Diablo 4 could come to Nintendo Switch 2, but series head says "live services on Switch have been a little bit challenging in the past"

Diablo 4 The Butcher
(Image credit: Blizzard)

The Nintendo Switch 2 already has an impressive lineup of games being ported over to it, like Cyberpunk 2077 and Elden Ring, and Diablo 4 may eventually be on that list.

In an interview with Danny Peña’s Gamertag Radio (spotted by VGC), general manager of Diablo, Rod Fergusson, says: "I think there's opportunity there for sure. I mean, we have Diablo 3 and Diablo 2 Resurrected already on the Switch, and with backwards compatibility it'll be playable on Switch 2."

It's not a sure thing, however. While the Switch 2 is powerful enough to run the game, it's the live-service elements that are trickier to manage.

"I think the challenge is less around the hardware and just about how we… you know, live services on Switch have been a little bit challenging in the past," Fergusson says. "So I'm hopeful that as they launch this June and as we look to the future, that becomes easier and easier, so it makes more sense to put a live service on that platform."

Diablo IV 2025 Roadmap Revealed: Exclusive Interview with Rod Fergusson - YouTube Diablo IV 2025 Roadmap Revealed: Exclusive Interview with Rod Fergusson - YouTube
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Fergusson doesn't elaborate on what past challenges have been with putting live-service games on the Switch, but Nintendo generally isn't known for great online play. Just look at Smash players and their lag hatred. Updating and patching a game like Diablo 4 on Nintendo's platform could be a challenge.

Still, the Switch 2 seems to be upping the ante and focusing on keeping players connected. Its new C button is all about sharing your screen and streaming your gameplay while on video calls with your friends. Nintendo's serious enough about multiplayer to invent its own Discord, so hopefully more online-only games can find a home on Switch 2.

In the meantime, check out all the upcoming Switch 2 games.

Issy van der Velde
Contributor

I'm Issy, a freelancer who you'll now occasionally see over here covering news on GamesRadar. I've always had a passion for playing games, but I learned how to write about them while doing my Film and TV degrees at the University of Warwick and contributing to the student paper, The Boar. After university I worked at TheGamer before heading up the news section at Dot Esports. Now you'll find me freelancing for Rolling Stone, NME, Inverse, and many more places. I love all things horror, narrative-driven, and indie, and I mainly play on my PS5. I'm currently clearing my backlog and loving Dishonored 2.

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