Nintendo Switch gamers will no longer have to face the grief of having a smaller than average title library, because Diablo III is coming for the Switch console.
Long awaited by Switch owners is the action role playing game from legendary developer Blizzard, who released the game many years ago (back in 2012, to be specific).
The game has been rumored since February of this year to be coming to the Switch console. Whispers began circulating after Blizzard made a post to their Twitter account, a short clip of a Diablo themed nightlight being turned (switched) off.
Some clever fans deduced that perhaps Blizzard was working on a Nintendo port of the game, which comes as huge news to many, given that Blizzard hasn’t brought a game to a Nintendo console for nearly two decades now.
Diablo III for the Switch is being developed “in-house” and will be working off of the PS4 and Xbox One ports of the game. Senior producer for Blizzard Pete Stilwell had a few kind words to describe the ability for developers to easily port games onto the Nintendo Switch console:
“I think this [is] the next evolution. The portability of Switch [and] the ability to play offline with your friends locally between multiple Switch [consoles] is really powerful. We’re excited to be able to travel, [play] this on a plane, get off the plane, [and] upload progress.”
The online service of the Switch allows for save files to be uploaded automatically to the cloud, giving gamers to freedom to transfer their data to other devices, as they see fit. From Blizzard’s associate producer Matt Cederquist:
“Switch automatically uploads save files. The only thing that won’t upload is leaderboards, but anything else such as achievements or progress that’s made through campaign will be [uploaded],”
Stilwell also adds:
“Another cool feature is the ability to play offline and still have progress count, and you can load your profiles back and forth, so if you’re on a buddy’s Switch you can load your file and get the character you want in the game too”.
Aptly named Diablo III: Eternal Collection, the Switch game will include both the Reaper of Souls and Rise of the Necromancer expansions and, all the added content the game has ever seen. Oh yeah, and Diablo III will run at 60 frames per second, with 720p display for handheld mode and 960p resolution in docked mode.
The game will cost the standard for new games, at $59.99, will become something of a Switch’s Diablo Collection, and will contain some exclusive Nintendo content, in the form of cosmetic items and various additions.
Specifically, the Legend of Ganondorf cosmetic armor set, Chicken pet, Echoes of the Mask cosmetic wings, and the Tri-Force portrait frame.
Diablo III: Eternal Collection for the Nintendo Switch can be played in numerous ways. And like most Switch games, Diablo III can be played with the console in dock mode, or on-the-go mode as well.
Up to 4 players can game together on a single console, or wirelessly without an internet connection (given there is 1 Switch per player).
And, players can also game together online with Nintendo Switch Online, which is set to be released in September of this year.
So will the Switch version of the game be any different from the other consoles, with the exception of the Nintendo exclusive content?
From Blizzard’s Stilwell:
“In my mind the only thing that changes are the Switch itself goes from 720p to 960p. You should not be feeling any different; we don’t feel anything different … We for the past couple of months have spent more time just making sure that the game feels as great no matter what controller setup you have, whether you’re plugged in or not. Our biggest motivation was to make sure that we weren’t giving you an inferior experience.”
And an inferior experience is something you won’t get with Diablo III: Eternal Collection, releasing later this year for the Switch.
