Officially announced earlier today at the most recent Nintendo Direct, Overwatch is coming to Switch in October. Overwatch Legendary Edition will launch on Switch with all 31 characters, 28 maps and current modes. Given that the Switch is a less powerful machine than either the PS4 or Xbox One, players may be wondering how Overwatch runs.
We spoke to a Blizzard spokesperson about Overwatch Legendary Edition and its port to Nintendo Switch. They told us that Overwatch is a “natural fit for Nintendo Switch” but admitted there were some challenges.
These included “learning the ins-and-outs of a new platform and establishing a relationship with a new partner.”
Overwatch Switch Framerate
Blizzard wanted to ensure Switch players were getting the best possible experience and so we were told that Blizzard “spent a significant amount of time optimising and adjusting the engine to perform well on Switch as well as take advantage of the platform’s strengths.”
Because the Switch is portable, that presented a unique challenge for Blizzard, however, a Blizzard spokesperson told us that;
Overwatch is a constantly evolving game, presenting the challenge of a moving target for our Switch development team.
Finally, we were told that the Overwatch Switch framerate is 30 frames per second whether docked or undocked. When docked, it will output at 900p and undocked at 720p.
While this is not unexpected, it will be interesting to see if the gameplay is affected by the framerate. Overwatch is fast-paced and high-octane. Will this translate to a lower framerate and portable screen?
Time will tell, but our gut feeling is yes.
Overwatch Legendary Edition will be available for Switch on October 16, 2019.
