Grounded and Pentiment are the first Xbox games to come to Nintendo Switch

By Tomas Franzese February 21, 2024

Characters in Grounded game. — Xbox Game Studios

During Wednesday’s Nintendo Direct: Partner Showcase, we learned about two of the Xbox Game Studios titles that are going multiplatform. The games in question are Obsidian Entertainment’s Grounded and Pentiment, and the latter will launch tomorrow on Nintendo Switch.

Earlier this year, various leaks and rumors suggested that first-party Xbox exclusives like Hi-Fi Rush and Pentiment could make their way over to competing platforms. Microsoft finally addressed the rumors on February 15, confirming that it planned to bring four of its first-party games to non-Xbox platforms over the course of 2024. Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer wouldn’t say what any of the specific games were at the time, though, stating that “the teams that are building those games have announced plans that are not too far away.” It’s now clear that Spencer was partially referring to this Nintendo Direct, as two of the games showed up here.

If you aren’t familiar with these titles, here’s the rundown: Grounded is a 2022 survival crafting game where players control kids who were shrunk down in size and are trying to survive in a backyard. It launches for Nintendo Switch on April 16, and was the first announcement of the show. During a sizzle reel at the end of the show, we learned that Pentiment is launching on Nintendo’s hybrid console tomorrow. First released for PC and Xbox Series X/S in 2022, Pentiment is a historical narrative adventure title and yet another solid Xbox-published title, with Digital Trends’ four-star review calling it “a wonderful game that tells a thematically poignant story that anyone who likes to create will empathize with.”

Pentiment launches for Nintendo Switch tomorrow, February 22. Grounded comes to the system on April 16.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Gaming Staff Writer

Tomas Franzese is a Staff Writer at Digital Trends, where he reports on and reviews the latest releases and exciting…

Gaming

Every rumored Xbox exclusive coming to PS5 and Switch

Living room with Microsoft Xbox Series X (L) and Sony PlayStation 5 home video game consoles alongside a television and soundbar.

The video game console market is about to see its biggest shakeup since Sega stopped producing hardware. Xbox's Phil Spencer says that the company will share a "business update" with players next week outlining a new vision for the brand. That news comes after a month of rumors that claimed that some of Xbox's biggest exclusives would be coming to other platforms, including PS5 and Nintendo Switch. The unconfirmed reports sent Xbox loyalists into a panic as fans brace for a possible future where Xbox just produces software instead of physical consoles.

We don't know what's true yet, as credible reports have been lumped in with speculation. Some details seem plausible, while rumors that Xbox will stop making systems altogether are closer to educated guesses. We'll learn more in Xbox's business update, but until then, we've rounded up a list of every Xbox exclusive that's reportedly going multiplatform. Take it all with a grain of salt until Spencer and company unveil the full picture.
Starfield

Gaming

5 Nintendo DS games we need on Switch after Another Code: Recollection

Key art for Radiant Historia

We’re in the middle of a Nintendo DS renaissance on Nintendo Switch, which is fitting as that classic handheld turns 20 in 2014. Coming off the excellent Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective re-release from last year, more DS classics are coming to Nintendo Switch this month. First, Another Code Recollection contains a full-on remake of the cult classic Another Code: Two Memories, and it's out now. In a few days, on January 25, Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney will remastered as part of a trilogy collection that also bears its namesake.

This has all gotten me to think about what other Nintendo DS games I’d like to see make a comeback. According to Moby Games, There were well over 2,000 DS titles, but not all of them matched the notoriety and success of titles like New Super Mario Bros. or Nintendogs. That means the DS library is still full of cult classics primed for a re-release or full-on series comeback. These are the five I’d like to see make a comeback in the wake of Another Code Recollection and Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy.
Hotel Dusk: Room 215

Gaming

Xbox’s first stream of 2024 will include Bethesda’s Indiana Jones game

Harrison Ford holds a sword in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.

Microsoft announced the first Xbox presentation of 2024 on Xbox Wire: another Developer_Direct meant to provide insight on upcoming first-party titles. Of the four games confirmed for the January 18 event so far, the most surprising of the bunch is the Indiana Jones title from MachineGames.

This Indiana Jones game was announced by MachineGames in January 2021, just prior to the completion of Microsoft's acquisition of ZeniMax Media. Bethesda Games Studios' Todd Howard is apparently a big fan of the Lucasfilm franchise and is working closely with the developers of the Wolfenstein reboot games to craft this new adventure. Bethesda has not stated much publicly about it since then, although its Xbox exclusivity came up during the FTC trial Microsoft was engaged in 2023.