{"menuItems":[{"label":"1. Rockstar wants a presence on all successful formats","anchorName":"#1-rockstar-wants-a-presence-on-all-successful-formats"},{"label":"2. RAGE is highly adaptable","anchorName":"#2-rage-is-highly-adaptable"},{"label":"3. Switch is luring mature content","anchorName":"#3-switch-is-luring-mature-content"},{"label":"4. GTA sells (and sells, and sells and sells)","anchorName":"#4-gta-sells-and-sells-and-sells-and-sells"},{"label":"5. Rockstar must appease its investors","anchorName":"#5-rockstar-must-appease-its-investors"},{"label":"6. Multiplayer split-test","anchorName":"#6-multiplayer-split-test"},{"label":"When will GTA release on Nintendo Switch?","anchorName":"#when-will-gta-release-on-nintendo-switch"}]}
The announcement and then release of L.A. Noire on Nintendo Switch came as a bit of a shock. Developed by Team Bondi and published by Rockstar, L.A. Noire was remarkable, unique gaming, but awfully niche. While a must-play in this writer’s opinion, it’s certainly an odd choice for the publisher as its first Switch title. Surely any other game from its beloved library would have greater brand awareness and sales potential.
However, as we detailed previously, L.A. Noire is not your typical Rockstar game and was built on an entirely different engine than the rest of the games released by the publisher over the last decade. And while I argued that this meant the doors weren’t open for an avalanche of Rockstar titles to come to the Switch, I still believe Grand Theft Auto will make the move in the future. Here's why:
1. Rockstar wants a presence on all successful formats
Grand Theft Auto is the glue that holds the entire Rockstar Games empire together. The developer isn’t short on excellent titles, but as a company that invests mightily in the production of its games, it relies on GTA’s brand pull and money-earning potential to keep the ship afloat between big releases. Bringing the series to new formats is a guaranteed money spinner. Proof? Despite releasing in 2013, GTA V is still in the Top 10 weekly worldwide unit sales as I write this; this time for the PS4 version.
The studio rarely misses a chance to introduce GTA to a new audience if a format is succeeding. For example, all the major titles up to the PS2 era have now been released on Android, iOS and even Kindle.
2. RAGE is highly adaptable
All of Rockstar’s games since 2006 have been built on its own Rockstar Advanced Game Engine (RAGE), which has shown itself to be quite adaptable. In fact, the first game released on the middleware, Rockstar Presents Table Tennis, appeared on the quite disparate Wii and Xbox 360 consoles. More recently, we’ve seen GTA V ported seamlessly from PS3/360 to PS4/XBO and then to PC. It’s worth Rockstar’s time to get RAGE working on Switch as it will grease the wheels for many of its titles to engage with a new audience.
3. Switch is luring mature content
Where the Wii U struggled to attract many titles rated mature or above, the Switch is proving to be quite a different beast. After its successful launch, we’ve seen the announcements of Resident Evil Revelations, Doom, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth+, Doom Eternal and L.A. Noire among others. If these games find any success at all, it will only fuel the feeling that GTA could be a worthwhile port to the Switch.
4. GTA sells (and sells, and sells and sells)
GTA has never failed to find an audience wherever it has turned up. While the Nintendo Switch’s install base is relatively low, its trajectory is looking far more promising than that of the Wii U catastrophe – which saw a 90% drop in third-party support. But clearly third parties are buying into the Switch: we’ve even seen the likes of WWE 2K18 and FIFA 18 return to a Nintendo console. Rockstar knows from past experience that GTA will continue to sell well through the console’s entire lifespan.
5. Rockstar must appease its investors
After Activision-Blizzard and Electronic Arts, Take-Two Interactive is the third biggest publicly traded game company on the planet. Its two biggest subsidiaries are 2K Games and the mighty Rockstar Games. While, in an optimal world, all artists should be given the space and funds to create, the world of investors isn’t that forgiving. They want results. They want dividends. And a quick way to keep everyone happy is to get a new audience in front of the money-making GTA brand so all those precious coins come rolling in.
