Can you call this a rumor?
Look, the prospect of playingDiablo 4on the Nintendo Switch is intriguing. The compelling hack-and-slash formula fits handheld devices like a glove, especially if you like playing with friends. Videos have made the rounds on the internet ofDiablo 4seemingly running on the system, which has made some curious. CouldDiablo 4actually come to Nintendo Switch?
The answer:Diablo 4is not coming to Nintendo Switch. Blizzard has not announced any plans to bring their latest ARPG to the handheld hybrid console. Footage ofDiablo 4running on the Switch involves streaming the game from a PC, like how Steam Link works. Making this work involves modifying the Switch and using third party tools, neither of which is supported by Nintendo.
Furthermore, the chance ofDiablo 4ever coming to the Nintendo Switch is slim at best. Let’s go over the reasons why.
WhyDiablo 4likely won’t come to the Nintendo Switch
The biggest hurdle facingDiablo 4on the Switch is the hardware itself. ThoughDiablo 4runs quite well, the aging hardware of the Switch probably can’t handle the game. Even a Steam Deck, which boasts significantly greater power than the Switch,has to run the game at nearly the lowest settings. As things stand,Diablo 4would have to face serious overhauls to work on the system.
However, one ofDiablo 4’s greatest selling points is its cross-platform multiplayer. PC and console players can freely play the game together, regardless of platform. A compromised version ofDiablo 4would mean this system parity would likely be off the table, meaning the game wouldn’t even beDiablo 4at that point.
Really, the biggest argument againstDiablo 4ever coming to the Switch simply is that it hasn’t happened yet. Blizzard has been happy to support the system, as they’ve made a Switch version ofDiablo 3and releasedDiablo 2: Resurrectedon it at launch. IfDiablo 4could run on the system, they almost certainly would have released it alongside the other console versions of the game. And obviously, that didn’t happen.
This isn’t to say thatDiablo 4willnevercome out on the Switch. But at this point, I’d say it’s more likely forDiablo 4to appear on Nintendo’s next system, which hasn’t even been announced. In other words, don’t hold your breath.
