The absence of E3 last year created a PR vacuum which publishers, media organisations and even noted figures in the world of gaming raced to fill with their own events. Geoff Keighley, bless him, attempted to wrangle it all — indie and triple AAA alike — under his Summer Game Fest umbrella, but ultimately Summer 2020 was a bit of a mess of events and announcements bleeding into each other and resulting in consumer confusion at best, apathy at worst.
Perhaps I felt it more keenly than others as at various times it fell on me to round up the announcements of such-and-such's presentation for the site and sift through and find what was new, relevant or repeated. I recall hours trawling through emails, press pages, websites and whatever resources were available (dev Twitter accounts on occasion) trying desperately to ascertain if Indie Game X was actually coming to Switch or not. I came to dread the ambiguity of the phrase "coming to PC and consoles". Ergh, can't we be a little more precise?
Now I totally understand the reason for not announcing all platforms at once, especially in the current climate and especially for smaller studios. For many developers, especially Indies, PC is the lead platform for purely practical reasons and launching the game elsewhere is something to deal with once all the fires have been put out. The difficulties of dealing with multiple platform holders and their guidelines aside, getting a game working on a single platform is a monumental feat, let alone catering for multiple SKUs, controller and UI standards, and navigating certification for consoles versus a nice simple PC release on Steam.
As multiple Kickstarter projects have demonstrated (anyone else still waiting for their 3DS copy of Mighty No. 9? — ooo, now there's another rant-y Soapbox article!), overselling and under-delivering is a recipe for disaster, so I appreciate caution when it comes to making platform announcements before working out if a Switch port is realistic and viable.
And I also appreciate the perceived second wave of coverage you get down the road when you announce a Switch version of your hit game. I understand why publishers do it. I get it.
I'm just so very tired of seeing a trailer and having the exact same question after pausing the video and scanning the logos and trademark notices: "Is it coming to Switch?".
I came to dread the ambiguity of the phrase "coming to PC and consoles". Ergh, can't we be a little more precise?
It's a question that's haunted developer interviews for the past four years, and everyone involved is surely tired of doing the dance, but it goes on. From a professional point of view, it's often more a case of "is this relevant to me?" and, although it would be nice to have the information presented a little more readily (you might be surprised at just how oblique and difficult to parse some publishers make their game-related materials), that comes with the job. I certainly don't expect much sympathy for being made to trawl through press releases and associated documentation hunting for any mention of Nintendo. As a player, though, it's frustrating to have answers to these questions often deliberately withheld, especially when it's plain as day when a publisher knows if its game is coming to Switch or not.
Remember that Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster unveiled at the Square Enix Presents Summer Showcase? Not coming to Switch (or any console), apparently. Yes, at present, that remastered collection of those famous PC and mobile games Final Fantasies 1-6 is exclusive to Steam and mobile platforms...
At this point I should make it abundantly clear that I have absolutely no inside story on this. As far as I know, it'll remain on Steam and mobile platforms forever. The notion that Square wouldn't put this release on consoles is just ridiculous, though. Again, to reiterate, I have absolutely no clue if this is planned for consoles or not, but to not put this collection on Switch would be an unimaginably strange move from Square. Myself and every other console owner who likes a good RPG would find it very odd indeed.
Of course, odd business decisions which seemingly go against common sense are nothing new in the world of games. We're all still absolutely in the dark as to why Persona 5 isn't on Switch yet. That Sony has it tied up as some sort of console exclusive is the only explanation that seems to hold water because a Switch version is the biggest no-brainer in the history of Switch ports. I only hope Atlus and Sega got a big juicy cheque for it because they've left a massive number of potential Switch sales on the table.
They should know I'm more likely to just not play the game — there are too many titles to choose from and I don't have the time to be playing these silly will-they-won't-they games.
Perhaps I'm just getting crankier with age. Perhaps it's a publisher ploy to get me to double dip on two platforms, but they should know I'm more likely to just not play the game — there are too many titles to choose from and I don't have the time to be playing these silly will-they-won't-they games.
I imagine anyone with a physical collection gets similarly dismayed when physical editions of eShop games aren't confirmed until months after launch, typically a day or two after they caved and bought the digital version anyway. I've done it before when I've bought a game on Xbox only to have it confirmed for Switch soon after. In an ideal world I'd buy most games on Switch, even if the Xbox version looks better, just in case I want to play handheld. I remember buying Cuphead and the Switch port being surprise-announced within days.
I didn't begrudge anyone involved with that particular example — just having a Microsoft exclusive on Switch made the whole episode more surreal than infuriating, and I was pleased to support the devs on two platforms. It was more funny than infuriating. Of course, they'd go and announce the least likely of ports three days after I bought it! Typical.
