It Looks Like Skyrim for the Nintendo Switch Will Not Be a Port from Xbox One/ PS4
Just 2 days ago, Nintendo officially announced that The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim will be coming to the Nintendo Switch console in Fall of 2017. We all knew Skyrim was coming to the Switch from several promotional images, but we didn’t know what version of the game (originally released in 2011) would arrive on the system. To be clear, we still don’t know exactly what the Switch version of Skyrim will contain, but from the description on the official Nintendo website, it looks like it’s safe to assume that it won’t be the most current PS4/ Xbox One version.
Skyrim was released in November 2011 on PC, Xbox 360, and PS3. Then the game got three expansions in the form of DLC, which were all bundled together and sold with the original game as the Legendary Edition in June of 2013. Just a few months ago, the game got a current gen face-lift, and additional features on top of all the DLC and was hyped as The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim Special Edition. The version of Skyrim that will be released on the Switch is unnamed currently on Nintendo’s site, potentially meaning that it will be a port of the 2013 version, or even the original 2011 version. Check out the official trailer below.
Though it is super awesome to see Bethesda teaming up with Nintendo, the trailer does not focus on what features to expect from the game itself. The list of features included in the game on Nintendo’s official site contains:
- Epic Fantasy Reborn
- Live another life, in another world
- Stunning Graphics and Immersive Gameplay
- You Are What You Play
- Dragons Return
Missing from this list of features is any mention of the original 3 DLC’s, any of the recently implemented special features, or even a peep about mods or customization options. Even if you head to the website and read the vague descriptions of these features, you won’t find any specifics beyond features that were in the original Skyrim release.
The good news is that this may all be intentionally vague. Bethesda has until October of 2017 to try and cram as much content as possible into the port for the Switch. Most likely, the Switch will see it’s own unique version of Skyrim – with graphics better than the original, several updates and optimizations, and of course, ultimate portability. For us, the idea of being able to walk around playing Skyrim on a handheld far outweighs the drawbacks of even a port of the original 2011 release. What do you think? Would you be happy with a port of the old version? Or would you rather play the Special Edition that just released with all the bells and whistles? Let us know what you think in the comments below!