Nintendo More Interested in Bethesda Games After Switch
By Rob Gordon 17 February 2017
Todd Howard, executive producer and director at Bethesda, reveals that Nintendo was less interested in the company’s games prior to the Nintendo Switch system.
The first look at the Nintendo Switch revealed an interesting game for the system, through a brief glimpse at a user playing Skyrim. Although there were initially concerns that the game would not be available on the Switch, its release for the upcoming console was eventually confirmed, which certainly suggested a growing relationship between Nintendo and Bethesda. Todd Howard, executive producer and director at Bethesda, has now opened up about how the publisher and Nintendo are forming a new bond.
Speaking in an interview with GameSpot, Howard explained that Nintendo was less interested in the work of Bethesda prior to the Switch. According to Howard, Nintendo has been a “very good partner” for Bethesda with regards to Skyrim coming to the system, which is very different from how things were before. “They were less interested in the types of things that we did or some other groups did,” stated Howard.
From the sounds of it, Howard is also rather impressed with the work that Nintendo has done on the creation of the Switch. “I think it’s really smart what they’ve done,” said Howard with regards to the hybrid design of the Switch. “I think it’s the kind of device that only Nintendo could make. It’s exciting to bring Skyrim to the Nintendo audience.”
In spite of the strong impression the Switch has left on Howard, the Bethesda director is yet to predict a definite success for the console. “I don’t know where it’s gonna go,” said Howard in the interview. “But I think it’s a really smart platform. We like it a lot.” This isn’t the only time that Howard has given his support for the console, however, previously stating that the Switch had one of the best demos he had ever seen.
Some Nintendo fans ready to take on the Switch upon its release will be pleased to hear such positive quotes from Howard. Nintendo has long promoted how the Switch is aiming to attract more developers, promising that the Switch will have third party support. However, it’s another thing to hear such comments coming from an external party themselves.
So far, there have been a number of tentative confirmations of support for the Switch, with Ubisoft suggesting that it has a surprise game in store for the Switch. Meanwhile, the return of FIFA to a Nintendo console will result in a custom built version of the game. With third party support likely to be important for the Switch, particularly with the launch of a new online service, hopefully there will be more positive reactions to the Switch in future.