I'm not that much of a curmudgeon, honest. I just wish publishers would do a better job of informing me if a game will be coming to my handheld hybrid of choice in their trailers, that's all. I don't care if it's coming a few weeks or months later, I'm just tired of the Switch Port guessing game — it's been over four years now and for the big publishers at least, there's really no excuse to keep players in the dark about which platforms their game will be on.
Rant over! Normal genial Gav shall return after his holidays. Let us know below if searching through the logos at the end of trailers has ever got you down in the past.
Comments 60
Right there with you. If a game is released across all consoles, as long as there are no massively egregious downgrades to it, I'll always opt for Switch, but I'm genuinely curious to know what kinds of contractual nondisclosure is at play to stop devs and publishers announcing what platforms their games will be coming to, eventually — even if it's months after, I'd be happy to wait.
Quite frankly, just say what platforms it will run on and be done with it.
"Is it coming to Switch?"
Second question.
How much of a reduction in quality do we, Switch owners, have to put up with.
Maybe you should just be content to focus on what the Switch definitely will get, as opposed to wishful thinking about what it might get. As the article itself states, there are too many titles to choose from as it is.
@zool Second question for me always is:
Is it getting a physical release?
@Lordplops You got to have a dream. If you don't have a dream, how're you gonna have a dream come true?
This article is hard to argue.
I can see some games need a feasibility test to run on Switch. Maybe need to make some (in their words) sacrifices. We are also not privvy to their future plans.
It's also the case that most rabbid Swith fans who want all the games on Switch, can't understand some of these decisions.
Meanwhile, the mobile market is oblivious to our despair. Could be SE want to focus on miobile markets and try to grow them. For all we know they are happy with the console space at the moment and there isn't even a Switch version of the game to announce. Yadda yadda yadda. So, it is what it is.
Prince of Persia - Sands of Time is probably the biggest game I don't understand why there is no Switch game. It's borderline insulting hee hee!
But NLife obviously forgot to inject us with anxiety this article, so I suppose I'll do it.
Are you worried about games not being announced day and date with all the other versions? Leave a comment below. (hee hee)
@The_New_Butler Yeah, I'm all for diversity across the big three - I don't need everything to be in one place; I use my Switch for the exact three types of games you mention
@ManaOwls good point.😀
@The_New_Butler I agree. I may get the Switch Oled as my handheld device and to play a few Nintendo Games. Then invest in a PS5 for other games.
But the new Netflix news about offering game play looks interesting.
Totally agree, consumers should know where it is coming so they can make and informed decision about where they want to make their purchase.
Amazon are still taking pre-orders for Mighty No. 9 now that you mention it I don't think I'll bother...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mighty-No-9-Nintendo-3DS/dp/B00X14PG7E
Bought Spyro Reignited Trilogy on Xbox, 100%d it, and then bought and 100%'d it on Switch too. Vowed to never make the same mistake again, proved right with Crash Bandicoot 4.
Now all that's left is a Kingdom Hearts HD Remix port and I'll have plenty of stuff to wait ports with.
That's the same question that EVERY Game Company thinks before releasing a game on Switch. Millions of Switch Owners have also a PS4 or XB1...
Can you imagine if EA decided to release the same Fifa for PS4 and Switch? Owners of both platforms would buy only one... so they try to separate the experience: "For a Full Experience, buy the PS4 game, for the best Handheld experience, buy Switch legacy version".
Sometimes the market perspective is bigger than any port downgrade. Trials of Mana first release, for PC/PS4/Switch (AND NOT XBOX ONE) is a good example. Then they realized it was a big success, so they are planning an xbox port.
It’s definitely a balancing act from r devs to juggle with, announce for OC switch port coming later, and the players may forgot about it when the time comes, announce PC only only for players to fee hipped when the Switch port comes later also is bad.
I’ve been waiting for the Aomori port for 7 months, I’m losing interest.
I think a lot of these companies like being able to treat a Switch release as a 'second launch' for their games. Some of that is going to be motivated by people repurchasing it on the system, so announcing the Switch version initially would only cut into that.
Surprise ports also probably attract more attention than eventual delayed releases that were already announced.
