The Nintendo Switch port of Steep may be in trouble if recent rumors are to be believed. Steep was confirmed for the Switch ahead of the console's launch and had been expected to release sometime this year, but that may no longer be the case.

According to a recent report from IGN France, Ubisoft is finding it incredibly difficult to bring Steep to the Nintendo Switch. A source tells the publication that Ubisoft is facing "big difficulties" in developing the port. Although the extreme Winter sports sim includes skiing, snowboarding, paragliding, and the use of wingsuits, this swell of content isn't the problem - it's actually the online features that are causing trouble. Ubisoft is struggling so much with the game that it has reportedly brought in Nintendo to help.

Moreover, the source claims that at the moment it cannot "promise" that Steep will ever be released on the Nintendo Switch. One piece of evidence to this is the fact that when Ubisoft announced a Winter Olympics expansion for Steep at E3 2017, the company made no mention of the Switch port for the game whatsoever.

steep-skiing

It's not as though Ubisoft isn't determined when it comes to making Nintendo Switch games. The company also announced Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, which was one of the most-talked about reveals of the entire event. It seemed odd that Ubisoft announced a major new Switch title while it made no mention about an already announced game.

If Ubisoft does choose to cancel Steep for the Nintendo Switch, it's hard to predict how gamers will respond. While the game isn't as much of a system seller as Super Mario Odyssey or The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, for example, it could have been a major draw to the Nintendo Switch online service.

Nintendo is putting a lot of work into the Switch's online system, even delaying its launch to ensure that players can get the most out of its services. Steep, with its connected features and emphasis on playing with friends, could give players yet another reason to sign up for the subscription service.

If the extreme sports port has been cancelled then that will be one less reason to sign up and one more reason to buy Steep and connected games like it on other platforms. Presumably, Nintendo wants to avoid that outcome and will be working with Ubisoft to get Steep up and running.

Steep is available on PC, PS4 and Xbox One.

Source: IGN France