For over two decades,World of Warcrafthas been exclusively available for players on computers, with the massive game never officially making it to any console. Of course, this hasn’t seemed to hurt sales of the game, as it has remained one of the most popular MMORPGs even as it recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. Rumors of console ports have come and gone through the years, but now new ideas are surfacing regarding an unlikely contender, the Nintendo Switch 2, being the first to be able to bringWoWto the console world.
BringingWoWto a console feels inevitable at this point,with the systems becoming more powerful with each generation, even surpassing several PCs. As many people prefer console gaming over PC, it could potentially openWoWup to anentire audience of newcomers to the game, therefore making Blizzard quite a bit of money as well. Nintendo may not be the first console to come to mind when thinking ofWoW, but current ideas on the upcoming Switch 2 hardware point to it being able to overcome a major hurdle for the MMO.
WoW Could Finally Make The Move To Consoles (& Handheld)
Improved Hardware On The Newest Console Could Bring Warcraft To A New Age
Sadly, although it was an impressive debut, therecent reveal of the Switch 2did not share any specs on what people can expect from the hardware, other than the promise that it will be considerably improved from the current Switch.
This means that, currently, there is no confirmation that it will be any more powerful than this gen’s PS5 or Xbox Series X/S. However, as long as it can match these systems, it should be able to runWoW. Although there are no official ports,some players have found ways to runWorld of Warcrafton Xbox Series X/S and report that the game runs smoothly on the console, even on the highest graphics settings.
IfWoWis able to run on the Switch 2, this would not only bringWoWto the console arena but also to handhelds with the Switch 2’s ability to be taken off the dock. It would be a massive change to howWorld of Warcraftcan be enjoyed and put the game literally into the hands of more players. Of course, it would also require several adjustments in how most players control their character, as thePC’s mouse and keyboard have become the standard for the game, despite there being controller support.
The Switch 2’s Mouse Capabilities Would Work With WoW
Rumored Mouse Attachment Could Make Many PC Games Easier To Port
With manyWoWplayers being used to using the classic keyboard and mouse system for playing, there is more weight to the idea of the Switch 2 being a good fit for the game. Since the Switch 2 reveal,many speculations have been made regarding the appearance of the new joy cons possibly being able to add mouse functionalityto the console. This accessory seems likely, both from the appearance of what was shown, and from Nintendo’s history of constantly evolving and trying to take their hardware in new directions.
“Switch Is A Massive Success”: Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer Says Xbox Will Support The Nintendo Switch 2
The CEO of Microsoft Gaming, Phil Spencer, has discussed the announcement of the Switch 2 & confirmed that Xbox games will be available on the system.
Naturally, a joy con mouse would be vastly different from the 12- or 18-button gaming mouse that many players have come to rely on forWoW. Yet, people could still find it gives them amore comfortable gaming experience than a controllercould do. Additionally, although this is entirely speculation, the Nintendo Switch 2 having programming for a mouse at all may be a sign of the system allowing a wireless mouse and keyboard to be connected separately as well.
Even If Only WoW Classic, It Would Be A Big Step Forward
WoW Classic May Be Less Demanding On The Console
Over the past twenty years,World of Warcrafthas grown and evolved considerably, which is particularly evident when comparing the modern, retail version ofWoWwithWoW Classic. As each new expansion for the game comes out,WoWdevs make Azeroth even more impressive with updates and patches that affect the entire game, not just a new zone. Although beautiful, and necessary forWoW’s continued growth and success, this may createan issue of the game being too large and demanding for the Switch 2.
If that is the case, perhaps the Switch 2 could feature a partial port of the game through allowingWoW Classicservers on the system.This would not be the ideal situation, as the two games are connected in many ways, and it could feel odd for players to only have one version accessible to them on the Switch 2. Yet, compared to the current situation of no version ofWoWbeing officially supported on any console, it would be a step in the right direction.
Which Version Of World Of Warcraft You Should Start With (& Why)
In the past 20 years, World of Warcraft has both grown and branched off into many different iterations, leaving new players wondering where to start.
WoW Classicis still a demanding and large title in its own right, but with itsgraphics mimicking a look closer to what was seen back when the game first released in 2004, and having a much smaller world to explore, it could be less demanding for a console to handle.
Even ifWoWisn’t released for the Nintendo Switch 2 at launch,seeing a port of the RTSWarcraft 3: Reforgedor other classic titles that originally inspiredWoWwould be a fun and exciting move.The mouse functionality of the Switch 2 would also help significantly with these titles, as many who played them originally would have experienced them on PC.
More Acti-Blizz Games Are Coming To Switch & Switch 2
Overwatch 2, Diablo, And More Are On Nintendo
Many Activision-Blizzard games have already made the leap to consoles in recent years, with several of them even being released on the current Nintendo Switch.Diablo 3,Overwatch 2, and many others are available on the current-generation Switch, and there have been leaks suggesting thatDiablo 4could come to the Nintendo Switch 2.
Phil Spencer, the head of Microsoft Gaming which recently acquired Activision-Blizzard, has stated thatmany Xbox games will be brought to the Switch 2.AlthoughWoWisn’t on Xbox at this time, that doesn’t mean that the company would not at least consider includingWorld of Warcraftin the mix when the time comes, with it being in line with Microsoft Gaming’s current focus and the game would be almost guaranteed to be a success.
Players have wanted to see the game come to consoles ever sinceWoWfirst debuted in 2004, and with current technological advancements, that doesn’t feel like a goal that is entirely out of reach. A more powerful system, and the possibility of having mouse functionality could be the deciding factors that help make that dream of havingWorld of Warcrafton a console become a reality.
