Control coming to the Nintendo Switch was one of the biggest surprises during Nintendo's Direct Mini: Partner Showcase a few days ago. Remedy Entertainment's third-person action-adventure game is highly technical, and seemed difficult to squeeze onto the Switch. That indeed is the case, according to a recent interview, as Control for Switch is only possible via cloud technology.
Control: Ultimate Edition is available now on Switch, but fans are only able to purchase and play the game through the cloud. Nintendo even forces players to try a demo of the game to ensure that players enjoy and understand it is being streamed, as opposed to a standard download. This isn't just 505 Games, Control's publisher, testing out a new idea, as it seems to be the only way it was possible for the title to make it to the Switch.
Mikael Kasurinen, Control's Director, and Thomas Puha, Communications Director, sat down with Nintendo Life to talk about the game heading to the Switch. Kasurinen and Puha say they are excited about this project, claiming it is "awesome" to bring the game to a new audience. The team thought about different options for bringing the game to the Switch, including a port developed by an external partner. However, the port would have been very difficult technically and financially, so not wanting wanted to make any compromises, the streaming idea made the most sense.
As opposed to working on a port, the cloud version apparently only took a few months, as software company Ubitus Inc. provided the cloud tech and made it much easier for the team. Ubitus is also behind the potential rumored release of Resident Evil 3 for Switch, again as a streamed game.
This is not the first time that the Switch has seen cloud-based gaming, as Resident Evil 7 was made available in Japan on the Switch via the cloud two years ago. It is exciting to see this idea for places outside of Japan, especially when it allows for games that don't seem possible on Nintendo's hybrid console.
Even with the rumored Nintendo Switch Pro potentially on the way, fans may continue to be left out in terms of AAA third-party content. However, if cloud gaming becomes a legitimate option, all bets are off. Although it wouldn't be possible to play these games on the go, one of the major appeals of the console, simply having the option to stream games through the cloud while hooked up to the internet seems like a win for everyone.
Control: Ultimate Edition is available now on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One, and will be available on PS5 and Xbox Series X.
Source: NintendoLife