Recently Nintendo held a major press event detailing the specifics and launch games for their upcoming hybrid console, the Switch. Since the initial reveal in late 2016 indicated a larger third-party presence, rumors about a possible Switch port for Red Dead Redemption 2 began to circulate, however most assumed there would be a slim chance for that becoming reality. The skeptics were seemingly proven right post Nintendo's event and there isn't much reason to assume this will change any time soon.
The Switch represents a change in Nintendo's typical policy as they're far more open towards third party games being brought to the Switch than they were in the past, as evidenced by Skyrim and NBA 2K17 among others being among the supported games. NBA especially raised hopes for a Red Dead Redemption 2 Switch port, as it proves that there exists a partnership between Nintendo and Take-Two Interactive.
However we were all to be disappointed, as the game was absent from the Switch event. This shouldn't have come as much of a surprise though. Rockstar is an unlikely candidate for a partnership with Nintendo, as they haven't collaborated in the past and their profiles are vastly different. The main hurdle, however, is the hardware in question.
As a home console and handheld hybrid, the Switch is outfitted with the specs of the latter rather than the former, meaning it is a significantly weaker machine than each of the Xbox One or PlayStation 4. As such, while developing for the two systems for which Red Dead Redemption 2 has been officially announced would be a largely similar affair, optimizing the game both in terms of size and fidelity for the Switch alongside them would be a major drain on resources. And it would also likely yield little return as the target audiences for the console and game are entirely different.
The original Red Dead Redemption from 2010 is more likely to be released on the Switch than the upcoming sequel is. Seeing as Skyrim, a game from 2011, is getting the Switch treatment, RDR isn't too old a title, and it would be easier to optimize for the weaker hardware of Nintendo's upcoming console. That said, we wouldn't hold out hope for that happening either - releasing a seven year old game with a sequel due out shortly on a brand new gaming device just wouldn't be a good look!
Would you play a version of Red Dead Redemption designed for the Nintendo Switch?