I don't understand why Nintendo players think persona 5 should come to switch? Would they be happy with shin megami tensei 5 going to playstation? Same with bravely default, gets made console exclusive for nintnedo even though its made by square enix. And that's because Nintendo pay for that exclusivity and playstation/xbox do the same with different game
Sometimes that exclusivity is just for several months hence why the switch doesn't get mentioned in the trailers until that exclusivity period is over. And sometimes developers have made the PlayStation/xbox versions whilst still working out how to make the game run on the switch, so in the meantime they release it on other consoles first and they don't mention the switch in trailers until they are 100% confident that it can run
If FFVII and IX were any indication the Pixel Remasters will definitely come to consoles but it'll take like a year
The PS1 games were also ported to PC and mobile first, then PS4 to drum up hype for FFVII Remake, and then finally Switch and Xbox
As for other games there are a lot of AAAs that are still somewhat ill-suited for the hardware despite the miracle ports that have come along. If we're calling ports like DOOM Eternal and Witcher 3 "miracle ports" that says a lot about how woefully underpowered for the big name stuff the platform really is. In fact FFXV is actually a great example of this considering Hajime Tabata has been quoted as saying his team tried multiple times to get the main FFXV game to run on Switch, even going as far as converting the game to UE4 instead of the Luminous Engine, and it just couldn't handle it which is why Pocket Edition happened instead
Another thing to consider is that there probably aren't a lot of people that use Switch as their sole console platform, and usually have another platform to go alongside it like a PS4 or a PC, so the market for big AAA stuff on Switch, while there is probably vastly undermined due to the ratio of sacrifice needed to get the game running on the platform against how well it would actually do with people who only own Switches and haven't gotten the game on anything else. That's why stuff like Control and Guardians of the Galaxy being cloud games is relatively low risk for these companies compared to native ports as well, especially if the technical hurdles are too much
Often times, I end up not buying a game at all because I'm waiting to see if it comes to the console I want it for. Call me crazy, but I prefer to play Nintendo games on Nintendo consoles and Playstation games on Playstation consoles. So when Capcom released the Disney Afternoon Collection (consisting of NES games only) on PS4, I didn't buy it, hoping it would be released on Switch. At this point, I doubt it'll ever be released on Switch, but had I known for sure that's the case, I probably would've caved and bought it for PS4.
@UltimateOtaku91 There are multiple factors as to why P5 on Switch is such a demanded port
I don't agree with the people on Twitter doing crap like #BreakFreePersona or whatever or constantly bickering under SMT V stuff about Persona on Switch (even people on this website), but there are legitimate factors outside the selfish ones for why such a port has a strong following whether it be from Atlus fans or people who can't play the game because they don't have a PS4
Or you know instead of preordering an OLED Switch they can save up for a PS5 but who knows
@TheFrenchiestFry the portable versions of 3 and 4 still stayed true to Sony by only being on sonys platforms. So if sony had a new portbale console then I'm sure persona 5 would release on it.
This just makes me think Sony have the excluisve console rights to the main persona series whikst Nintendo have the rights to the shin megami tensei series (since 3)
I’m surprised to see this publication on a Nintendo site. I agree, that for many games, doing global announcements or even releases makes sense. But, with the Switch being the weakest console, it must be difficult for developers with more ambitious releases to optimize their next dream game for every single different console spec in existence. It’s just going to take more time to reach those optimizations for the weaker hardware, depending on the skill of the studio and how demanding the game is for each system.
@TheFrenchiestFry
Atlus should be concerned with doing what makes them money, P5 on Switch is a guaranteed money maker, unless they have some contracts preventing this then they are ignoring the demand out of some ideological reason the kind that the industry has mostly left behind since the end of the 7th generation.
I am 100% convinced that companies try to get people to double dip for their games by delaying the games on Switch or announcing the Switch version way past the game's initial launch. A very recent example is Dragonball Z Kakarot which comes to Switch 2 years after it launched on all other platforms. Initially I fell for this tactic and double dipped quite often but I have changed my stance on 3rd party games. If I think a game is a fit for the Switch but hasn't been announced for it yet I just don't buy it at all until a Switch version is announced. If the Switch version is later announced and it ends up being a bad port I can always buy it on PC or PS4 where it's probably on sale already anyway.
With the 25th anniversary coming, I'm sure we'll finally get Persona 5 on Switch.
The FF Pixel Remasters not being on any console, let alone switch, is absurd.
Sure, only if Nintendo starts doing the same thing.
@SalvorHardin There's got to be some kind of agreement, either contractual, or a handshake at the bar between execs with a little kickback for the effort. Nobody would not port a large property like P5 to a popular system, especially when the semi-sequel is on said system, unless there was a business obligation not to. Smaller devs like Falcom have only PS experience and don't have the staff to spend on other hardware. But Sega and aAtlus already have Switch teams and Nintendo interaction, so it's not like the knowledge isn't there. Though maybe the Persona team doesn't interact much with the SMT/Catherine/TMS teams with the Nintendo know-how. Despite the similarity to Persona, TMS was lead by a mainline SMT team, and it's interface being SMTV's interface reflects that.
