We’re under a month from the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2, and while its set to launch with an MMO-Lite version of the company’s iconic racing game, Mario Kart World, I got thinking about what other MMO experiences I’d love to see come to the Nintendo Switch 2.
The original Switch had a few MMOs grace its library over the last eight years, from Warframe to DC Universe Online, but more traditional MMOs really weren’t a good fit on the console, both from a power and form factor standpoint. However, since the original Nintendo Switch hit shelves, we’ve seen so many other devices in the same vein release, such as the ASUS ROG Ally X and the Steam Deck that full fat MMOs on the go have become more and more popular.
Thanks to the Nintendo Switch 2’s increased power provided by Nvidia’s hardware under the hood, I can see the Nintendo Switch 2 getting ports of MMOs that might not have been possible to play beforehand on the original. Here are five MMOs I think would make a good fit on the Nintendo Switch 2.
Black Desert
This one for me is an obvious choice. Black Desert, even a decade after its initial release in Korea, is still a stunningly beautiful game, and the console version is no exception. While the console variant of Black Desert might lack some of the content that the PC version gets (which should hopefully change as Pearl Abyss leaves the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 platforms behind later this year), it could prove great on the Switch 2.
Part of this is down to the fact that while it’s a complex MMO, the controller support is top notch, meaning it is easy enough to pick up and blast through combos, whether you’re just starting your journey or taking part in a Node War in the end game. DLSS can be used to smooth out any rough edges in the visuals, especially as particle effects and more dance across the screen, while playing in docked mode could see the Switch 2’s native JoyCon 2 Mouse support get some use navigating the myraid menus in the MMO.
The one issue I could see holding back the Switch 2 version compared to its other console counterparts is this is Nintendo’s first time doing on-console voice chat, and cross play is a big part of the Black Desert console experience. The MMO could work with Nintendo-only servers, but how would in-game voice chat work if they did decide to open up a cross play server with PlaySation and Xbox (which isn’t unheard of for Nintendo as we’ve seen in games like Warframe and Fortnite)? Would Game Chat be the feature to use, or would we see in-game VoIP work here? It’s interesting to ponder.
Either way, I do think it would be a great fit for the console, and in a way, it can stand as a way for Pearl Abyss to inject some new life into the MMO, even though it’s not showing any signs of slowing down anytime soon.
Elder Scrolls Online
I’ve been covering The Elder Scrolls Online professionally ever since it was announced over a decade ago now, and from the moment it was first unveiled I’ve always said it would make for a great console experience. Fast-forward a few years and we got that in The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited on the Xbox and PlayStation.
ESO also makes for a great handheld PC experience, and the Steam Deck has become my preferred way to romp through ZeniMax Online Studios’ Tamriel ever since Necrom released a few years back. It’s because of how well the experience translates to the Steam Deck I have faith it could translate well to Nintendo Switch 2, opening up a whole new audience to experience the MMO for the first time.
I can see the MMO popping on the 1080p, 120hz screen (even if it’s not an OLED), and DLSS could do some work here to help achieve a high refresh rate during even the busiest of scenes. While I have my reservations on how great a Cyrodiil experience might be on handheld (though, to be fair, I have those same reservations when playing on my 5090-powered PC), the vast majority of what ESO has to offer is stunning, even on a smaller screen.
There’s nothing quite like being able to lounge on my couch, ESO running on my handheld as I race through Daggerfall or jump into Apocrypha. Docking the Switch could unlock the full 4K60 experience the other mainline consoles get as well. This to me is a no-brainer of a port for ZeniMax to make, especially given their Xbox overlords are keen to have their games on any screen possible.
New World: Aeternum
Much like ESO, I maintained from the first that New World would make an excellent console MMO, and once again I was proven right with New World: Aeternum last year. Amazon’s flagship title made the jump to console, injecting new life into the game while addressing nearly every pain point from the initial experience to create a more compelling and enjoyable MMO for new and old players alike.
New World: Aeternum handles quite well on Steam Deck already, so it stands to reason it could handle just as well, if not better, on the Nintendo Switch 2 when in handheld mode. The combat so perfectly suites a gamepad thanks to its limited skill bar and action combat that, at times, feels like its got shades of Dark Souls in there at times.
There is a ton of content on offer already, and because New World: Aeternum needs to stay feature complete with the PC and other console versions, there’s no chance of Nintendo’s being behind the 8-ball when it would launch, unless we didn’t have cross-play servers (which, again, I can’t imagine we wouldn’t). Needless to say, I’d romp through Aeternum again if I could do it on the go, and maybe this time I’d stick with my PvP company as we vied for control over the island – and maybe go Maurader this time?Probably not. Syndicate always.
Related:
Changing the game: Why Nintendo needs an MMO
Final Fantasy XIV
Look, I get it that this is not an easy one to ask for on what is, in effect, a mobile form factor. Final Fantasy XIV is the most traditional MMO on this list thus far – a tab targeting experience that uses rows and rows of hotbarred abilities to tackle enemies and content. It’s also the first MMO I thought of being ported over to Nintendo’s platform once the Switch 2 was being revealed last month.
I play Final Fantasy XIV primarily on controller, so the idea of having to learn how to use its crossbar isn’t something that feels daunting to me. The Switch 2’s mouse controls could make this an easier sell, though, especially since Nintendo has confirmed that keyboards will also work on the Switch 2. Though, carrying around a keyboard to play your MMO on the go isn’t the most convenient thing, it could make playing it docked a bit easier for those who prefer traditional control schemes in their MMO.
Final Fantasy XIV is the best MMO on the market right now, at least in my opinion, so it would make sense for Nintendo and Square Enix to at least have this conversation. With hundreds of hours of content to work through, including a compelling story from start to finish, raid content, and so much more, Final Fantasy XIV could do well on yet another platform. I know I’d play it on my Switch 2 if it were an option, especially those times where I don’t want to sit in front of my PC any more, but my TV is being used by family.
If Xbox could figure out a way to finally get Final Fantasy XIV over to Team Green, Nintendo should be able to as well.
Fallout 76
Coming off the heels of its recent Ghoul update, Fallout 76 could serve to be a great MMO-lite on the Nintendo Switch 2. It runs relatively well on Steam Deck at a mix of medium settings, I could see the Nintendo Switch 2 bringing the world of Appalachia to life at a bit higher fidelity thanks to the Nvidia chip under the hood.
The gameplay would translate well to a mobile form factor as well, thanks to the fact that the Bethesda team has years refining the experience for console already. Whether you’re jumping in to tweak your C.A.M.P. or run a raid with friends, it’s an experience that would do well both in handheld and docked mode, I feel.
Fallout 76 isn’t necessarily the first game many will think of when putting together their wishlist of Switch 2 MMOs (and MMO adjacent games), but it would work well here. While the game wasn’t doable due to technical limitations on the original Nintendo Switch, I have to image those limitations don’t exist with the Switch successor.
What say you? What MMO would you like to see grace the screen of the Nintendo Switch 2 and why? Let us know in the comment below.
