A list of Nintendo’s third-party partners for the upcoming Nintendo Switch console have been revealed, highlighting a stronger line-up of developers than the company’s previous hardware enjoyed.
The studios listed by Nintendo include familiar faces such as EA, Activision and Platinum Games, though the likes of Dark Souls developer From Software and Bethesda are also confirmed partners for the Switch. This is big news for those who have been unimpressed by Nintendo’s third-party line-up with their previous systems, with it at least suggesting that the company is looking to no longer rely on its first-party franchises to drive sales, instead broadening its horizons to accommodate developers more commonly associated with the PS4 and Xbox One.
Check out the “sampling” of Nintendo Switch partners the company has revealed:
Bethesda’s inclusion on this list is particularly intriguing, considering the studio’s previous comments regarding why it didn’t develop games for the Wii U. Speaking to Engadget back in 2013, Bethesda VP of PR Pete Hines said that the Wii U’s hardware limitations had been the reasoning behind the company choosing not to release its games on the platform. However, Bethesda’s involvement with the Nintendo Switch suggests that the hardware manufacturer has upped its game this time around, even though no Switch specs have been revealed thus far.
Despite this being a pretty large roster of third-party developers, it remains to be seen how long each of these companies will stick around. With Nintendo being notorious for losing third-party support after launch, hopefully the likes of Bethesda and From Software will remain with Nintendo long after the Switch’s launch, continuing to develop games for the system long after its release.
