Ni no KuniandYo-Kai Watchdeveloper Level-5 details its plans to support the Nintendo Switch, confirming that it will not be releasing a game at launch.
When theNintendo Switchreleases next year, it will have plenty ofthird-party support. Companies likeBattlefield 1publisher Electronic Arts,Red Dead Redemptionpublisher Take-Two Interactive, andCall of Dutypublisher Activision are planning to release games on the platform, giving hope to gamers disappointed by the Wii U’s notorious lack of third-party support.Ni no KuniandYo-Kai Watchcreator Level-5 is another company on that list and it has now detailed how it plans to support the console.
Speaking toVandal, Level-5’s CEO Akihiro Hino explained, “We intend to make games for theNintendo Switch, but I think that it’s very important to get the most out of the console. For that reason, there surely wont be a title of ours on launch, but when we find the way to take advantage of it, we will work with it.”
At this point, the full extent of Switch features haven’t yet been confirmed, though the console could support VR, and rumors suggest that it may feature a720p multi-touch screen. So, perhaps these will be a huge part of Level-5’s first Nintendo Switch title.
Though Level-5’s explanation makes a lot of sense — it wants to make a good game that makes best use of the console — some have fans have suggested that this is just the developer’s way of seeing whether the Switch is successful and therefore worth developing for or not. At this stage, important details about the Switch, such as price and battery life, which are important factors in whether someone buys the console are not, have not been disclosed. Nintendo’s own Switchsales estimatesare relatively conservative too, and there is some skepticism from investors and analysts about whether the console will be able to reverse the Wii U’s poor sales trend or merely follow in its footsteps.
Moreover, some fans have expressed concern that Level-5 won’t be releasing a title at launch. TheYo-Kai Watchseries has sold over 10 million copies, while the firstNi no Kunigame sold over 1 million copies so it stands to reason that a Level-5 game at launch could help the Switch’s sales get off to a flying start. While it’s not as though the Switch is doomed without a Level-5 title, it certainly would have been a big boost and it will be up to titles likeJust Dance 2017and (possibly)Skyrimto pull their weight.
