Palworld became one of the hottest games even during its early release, selling more than a million copies. For months, players have been enjoying the game on both Steam and Xbox players, but many other players prefer to play the game either on the PlayStation or Nintendo Switch. The game is available to purchase through Steam or Xbox, but it is also available without additional purchase with the Xbox Game Pass.
Having said that, the game has become 2024’s best-selling game so far. Despite a few months of launch, Palworld has secured the top rank on Steam and Xbox. Bringing the game to Palworld helps them to create an even bigger fanbase; in addition, it is also questionable if Nintendo would want Palworld on its console after the copyright accusation. Developer Palworld has already confirmed the game isn’t coming to PlayStation anytime soon, but Nintendo Switch fans are having the same burning questions. Today in this article, we will be sharing Palworld on the Switch, so without further ado, let’s take a closer look, knowing everyone we know about Palworld coming to the Nintendo Switch.
Is Palworld on Nintendo Switch?
No, Palworld isn’t available on the Nintendo Switch, but it could potentially come to the Switch in the future. This is because Palworld does run on Unreal Engine 5. After all, Nintendo Switch is compatible with it, but we have yet to see if it is better for the long-rumoured Switch 2.
In Palworld’s FAQ, there is mention of the PlayStation, but there is no mention of the Switch, which clearly states they do not have any plans to bring the game to the Nintendo Switch, but why and what things you should be aware of are shared below.
Although PocketPair Developer hasn’t confirmed the Switch release, that doesn’t mean it won’t be arriving. Consider a similar game, which is the Pokemon franchise, making Switch a good platform to further expand the player base. Nintendo is already investigating any plagiarism, but Nintendo has no issue with other Pokemon-esque titles like Temtem and Coronamon that have launched on Switch.
See More: The Best Palworld Combat Tier List
Since PocketPair is an Indie developer, they have limited resources and time considering all the hype and expectation that they might launch the game for the next-gen console, the Nintendo Switch 2, instead. There could be various reasons why Palworld isn’t yet made for the Nintendo Switch and why it’s taking that long.
- First things first, Palworld requires a lot of resources and mechanisms to run on the device, and since the game is developed using Unreal Engine 5, it requires a lot of moving pieces. It is possible that the Switch isn’t powerful enough to handle the Palworld game yet; it still needs optimisation, which is why it is taking so long to release the game on the Nintendo Switch.
- Another thing is that the game seems to be a Pokemon knockoff, which is why Nintendo is taking preemptive action. So until Nintendo releases any statement or deal or things get clear, they aren’t going to announce anything related to Nintendo. Nintendo is very protective of its IP, so if there were actual grounds for suing Pocket Pair, they likely would have done so far before the game’s release.
- Lastly, considering the game was day-1 exclusive to the game pass, which already hinted they are prioritising PC and Xbox over other platforms.
Considering all that is in and out for me, it’s very early to say for sure whether Palworld will switch because of the technical hurdles and content considerations. There is a lot of work to be done. If the game were to launch on a Nintendo system, we would be looking at a release on the inevitable Switch successor. The possibility of Palworld coming to the Nintendo Switch in the future has neither been confirmed nor denied. The success of Palworld could create enough demand down the line and eventually open up discussion about the Nintendo Switch.
PocketPair has released the game only on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One during early access. However the future of the Nintendo platform hasn’t been addressed at the time of this writing. The early-access period is expected to last for at least a year and may also expand depending on how stable the game is.
Developers are constantly gathering all feedback to optimise the game to improve its performance. Until the stable release of the game, PocketPair is not planning to release it on the Playstation or Nintendo Switch. PocketPair Developers say they have plans to release Palworld to PS5 and will consider releasing the game on the Nintendo Switch. With the expansion to the new platforms, Palworld will come to PS5, PS4, Switch, and Mac to bump up the player count.
In addition to this, the game is not also supported on mobile devices yet, and crossplay between PC and console isn’t a part yet. There are a lot of things on the roadmap of PocketPair in regards to Palworld. There is always a chance that a game will come to Nintendo Switch in the future, considering how popular the game has proven to be so far.
