Nintendo’s upcoming console, the Switch, will receive a hefty amount of third-party development and publishing support out of the box, with companies like Bethesda, Capcom, Activision, Ubisoft, and Square Enix pledging support. Publishing giant Electronic Arts was also announced as a partner when the console was announced, and a company executive has emphasized that a “major game” will be making its way to the handheld-home console hybrid.
Speaking at Arizona’s Credit Suisse 2016 Annual Technology Conference, Peter Moore — Electronic Arts’ chief competition officer, formerly of Microsoft — stated that Nintendo “will always be a very important partner in this industry” and that “a major game will be distributed on [the Switch].”
“We’re huge fans. We have a relationship that goes many decades back,” Moore said. “They’ve had some difficult times as of recently, obviously, but never, ever, ever discount Nintendo i this marketplace, and their ability to leverage their superb game development opportunities.”
Sports games such as Madden or NBA Live seem like potential candidates for this mystery “major game,” but don’t count out the possibility of that game being Mass Effect: Andromeda. Both the game and the Nintendo Switch are expected to arrive next March, and EA has supported new Nintendo hardware with a Mass Effect game in the past. When the Wii U launched in 2012, it was joined by Mass Effect 3 — Special Edition, which made use of the console’s GamePad controller as well as the revised “Extended Cut” ending.
It’s worth noting that BioWare producer Michael Gamble seemed to play down the chance of a Switch port back in October, but he didn’t outright deny the possibility.
EA’s support for the Wii U has fizzled out in recent years. BioWare’s next game, Dragon Age: Inquisition, skipped the platform, though it still release on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in addition to current-gen consoles and PC.
Should Andromeda release alongside the Switch, it could very well be a system-seller. The possibility of playing a BioWare game on the train or bus is pretty alluring.
What EA game are you hoping makes the jump to the Nintendo Switch? Let us know in the comments!
