As is well known now, DOOM will be coming to Nintendo Switch this holiday. This is a pretty big deal due to the fact that this is a major recent release, more recent than Bethesda’s other big Switch release this year of Skyrim. It is a sign of great third party support for many, and there is a lot of hope for the game to sell well. While the game will sell based on being amazing, I am looking at this differently than most.
For many gamers, DOOM’s multiplayer was just kind of there. It was perfectly alright but obviously not the main draw compared to the amazing single player. However, it should also be noted that on PC, PS4 and Xbox One, there are numerous multiplayer shooters that fill the desires of gamers. On Nintendo Switch however, there is Splatoon 2, and while Splatoon is great, it is not the same thing at all. We have Morphie’s Law coming as well, but again that is not the traditional multiplayer shooter that most want.
The fact of the matter is, DOOM’s multiplayer has little competition on the Nintendo Switch and therefore, unlike the other systems where it was more of a side dish, it could be a major attraction for the Switch version. DOOM could be THE big multiplayer shooter on the Nintendo Switch ( again, aside from Splatoon, which is a different take), simply due to being the first and having a big name attached to it. This is a big opportunity for DOOM and Bethesda, as there is an untapped market here and they are the first ones with a product.
While many complained about the multiplayer, the truth is that Bethesda and iD Software greatly improved it since launch, and the experience is much better than it was at first. As well, certain games with a rocky launch on systems like Steam and PS4, such as Double Dragon IV, were better received on Switch when thy launched with all the updates and improvements from the start. DOOM obviously was very well received and sold well, but the multiplayer did not have the best reception at first. On the Switch, this will likely not be the same issue and as such I am very eager to see how the game does on Switch but also how the multiplayer is received and affects the sales. This is especially the case, since DOOM will have the improved multiplayer and all the DLC with it.
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The above is the opinion of the author and not necessarily that of ROG or its staff.