Saber Interactive Announces Evil Dead Game Not Coming to Switch
Well Switch gamers, we have some bad news for you. The highly anticipated Evil Dead game that was announced last year won't actually be coming to Nintendo's hybrid console after all. Saber Interactive, the studio behind the upcoming multiplayer survival horror title based on the cult classic Evil Dead franchise, revealed today that the game is no longer planned for release on Switch. Looks like you'll have to dust off that PS4 or Xbox One if you want to team up with friends to battle Deadites and other evil forces in the woods. We know, we're disappointed too - the Switch seemed like a perfect fit for a spooky co-op experience on the go. Unfortunately, technical limitations and challenges porting the game to Switch's hardware led to the difficult decision. At least PC players can still look forward to joining the fight for survival when Evil Dead: The Game launches next year. The rest of us will just have to make do with our dusty old consoles for now. Bummer.
Saber Interactive Confirms No Switch Version for Evil Dead: The Game
Saber Interactive, the developer behind Evil Dead: The Game, recently confirmed some bad news for Nintendo Switch owners. There won’t be a Switch version of the upcoming multiplayer survival horror title based on the classic Evil Dead franchise.
In an interview, Saber Interactive creative director Tim Willits said the team had explored the possibility of a Switch version but ultimately decided against it. The main reason? The technical challenges of bringing the game to Switch while maintaining the visual quality and performance that the team wants.
Evil Dead: The Game is built using Saber’s proprietary Swarm Engine, which allows for advanced graphics, dynamic weather effects, and the large, destructible environments the game requires. Optimizing all of that for the Switch’s less powerful hardware proved too difficult.
While the news is disappointing for Switch fans of the Evil Dead series, Saber wants to focus on creating the best experience possible for players on PlayStation, Xbox and PC. And who can blame them? After years of waiting, Evil Dead devotees deserve an authentic, visually stunning return to the franchise.
For Switch owners still determined to join the fight against the Deadites, your options are limited. You’ll need to either invest in another platform, live vicariously through YouTube playthroughs and streams, or hold out hope that further optimization could allow Saber to revisit a Switch port down the line. The game’s not due until 2021, so keep those boomsticks crossed!
In the meantime, hail to the king, baby - just not on Switch. Yet.
Evil Dead: The Game Coming to PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One and PC
If you're a Switch owner and Evil Dead fan, we've got some bad news - Evil Dead: The Game won't be coming to Nintendo's console. Developer Saber Interactive recently announced the asymmetric multiplayer horror title will launch on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One and PC, but not Switch.
While the Switch's massive install base seems like a huge missed opportunity, Saber says the hardware limitations made a port unfeasible. To deliver the visuals and performance they wanted, the Switch's specs just couldn't cut it. Still, that won't soften the blow for Nintendo diehards hoping to play as Ash and battle the undead on the go.
If you're determined to wield a boomstick in portable form, your only option is the Steam Deck. Valve's handheld PC gaming device should have the power to run Evil Dead: The Game, though there's no official word on compatibility yet. For most, playing on a big screen will be the way to go for the authentic Evil Dead experience anyway.
Multiplayer fright fests are best enjoyed with friends on the couch and a surround sound system to hear every floorboard creak. Saber is prioritizing that social experience by focusing efforts on platforms that can deliver maximum visual fidelity and performance. While the Switch will miss out this time, perhaps if a sequel arises, Saber will find a way to possess Nintendo's hardware and give its fans a chance to join the fun. For now though, Switch gamers will be stuck dreaming of what could have been when Evil Dead: The Game launches on May 13, 2022.
Why the Switch Can't Handle the Demands of Evil Dead: The Game
The Nintendo Switch is a hugely popular console, but unfortunately, it lacks the power to run a graphically intensive game like Evil Dead: The Game. This dark fantasy action-adventure game relies heavily on realistic visuals to recreate the world of the Evil Dead franchise, and the Switch's hardware just can't keep up.
Underpowered Hardware
The Switch uses a custom Nvidia Tegra X1 chipset that was modest even when the console launched in 2017. While perfect for Nintendo's first-party cartoonish games, the Tegra X1 struggles with modern AAA multiplatform titles, especially those with high-end graphics. Evil Dead: The Game features detailed character models, atmospheric environments, and gory visual effects that push even the latest PC graphics cards to their limit. The Switch simply can't render all these elements at an acceptable frame rate.
Compromised Experience
To get Evil Dead: The Game running on the Switch, the developers at Saber Interactive would have to make major graphical downgrades that compromise the experience. Lower resolution textures, less detailed models, reduced particle effects—these types of cutbacks would ruin the photorealistic style the game aims for. And even then, the performance would likely still suffer from low frame rates, long load times, and stability issues.
