As excitement builds for the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2, developers and Nintendo previously explored ways to help third-party creators enhance graphics on the original Nintendo Switch. Their innovative approach involved leveraging cloud streaming to introduce Nintendo Switch Cloud Versions. Unfortunately, this initiative faced several hurdles, including high prices for Cloud Version titles and issues with infrastructure. The folks over at IO Interactive, the talent behind the Hitman series, sat down with The Game Business to reflect on the shortcomings of this effort.
“Nintendo had a cloud option for Switch at one time, which led us to bring Hitman to the cloud platform. However, I don’t want to hurt anyone's feelings, the cloud experience on Switch didn’t meet Nintendo's expectations. It’s regrettable because we believe there was a golden opportunity here, and we had unfinished business to deliver Hitman: World of Assassination to players who prefer this platform,” explained an IO Interactive representative.
They continued, “Moreover, there are many Hitman modes that fit perfectly with a platform like the Switch 2. We envisioned a game that players could enjoy on-the-go, and we felt it was our responsibility to provide that experience in a native format on the console. So, that's exactly what we set out to do.”