Ever because the first massive blowout Direct for the Swap 2 again in April, I’ve been itching to see an announcement for Resident Evil on the brand new console. It’s probably my favorite collection of all time, in any case, so I’m desirous to play the current entries on a Nintendo console with out having to hook up with the bloomin’ Cloud. Heck, aren’t all of us?
I’ve been banging on about it a lot over on-line chats and conferences that I’m fairly positive my colleagues have been nearly sick of it weeks in the past. So you’ll be able to think about how a lot my pleasure ramped up when rumours started to floor about not solely current RE Engine video games making their solution to Swap 2, but in addition the upcoming ninth mainline entry, Resident Evil Requiem.
Absolutely not, proper? We’re Nintendo followers, for goodness’ sake; we’re used to getting ports of video games months, if not years after their launch on different platforms. That’s in the event that they even get ported in any respect, in fact. Which regularly isn’t the case. And that’s advantageous, y’know, we’ve obtained our personal first-party video games to get pleasure from, plus a plethora of unbelievable indie titles.
However then it occurred. In the direction of on the finish of the most recent Nintendo Direct, atmospheric photographs of spooky hallways emerged, adopted by the ringing of a phone. ‘Is that this Resident Evil?!’ I requested myself. And, stone the crows, it was! Not simply any Resident Evil both, however as rumoured, it was Resident Evil Requiem, launching day-and-date with different consoles on twenty seventh February 2026.
This, in my view, represents a reasonably important shift for the Swap 2 early in its lifespan. As I mentioned, we’re so used to getting ports of video games lengthy after their preliminary launch on different platforms (or, within the case of Borderlands 4, just some weeks later), however it is a main new entry in one of many greatest gaming franchises of all time – a franchise wherein 4 of the 13 titles out there on Swap have been relegated to Cloud Variations. But there it was; a local port launching proper alongside the PS5 and Xbox Sequence X|S.
There was as soon as a time – very briefly, thoughts you – wherein Capcom and Nintendo have been besties, with the previous bringing a bunch of exclusives to the GameCube, together with the now-iconic Resident Evil 4. Because of lukewarm gross sales, it did not final lengthy, and with Nintendo subsequently stepping into a drastically totally different path to Sony and Microsoft, flagship RE video games simply weren’t a factor on Nintendo consoles anymore.
The success of the Swap did change issues fairly a bit, and Capcom has executed an admirable job in supporting the system through the years, however from the shopper’s viewpoint, and from our viewpoint, Cloud Variations simply aren’t adequate, and it felt like Swap homeowners have been nonetheless drawing the quick straw. Now, we’re again within the driver’s seat, and it feels fantastic.
Don’t get me mistaken, I’m not anticipating some main revolution wherein each writer abruptly rushes to launch their flagship video games on the Swap 2, however the console’s exceptional success since its launch only a handful of months again has clearly made executives sit up and listen. This, together with the Swap 2’s favourably comparable specs to the Sequence S has made rapid ports of recent video games a more likely prospect.
Now, you can make the argument that Resident Evil Requiem isn’t the primary ‘AAA’ recreation to launch day-and-date with different platforms. We had Tony Hawk Professional Skater 3 + 4 again in July, NBA 2K26 earlier this month, and EA Sports activities FC 26 is launching simply subsequent week. However let’s be truthful, publishers would nonetheless be releasing sports activities video games on the PS2 in the event that they thought they may get away with it.
Seeing video games like Cyberpunk 2077, Star Wars Outlaws, and Avenue Fighter 6 gave me quite a lot of hope that the Swap 2 could be a superb dwelling for contemporary blockbusters, even when it means ready simply that little bit longer. Then Cronos: The New Daybreak occurred, and that felt like a superb nudge in the fitting path.
Resident Evil Requiem, although? Yeah, that’s on a complete new stage. It is a massive deal, and I sincerely hope it signifies a bit extra openness from publishers to launch their video games on the Swap 2 alongside different platforms.
It is also price mentioning that we’re getting 007 First Mild in March 2026 alongside different platforms, and there is a good likelihood the untitled third entry within the Closing Fantasy VII Remake trilogy may also land day-and-date. Good issues are taking place of us!
Whether or not it continues is probably going all the way down to how properly these video games truly promote, so… Yeah, purchase Resident Evil Requiem, everybody.
What do you assume, pricey reader? Will we begin seeing extra ports day-and-date with different platforms on Swap 2? Tell us with a remark.
