probably give it some consideration, especially with a demo to try out. I mean, the characters are interesting. But from what I hear, it's also one of those games that are only playable online, so I can imagine where the challenge comes from. "Guys, our medic dropped out again" - "Geez, how many times did we tell him not to join matches while in the subway?"

I would absolutely LOVE to have Overwatch on Switch. I'd be more than happy to hand over sixty notes for the pleasure, too!

@Fuz ...and where does Switch rank so far?

As much as i would love to see this game on switch i would rather they not develop it until the system proves itself as a portable system that ppl will use for online gaming. If Activision develops it and spends all the time and money trying to get it to run on switch and the game sells below expectations well you can kiss all 3rd parties goodbye. Most you Nintendo fans will still opt for the better versions on xbox and ps4 and pc.

@Equinox
Sounds like you are describing the Vita lol. It gets all those Japanese devs plus more and western indie but no western AAA games,well in fairness it did get them then there was no more water in the dried up well,oh and Sony jumped ship in 2015,that's when they last released a game for it.. Anyhow what I am trying to say is Japanese support will be good for switch,many RPG and Strategy games. Plus some awesome western indie games and the odd 3rd party AAA game here and there.. Lest we forget Ninty games. The future looks rosy to me

Would be great to see. Plus, it would be a good opportunity to add Nintendo themed skins for the heroes.

Imagine Winston as Donkey Kong, or Bastion with a R.O.B look, or Junkrat as Waluigi.

@Luna_110 Agreed. Multiplayer on the Switch will be king and I'll definitely drop the cash for the Switch if a game like Overwatch ever makes it to the console.

@Bananaman678 Except for the single player campaign (which I hated and never finished), Splatoon on WiiU is also an always online game. Me and my son only played Online matches and nothing else.

So in that regard, Overwatch wouldn't be much different than Splatoon.
And so far we have not seen any single player (offline) option for Splatoon 2 yet.
So it could very well be that Splatoon 2 will be an always online game as well (with exception of local lan play).

The challenge he is talking about is most likely due to Blizzard using their own inhouse engine technology and since they have never released a game on a Nintendo system before, it will be a costly investment for them to port Overwatch to the Switch.

@Jeronan Good thoughts on Splatoon.

I bought overwatch on pc and loved it, but I passed on the Xbox port because I got so used to playing it with keyboard/mouse. I would, however, buy it on Switch for the portability.

I normally don't like motion controls, but in reading this article (and all the posts), I can't help but wonder if motion controls would be just as accurate/responsive as keyboard and mouse for a shooter... and end up being a preferred method that gave its adherents a slight advantage... I've not played splatoon, so no experience in that arena... thoughts, anyone?

Not really gotten interested in Overwatch myself, but some friends of mine play it a lot, so I understand the hype.
Putting it on the Switch could be a good idea, as local wi-fi gameplay could be added to balance out the online issue... but I can't help but think that it might end up competing too much with Splatoon, so it might be better for both sides if they didn't port it.

Blizzard never disappoints. Love the guys

Third party: oh yeah switch is awesome! I love nintendo! They r da best

So are you gonna make games for it?

Third party: pfft! Lol nope

Getting tired of these kind of stupid condescenging comments

if they want to mess with everyone, put single player campaigns for all the heroes on the switch.

Not a game I'm interested, I'm a big gamer but just blank people when they ask me who I play in Overwatch.

However, it would be a massive boon for the Switch if they could get it onto the console. Personally I think the real issue with a port is time, cost & the online setup for the Switch. Power wise there are lots of tricks they can use to get a good, solid port running... but it's all about making a return on the investment.

I would like new titles exclusive to the Switch. At least the Overwatch creator is enthusiastic about the Switch system and is carefully considering a port. Can't fault him for sharing his thoughts about it. Maybe if the demand is strong and he continues to consider it then maybe it'll happen.

I've never been a fan of FPS in general, but the more the merrier. Besides, I give Overwatch credit for at least being interesting-looking. While most shooters have generic-looking protagonists with shaved heads in settings devoid of any colors but brown and gray, Overwatch at least has a more compelling cast and a brightly-colored aesthetic, which is refreshing.

I'd be sticking with Splatoon anyway.

@Equinox The Vita had many issues that led to it's demise, one of which was the expensive (near) proprietary memory cards which hurt it's sales early on it many markets less open to handheld gaming. I've heard many people making the case that the memory cards were created to be expensive for the sole purpose of dissuading the huge quantities of cloned games that plagued the PSP.

Much like the Wii U was hurt by a bad choice by Nintendo to run the it on a locked, low power profile that caused hard to program around bottlenecks, Sony hurt the Vita by trying not to bleed cash through piracy.

