Overwatch 2
Image: Blizzard

It's been an uphill battle for developers porting next-generation titles to the Switch since the system arrived in 2017.

While we've seen some "impossible" ports like The Witcher 3 and DOOM, often studios have to make serious comprises to get certain games up and running on Nintendo's hybrid hardware. When it comes to Overwatch 2 it will unsurprisingly be no different. During the same fifth anniversary Reddit AMA with the Overwatch team at the end of May, concerns were raised about the Switch iteration of the upcoming release and if it would even be released.

In response, Blizzard technical director, John Lafleur, admitted the Switch version was proving a "little more challenging" than the rest and that there would definitely be at least "some comprises" to get the game on the system. Here's the full exchange:

Question: Some of the changes and new features to Overwatch 2 look incredible, such as the higher detail, new way of rendering eyes and hair, and one I especially remember from the gameplay trailer and Rio mission, the giant null sector ship in the sky. Now, all these changes look amazing, but as a solely switch player, I am starting to get worried that the switch will just [not] be able to cope with these upgrades. PvP will probably run smoother (with only 9 other heroes in screen, maybe a B.O.B., with the 5v5 change). Is the game still planned to release in the Nintendo switch, and if it is, what compromises are having to be made (I expect that they would be mainly in PvE.

Developer response: As hardware has advanced since the launch of Overwatch, we are extending the OW2 engine with more high-end features. However, we're also working hard to make sure all of our platforms get the best experience, even in PvE. Switch is a little more challenging than some, and we'll have to make some compromises there. For that reason, some of the higher end visual enhancements might not be visible, there. We'll focus on making sure all of the gameplay-related features get in, first, and then accentuate with additional features as much as possible.

Fortunately for Switch, Overwatch 2 has been confirmed as running on the same (but upgraded) engine as the original release - so we already have at least some idea of what the sequel should be like. It will also allow players across both games to play PVP modes with each other.

At the same time though - it's got us wondering how other aspects of the sequel will hold up on the Switch if it is a more demanding game. Performance is a big talking point, with the original title around 30fps - which many argued was not enough for a competitive shooter. And to top it off, it's now cross-play enabled.

What are your own thoughts about Blizzard making comprises to get Overwatch 2 up and running on Switch? Is this a game you would be interested in playing on this particular system? Leave a comment down below.

[source reddit.com, via nintendoeverything.com]