@UltimateOtaku91 I think most gamers (except some of the most bizarre basement dwellers over on PS ) would be thrilled to have all games on all platforms and just be able to play on whatever suits them. I'm not sure why anyone would mind a game going to another platform, while getting games from the other platform on theirs. Ori, Outer Worlds, and Doom on Switch don't make me like Xbox less. HzD, GoW on PC don't make me like PS less. TWEWY2 on PS doesn't make me like Switch less. (Beyond me having to debate which platform I buy it on, as post-OLED-preorder-expectation-disappointment syndrome (POPEDS) has me now leaning away from switch, considering going to GPU/PSNow+Local streaming on a tablet/laptop to "upgrade" my not-at-the-big-screen play time. Which then has me reconsidering buying games like TWEWY2 on PS instead even though it's perfect handheld.)
Wow, right there with you Gavin, solid rant lol. This system, that... Physical, digital... Just be clear. I'm older and my time and money are severely at a premium now.
@UltimateOtaku91
I wouldn't care if SMT V is present in PS
Exclusivity only exist to make you spend money on 3 consoles
Its great for the companies, bad for your wallet!
Let people enjoy games in the platform of their choice.
I understand the Switch is behind in terms of power so all games are not possible there, but some people like to compromise on graphics, for portability, I think it is great to give people more choices. These also helps developers as some people would not be able to play the game if it wasn't because of its portability.
As far as this article's topic, not revealing Switch as a platform is information withheld on purpose. It's simple business. They are trying to get you to double dip.
@jamesthemagi I agree but we have to remember that developers are all greedy and will give their games to who waves the most money.
Also I see no reason graphically why persona 5 wouldn't run on the switch, I mean persona 5 strikers runs on switch fine
@UltimateOtaku91
It should run just fine on Switch, we'll see. Maybe they really were paid to be kept exclusive by Sony.
I would like that FF Collection. Well, I don't really need the entire collection. I will gladly pay yet again for 4 and 6! And I think it makes sense to release them on the Switch since they are not in NSO and 7-10 + 12 are on the platform already
@SalvorHardin Atlus doesn't need to be concerned with making money if P5 is already their best selling game in history. Being concerned about making money was what got them to a comfortable position now. They've escaped bankruptcy twice between the late 2000's and when they were acquired by SEGA
Crazy how people talk about how Atlus should be concerned about making money and yet most of their games on Switch don't do that well because y'all aren't willing to support them because "iTs nOt mUH pErSoNa 5". It's this crowd of people who are probably the one roadblock stopping SMT V from actually doing as well as it deserves
@NEStalgia Actually Catherine was developed by P-Studio alumni so those people were directly hands on with that game. Same with some Persona spinoffs like the two Q games on 3DS which involved people like Soejima, Kazuhisa Wada and Hashino
In terms of the prospect of exclusivity you also have to kind of ask that same question about Persona 3 and 4 as well, particularly 3 since it's still only available on PlayStation 2, PSP and PS Vita and has never been re-released on any other console since
Honest disclosure: I’m as empathetic about this frustration as a telephone customer service rep typically is at the end of a shift
@TheFrenchiestFry Yeah, seems to be something relating to the entire Persona brand. It's probably the strangest exclusivity situation in gaming. At least FF and KH, Sony technically part-owned Square and probably used their board influence for that, since it went multiplat as soon as Sony sold off.
It is usually released one place first because of exclusivity. Even if it’s a week or a couple of months many companies take that extra cash for that little bit and say ohhh we need to do this or that. As for releasing difficulties non different platforms that is actually not to difficult as os and Xbox have pretty much the same build for ability to run games. Changing the buttons in the game screen and codes is a simple thing to do and the only thing to cause a lolength of time to accomplish would be bug fixes but hey companies don’t do that anymore before release. Another reason releases are not across the board is because they want to get the game out of the gate to start making Omni et. Companies have gotten away from loving game if and making games to just wanting the money now and are just shoving things through and it’s pitiful and pathetic how they do this and always expect us to buy games that are not even half finished. I understand a patch but back when companies had to release a complete product they were able to do so with no issues and any bugs found were never game breaking. How we have gotten away from quality and yet the people still drink the koolaid from these companies. Me myself I refuse to buy anything full price anymore. I’ll wait until the complete versions come out or they have all the bugs fixed etc. Needless to say I don’t usually buy games until they are out for a year or two and even longer before I buy them. This mainly happens because of what I stated above and because I prefer physicals and will wait to get one that has everything on the cartridge.
