Software options is the one thing currently hampering the Nintendo Switch’s appeal for a lot of people. The console is only a month removed from release, but complaints have echoed since its announcement that the software line-up is sparse. Well, recently reports indicate that there are at least 20 games in development for the Nintendo Switch in Japan that are running on Epic Games’ Unreal Engine 4.
Gematsu translated comments that Epic Games Japan rep Takayuki Kawasaki told Japanese tech outlet Automaton, where he explained…
“In Japan, there are about 20 titles being developed that use Unreal Engine, so I think that they’ll be announced gradually from here on.”
“These are titles that use Unreal Engine, for Switch, and are being made in Japan. There may even be more. And now we’re gradually moving forward with Switch support for the free version [of Unreal Engine 4]. That way, as long as you have a Switch development license, you will be able to develop for Switch even with the free version”
They note in the Gematsu article that games like Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, Shin Megami Tensei and Dragon Quest XI are three games running on the Unreal Engine 4 that have been announced for the Nintendo Switch. That leaves 17 other games yet to be announced for the system.
Technically Kawasaki could be hinting at games we’ve already known about, such as Tekken 7, which is set to arrive on PC, PS4 and Xbox One this June. It wouldn’t be outside the realm of possibility that the game could also arrive on Switch, especially since Bandai Namco had no qualms about putting Tekken Tag Tournament 2 on the Wii U.
Another reason we could be seeing games such as Tekken 7 released on the Switch is because back in January, 2017 Kawasaki mentioned that…
“Unreal Engine supports Switch and there are many titles actually usable on the Switch, too. Large titles and new titles released so far [using Unreal Engine] will be released as well. I hope that the console [will generate excitement].”
Past Unreal Engine 4 games like Redout are also being fitted for the Switch as well, which was announced back in January earlier this year.
Gamers are now curious if these will be big AAA Japanese games, mid-budget Japanese games, or indie Japanese games? The Unreal Engine 4 is versatile enough to support all manner of titles, and we’ve been seeing a wide range of different genres from different sized studios taking advantage of Epic’s design tools.
We’ll just have to wait and see what Japanese games are announced or revealed to run on the Switch that are powered by the Unreal Engine 4. Many are hoping that games like Kingdom Hearts III and Final Fantasy also make the cut, but so far Square has been mum about the details.