@Luna_110 It might be due to the game being on a proprietary engine that was built from the ground up. Hearthstone was built on Unity, which should in theory be a lot easier to port than Overwatch.

I don't think specs are an issue either since some pretty old PCs can run Overwatch.

@BiasedSonyFan That's why I follow it up with the line "but it's all about making a return on the investment."

I'd say that it's not a viable prospect at the moment... but that doesn't mean it couldn't come further down the line should the Switch do well or later games using more of the Switch's potential prove it wouldn't be as hard as initially estimated.

Most people will be happy with just Diablo 3 on Switch, and it's entirely possible to port.

Not my thing, but I'd love to see it come. It's a popular game.

I kinda wish he would be more specific about what makes a port so challenging considering many have stated the Switch is very dev friendly. In this case its probably more of a profitability issues. If Switch continues to sell well Blizzard will likely be more inclined

They need to have all unlocks to be available through all versions of the game if they eventually port this over. I understand they don't want PS4 players playing with PC players, but what exactly is the point of linking my battle.net id when I can't play or chat with my friends on battle.net or have access to any of my purchases.

I don't play Overwatch but I actually think it would run pretty good. It's not a very graphics intensive game. I think if this landed on the Switch it would be a huge boon for Nintendo. Heck I'd probably give it a go if that were the case.

That persistent online would kill its portability. They would have to make it dock only.

@Bliquid I wasn't even going to bother responding to your worthless comment, but here we are. Have played both games extensively. Overwatch lifts key game modes straight from TF2, also it's focus on classes and class selection, with several classes taken straight from Overwatch and multiple abilities which operate in pretty much the same way.

But hey, ignore the facts and continue to act butthurt over something which is literally nothing to do with you. Even Blizzard don't care for your attitude https://www.pcgamesn.com/overwatch/blizzard-on-overwatch-and-team-fortress-2-comparisons-theyre-an-enormous-compliment and see the TF2 comparison as a compliment. You know that you as a blind fanboy are doing something wrong when the dev comes out against you.

Overwatch is a more modern adaptation of TF2. if you can't CLEARLY see that then there's no help for you. Don't bother responding, I won't be replying to your trolling again.

@Ryu_Niiyama Not really. Overwatch would (probably) be playable anywhere with a decent wifi connection and fully playable on the tablet. Same as with Splatoon 2.

I tried the game during a free weekend on PS4. It's not bad. I like the colorful aesthetic and diverse characters. It's probably the shooter I'd opt for if I only owned a PS4. I can't see myself playing it once Splatoon 2 comes out, though.

People we already have a Overwatch kind of game is called Splatoon. Is an AWESOME game, beyond better, wait for the secuel this summer.

I think Overwatch would be great for the Switch ecosystem. Honestly, any Western AAAs at all would be a huge boon. That is where the console will face it's biggest challenge.

Thanks but no thanks. Too much fanservice for a good game. Team Fortress, on the other hand...

Wont' happen.

@Bliquid
Underpowered? Have you played Overwatch?

If anything the Nintendo network and wi-fi chip might hurt the experience, but the chips could run Overwatch at 720/900p just fine. Splatoom on Wii U is probably more ccomputationally expensive per player (8 v 12)

This is a situation where I think Nintendo should spend the money and/or do whatever it takes. Overwatch has massive appeal outside of the casual-core gamer that likely crosses-over with lapsed Nintendo fans. Would print the proverbial money.

Hell, I don't even like it THAT much, and I'm closing in on 500 hours haha.

@Switch81tch

Oh god please no. It'd be Wii all over again: Castlvania Judgment, Dragon Quest Masked Queen, Dead Space Extraction, SoulCal Legends, etc., all things @NintySnesMan would call shovelware.

@Equinox
Can't agree with you Bro. The vita did and still has all the big Japanese devs, Square Enix released 5 games for it last year and so far they have announced 2 for this year and all came out in the West, one of those was a Final Fantasy game and a Dragon Quest. Sega still make games for it,actually 2 days ago a new Virtual on game was announced. Namco release loads as does Koei Tecmo. Atlus.. Marvelous..Asiasoft man there are several more the only big ones that don't bother are Konami and Capcom though both of them do have games on the vita,most notable is Resident evil revelations 2 and from konami metal gear solid remaster HD games and a crap silent hill game. But yeah apart from them 2 devs they are all still making games for it. Even SNK release a few remaster hd games for it each year.. Got to say though it's not a big seller,it sells about 25 thousand units each week with a spike in sales now and then,for the past few years it's been selling 1.5 million worldwide year in year out,which isn't great.. Loads of indie games still release on it but it must be said many are rubbish with a gem now and then. Well there u go the life of the Vita Bro lol

Switch is very capable of running Overwatch the Switch is a powerful console especially considering the handheld tablet aspect to its make up from all the articles I've read from Endgadget, Forbes to Poloygon and etc., Nintendo's Switch is decent powerful system in it's own right hopefully 3rd party support will take advantage of that and put quality in the games they bring to the system, on the matter of Overwatch I've read elsewhere it is do to nobody knowing how the online services for the Switch are gonna operate yet Nintendo has not made any official announcement yet . I think we will be getting those announcements when we are closer to Splatoon 2 releasing or at least I hope we know more by then.

