Developer Panic Buttons Believes Development Time For Nintendo Switch Is Shrinking

The Nintendo Switch has been the hottest console on the market since its launch in 2017. And one of the reasons for this is because the system has been getting a plethora of games from 1st party devs, 3rd party devs, and indie devs. But, there’s a catch. While many 3rd party games are coming, many are ports, and many times since its launch, these ports have come well after the game’s release on other systems. For one developer though, they think this is going to change.

Said developer is Panic Button, who has ported Doom and Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus to the system, and will apparently be porting another soon. In a chat with MCV, general manager Adam Creighton had this to say on the matter:

“If you look at DOOMwhich was finished and shipped to people when development started for the Nintendo Switch version, and that game comes out sixteen months later for Switch. then you see Wolfenstein II, where we get involved as the game is in development and almost done, this game comes out less than eight months after releasing. I see that window shrinking all the time for those publishers and developers who are planning on Switch at the outset,”

He brings up a good point, and even Reggie Fils-Aime of Nintendo noted that a reason for these delays in ports was because developers are having to get used to the system, which is happening now that it’s been out for a while. And with more and more getting used to it, the Switch should get even more titles because they’ll see it as a good system to invest in. Creighton noted:

“I think what’s interesting is that it has to be a prioritization for the publisher and developer. For me I want these companies to look at the Nintendo Switch as an equal platform that they release on as they release their game and the earlier they get either internal teams or external outfits like Panic Button involved, the higher the chance we’re going to get day and date parity for big releases.”

We’ll have to see how quickly things turn around and how much the release window gap closes.