It took three years for Overwatch to join the Nintendo family and release on Switch. Announced at the Nintendo Direct on September 5, the game will arrive on the system on October 15. The game's producers, Wes Yanagi and Andrew Boyd — in an interview for Inverse — revealed a lot of information about the game's port.
They put the priority on offering console players an "authentic Overwatch experience". Overwatch Switch version will not be different from its other versions: all the maps and 31 heroes will be available from the beginning.
Performance and graphics
The game will run in 30 FPS at 900p docked, and 720p otherwise. Weaker than on other consoles and on PCs, this difference should not have too much impact on players.
Graphics were not a big problem for this port. Game's unique visual style — closer to comics than realism — allows the game to run quite easily, even on a console much less powerful than an Xbox One, a PS4 or a PC.
Switch development
Blizzard asked studio Iron Galaxy — which ported Diablo III to the Switch — to bring the heroes of Overwatch to the Nintendo console. In just over a year of work between Iron Galaxy and Blizzard, the biggest technical challenge has been the ability for players to dock or not their console to play.
Gyro aiming functionality
This specific Nintendo system functionality will allow players to aim or move with Switch's motion control features. Optional, it can be turned off but Blizzard hopes that players will try it.
The developers have made it easy to use and adjust, regardless of your position and the sensitivity you want.
Cross-play
The answer is no. It's not on the agenda yet. However, Blizzard — which has had the opportunity to see the positive impact of cross-play with games like Hearthstone — is not opposed to the idea, which will remain difficult to implement.
In-game team chat
Good news: you won't need to use the Nintendo application to communicate in game! The IG communication will pass through Overwatch's servers and will allow you to communicate simply by plugging a headset into your Switch or controller.
Tracer or D.Va to Smash Bros?
For Hawley and Yanagi, the possibility of seeing an Overwatch hero on the Nintendo game would be a very good thing! However, even if Blizzard supports the idea, it is not within its power to make it a reality. All we have to do is hope that Nintendo takes the idea and allows one of the iconic OW characters to appear in Super Smash Bros Ultimate!
We may know more at BlizzCon 2019 from November 1-3!
Two Nintendo Switch controllers featuring D.Va and Reaper have been announced by the PowerA brand. They are already on pre-order on Amazon and EB Games.
