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Grounded Nintendo Switch | Will It Release on Switch?

Grounded Nintendo Switch - Will it release on Switch?

Grounded is the newest survival game from Obsidian, and it’s getting a lot of attention from players. It landed at the top of Steam’s best sellers chart just hours after launch, and Game Pass subscribers can play it for free on Xbox One. But what about players on Nintendo hardware? Is Grounded coming to the Nintendo Switch? Are there any plans to release it for something other than PC or Xbox?

Will Grounded release on the Nintendo Switch?

Will Grounded release on the Nintendo Switch?

There are currently no plans to release Grounded for the Nintendo Switch. Even if a Switch release was possible, it would be very unlikely. The game is developed by Obsidian Entertainment, which was acquired by Microsoft in 2018. It’s also being published by Xbox Game Studios, which effectively makes Grounded exclusive to Microsoft-supported platforms. That fact alone rules out any potential Switch or PlayStation releases.

While this may be sad news for Switch players, it’s not entirely unexpected. After all, most modern AAA video game releases tend to skip Nintendo’s portable. A lack of power is usually given as the reason why developers stick to more robust platforms like the PlayStation, Xbox, or PC.

However, in the case of Grounded, it’s all a matter of Microsoft exclusivity. There’s a reason why Microsoft acquired Obsidian: The company wanted to bolster its lineup of exclusives ahead of the release of the Xbox Series X. Obsidian has developed major hits like Fallout: New Vegas, Pillars of Eternity, and South Park: The Stick of Truth. Having Obsidian release games exclusively for Microsoft platforms helps give the Xbox ecosystem an edge over the competition.

Don’t bet on Grounded ever coming to the Nintendo Switch. The developers haven’t mentioned any plans for a Switch release, and it’s unknown if the game would even be able to run on Nintendo’s portable hardware. Since it’s being developed by Obsidian, a Microsoft-owned studio, and published by Xbox Game Studios, Microsoft will almost certainly keep Grounded exclusive to Xbox and PC.

Written by Andrew Smith