I would buy Overwatch if it was on the Switch... and any other Blizzard game for that matter. Bring on Hearthstone too!

It would be amazing to see this and Rocket League make it to the Switch. I'd imagine as long as they lower some of the settings, porting it wouldn't be too difficult.

If Overwatch heads to the Switch then I may look into it.

I would get overwatch for switch to have a solution beyond using my dev laptop...

I watched some videos of Overwatch on it's lowest PC settings. I see no reason why that couldn't be on the Switch. It could probably do better than that.

The only way it would work is if they did a cross platform online multiplayer server

inb4 Supermetaldave64 makes a whining video about this.

@Daruncic Why? They don't do that now.

I have held off on buying OVERWATCH on my PS4 in hopes that a Switch port will happen. I imagine it has to do with the different types of Characters/Abilities all being on screen at once. I hope they find a way. I don't need crazy particle effects are permanent bullet holes. Just give me fast, responsive FPSing!!!

Siafdh

@Spiders they don't, but the user base is already split ps4, Xbox, and pc. If there was a switch version existing players would not switch to it

Overwatch would be a great fit for the Nintendo audience.
I already thought this last year, but still on Wii U.
Since that's not realistic anymore, I guess it would be nice to have it on the Switch then. But it would have to come with motion controls (similar to Splatoon), of course!
I just bought Overwatch for PC a couple of weeks ago, but it could be an additional reason to get a Switch down the road - if Blizzard should decide to port it.

Polite way of saying, "it's not going to happen". Sure why do we need these big AAA third party games when we've got low budget dime a dozen 2D platformers from small indie developers? Why would you expect at least parity despite paying €330 plus all the hidden extras? Not to mention it's over 3 years since PS4 and XB1 came out and the Switch is still significantly weaker than them. We're going to miss out on all these big games AGAIN. Don't turn up at the Grand National with a donkey(home console power wise) and expect to win.

Read the story this morning and been thinking about it throughout the day. I really wish this would happen. I've played Overwatch on PC since its launch and it's just about the only non-Nintendo game I played last year.

The main challenge I think is not so much porting it over (generally, Blizzard games really aren't that demanding to run) as how to handle the always-online play. I'm assuming Blizzard would want a Switch version to interface with Battle.net like everything else they have. How to make that work with Nintendo, tech-wise and business-wise may be a hurdle. It's hard to tell. If Switch has it's own online community, it could be too small. There is a noticeable difference between console and pc communities as it is.

That said, if Nintendo wants to get in esports, this would be a good way in along with Splatoon 2. I can tell you that Splatoon and Overwatch play very differently, even if they are team shooters. Not trying to start a flame war but to me, Overwatch requires more teamwork to play effectively. The main esports issue/complaint I see for Switch is that it's not keyboard/mouse, but the motion-tilt could take care of that.

Local multiplayer seems good, but Overwatch matches are 6v6. You could have 6 link up locally as a team to play others online, I guess.

If Blizzard and Nintendo could get together and somehow cultivate an online community, it could be great.

I haven't really enjoyed a competitive FPS since the original Counter-Strike some 15 years ago, but I'm a total Overwatch junky. I've played it during almost all my free-time at home (which isn't much) on Xbox since Thanksgiving. If I had a Switch, I'm sure my priorities would change, but as of right now I can't get enough of Overwatch and Mercy. If it came to the Switch I'd be thrilled, but I don't see that happening.

I'm looking forward to trying out Splatoon once I get a Switch since I never tried it on the Wii U and I'm hoping it can scratch that competitive itch.

I don't personally care about OW but a port on the Switch would be a big pickup so hope Bliz is watching the sales numbers and makes the right choice.

Motion controls in OW sound great

I don't get how it could be that difficult though. Low settings look great

cross-play with PC would also be viable (gyroscope is definitely as good as not 12000dpi mouse, if not better)

Yea but just looking at the comments it doesn't look promising. First let's see how fifa performs

It's really not needed, seeing as how you'll have splatoon deluxe soon. If they did bring overwatch to switch, it would have to be a "dock only" game in order to make sure every ounce of horsepower was available.

@Ralizah Right but Splatoon 2 if it copies its predecessor, it will have a single player mode. So still playable anywhere. A persistent online game becomes a toaster until you connect to wifi. That isn't always feasible when traveling...which defeats the whole play anywhere premise Nintendo is marketing. I'm not saying we can't have games like that (I am wondering how Ubi will handle Steep for instance) but the game will be hampered by the portable aspect due to connection issues.

