Square Enix has already shown its support for Nintendo’s upcoming handheld-console hybrid, Switch, with the likes of I Am Setsuna and Dragon Quest XI both making their way to the console.
However, the publishing giant’s biggest new release, Final Fantasy XV, doesn’t seem destined for the console, even if the game’s director remains intrigued.
Speaking with the folks over at DualShockers, FFXV director, Hajime Tabata, said there were no current plans to bring the JPRG masterpiece to Nintendo’s highly anticipated new console.
“It might run,” he said. “But we haven’t conducted the proper tests on whether it would run properly on Switch or not, so I cannot say for sure.”
That’s certainly more encouraging than a flat-out, “No”, but it’s far from something worth getting excited about.
Tabata certainly wasn’t coy in his interpretation of Switch, saying there’s obvious interest in the platform among developers, unsurprising considering Square Enix’s early support for the platform.
“There are no plans for Switch at the moment,” he continued, “but overall, there is interest in the platform among the development team. We do have lots of Nintendo fans inside BD2.”
Square Enix isn’t the only publisher showing interest in the platform.
Speaking at the UBS Global Technology Conference in November, Electronic Arts COO, Blake Jorgensen, hinted that the publisher behind FIFA, Titanfall, Battlefield and the upcoming Mass Effect Andromeda will be bringing at least one of its big franchises to the table.
“In terms of Nintendo, in their announcement they announced that we’ll be supporting with a game or two on that new platform. We haven’t yet announced what game, but you should assume that it’s one of our bigger games we’ve been involved with,” he said.
EA does remain skeptical, however, and the publisher probably isn’t alone: the Wii U and Gamecube struggled to be relevant selling points for third-party publishers, while the Wii produced too much shovelware and casual games to justify bringing big-budget AAA to the console.
Other publishers already appear keen to support the console.
Pundits are confident Switch can perform better — sales wise — than the Wii U due in part to what seems to be a more positive outlook from third-party publishers.
Nintendo recently spoke with investors, explaining how Switch will be more accessible for third-party studios.
“Since the start of Nintendo Switch development we have been aiming to realize an environment in which a variety of different third-party developers are able to easily develop compatible software, such as by making it compatible with Unreal and Unity as well as our own development tools,” Nintendo executive Shinya Takahashi said.
“As a result, even companies with only a few developers have already started making games for Nintendo Switch.”
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