The Nintendo Switch 2 has finally seen its release after years of speculation and rumors, and it’s already starting to build an impressive lineup of third-party titles. With the publisher’s most powerful machine at its disposal, the Nintendo Switch 2 is proving itself capable of running some powerful titles that the previous generation Switch couldn’t handle. Launching with games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Street Fighter 6, the Switch 2 has proven itself capable of playing AAA third-party titles on a level comparable to its other console counterparts.
Nintendo will obviously be looking to continue building a fantastic lineup of third-party games on the Switch 2, with titles like Elden Ring, Final Fantasy 7 Remake, and the upcoming 007 First Light all confirmed to be releasing on Nintendo’s new system. Combined with the arrival of some noteworthy first-party titles like Donkey Kong Bananza, Kirby Air Riders, and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, Nintendo’s first-year lineup is looking to fire on all cylinders. One rumored third-party release on the Switch 2 would be a massive surprise, and Nintendo could help make its arrival even more worthwhile.
The Nintendo Switch 2 Has Already Beaten the ‘Wii U 2’ Allegations
Fans were worried that the Nintendo Switch 2 could end up repeating the Wii U’s flaws, but the Switch 2 is on track to put its predecessor to shame.
The Switch 2 Could Receive A Stellar Blade Port With All the Bells and Whistles
Stellar Blade Has Been Rumored To Be Arriving On The Switch 2
Amidst a multitude of rumors surrounding third-party games coming to Nintendo's new console, recent reports have claimed that Stellar Blade will release on Nintendo Switch 2. First released back in April 2024 on the PlayStation 5, Stellar Blade has become a major hit for the game’s developer Shift Up, moving upwards of three million copies in just over a year on the market. This number was also aided by the game’s recent release on PC, where it pushed over a million units after less than a week on the market.
Stellar Blade releasing on the Nintendo Switch 2 would be something of a surprise, as the game is published by Sony Interactive Entertainment, the distributor of the PlayStation lineup of systems and ostensibly one of Nintendo’s “rivals” in the console space. This wouldn’t be the first time Sony released a title on a Nintendo platform, as the publisher released LEGO Horizon Adventures on the Switch, and the yearly MLB The Show franchise went multiplatform with its Switch debut in 2022. Still, bringing Stellar Blade to the Switch 2 would help to increase its already large playerbase further, and perhaps increase excitement for the recently confirmed sequel.
Stellar Blade’s Switch 2 Release Could Bring A Treasure Trove Of Extra Content
If Sony and Shift Up bring Stellar Blade to the Switch 2, Shift Up can give new players the full experience of the game by releasing its Complete Edition, which includes all of its previously released downloadable content. Since its release, Stellar Blade's DLC has featured collaborations with games such as Nier: Automata, as well as Shift Up’s previous title, Goddess of Victory: Nikke. If the game comes to the Nintendo Switch 2, Sony and Shift Up could include all of this content in the final release, giving newcomers the complete package from the start.
A release on the Nintendo Switch 2 could also open the door for some exclusive Stellar Blade content, including new costumes for Eve based on characters in Nintendo-published titles. Considering some of the comparisons it has seen, a Bayonetta costume for Stellar Blade feels like the easiest layup of all time, but with Nintendo’s permission, Shift Up could add costumes based on characters like Princess Peach and Samus Aran. This would not be too dissimilar to what Nintendo had previously done when Bayonetta was first brought over to its platforms, as the Wii U port of the first game included costumes based on these characters.
The Switch 2 has proven itself capable of playing AAA third-party titles on a level comparable to its other console counterparts.
Sony Isn’t The Only Console Manufacturer Nintendo Could Bring To Switch 2
Sony releasing a title like Stellar Blade on the Switch 2 would also be fascinating in that it would see Nintendo continuing to court titles from its opposing console manufacturers. During the late portion of the Switch’s life, Xbox manufacturer Microsoft began releasing some of its titles on Nintendo’s platform, and the publisher has reiterated its plans to support the Nintendo Switch 2. Nintendo has done a great job upping its third-party support since the Switch’s release, but it remains surprising how the publisher has even gotten its supposed “competitors” in the console space to release games on its machine.
Of course, any talk about Stellar Blade coming to the Switch 2 could be taken with a grain of salt, as Shift Up has thus far denied reports of the game seeing a release on Nintendo’s platform. Still, Stellar Blade’s arrival on the Switch 2 would give the system a very impressive action game early in its life, and would help increase the game’s reach and massive success in the years before the sequel arrives. Here’s hoping Nintendo can continue to grow the Switch 2’s third-party lineup with big titles, and that Stellar Blade is only one of several big action titles on the system.
Stellar Blade
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 81 /100 Critics Rec: 81%
- Released
- April 26, 2024
- ESRB
- M for Mature
- Developer(s)
- Shift Up
- Publisher(s)
- Sony Interactive Entertainment
WHERE TO PLAY
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 4
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
