Gamers, assemble! The Nintendo Switch 2 is on the horizon, and one of the biggest multiplayer games in the works, Marvel Rivals, is considering making the leap, if, and only if, it can do so without suffering from performance issues.
Marvel Rivals is the 6v6 hero shooter from NetEase Games, where you take control of Marvel characters in fast-paced battles. Think Overwatch, but with more superpowers, more destruction, and possibly a lot more rage-quitting. The game has been generating hype across platforms, but will it make it to the Nintendo Switch 2?
NetEase producer Weicong Wu is certainly not ruling it out. But there’s one major condition: performance. Multiplayer shooters require split-second reactions, and the original Switch’s hardware struggled with modern titles. So will the Switch 2 be powerful enough to handle it?
If the specs allow it, Nintendo and Marvel Rivals would be a perfect fit
Nintendo recently held a Direct event, giving fans a sneak peek into what the Switch 2 will bring to the table. While specific hardware details remain under wraps, one thing is clear, multiplayer is a big deal for the system. From the newly announced Duskbloods to other upcoming online-centric games, it’s obvious that Nintendo wants to level up its online experience. And that could be great news for Marvel Rivals.
Let’s face it, playing a team-based shooter like Marvel Rivals on the go, Switch-style, sounds like a dream. Imagine pulling off Iron Man’s Invincible Pulse Cannon while waiting for your coffee or going full Hulk smash during a long flight. Plus, the improved chat and multiplayer features on the Switch 2 could make teaming up and inevitably yelling at teammates easier than ever.
But the big question remains, can the Switch 2 handle it? The current Switch, bless its little hybrid heart, struggles with some modern multiplayer titles. Downgraded visuals, frame rate dips, and network issues plague many ports.
If Marvel Rivals were to be crammed onto the original Switch, it would probably end up looking like a PS2 game running through a PowerPoint presentation. With the Switch 2, however, there’s hope. If Nintendo truly delivers better hardware capable of running next-gen titles, the door is wide open for Marvel Rivals to make its grand entrance.
Is the visual trade-off worth it?
Of course, even if the game does land on Switch 2, some compromises might be necessary. The reality is that the Switch 2, while more powerful than its predecessor, still won’t match the raw performance of top-tier gaming PCs or next-gen consoles. Visual downgrades, resolution cuts, and frame rate caps might be inevitable.
But would it be worth it? Absolutely. If the Switch 2 can keep Marvel Rivals running smoothly while maintaining all the juicy gameplay mechanics that make it special, players are more than willing to accept a few sacrifices in the graphics department. After all, plenty of games have made smart visual trade-offs to fit onto Nintendo’s hybrid console, and the fun factor almost always outweighs the pixel count.
And hey, it’s not like Marvel fans haven’t put up with weird visual changes before. Remember when Spider-Man’s face got mysteriously reworked in the remastered PS5 version? If we can survive that, we can survive a few graphical downgrades. Weicong Wu told IGN,
We’re already in contact with Nintendo and working on some development kits and whenever we find that we could provide great performance for our game on Switch 2, we’re open to that. The reason why we didn’t launch it onto the Switch, it was the first generation of that device, they cannot provide a great experience for our gameplay. So if it could achieve that goal, we’re open to that.
So there you have it. The possibility is real, but the condition is set. If Nintendo delivers on the hardware front, Marvel Rivals could very well be suiting up for a fight on the Switch 2. Now, all that’s left is to see if Nintendo and NetEase can make it work, or if it’s destined to stay a dream like a Marvel vs. DC crossover.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
