Update: Treyarch confirms there are no plans for Black Ops 4 on the Nintendo Switch.
Nintendo Switch players might end up getting a version of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 of sorts, but one that only includes the reported Battle Royale version of the game. Over the years, Nintendo fans have not always had access to the Call of Duty franchise, with the last few games in the series failing to arrive for a Nintendo console. Switch fans after the first-person shooter, however, might be hoping that their console’s popularity may tempt Activision into launching the game on the system.
As it stands, Black Ops 4 is certainly one that breaks the mould. According to reports, Black Ops 4 won’t have a single player campaign, which would be a first for the Black Ops series of games, and it may well be that the core additional gameplay that replaces it will be a Battle Royale mode. Rising to popularity through the likes of PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds and Fortnite, this game mode would certainly add something different from previous Call of Duty games.
What’s more, there are now whispers that this Battle Royale mode could make its way onto the Switch as a standalone release. According to Gaming Intel, Activision is considering letting the Battle Royale mode sit as its own game, which will be included in the overall release of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 but then be released individually for the Switch itself. This so-called Call of Duty: Battle Royale would then launch on the same day as the mainline game.
Although the information apparently comes from a trusted anonymous source, it’s worth bearing in mind that this is only a rumor at this time. As such, it may be worth taking it with a large grain of salt until it’s corroborated with something a little more official. Nonetheless, it certainly makes sense, and it wouldn’t be the only time that Activision has combined two technically standalone Call of Duty experiences together before then offering them up separately - take the Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare and COD 4: Modern Warfare Remastered bundle, for instance.
It would also perhaps match up with some of the other potential Call of Duty releases on the horizon. That single player itch may well be scratched by the allegedly multiplayer-free Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 remaster, so Activision could take a gamble on a Battle Royale-only mode for Switch. It would also align with some of the other publishers testing the waters with Switch releases, as seen by the stripped-back version of FIFA launched for the console by Electronic Arts.
Black Ops 4 has the tagline “forget what you know,” and so fans are expecting developer Treyarch to ring in the changes this time. Whether that’s through a Call of Duty: Battle Royale mode or the notion of a multiplayer mode like Overwatch remains to be seen, but no doubt Activision and Treyarch will be revealing more soon.
More: Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 – Everything You Need to Know
Source: Gaming Intel
