With the Nintendo Switch finally beginning to contain enough powerhouse titles to make the console worth buying for even the more hardcore of gamers, many developers are looking at porting existing titles over to the platform. This is certainly the case for ARK: Survival Evolved creator Studio Wildcard, who believe that the hybrid console is a "great platform" for the game but not one that is without its challenges.

According to Studio Wildcard co-founder and co-creative director Jesse Rapczak, ARK: Survival Evolved would be a good fit for the Nintendo Switch, but there are still some issues that the company would have to face before confirming a port.

"Switch is a little challenging because it is a totally different platform; so we're throwing some ideas around, just seeing if it makes sense right now [...] ARK is one of those games where if you want to do everything you can in the game, it's hard to pull away from it to go do real life. So I think Switch is a great platform for a game like ARK, because if the game is designed right, you can kind of pull out and do some stuff."

Ark Survival Evolved Dimetrodon

The mobility of the Nintendo Switch, aside from being one of the console's main selling points, is also what attracts Studio Wildcard to the idea of an ARK port. Being able to play the dino-themed survival game on the go as if it were a mobile title may be hugely appealing to some players who want to jump in and out of the world at a moment's notice.

Currently, ARK: Survival Evolved is more of a time investment, as the game must be launched from a console or PC and it often takes considerable time to make any progress. Despite this, the game has become staggeringly popular over the last few years, with 12 million sales registered to date, and giving the title another platform to work with may see this number increase ever-further.

One of the biggest hurdles that the developers will have to overcome is the Switch's limited memory, but Rapczak says with certainty that the Studio Wildcard team is not ignoring the hybrid console just yet. The platform is certainly proving itself to be quite popular with third-party developers and consumers alike, so the possibility of the Switch one day containing an ARK: Survival Evolved cartridge is reasonably strong for now at least.

ARK: Survival Evolved is out now for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.

Source: GamesIndustry