Following weeks of rumors, Assassin’s Creed III Remastered was officially announced for the Nintendo Switch. Yet another game in a long line of ports for the console, this next step is a potentially huge one. As the fourth mainline game from Ubisoft’s flagship series comes to the Switch, it’s worth examining what exactly this may mean for the console going forward.
Assassin’s Creed III Remastered Is A Big Moment For The Switch
While the remaster was announced by Ubisoft prior to Nintendo Direct for PS4, Xbox One, and PC, the Switch version of the game was left for Nintendo to announce themselves at their annual showcase. The announcement rights were presumably part of the deal made in tandem with the agreement to bring Assassin’s Creed III to Switch, in order to give Nintendo yet another thing to reveal at Nintendo Direct earlier this month. The remaster will be coming to the Switch on March 29, two months after the others will receive it. A few new key features are set to be added as well, including touch and motion support.
Setting features and buzzwords aside though, what does this mean for the future of the Switch? For starters, this could signify a new chapter in Ubisoft’s relationship with Nintendo. The Japanese gaming royalty’s past consoles have suffered due to lack of third party support in previous generations. The hardware was not up to par for most AAA developers to bother porting their games over, giving consumers who were not interested solely in Mario and Zelda all the reason to choose Microsoft and Sony’s console offerings. The Switch, however, has proved that it has surpassed these limitations for the most part as it boasts an ever-growing library of third-party titles past and present.
This could mean fans may see more Assassin’s Creed titles headed to the Switch, or even Far Cry if Ubisoft should feel so inclined. Although a mere remaster, Assassin’s Creed III’s presence on the portable console should not be discounted, as this could very possibly be Ubisoft simply testing the waters. Odyssey’s availability on the Switch may only be present in Japan through a cloud streaming service, but it nonetheless proves the console’s capability. All signs so far point to publishers like Ubisoft recognizing the Switch’s true potential as a powerhouse console, so fans should not be surprised if the next Assassin’s Creed finds its way in between their Joy-Cons.