Many Nintendo Switch Games Use Unreal Engine
By Jasmine Henry 02 January 2017
Epic Games Japan territory manager confirms that many Nintendo Switch games are being developed with Unreal Engine 4, including major titles and brand new games.
Not long after the console was revealed, it was confirmed that the Nintendo Switch supports Unreal Engine 4. The game engine, made by Epic Games (a developer which is just one of the many third-parties set to support the Switch) already powers a significant amount of games on PC, PS4, Xbox One as well as games on virtual reality headsets, the HTC Vive, the Oculus Rift and the Samsung Gear VR.
According to one Epic Games executive, gamers should expect many Nintendo Switch games to be developed with Unreal Engine 4 as well. Speaking to Japanese website Social VR Info (via Nintendo Everything), Takayuki Kawasaki, the territory manager for Epic Games Japan confirmed that there are a lot of games in development for the platform, including both announced major releases as well as brand new titles. Kawasaki also said that he expects the Nintendo Switch to reinvigorate the Japanese games industry, which is good news as the Japanese industry recently hit a 24-year low.
Unfortunately, Kawasaki didn’t reveal the full list of Unreal Engine-developed Nintendo Switch games, though one confirmed title is Dragon Quest 11, the eleventh main series entry in the long-running franchise. Hotly anticipated indie game and Nintendo Switch exclusive Seasons of Heaven also runs Unreal Engine 4 and has already impressed gamers with its beautiful screenshots.
More titles for the console – powered by Unreal Engine or not – are expected to confirmed at the Nintendo Switch reveal event later this month. But in the meantime, those looking forward to the upcoming console will no doubt be speculating on what this means in terms of Nintendo Switch ports.
Some major games using Unreal Engine 4 include Kingdom Hearts 3, fighting games Marvel vs. Capcom Infinite, Street Fighter 5 and Tekken 7, while Double Fine’s platforming sequel Psychonauts 2 also uses the technology. Moreover, dinosaur MMO ARK: Survival Evolved runs on Unreal Engine 4, as does Epic Games’ MOBA Paragon, so it may not be particularly difficult for the development teams to bring their multiplayer hits to the handheld/home console hybrid.
It’s just wishful thinking that any of these games could come to the Nintendo Switch, but even so it’s still possible. Sales of the upcoming console could benefit greatly if developers choose to bring these much-talked about titles to the Nintendo Switch – encouraged by the fact that they won’t have to switch to a new game engine to do so, so watch this space.