6. Multiplayer split-test
Doom is taking an interesting approach with the Nintendo Switch and dealing with its hard-drive space issues. It’s shipping the game on a 16GB cartridge, then leaving the multiplayer as a separate 9GB download for those who want it. This process enables Bethesda to save on production costs by lowering the space requirement of the cartridge. While GTA V originally fit on a 7GB disc, the subsequent port to PS4/XBO escalated that size to 45GB. This could prove a problem; but the Doom model provides a potential solution for Rockstar and could further grease the wheels to a GTA on Switch.
When will GTA release on Nintendo Switch?
It’s not so much a question of when GTA will release on Nintendo Switch, but which GTA? Will the developer go retro and deliver GTA: Vice City, go spin-off with Chinatown Wars, or go all-in with GTA V? With L.A. Noire, the company has shown more recent, technically demanding, titles can exist on the Switch. With that title now out and Red Dead Redemption 2 landing around May 2018, maybe look for a sneaky GTA Switch announcement at Gamescom next year.
Purchase Nintendo Switch from eBay Australia
Purchase the Nintendo Switch with grey Joy-Cons or Neon Blue and Red Joy-Cons from eBay today.
Chris Stead is the innovations editor at Finder. He is a gaming, tech and sports journalist with more than 24 years of writing and editing experience. He has previously worked at Game Informer, GamePro, Maxim, MCV Pacific, Gameplayer, Grab It, the University of New South Wales, Krash, It Girl and Fortnite Magazine. He has contributed to IGN, GameSport, NBN, Rooster Teeth, Fandom, Sydney Morning Herald, FilmINK, Brag, Popular Science, Foxtel, PC World, Hyper and Red Bull. Chris has a Bachelor of Advanced Science in Biology from the University of Sydney. A father of three, Chris has a passion for travel, photography and surfing.
How likely would you be to recommend finder to a friend or colleague?
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Very UnlikelyExtremely Likely
Required
Thank you for your feedback.
Our goal is to create the best possible product, and your thoughts, ideas and suggestions play a major role in helping us identify opportunities to improve.
Important information about this website
finder.com.au is one of Australia's leading comparison websites. We are committed to our readers and stands by our editorial principles
We try to take an open and transparent approach and provide a broad-based comparison service. However, you should be aware that while we are an independently owned service, our comparison service does not include all providers or all products available in the market.
Some product issuers may provide products or offer services through multiple brands, associated companies or different labeling arrangements. This can make it difficult for consumers to compare alternatives or identify the companies behind the products. However, we aim to provide information to enable consumers to understand these issues.
We make money by featuring products on our site. Compensation received from the providers featured on our site can influence which products we write about as well as where and how products appear on our page, but the order or placement of these products does not influence our assessment or opinions of them, nor is it an endorsement or recommendation for them.
Products marked as 'Top Pick', 'Promoted' or 'Advertisement' are prominently displayed either as a result of a commercial advertising arrangement or to highlight a particular product, provider or feature. Finder may receive remuneration from the Provider if you click on the related link, purchase or enquire about the product. Finder's decision to show a 'promoted' product is neither a recommendation that the product is appropriate for you nor an indication that the product is the best in its category. We encourage you to use the tools and information we provide to compare your options.
Where our site links to particular products or displays 'Go to site' buttons, we may receive a commission, referral fee or payment when you click on those buttons or apply for a product. You can learn more about how we make money.
When products are grouped in a table or list, the order in which they are initially sorted may be influenced by a range of factors including price, fees and discounts; commercial partnerships; product features; and brand popularity. We provide tools so you can sort and filter these lists to highlight features that matter to you.
Please note that the information published on our site should not be construed as personal advice and does not consider your personal needs and circumstances. While our site will provide you with factual information and general advice to help you make better decisions, it isn't a substitute for professional advice. You should consider whether the products or services featured on our site are appropriate for your needs. If you're unsure about anything, seek professional advice before you apply for any product or commit to any plan and read any disclosure documents (such as any Target Market Determination (TMD) and/or Product Disclosure Statement (PDS)) issued by the provider before making a decision.
Providing or obtaining an estimated insurance quote through us does not guarantee you can get the insurance. Acceptance by insurance companies is based on things like occupation, health and lifestyle. By providing you with the ability to apply for a credit card or loan, we are not guaranteeing that your application will be approved. Your application for credit products is subject to the Provider's terms and conditions as well as their application and lending criteria.
Please read our website terms of use and privacy policy for more information about our services and our approach to privacy.
