Microsoft has struck a deal with Nintendo over Call of Duty (CoD). Now the popular shooter is supposed to come to the Switch as well. But can that even work?
Microsoft and Nintendo have established and signed a 10-year partnership (via theverge.com). This is primarily in response to criticism that Microsoft intends to release major games like Call of Duty only for Windows and Game Pass after the acquisition of Activision Blizzard. With this partnership, they aim to dispel that criticism.
But can a game like Call of Duty even function on the Switch? After all, the Nintendo Switch is not exactly known as a powerhouse console.
A Call of Duty for the Switch with a “30 FPS” lock?
The Switch is now considered outdated among friends as well as foes. Especially modern titles do not run smoothly or only operate at 30 FPS. A popular example is the colorful shooter Fortnite, which only manages 30 frames per second during intense battles. High frame rates over 60 FPS are not possible in either handheld or desktop mode on the Switch.
However, anyone who enjoys playing competitive shooters knows that shooters with 30 FPS are only fun to a limited extent. The higher the FPS, the smoother the game feels. Anything below 30 FPS is now considered unplayable by most users.
Shooter pro Shroud tested whether a 144 Hz monitor makes you a better player. The testers found that those playing at 144 or even 240 Hz and FPS have a better chance of improving quickly.
What speaks for Call of Duty? The Switch is generally seen as a platform for “casuals”, meaning casual gamers. Many competitive players primarily play on PC and wouldn’t switch to the Switch anyway.
If crossplay were omitted, then only Switch players would face each other, so they would all have the same hardware and the same advantages and disadvantages. A CoD “Switch Edition” would then be quite appealing for casual gamers, especially if they did not have to compete against PC or PS5 players.
Moreover, as many emphasize, a contract does not necessarily mean that Microsoft must bring the “real” Call of Duty to the Switch. After all, there is already CoD: Mobile, which runs on weaker phones. That could easily be ported to the Switch and thereby fulfill the contract with Nintendo.
Others still hope that a new version of the Switch will appear in the coming years. For instance, in combination with a new Call of Duty that could showcase the strengths of a Switch Pro or Switch 2. Because with features like DLSS, entirely new frame rates would be possible:
4 reasons why the Nintendo Switch 2 must come in the next 2 years
