Summary
Supergiant Games has confirmed thatHades 2will arrive first as a timed-console exclusive on Nintendo Switch and the new Switch 2. The game, already available in early access on PC, follows the same path as the original title, which debuted on Switch in 2020 before launching on other platforms in 2021.Hades 2is set for a full release later this year but without a defined date.
Hades 2entered early access in May 2024 for PC and in October for Mac. Since then, the game has received numerous updates based on player feedback and its roadmap. Among the additions, the early access has already introduced a new weapon called Xinth, the Olympus region, encounters with characters like Athena, Dionysus, and Prometheus, new familiars, and an expanded story. Since its early access launch,Hades 2has surpassed 100,000 concurrent playerson Steam, doubling the CCU numbers compared to the firstHades. Some console players, however, will have to wait a bit more to play it.
As Nintendo and Supergiant Games announced,Hades 2will be a timed-console exclusive on both Switch and Switch 2. This is nothing new since the firstHadesalso made its debut on Switch before hitting other consoles a year later. WithHades 2scheduled for release in 2025, speculation is that the roguelike will arrive on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S in 2026. PC players will get the 1.0 version on the same day as the version for both Switch models. Still, anyone wanting to play on cutting-edge console technology will have toget in line to grab a Switch 2when it launches.
Hades 2 Will Be a Switch 2 Timed-Console Exclusive at Launch
That’s because, according to Nintendo, the game’s version of Switch 2 will take advantage of the new hardware features. This meansHades 2will support high-definition display and responsive gameplay with a 60 FPS performance. The timed exclusivity is part of Nintendo’s strategy to beef up the initialSwitch 2 lineup of third-party games, including titles likeYakuza 0: Director’s Cut,Ridge Racer, andThe Duskbloods. In this way, the partnership between Nintendo and Supergiant repeats the successful formula ofHades, which stood out both commercially and among critics.
The biggest issue with this strategy of strengthening third-party releases on Switch 2 is that the console’s own launch is still up in the air in the US, one of its largest markets. Due to Trump’s tariffs, Nintendo revealed it isdelaying Switch 2 pre-ordersin the US, although the release date remains June 5. For now, it is unknown whether Nintendo will stick to the same suggested price for the Switch 2 in the US or raise it to offset the tariffs, or even if the tariffs will still be in place two months from now.
