The Switch’s third-party success, up to this point, is surprising almost everyone. Since the Nintendo 64, Nintendo’s consoles have offered meager third-party selection, and there was certainly hesitance about the Switch’s capability to turn the trend around. However, with the help of Bethesda, Ubisoft, and several other developers, the Switch already looks like it will possess a deeper library than any of Nintendo’s recent consoles. In order for Nintendo to sustain the current success of the Switch, the ball needs to keep rolling. While there is no telling which developers are currently planning to support the hybrid device and which ones are vehemently opposed, the following games would all be incredible boosts to the Switch’s lineup.
Overwatch
Despite being more than a year old, Overwatch continues to be a multiplayer phenomena with a player base of 30 million. Overwatch, a hero shooter, distinguishes itself from many in its genre by allowing for a variety of play styles and approaches. Because of this accessibility, less experienced players, or players with bad aim, are still able to contribute in battle.
Overwatch would be basically peerless at this juncture, as the Switch currently has no traditional shooters clogging up the competitive scene. However, Jeff Kaplan, creator of Overwatch, has said that porting the title would be “very challenging.” Still, as far as we know, Blizzard is open to the possibility, and Kaplan’s comments came around March—back when the Switch’s surprising success was not yet evident.
Fallout 4
Depending on the success of Bethesda’s first three ports to Switch, the arrival of Fallout 4 may be inevitable. Fallout 4 is not graphically intensive by any stretch. Considering that the remastered version of Skyrim runs fine on the Switch, Bethesda shouldn’t be technically limited from porting over the Boston adventure. Fallout 4’s continued slide away from traditional role-playing (a recent Bethesda trend) is the target of criticism, but the title is still an addictive open-world adventure with hours of quality content.
Bethesda has been Nintendo’s biggest third-party supporter up to this point. While other developers are seeming to use a wait-and-see strategy, Bethesda has been generous with their ports and must believe that the Switch’s success will continue. This risk will likely pay off, as DOOM and Wolfenstein II will both be unique experiences at this point in the Switch’s life cycle.
Dark Souls Trilogy
Do you have a bizarre fetish for combing through decrepit ghettos and slaying slews of the undead? The Souls series might be for you! Unfortunately, consider a psychological screening beforehand to make sure you possess the state of mind required for frustrations that often accompany the journey. Even the calmest person on the planet can be reduced to insanity by the Souls’ series brutal difficulty. Yet, Hidetaka Miyazaki’s creations make the suffering worth it through their subtle world building, fantastic orchestral soundtrack, and varied, weighty combat. The Souls trilogy, just like the other games mentioned in this list, are games that everyone should experience. More so than the first two games on this list, this series, particularly the third installment, would require significant sacrifices in order for a port to happen.
But unless you’re the type to throw controllers, pray that these titles make their way to Nintendo’s fancy tablet. If you are a remote chucker, though, stay away; throwing the Switch tablet would be a colossal, disgusting mistake, and losing two million souls might impair your judgement enough for it to happen.
What other games need to make their way to the Switch? Let us know in the comments below.
