Skyrim was one of biggest games of the last generation, Bethesda reaching a whole new audience with the Elder Scrolls series. While it was notably absent from any Nintendo consoles at the time, the original Switch trailer revealed the game was finally coming. According to Bethesda’s Todd Howard, it was Nintendo’s idea to put the hit game on their new system. In an interview with Glixel, Howard talked about how Nintendo came to Bethesda to propose the idea. Check out the full interview here.
G: You’re getting this award a week before the Nintendo Switch is released, and you’re one of the few Western developers that’s visible on the new console from the beginning. How did that come about?
TD: When it comes to the Switch, Nintendo’s the only company that can do that, right? When you hear that Nintendo’s going to do a new platform, there’s a lot of ways that can go. If you look at handheld gaming, they’re still the best at it. If they say “we’re going to make the best handheld ever and you can plug it into your TV”, well that’s just really, really smart. I hope they do well and it’s a unique opportunity for us.
G: Were you talking to them for a while?
TD: They came to us early about Skyrim, and we always wanted to work with them. Even though it’s a game that people have played before and have known for a long time, it’s special for us to work them. I think it was Nintendo of America who reached out to us. I wasn’t the original point of contact. We met with some people from Japan, but it originally came from the American team. There was much more of a push this time to get the support. They have the kind of device that makes it much easier for third parties to give them the support.
” They have the kind of device that makes it much easier for third parties to give the support. ”
For the devs who lied and said that your games wouldn’t probably run on the Switch you’ve been exposed
||It’s so much easier to expose Pretendos these days, it’s pathetic…||
Hey, nice new avatar, you weird machine dude.
If you want a reason to get that Bowler guy banned, go check out his comment on the voice actor for Princess Zelda article. Not exactly appropriate.
||Yes it was disgusting, he will be reported if I see or if you see a third offense…||
||This was his second then…||
Roger that.
I wouldn’t call them “pretendo”, more like wanna-bes, because pretendos are also nintendo fans like me…the wanna-bes just want mario on their xbox or playstation…can’t handle real gaming like real gamers aka…pretendos lol
No seriously, I wouldn’t call them pretendos, I would call them haters.
Why is everybody who can’t support a system automatically a lyer, betrayer or whatever you’d call em? We’re talking about Skyrim here and you might know how old that game is right? this game ran on the PS3! OF COURSE it can be ported to the Switch!
The devs you’re whining about are talking about current software and in case of games like Watchdogs 2, of course that can’t be ported over to the Switch that easily. The Switch is what? 2 times faster than the WiiU? maybe a bit more, maybe a bit less? You really thing that’s enough? Of course not.
I’m not downplaying that system, it’s gonna be great and I’m superpumped to play Zelda on it, which btw is also a WiiU port. As long as we don’t see a real multiconsole release of something running on PS4 and Switch, it’s hard to keasure things but I absolutely understand now, why some devs were talking like that or even laughing about the possibility of getting their game onto that system. I’s literally like if you had asked someone to port the Last of Us onto the 3DS.
Um. Foolish comment. It’s a game released in 2008, I hope it’ll be able to run on the Switch.
Don’t expect any PS4/PC AAA 3rd party title to be on this
That, or “we don’t wanna put in the effort required to make our game work on your platform.”
Still pissed the went for skyrim…
GTA V would have been the killer 3rd party game.
The fact Nintendo went to them is making me less excited about the whole 3rd party side.
I never believe in their so called support anyway…
considering Nintendo has always shied away form overly violent, particularly graphic, games why in the world would they go for one of the most violent games on the market? people who buy Nintendo products want the zelda series, Mario games, Pokemon games and are loyal consumers for that reason. they aren’t going to give up the “family friendly system” title for a game that wont even have that many sales in their consumer base. and gta fans arent loyal enough to drop $300 for a system just to run a single game. Skyrim falls on the line between fantasy and graphic, and is still pushing it in terms of pr standpoint.
tl;dr: Nintendo+skyrim=game and system that current user base would buy that not damage public relations with family friendly reputation
Actually there are a lot of adults who want GTA kind of games (violence and all that) on a Nintendo console. I would buy them if they were on my Nintendo consoles for example.
