Gaming Talking Point: What Game Should Be 'Switch 2's 'Skyrim Moment'?

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There were several moments in Nintendo's pre-launch Switch marketing that left us a little lost for words: the hybrid form factor, our first look at Breath of the Wild, the way that one guy went to "walk his dog" but spent the entire time sat on a bench.

The reveal that Skyrim would be coming to the iddy biddy console was another. By this point, it was a sure sign that this wasn't just Nintendo's kid-friendly affair, but a big, grow-up machine for those who wanted to play big, grown-up, six-year-old games. It was also a sign of the Switch's power, a wagging finger from Nintendo as if to say "You thought this was only going to run side-scrolling Mario levels? Think again".

With 'Switch 2' rumors cropping up with ever-increasing frequency, our thoughts are turning to the potential games Nintendo could use to hit the brief again, particularly as multiple big games on other consoles seem unlikely to ever come to the current Switch.

We have tried to be mostly realistic here. Rumours suggest that the Switch successor might be able to muster the approximate power of a PS4 / Xbox One — the last generation, yes, but a mighty step up from what the Switch can currently achieve — so our picks have generally come from this period.

We've also considered the other, grown-up gamer message of Skyrim and made picks that would serve to add a pinch of salt to what could otherwise be a sickly sweet launch line-up (never mind how dark an eventual Twilight Princess HD port may be).

That said, we've bent both of these guidelines on a couple of occasions for some proper 'flying pig' picks — hey, we can dream!

So, let's dive into some potential picks for the Switch successor's 'Skyrim moment,' starting with the obvious...

Potential 'Skyrim Moment' Games For 'Switch 2'

Elden Ring

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Aside from being the obvious pick, we'd hesitantly say Elden Ring is a likely one too — let's not forget that it's also available on PS4 and Xbox One (and it runs pretty well on the former, at least). If Dark Souls: Remastered can make a successful jump to the Switch, then a beefed-up 'Switch 2' can surely be in with a shot of tackling an equally beefed-up experience.

Throw in the 'Shadow of the Erdtree' DLC and an Epona skin for Torrent and we can very easily see ourselves double dipping to play this one on the go (heck, we'd probably pick it up without those additions).

Red Dead Redemption 2

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Speaking of beefed-up performance, what about Red Dead Redemption 2? It's another obvious pick, yes, but with the first 'Red Dead Redemption' dropping on Switch out of nowhere last year and performing pretty well, it makes sense that 'Switch 2' would be able to run the sequel.

And cor, how nice would it be to take Arthur and co. on the go?

Call of Duty

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This is more of a when than an if. Last year, Microsoft finalised a 10-year deal to bring Call of Duty to Nintendo platforms, so we know it's coming at some point, we just aren't sure what form it might take.

Having COD on 'Switch 2' at launch would certainly be a way to pull in a demographic that the Switch didn't hit, whether that's Black Ops 6 (releasing this October) or an older game all depends on what 'Switch 2' can muster. Heck, we might even get one on the Switch before the end of its lifespan.

Cyberpunk 2077

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A couple of years ago, this might have been a joke pick, but now we're serious. After years of bugs, glitches and lawsuits, CD Projekt Red did the impossible and managed to make Cyberpunk 2077 good — something last year's Phantom Liberty expansion and multiple patches made even better, according to our friends at Push Square.

It might be a little bulky for early 'Switch 2' specs, but bundling the base game and DLC together for the console's launch window (like Skyrim) would certainly get heads turning. If The Witcher 3 can run on Switch, then surely Cyberpunk can make the jump to Switch 2?

Resident Evil 4 Remake

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Most modern Resident Evil games — Resident Evil 2, 3, Biohazard, and Village — are already available on Switch via the Cloud. Definitely not the best way to play them, but it is a way to play them. But there's one pretty glaring omission in our eyes, and we hope Capcom is holding out for the Switch 2.

Perhaps it's just the nostalgia talking, but a part of us feels very strongly that Resident Evil 4 Remake belongs on a Nintendo console. The original launched on the GameCube back in 2005 and while its critically-acclaimed remake was never going to land on Switch in 2023, it'd be a nice full-circle moment if 'Switch 2' had the juice to house it. Think of it as the ZombiU of the 'Switch 2' launch line-up.

Finals Fantasies VIIs

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Nope, that's not a spelling mistake. A part of us thinks that there's no way 'Switch 2' will get Final Fantasy VII Remake or Rebirth until Square Enix has completed the trilogy. But when we think of how many people would double-dip to get them all on one console, the option suddenly seems more likely.

Besides the excellent Pixel Remasters and the Crisis Core Reunion remake, Final Fantasy's presence on Switch has mostly been rereleases of classic games. So what better way to start the next line-up than with the critically acclaimed "Remake" trilogy? Well, at least the first two.

Street Fighter 6

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Most modern fighting games have eventually found their way onto Nintendo Switch, but there are two pretty big titles missing: Tekken 8 and Street Fighter 6. Of 2023's many critically acclaimed releases, Street Fighter 6 perhaps makes the most sense for the Switch successor, assuming the follow-up console is still all about hybrid play.

If Capcom could get this running at the right frame rate and with rollback netcode, a multiplayer-focused fighter could be the perfect fit for a console all about gaming on the go. We can already picture the reveal trailer's roof-top/skate park/basketball court battles.

Fallout 4

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Following the success of the excellent Amazon Prime series earlier this year, we at Nintendo Life have wondered where our Fallout Switch ports are. We previously wrote about how good Fallout 3 could be on Switch, but it's the expanded successor, Fallout 4, that we reckon would make the bigger splash in the 'Switch 2' launch line-up.

It's a game that's older than the original Switch, true, but bundled with the Automatron, Vault-Tec Workshop, Far Harbor and Nuka World expansions, it'd make for a pretty appealing release.

Grand Theft Auto V

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Yes, the much-anticipated Grand Theft Auto VI is perhaps the more popular candidate here, but it's a wonder that its predecessor isn't on a Nintendo system yet. 11 years on, GTA V still sells like hotcakes (as one glance at the UK charts frequently reveals), so what better way to capitalize on the three remaining people who haven't bought it than to bring it to the newest console out there?

We'll have to wait and see the 'Switch 2' specs before we even start talking about GTA VI.

Monster Hunter Wilds

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Here's a bit of a 'shooting star' pick here. We don't have a release date for Monster Hunter Wilds yet and it looks pretty huge from what we've seen so far, but we never got World (the best-selling entry in the series) on Switch. We considered putting that one on this list, but come on? We want the future.

Wilds tantalisingly sits with a '2025' release date, while 'Switch 2' has no release date at all. Name a better duo...

Baldur's Gate 3

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Hah, yeah. We can dream, but there's no chance.

Plenty to pick from there (then again, we're probably also due another Skyrim re-release soon enough). Which title do you reckon will come to 'Switch 2' first? Let us know in the following poll and then take to the comments to share any we might have missed.