Valheim has taken the gaming community by storm since it released in early access, and as a result, developer Panic Button is expressing interest in porting it to the Nintendo Switch. While the company may not quite be a household name, Panic Button is widely responsible for porting many other AAA titles onto the Switch, including Apex Legends, Doom Eternal, Warframe, Wolfenstein: Youngblood, and many other popular games. It has also ported games such as Torchlight II and Doom 3: BFG Edition onto the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
It comes as no surprise that Valheim is being eyed for console release; it has sold over 5 million copies since it released on February 2nd and dominated gaming headlines ever since. Its surge in popularity appears to follow in the footsteps of games such as Minecraft and Rust, both of which also focus heavily on the gameplay loop of surviving, looting, and crafting. The game also emphasizes teamwork through its multiplayer, which grants Valheim a social aspect in a time when many people around the world are still confined to their homes. Considering the popularity of other titles such as Among Us, it would seem that gamers worldwide are taking more notice of indie games than ever before.
In a recent interview with Nintendo Life (via Game Rant), Panic Button Head of Production Dan Hernberg stated that he would “love to port [Valheim] to Switch.” He added that he’s been “playing way too much” of the game lately, although he clarified that it might not be his “any game pick” at the moment. He may have added this disclaimer due to the difficulties that can accompany live service games, as he has also stated that “any port of a live service game is a true miracle.” From a technical standpoint, because the game is still in early access, a port may even delay Valheim’s official release if developer Coffee Stain Studios also had to think about how their changes would affect the console version.
It’s also worth noting that Coffee Stain Studios only consists of five people. When considering how much work goes in to creating and maintaining an online video game, the developers may decide to wait until a later date to port Valheim over. A port would likely mean establishing a steady correspondence with Panic Button when it comes to the game’s features and additions, which could prove to be a huge undertaking. However, as Valheim runs on the Unity engine, which the Switch supports and Panic Button has experience with, it’s also possible that a port could be handled relatively smoothly.
One virtually unassailable argument in a potential port’s favor is that Panic Button would be a great company for the job. Its ports to the Switch in particular are widely regarded as fantastic, and it has a number of accomplishments under its belt in that department. A port of Valheim to consoles feels almost inevitable given the games success, so the question now is more of a “when” than an “if.” Until then, PC gamers have their hands on a great exclusive that’s sure to only get better with time.
Source: Game Rant, Nintendo Life
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