Skyrim isn’t family friendly. You can even behead people in the game. There’s already mature titles Nintendo picked up along the way this generation like Bayonetta 2 and Devil’s Third. So there’s no reason to stop now. GTA V wasn’t actually made by Nintendo anyways. It’s not going to do anything to them. An M rated Nintendo game like Mario or Metroid is what would turn heads. But they obviously have no interest in doing that. Nintendo not making mature titles doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be allowed to get those type of games from other developers though.
maybe because they already got an exclusive (ok timed exclusive) GTA game once with GTA Chinatown.
Well, since Nintendo showed the amount of developers they have on board with the Switch, I would hope that translates into getting AAA third party games on it. Because at the moment, it’s not looking too good. I don’t see them yet.
It’s launch,what do you expect? Happens on every other console.
I understand that it just launched. But when the Xbox One and PS4 launched, they were guaranteed to get those type of games. We don’t know if the Switch will get that support or end up left behind again. Ports of old games may not look all that attractive, but when it starts missing out on several new games, that’s when it’s time to start worrying. I’m already concerned.
By every other I think you mean Nintendo consoles only. The U at least had release titles on launch.
Don’t remember that happening on the PS4. And being cautious with the Switch in that terms after the WiiU seems just natural to me.
I just hate that it’s a portable console first and a home console second. Oh well I still got it.
Why focusing on a so old game? Why not investing in new third parties IPs?
Everyone has played Skyrim by now, it’s 6 years old. I can understand a new episode, but not that exact game… At least they should use motion controllers, otherwise…
That’s funny cause this game also came out on PS4 and XB1,what makes this situation any different?
Motion controls, otherwise it’s just wasted time fron Nintendo. It also sort out on Xbox, PS3 and PC.
It’s everywhere.
Motion controls can save the day, it’s the only way I can justify a second purchase.. Portability alone isn’t enough.
That sounds more like a personal preference than fact. Although motion controls are a feature,the major feature is portability and home use and developers are gonna want to make sure they take advantage. Sure,motion controls would be nice but the portability would overshadow that.
But it’s already portable, you just need a notebook. They have to make people say ‘wow’ in some way. And swing a sword or cover with the shield should do just that. A simple re-hash it’s a wasted opportunity.
No one has ever called a Notebook portable gaming. Tablet form factor sure, but that doesn’t translate well for this title as it’s not touch based.
A 25 cm long handheld isn’t that portable too, but still portable.
“and we always wanted to work with them”
Which is why you threw that jab at them during that Fallout 4 presentation, you definitely held them in high regard always and aren’t now forced to talk praises about them by your bosses!
“we’re going to make the best handheld ever and you can plug it into your TV”
Well there goes the neighborhood. It’s a handheld first, home console second. Of which we got confirmation by how BoTW performs. Good luck to Nintendo and their faithful.
Back on topic, glad to see Nintendo doing this for once, especially for NoA. But it should make people weary since if it’s so easy to port Nintendo shouldn’t even have to ask devs for support. /2¢
We’re talking 6yr old software here. Of course it’s easy to port. There’s a reason they didn’t go for Fallout 4.
Fallout 4 wasn’t anything special buddy. Even the fans admit that it was underwhelming in performance.
How is it the article is about Nintendo going OUT to get third party support like Skyrim….and people are still bitching they’re not getting third party support? -_-
Did they even try to go to Capcom for Resident Evil 7 biohazard or CD Projekt RED for The Witcher III: The Wild Hunt? Hell! Maybe even asked about Grand Theft Auto V from Rockstar Games. They list Rockstar’s parent company as one of their 3rd party supporters so where’s news on that? GTAV is still selling & some people might actually buy it on Switch. I’m sorry but I can’t really be too hyped about Skyrim which is a PS3/XB360 game even if it is getting a PS4 & Xbox One remaster or whatever it’s being called. So far, it’s been nothing but indies, sports games, or ports. Hopefully things will look brighter when E3 rolls around.