If there's anything developer Machine Games and publisher Bethesda should be known for, it's the desire to get its popular Wolfenstein games to come to the Nintendo Switch. This summer, the newest entry in the franchise, Wolfenstein: Youngblood, will be coming to the Switch, much like how 2017's Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus eventually released on Nintendo's newest system the following year. However this time around, it appears Bethesda has made a tough decision in regards to how it'll handle physical copies of the upcoming spin-off game.
According to multiple retail listings for the Nintendo Switch version of Wolfenstein: Youngblood, the physical case for the game will not include a game cartridge, and will instead contain a download code. A listing from GameStop notes the lack of a physical cartridge for the Deluxe Edition of Wolfenstein: Youngblood, as well as the standard edition of the game, which also includes the same notation on its respective webpage.
The head scratcher in knowing Wolfenstein: Youngblood being only available digitally is that people can still pick up a physical case for the game in retail stores or online. It's not a selling practice companies use often, as buyers essentially are getting an empty game box, and can simply buy a download code online, or in this case, the Nintendo eShop, whenever they'd like. In the case of Wolfenstein: Youngblood, however, it might be possible this was the only way for the game to launch simultaneously alongside PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, given Wolfenstein 2's noticeable gap between its initial release, and when it eventually came to Switch.
It's not surprising to see a Nintendo Switch port for a game arrive with some kind of shortcoming, with graphical downgrades and/or the removal of key game features being common examples. While Bethesda has been adamant it wants to bring as many of the company's games onto the system as it can, there have been rejections in the past, with games such as Fallout 76 not being "doable" for Switch, given the game's dependence of a continuous online connection.
As for Wolfenstein, Bethesda, developer Machine Games, and Nintendo Switch, there are questions now for what the future of the franchise holds on the console. While Bethesda VP of Marketing Pete Hines confirmed there will be a third mainline Wolfenstein title coming, it's fate on the Switch, considering the console's technical shortcomings, could mean Bethesda approaches a Switch version differently.
Wolfenstein: Youngblood was revealed during the 2018 Bethesda E3 Press Conference. Players will take control of one of series protagonist BJ Blazkowicz's twin daughters, Jessica and Sophie, with a fully cooperative campaign that takes place during the 1980s in Paris, France. For the first time since the launch of Nintendo Switch, a Wolfenstein game will be releasing across all consoles on the same day.
Wolfenstein: Youngblood will launch on July 26 for PC, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One.
Sources: NintendoLife, GameStop