@Ryu_Niiyama Let's be real, though: once Splatoon 2's single player is done, there will likely be no incentive to return to it outside of amiibo challenges, putting it in exactly the same shoes as Overwatch.

@Ralizah Depends on the gamer honestly. I don't care for pvp (except fighting games of course) so I've gone back through splatoon single player more than once. Also even if you are right, that still doesn't mitigate the perceived value of having some version of an offline mode to tide one over until they get back online. Same could be said of monster hunter or any other multiplayer focused game that has single player content. Multiplayer only doesn't work for everyone and would create a lapse in possible portability. But I'm the old lady that prefers single player (again except fighting games) mostly.

When was the last time Blizzard developed a Nintendo game??

Overwatch on Switch is very unlikely, though it would be awesome. It would be great to see a "non dude-bro" shooter on the Switch alongside Splatoon 2.

@Ryu_Niiyama I don't think it'd hurt people's perception of the system's portability any more than VOEZ being tablet only is hurting the Switch's image as a hybrid. I think it's kind of accepted that an online only game isn't going to work when you're away from a stable WiFi connection.

Also, with regard to MonHun, single and multiplayer are tied into the same gameplay loop. There's always something new you can do both online and offline. Whereas, once you're done with Splatoon, you're done, unless you're replaying it.

I would love this, personally. I have it on Xbox One, and I'm a huge fan. It hits that same fun cartoon niche Splatoon does. I'd love to have it on the go.
Rise to the challenge, Blizzard!

@SLIGEACH_EIRE and the xb1 and ps4 were considerably weaker then pc's that came 3 years before.

@Bliquid "Underpowered". These 12 year olds who think they know about hardware though man.

Well he did use the word "is" instead of "would be," so they probably have a couple guys trying it already.

I'd find it an interesting challenge for sure. The game relies on both high framerate, and high resolution, as well a neat visual finish, so deciding on which compromises to make is sure to be a complex undertaking.

@Ralizah VOEZ has an interface that wouldn't work well with a traditional controller and unless we want to get into extra accessories already I can see why they just went handheld only with that game. Granted I'll be the first to admit I was annoyed about it until I went and downloaded the ios version and tried it. I'm sure they could have possibly made it work in docked mode but I think it would have come out very wonky and the devs knew that.

I think you might be missing my point. I am well aware that Splatoon's single player is one and done but that still offers functionality while offline. Which is also why I mentioned monster hunter (how the single player and mp integrate wasn't the reason why I pointed it out). Which isn't a big deal on a home console (as theoretically it is potentially always online) but is vital on a portable where you may not have access to online all the time. Overwatch would require an additional mode to that which the dev isn't going to do and you are still left with a game that you can only play at certain points. I think it is one thing to lose tv functionality but another lose portability instead. I think that many gamers are going to leverage the portability aspect and Nintendo is marketing how you will mostly have the same experience anywhere. Again, not saying that it won't work or that we won't get games like overwatch or other pvp because of it, but I do think that devs are going to keep the dual nature of the system in mind when deciding what to bring to it.

Maybe I am more sensitive to it since I just switched internet companies and I had a period of no internet... but mobile internet access still isn't as widespread as people that live in big cities or smaller countries might think so I think that is something to take into consideration when making games for the system.

I rather play it on PC.

@timson72 Comparisons to PC are irrelevant. Every console ever has been weaker than PC. And they're 2 completely different formats.

@NoxAeturnus are you sure you're not Overlooking it?

@star-affinity Ha, nice! I'm sure. Watch yourself or the puns might get overwhelming.

@SLIGEACH_EIRE so why when they revealed the ps4 did don't say they aimed at modern pc's,and comparing switch to standard consoles is also irrelevant then.

@Fuz Yeah, I think it's pretty clear he's a PC gamer, seeing that's how Blizzard found him, that's what most of Blizzard's games are available on, and of course the occasional ports and exceptions.

I'd love to play Overwatch anywhere in the world. It kind of fits with the theme of the game, too!

Also, peculiar wording with "Getting OW on the switch IS very challenging"... Hope that means what I think it does~

@Bliquid https://www.geek.com/tech/overwatch-has-been-cloned-and-ported-to-mobile-in-china-1658148/

Thats right, Chinese devs got overwatch working on Android phones

Plus "Underpowered " actually means lazy and unoptimized coding.

And to further prove the overwatch dev is ignorant

This is a prototype of overwatch as a tech demo
http://www.polygon.com/2016/6/16/11952528/this-terrible-chinese-knock-off-of-overwatch-isn-t-actually-a-knock-off