@UltimateOtaku91 Strikers isn't a good parameter for a P5 Switch port. That's 100% a Koei Tecmo thing and runs on their in house engine and not the Persona one. It just visually looks similar to P5 or Royal to remain faithful to the art direction in those games
@TheFrenchiestFry I feel the same way about Altus. Great company all in all and great games. I would put Nihon Falcom right there with them.
@TheFrenchiestFry ah that's a good point but persona 5 is on ps3? And maybe uses a similar engine to SMT5, still I don't think it's a performance related reason why its not on switch
It's probably SE's policy to spread out their releases to make people double dip. To be fair to them, Octopath Traveler was exclusive to Switch for a year. I don't think your wish will ever come true because of limited time exclusives (which I believe involves contracts) and especially not for Switch because getting games to run on it required extra optimisation (sometimes that's a project on its own). The situation will only worsen if and when PS5 and Xbox Series X become more easily available.
I think a good example of this is Life is Strange.
Announced for everything except Switch.
And when shown off later, same again.
And at E3 with SquareEnix. No Switch.
Two days later at E3, oh there it is, we found it behind the sofa. It's coming the same day we just didn't want to tell you.
I don't get that.
It would have been nice if Square Enix told us that the Life is Strange games and the Guardians of the Galaxy game were coming to Switch during their E3 presentation.
@zool Reduction in quality is a Nintendo problem, thats why a pro would have been perfect. Not a dev issue unfortunately.
@falconlord5 EAs twitter was slammed by negative comments about that. Not releasing games made for console on console was absolutely stupid.
If a game is announced at the start for all planned platforms, that would finally disprove the myth that gamers don't like playing 3rd parties on Nintendo platforms.
Fact is that that 3rd party games almost always come out on rival platforms months or years prior, with no confirmation of a Switch version even being an option.
And because many MANY gamers play on more than one platform, and if there's a game we want and we know it's coming out on one platform, even if that's our second choice platform, were gonna get it there.
Many people would wait for their 1st choice, even if it did mean waiting. But far fewer are willing to wait on the off chance that maybe, someday they'll get it.
I still dont know what the new xbox is called this time.
Probably all down to budgets and manpower.
@TheFrenchiestFry P3 FES is on PS3 as well.
@TowaHerschel7 Through backwards compatibility yes just like P3P on Vita. It's never been natively re-released though
@ManaOwls my friend, from the looks how cloud gaming is being pushed we might not see any physical releases in the future.
If the Stream Deck goes well their is your answer to physical release.
@Ironcore Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. For both consoles they usually say Xbox Series X | S.
But isn’t the guessimg game the legitimacy of your job?
the FF pixel remaster situation bugs me because the pre VII FF games havent been released on console/handheld (outside of snes classic) for almost a decade, i think the last time we got one on a console was the port of FFIII, on the PSP.
while i am usually somewhat uneasy about games coming to switch on the same time as other systems since it can often leave the switch version not as well optimised compared to a later release, however with FF these are pixel art games so i imagine it wouldnt be as much an issue.
@ManaOwls Unfortunately vinyl is still no mainstream and is also very low compared when it was a standard. I would look more at number of Physical CD sales.
You can go by Music Purchased vs Subscription models.
If you ask me supporting Microsoft Gamepass and Valve. Is the last push away from physical media.
100% agree with this!
"Of course, they'd go and announce the least likely of ports three days after I bought it! Typical."
From my experience, this is often orchestrated. In a similar fashion, developers would often put their games on Steam, PlayStation and Xbox on deep cut sales before a big Humble Bundle announcement. It would so frequently create "that game I want is 65% off?! Must buy!" situations, then the next week it's 99.9% or basically free in a Humble Bundle.
The developers want to milk sales on whatever platform there's practically nothing left to take, THEN they like to announce the ports. If this weren't a totally calculated move, those one year exclusive contracts wouldn't exist and day one they'd say "hey, just so you know, this so-called exclusive will be on all other platforms in 6-12 months, so hold off buying it if you'd rather play it on a different system".
Then again, in the few cases where you actually see developers do that (like Dragon Quest XI or Ys IX), not many people actually waited because the timing of the Switch release was left so ambiguous that some feared cancellation.
Not saying platforms is the most egregious thing I think a publisher can do in my eyes for a game announcement. If it's not coming to PS5 or Switch or Xbox, then just say so. If you can't say for sure, then maybe don't announce the game until you know what systems it is a releasing on
@DevinRex Which is the one they recently released to compete with switch and ps5?
@Ironcore They're called the Xbox Series consoles. Or Xbox Series X | S for short.
The black one = Xbox Series X
The white one = Xbox Series S
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