Monster Hunter: World snubs Switch - here's why

Monster Hunter: World is the first big game of 2018, and there's a lot of excitement behind it because it's the first Monster Hunter game in recent memory to launch for something other than the Nintendo 3DS. Monster Hunter: World will be launching on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in just a few days, with a PC release to follow later (much later) this year. Eagle-eyed readers might notice one major platform missing from that list: Nintendo Switch.

Why is that? As it turns out, the decision about which platforms Monster Hunter: World would launch on was made years ago, long before the Switch was ever announced and during a time when the Wii U couldn't promise a sizable audience. In an interview with IGN Middle East, Monster Hunter: World directors Kaname Fujioka and Yuya Tokuda further elaborate on why their game won't be coming to the Switch.

In addition to locking in the platforms for Monster Hunter: World well before the Switch was announced, it seems that the Switch may not be powerful enough for what Capcom is looking to do with the game. Though Fujioka and Tokuda don't admit it outright, they certainly suggest that the Switch may not be capable of handling World, at least not in a way that lines up with their vision:

It's also because for every title we decide what the best fit for hardware is for the concept. We don't just look at everything. It's more like "if we want to achieve this kind of game concept, where's the best place to achieve that?" and for this title the Playstation 4 and Xbox One were the best fit for us.

Though this is sad news for Switch owners, it isn't as if Capcom is adverse to bringing Monster Hunter to the Switch. We've already seen the announcement of one Monster Hunter game for Nintendo's latest console, with Capcom announcing Monster Hunter XX last year. The only problem is that Monster Hunter XX is a Japan-exclusive, with no plans to bring it to west announced thus far.

Regardless of whether or not Monster Hunter XX eventually makes its way to the US or Europe, its existence is good news for those who would like see the franchise settle in with the Switch. You might have to get your Monster Hunter: World kicks on another platform later this week, but don't be surprised to see Capcom include the Switch in subsequent Monster Hunter releases.