Nintendo and Warhorse Studios have announced that the action-RPG Kingdom Come: Deliverance, initially released in 2018, will be launching on the Nintendo Switch on March 24, 2024. However, concerns arise regarding how well the game will perform on the aging portable hardware, which is nearing its seventh year since release.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance is renowned for its extensive detail and sprawling open-world environment. I distinctly recall my mid-range PC struggling under its weight when I first played it in 2018. The persisting issues of low frame rates and numerous bugs on console and PC platforms make me apprehensive about the forthcoming Switch port.
While there have been successful ports of substantial games like The Witcher 3, Dragon Quest 11, and Skyrim to the Switch, Kingdom Come: Deliverance presents unique challenges. It’s either more recent, graphically demanding, or plagued with more notorious bugs than those titles.
The brief glimpses of gameplay showcased during Wednesday’s Nintendo Partner Direct do little to alleviate these concerns, as the footage appears murky and choppy, hinting at potential performance issues.
Reduced textures, draw distance, and on-screen detail are anticipated compromises, with stability in achieving a consistent 30 FPS frame rate being the primary concern.
Despite its mixed reviews upon release, Kingdom Come: Deliverance has garnered a dedicated following for its gritty realism, intricate combat mechanics, and relatively accurate portrayal of medieval Europe. The game also boasts an active modding community, although this feature will not be available in the Switch version.
Ultimately, only time will reveal how well Kingdom Come: Deliverance translates to the Switch platform and whether it will capture the essence of its predecessors while offering a satisfactory gaming experience.
