Publisher PQube has revealed that the Nintendo Switch version of Song of Memories has officially been cancelled due to "development complications".
Originally expected to launch for the system last year, Song of Memories is a visual novel game that tasks you with finding your soulmate in a musical love story. The game has been in development for Switch and PS4 for some time, and while the PS4 version is safe and sound (and will release early next month), the Switch version is sadly no more.
The news comes from a press release shared by the publisher today, in which the studio explains that the game "can’t be brought to a functioning level of quality" as demanded by fans of Nintendo's machine:
"Today, PQube announces the release date of the romantic visual novel Song of Memories on PlayStation 4. The love story that turned the Japanese genre upside down with its surprising twist releases worldwide on February 1st.
While the PlayStation 4 version and the special Encore Edition are confirmed, we regrettably had to cancel the Nintendo Switch version of the game. Unfortunately, Song of Memories can’t be brought to a functioning level of quality our fans demand on the Switch due to development complications."
You can see the official PS4 release date announcement video below.
Were you looking forward to playing this one on Switch? Are you sad to see the game be cancelled on Nintendo's platform? Share your thoughts with us below.
Comments 37
The Switch can't handle a visual novel?
Suuuure.
How incompetent can these guys be?
And who the hell is playing these mobile-style games on PS4 when there are massive open-world games and the like available on the platform?
Seems there were development issues that the developers couldn't overcome... somehow.
Well, I was interested, but I'm hardly heartbroken.
well that's a shame.
Great and JPN Switch can get these types of games. Sounds more like a ploy not real evidence otherwise.
"Song of Memories can’t be brought to a functioning level of quality our fans demand on the Switch due to development complications"
This is a lie obviously. I find other similar JPN games having these same feature on sale in Japan that are JPN voice and txt. So for them to say can't be for Switch something fishy is going on.
I have good news for VN Lovers, Clannad’s Switch which releases in Japan Spring 2019 will have a English option.
Maybe they should have a word with Panic Button.....
Sad. I was kind of looking forward to this...
Oof. Switch would be the best place to play visual novels, if it started getting some. Vita still rules that genre.
@Silly_G me.
Too bad Sony will find a way to censor it, though...
Aww seems like a nice game for the Switch!
I’m seriously curious, how on Earth can a VN be difficult to develop for?
Shame, I find VN’s best on portables as gives the book-like feeling.
R.I.P.
I'm not into visual novels anyway, so this doesnt effect me. However, I do feel bad for those who were looking forward to this.
Sounds like to me PQube needs to contact their devs and issue a better statement "It is being cancelled because the devs are noobs"
I wonder what this means for other PQube visual novels like Our World Is Ended?
If it is again a novel about half naked girls that look like seven year olds, Sony will censor it anyway. ^^
Meh I rather read a book instead.
On the one hand, what in the development of a visual novel can compel the devs to announce cancellation rather than even mere postponement?
On the other hand, upon reading the news I went to throw the game into my Steam wishlist instead - pretty sure GPD Win 1 will be eno-
"MINIMUM:
OS: Windows7 SP1 64bit
Processor: Intel Core i5
Memory: 8 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA Geforce GT 740
DirectX: Version 11
Storage: 28 GB available space
RECOMMENDED:
OS: Windows10 64bit
Processor: Intel Core i7
Memory: 16 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA Geforce GTX 760"
THAT MUST BE ONE HECK OF A VISUAL NOVEL. O_O"
@Sabroni Something tells me Panic Button might have bumped up their premium the last year or so!
@Silly_G I was going to say the same thing. This just shows incompetence, at least in my opinion. Oh well, their loss. Take care.
@Wanjia Nekopara does that and runs just fine. The developers are incompetent.
That's a shame. Wanted the game. I wish Pqube luck, and hope they can continue bring us interesting titles ^_^
@NiaBestGirl You sure? I allready had plans to pick up the retail release, but if it has English text I will get it day one
@tobibra according to Siliconera, it will include a English option (which also includes the in-game encyclopedia) but audio will be in Japan obviously.
http://www.siliconera.com/2019/01/09/clannads-switch-release-in-japan-will-have-english-support-and-its-language-exclusive-feature/
This game could be built in Ren'Py, optimized for controller and touch controls in docked and handheld mode for Switch, with images and audio compressed and ready to publish to the Nintendo eShop in a matter of weeks. There is no reason for a game as light on resources as a visual novel to not run well on the Nintendo Switch.
If the developers are open to renaging their Switch cancellation and not having 100% parity on Switch versus the PS4, they should look into Poppy Works, who maintain a VM that can port Ren'Py games to PS4, Vita, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch:
https://twitter.com/WorkWithPoppy/status/1060217384680767488?s=09
[email protected]
@nhSnork What is this, a visual novel which uses Nvidia Hairworks, mile-long view distances, 4K shadow quality, and does my taxes in the background? A potato should be able to run any visual novel.
Interesting decision. Visual Novels game would fit the Switch perfectly. I love taking my Vita to a cafe an playing "choas;child" or "Stein;Gate".
But on a PS4. Not really. I save my ps4 games for big action games.
I'm not into visual novels but to say a visual novel...an IMAGE of all things can't run on a switch is just really pushing it.
Oh lordy lord.
Big failure by the devs. The Switch should have been their #1 priority. It would have sold way better than on the PS4. How many people want to play a visual novel on their TV?
Wow, really? That must be quite an intense visual novel if the Switch can't run it.
Can't say I play these kinds of games, but a shame for those who do.
I don't believe for a heartbeat that they can't get a visual novel to work on the Switch. They are seriously claiming their VN is more demanding that BotW, Doom, Civ 6, Warframe, Paladins, Mario Odyssey, Splatoon 2, SSB Ultimate and Diablo 3?
What a load of absolute **** ****!
@Heavyarms55 "I don't believe for a heartbeat that they can't get a visual novel to work on the Switch. They are seriously claiming their VN is more demanding that BotW, Doom, Civ 6, Warframe, Paladins, Mario Odyssey, Splatoon 2, SSB Ultimate and Diablo 3?
What a load of absolute **** ****!"
Agree alot whole lot of goats is going on here. And most likely Sony told them otherwise. And so now Sony will get censored versions. Yeah that is the way to go Sony....
@SwitchForce Sony might have pressured them, true. But I still feel it is more incompetence or laziness.
@Heavyarms55 "Sony might have pressured them, true. But I still feel it is more incompetence or laziness."
Well that would be the second half of it... lol Also I see other JPN games coming over so for them to say not possible is like you said poor excuse.
Looks like they won't be getting a sale from me if it won't be on Switch. They are really going to regret this when they see how much of an impact it will have on sales. Well World End Syndrome has been announced to come to the West, and is already out in JP on Switch (no subs). So we know that won't have 'development complications' I'll just support that game instead when it comes out.
I this who sham is Sony Censorship bullying the developer from bringing it to market. How can something like SAO a JRPG be coming but Songs can't. I do find this very fishy and stinks to high heaven of Corporation bullying because they are afraid the Switch is hitting high times.
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