Critically, Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot had a slightly mixed reception. Many praised its dedication to the story, others were divided over its combat system, and most agreed that its RPG mechanics failed to hit the mark. Commercially, on the other hand, Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot sold quite well in its first week and that trend has likely continued, with many fans having beaten the game by now and wondering what comes next.
For many, the rumors of Super DLC for DBZ: Kakarot is more than enough to build hype for the new action RPG, but there is one group who have yet to really weigh in on its future: Switch fans. Many likely bought the game on another platform, as Bandai Namco confirmed prior to release that it would not come out on the Switch, but there's many who would love to play the game on the go. As such, it's worth wondering if Bandai Namco has already issued the final word on a DBZ: Kakarot Switch port or if an eventual release is possible.
After all, when asked about a Switch port, the answer was a simple "no." That doesn't necessarily mean "never."
Big Switch Ports like Witcher 3
One of the biggest questions brought up at every mention of a Switch port is whether or not the hybrid console can handle it. As such, it's worth looking at other games that have released on the Switch, like the massive Witcher 3. In our Switch review, we note that there are serious downgrades, but nothing that is truly detrimental to the game. Resolution is reduced, there's occasional frame rate drops, among other concerns, but none of this takes away from the experience.
As such, while Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot would be theoretically limited on the Switch, it's hard to say that the hardware itself is any real limitation. It seems safe to say that players could collect Dragon Balls in DBZ: Kakarot while flying around with ease and that fights would operate in a similar manner with few limitations. After all, it wouldn't be the first DBZ game on the Switch.
Dragon Ball Z Games on Nintendo Switch
History is on the side of a possible Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot Switch port, as there are other DBZ games on the console, both of which were also published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. It's worth considering their release pattern as well. The Nintendo Switch released on March 3, 2017. Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 released in North America on October 25, 2016, just a few months before the Switch release, but it still didn't make its way to the new hybrid console until September of 2017.
Dragon Ball FighterZ, on the other hand, launched after the release of the Switch. It came out worldwide on January 26, 2018, but it didn't come to the Switch until September of 2018 either. As such, it wouldn't be surprising to see Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot release on the Switch sometime this fall either, perhaps with either Dragon Ball Super or Broly DLC to support sales. At the very least, this shows that Bandai Namco hasn't ever really stressed Switch ports, but that doesn't make it impossible.
Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot on Switch
Hardware limitations don't seem to be a problem. History appears to be on its side, but furthermore, Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot almost feels like a game designed for the Switch. Outside of the combat and the story, it can be really relaxing sometimes to complete side quests, collect dragon balls, and just enjoy the world in the game. In other words, it sounds like the perfect game for relaxing on the go. Ultimately, of course, it all remains to be seen, and only time will tell what Bandai Namco intends for the future of DBZ: Kakarot.
Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is out now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One. No Switch port is known to be in development.