Summary
Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer has reaffirmed the company’s support for theSwitch 2, calling Nintendo “a great partner” in the process. However, whileSwitch 2owners should have no shortage of Xbox games to play in the future, the specific titles that Microsoft plans to bring to Nintendo’s upcoming console are still up in the air—at least officially.
Faced with declining hardware sales and a growing game development division,Xbox decided to embrace multi-platform publishingin February 2024, when it announced four of its first-party titles would be coming to PlayStation and Nintendo consoles. That initial batch was composed ofPentiment,Hi-Fi Rush,Grounded, andSea of Thieves. The company’s next multi-platform title wasCall of Duty: Black Ops 6, which had a day-one release on the PS4 and PS5 in October 2024.Indiana Jones and the Great Circlethen debuted on the PS5 on April 16.
As the company’s multi-platform publishing push continues, Phil Spencer has now reaffirmed the tech giant’s commitment to supporting the Switch 2. “Nintendo has been a great partner,” the Microsoft Gaming CEO said in a recent interview withVariety, while noting that the Switch allowed Xbox to reach players it otherwise wouldn’t have. Spencer continued singing Nintendo’s praises by calling himself “a big believer” in what The Big N means for the industry, saying that he sees supporting the Switch 2 as an “important” part ofMicrosoft’s gaming future.
Xbox Has Been Signaling Switch 2 Support For a While Now
Spencer’s recent comments aren’t the first indicator of Microsoft being eager to support Nintendo’s next console.Head of Xbox Game Studios Craig Duncan already praised the Switch 2 revealback in February, while noting he’s both “curious and excited” about the Switch successor. Since the upcoming device will be backward-compatible, it’s guaranteed to be able to play some Xbox games from day one. Those would bePentimentandGrounded, the latter of which just celebrated its first-year anniversary on the Switch earlier today, April 16.
Halo Is Reportedly Coming to Nintendo Switch 2
While Microsoft may be planning extensive Switch 2 support, the specific games it’s planning to bring to Nintendo’s upcoming console remain unclear. Considering Microsoft’s existing multi-platform titles that haven’t yet appeared on the Switch but could feasibly run on the Switch 2,Hi-Fi RushandSea of Thievesstand out as obvious candidates for future ports. Beyond that,Halo: The Master Chief Collectionhas been rumored to be coming to the Switch 2for months now, with several established leaker claiming this release is only a matter of time.
The Switch successor is officially slated to hit the store shelves on June 5. Its confirmed launch game lineup currently numbers 22 titles, ranging from first parties likeMario Kart WorldandDonkey Kong Bananzato high-profile third-party games such asCyberpunk 2077andHitman: World of Assassination.
