Gaming

5 Xbox and 5 PlayStation Games That Would Fit Great on Nintendo Switch 2

Here’s our wishlist for the weird multi-platform future we live in.

We’re living in a strange time in the gaming space, with Xbox games on PlayStation and PlayStation games on Xbox — essentially, cats and dogs are living together. But when will Nintendo get a slice of the action? While pigs will have to fly for Mario to be on a competing console, it’s evident that the Switch 2 is making a sales splash in the industry, and it could behoove Sony and Microsoft to consider the portable console’s install base for their own products.

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There’s (albeit very little) precedent for games once thought exclusive for Xbox and PlayStation getting Switch 1 versions: Microsoft brought over Pentiment and Grounded to the platform, and Sony published MLB The Show and Lego Horizon Adventures on the Switch as well. And now with a beefier console in the form of the Switch 2, the possibilities are wider.

Here are five Xbox games and five PlayStation games that would be amazing fits for the Nintendo Switch 2 — whether they’re likely to make it to the platform or not.

1. DOOM: The Dark Ages (Xbox)

DOOM: The Dark Ages Doom Guy

It took some magic straight from Hell for studio Panic Button to get DOOM (2016) and DOOM Eternal running on the Switch 1. And while the Switch is obviously not the best way to play these two intense shooters, it would be nice to complete the collection of modern DOOM titles for Nintendo platforms.

Players are already finding that the Switch 1 versions of the prior two DOOM games perform better on Switch 2, even though it still runs at a noticeably higher resolution. While a Switch 2 version of DOOM: The Dark Ages would presumably require some graphical compromises, it would be super fun to toss that Shield Saw around in portable mode.

2. Forza Horizon 5 (Xbox)

Any iteration of Forza crossing over from Xbox to PlayStation was already a giant shock, and Forza Horizon 5 hypothetically making the trip to Switch 2 would be a fun one-two punch to those precious about exclusivity. Now that Mario Kart fans have gotten a taste of open-world racing games through Mario Kart World, a Forza Horizon port could give them a chance to experience a more photorealistic one.

Interestingly, Panic Button, the studio behind several Switch ports, was the team that ported Forza Horizon 5 to PlayStation 5. That positions the studio as the perfect one to tackle the challenge of fitting the massive and gorgeous game onto a Switch 2.

3. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle (Xbox)

MachineGames already had two of its Wolfenstein games land on Switch 1, courtesy of Switch porting magicians Panic Button. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is a feat from the studio that would be a blast to play on Switch 2, if such a port were possible. It might take some hits in the resolution and frame rate departments, but Switch owners are used to such sacrifices.

Plus, imagine the marketing campaign that Bethesda could deploy with a Switch 2 version of an Indy game. It doesn’t take an advertising genius to come up with commercials with Switch 2 players traveling to exotic locales while playing The Great Circle on their console on the go. There’s a free idea for you.

4. Hi-Fi Rush (Xbox)

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Visually and tonally, Hi-Fi Rush and Nintendo are a match made in heaven. It was eyebrow-raising that the game wasn’t one of Microsoft’s initial cross-platform releases for Switch alongside Grounded and Pentiment — even though it did make it to PS5 — so perhaps there was a challenge in having the game run properly on the older hardware.

Whatever the case, it’s possible that the Switch 2’s more impressive innards are a better fit for the colorful character action game from Tango Gameworks. Switch-only owners definitely deserve a chance to experience the acclaimed adventure of Chai and friends.

5. Sea of Thieves (Xbox)

Sea of Thieves Wild Things

Honestly, it would be immensely disappointing if Sea of Thieves didn’t come to Switch 2. It would act as a sort of homecoming for Rare to a Nintendo home console, and it would be an excellent family-friendly social experience for Nintendo audiences. It would also be the perfect opportunity for GameChat, giving players an excuse to hit that C button that you’ve already forgotten about.

Sea of Thieves was already a big enough success on PS5 that it would be unbelievable if it didn’t sail to Nintendo Switch waters. If SoT never gets a Switch 2 version, I’ll eat a full banana in one bite, skin and all.

1. Astro Bot (PlayStation)

Boy, wouldn’t this be something? I don’t think there’s a snowflake in hell’s chance that PlayStation’s mascot will ever blast off to Nintendo Land — I’m still not convinced that Astro Bot will even get a PC port — but to state what everyone in the world has already said, Nintendo’s DNA is all over this game.

From its relentless charm to its myriad of mechanics thrown at the player in every level, Astro Bot already feels like a proper Nintendo game, despite its foundation of PlayStation nostalgia. Again, the chances of Astro Bot crossing over are near zero, but the thought of PlayStation releasing it on Switch 2 as an advertisement for the PS5 is hilarious.

2. Death Stranding (PlayStation)

Death Stranding Director's Cut on PC

It’s hard to imagine with all of the wild stuff that Hideo Kojima is working on now that the Switch 2 is in his view. But if his company was able to bring the original Death Stranding to Xbox, putting it on a Nintendo platform isn’t the most bizarre possibility.

Plus, can you imagine how funny the pitch would be to Switch-only users? “Yeah, it’s kind of like Breath of the Wild, but instead of doing shrines, you deliver pizza, and instead of fighting Bokoblins, you throw your poop at ghosts.”

3. Helldivers 2 (PlayStation)

With the PS5 leading the Xbox Series X/S by a wide margin, it was a slight surprise that Helldivers 2 ended up getting an Xbox version. The Switch 2 doesn’t have too many third-party cross-platform games early in its life cycle — really just Fortnite — so something bold and co-op-focused like Helldivers 2 could fill in that void.

It’s also fun to fantasize about Helldivers doing a crossover with something like Metroid — imagine wearing armor based on Samus or Galactic Federation troopers while blasting bugs. But even if the game got a Switch 2 version, it’s likely Nintendo would be weird about its own properties anyway, if Fortnite is an indicator.

4. Marvel’s Spider-Man (PlayStation)

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With how beloved and mainstream a character like Spider-Man is, it was hard for console fanboys not to be jealous of the exclusivity of Marvel’s Spider-Man. Heck, the game still isn’t even on Xbox yet.

As a fast-paced action open-world game with an optimistic story, it’s a great fit for a Nintendo platform. If Marvel Games happened to be feeling antsy about the game not reaching a wider enough audience, then a port to Switch 2 would be a welcome solution.

5. Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (PlayStation)

Despite the franchise’s penchant for using double entendres in subtitles, Ratchet & Clank is a property that would fit right at home with Nintendo. The latest entry, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, showed that the series still has a lot of gas in the tank, with stunning visuals, gameplay mechanics, and a humorous script.

Getting such a complicated and dense game to run on Switch 2 would be an uphill battle, especially since the original release was so dependent on the PS5’s SSD. Maybe it won’t be Rift Apart, but any Ratchet & Clank title on a Nintendo platform would be welcome with open arms.