Rather than release a subpar port, Saber Interactive has decided not to bring Evil Dead: The Game to the Switch at all. While unfortunate for Nintendo fans, this is ultimately the right call to maintain the vision for the game. More powerful next-gen platforms like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S will provide the muscle needed to properly bring the world of Evil Dead to life in all its gory glory. For Switch owners hoping to slay Deadites on the go, you'll need to invest in a more capable gaming platform to face the evil within.
What This Means for Future Saber Interactive Switch Ports
What does this news mean for Switch owners hoping to play Evil Dead: The Game or other titles from Saber Interactive? Unfortunately, it's not looking good. Saber develops games for multiple platforms, but the Switch seems to frequently get left out.
Limited Switch Development Resources
Saber is a smaller studio, so they have to focus their resources on developing for platforms that will yield the highest return. The Switch typically requires extra effort to port games over, and the hardware isn't as powerful as Xbox Series X/S or PlayStation 5. It may not be feasible for Saber to devote resources to a Switch version, especially for a graphics-intensive game like Evil Dead.
Established Partnerships With Other Platforms
Saber has strong partnerships with platforms like Xbox, PlayStation and PC. They frequently release timed exclusives or exclusive content for these platforms. Their relationship with Nintendo seems weaker in comparison, so the Switch gets deprioritized. Until Saber establishes a better partnership with Nintendo, Switch owners may continue to miss out on certain titles or have to wait longer for ports.
Technical Limitations
Some of Saber's games may simply be too technically demanding for the Switch to handle. While the Switch is more powerful than previous Nintendo consoles, it still trails behind current-gen platforms from Microsoft and Sony. Certain graphics-heavy games developed with those platforms in mind may not run well (or at all) on Switch without significant downgrades. This could lead Saber to skip a Switch version altogether in some cases.
The lack of Evil Dead on Switch is disappointing but not entirely surprising given Saber's history of limited support for the platform. While they haven't ruled out any future Switch ports, Switch owners probably shouldn't hold their breath waiting for the latest and greatest from Saber Interactive to come their way. The studio will likely continue focusing the bulk of their resources on more powerful platforms with bigger audiences and more established partnerships. Switch ports seem destined to remain an afterthought.
Will There Be Any Evil Dead Games for Switch in the Future?
Unfortunately for Switch owners, Saber Interactive has confirmed there are currently no plans to bring Evil Dead: The Game to Nintendo’s platform. While the game is coming to PlayStation, Xbox and PC, the developer says the Switch’s hardware limitations would require too many compromises to the experience.
Will there ever be a Switch version?
The chances of an Evil Dead game coming to Switch in the future aren’t looking good. Saber Interactive’s goal is to create an authentic Evil Dead experience, staying true to the over-the-top gore and action the franchise is known for. To achieve this on Switch, the visuals and gameplay would need to be significantly scaled back, which the developer feels would not do the property justice.
— EvilDeadTheGame (@EvilDeadTheGame) September 19, 2023
While Saber hasn’t ruled out a Switch version entirely, they say it would only be possible if major technological improvements are made to the console. The studio would need much more powerful hardware to work with in order to create an Evil Dead game for Switch without having to make big sacrifices. For now, the platform’s capabilities just can’t provide the power needed to bring the game to life in the way Saber envisions.
Of course, some fans will be disappointed to miss out on this new Evil Dead title. However, it’s reassuring to know Saber Interactive is committed to delivering premium experiences that live up to the franchises they work with. Rather than push out a subpar port just to make a quick profit, they would prefer not to release on a platform at all if it meant compromising their creative vision. While unfortunate for Switch owners, this devotion to quality is admirable and will likely result in an amazing game for the platforms it is launching on.
For die-hard Evil Dead fans with a Switch, the best option may be to consider investing in another console or PC in order to experience the game the way it was meant to be played. If a Switch version does eventually see the light of day, it may still be quite a while until the technology is in place to make it happen. The game hits PlayStation, Xbox and PC later this year, so there’s still plenty of time to save up for a new system!
Conclusion
Well that's a major bummer for you Switch fans out there. After hyping up the new Evil Dead game for months, Saber Interactive delivered the worst news possible - it's not coming to Nintendo Switch. Guess you'll have to dust off the PS4 or Xbox if you really want to chainsaw demons and blast Deadites in the face. The devs cited technical limitations as the reason but that's little comfort. At least other anticipated horror titles are still planned for Switch like the Outlast Trials and Slitterhead. And who knows, if Evil Dead sells well enough on other platforms maybe Saber will find a way to optimize a port for Nintendo's hybrid console. For now though, keep those boomsticks holstered and try not to shed too many tears of blood over this heartbreak - after all, the Necronomicon always finds a way. The deadites will have their day on Switch...eventually.
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