The following games were initially announced as Nintendo Switch titles, however were subsequently cancelled or postponed indefinitely by developers or publishers.

Games

Cancelled games
Title(s) Notes Developer Publisher
BallisticNG A Wipeout-inspired racing game originally released on PC platforms in 2018, a Switch version was in development for multiple years. However, the game ran on the Unity game engine, and was cancelled in 2023 in response to its controversial run-time fee announced that year.[1] Neognosis Neognosis
Deliver Us the Moon Originally released for Windows in 2018, versions for the Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One were announced shortly after. While PS4 and Xbox versions released in April 2020, the Switch version was later cancelled in June 2020. The developers cited a variety of reasons, including financial stress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.[2] KeokeN Interactive Wired Productions
Evil Dead: The Game Originally released for Windows, PlayStation, and Xbox platforms in 2022 with strong performance, selling 500,000 copies in five days.[3] The Switch version was set to follow, but got cancelled in September 2023, alongside future content updates. The restructuring program of Embracer Group was named a possible reason by the press.[4] Saber Interactive Boss Team Games
Final Fantasy XV Director Hajime Tabata stated that Square Enix attempted to get the game up and running on the Switch hardware in 2017, but were unable to get it performing well enough to warrant releasing it. It was abandoned, and a port of Final Fantasy XV: Pocket Edition was released in 2018 instead.[5] Square Enix Square Enix
Hyper Sports R First announced at E3 2018, the game was in development for 2 years before being cancelled in June 2020. Konami only said that it was cancelled due to "various circumstances".[6] Konami Konami
Marvel's Midnight Suns Announced in 2021, versions for PlayStation and Xbox platforms released across 2022 and 2023, while the Switch version was announced as "no longer planned" in May 2023. While no official reason was given, poor sales on other platforms and difficult porting it to the Switch's hardware were noted as likely reasons by publications.[7][8] Firaxis Games 2K
Occultic;Nine: New World A video game adaptation of the light novel Occultic;Nine was released in Japan for PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, and Xbox One in 2017 to poor reception. New World was announced in 2018 as a Switch version and DLC that would address issues and add new content. It was quietly cancelled in August 2022.[9] Mages Mages
Pathfinder: Kingmaker Released on PC platforms in 2018, console version were announced for 2020. While PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions were released, the Switch version was cancelled.[10][11] Owlcat Games Deep Silver
Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire Released for PC platforms in 2018, with console versions to follow, a Switch version did not launch alongside PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions in 2020, and in 2022, was officially cancelled, with developers citing difficulties in getting the game running on Switch hardware.[12] Obsidian Entertainment Versus Evil
RoboCop: Rogue City A video game based on the Robocop franchise was announced for the Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC platforms in 2022, though the Switch version was cancelled in the month prior to the game's release. While no official reason was given, IGN felt that the game was too ambitious for the Switch's hardware.[13][14] Teyon Nacon
Sengoku Night Blood A Switch version of the 2017 mobile game was announced, but was later cancelled in October 2019 due to "various circumstances". The mobile version terminated service two months later.[15] Idea Factory Marvelous
Steep One of the first third party games announced for the Switch a few months prior to launch, it was later cancelled in August 2018 in favor of providing live service content to the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions instead.[16][17] Ubisoft Annecy Ubisoft

References

  1. ^ https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/switch-game-cancelled-over-controversial-unity-changes/
  2. ^ "Deliver Us the Moon for Switch cancelled". 12 June 2020.
  3. ^ Peppiatt, Dom (May 19, 2022). "Evil Dead: The Game sells 500,000 units in under a week – perfect timing for Embracer Group". VG247. Retrieved September 26, 2023.
  4. ^ Sirani, Jordan (September 20, 2023). "Evil Dead: The Game Not Making New Updates, Switch Version Canceled". IGN. Retrieved September 26, 2023.
  5. ^ "Square Enix Tried Running Final Fantasy XV's Engine on Switch - It Didn't Work Well Enough". 4 September 2017.
  6. ^ "Konami cancels its Nintendo Switch exclusive, 'Hyper Sports R'". NME. 11 June 2020.
  7. ^ "Marvel's Midnight Suns Switch Version Officially Canceled". 2 May 2023.
  8. ^ "Marvel's Midnight Suns Switch version scrapped". Polygon. 2 May 2023.
  9. ^ Orpheus Joshua (August 1, 2022). "Occultic;Nine: New World Officially Canceled". Noisy Pixel. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
  10. ^ "THQ Nordic Interim Report • 1 January – 30 September 2018" (PDF). Embracer Group. November 17, 2018. Retrieved 2020-06-10.
  11. ^ "Pathfinder: Kingmaker - Definitive Edition". Metacritic.
  12. ^ Doolan, Liam (March 6, 2022). "Obsidian's RPG Pillars Of Eternity II: Deadfire Appears To Have Been Cancelled For Switch". Nintendo Life. Retrieved 2022-03-06.
  13. ^ https://www.gematsu.com/2023/10/robocop-rogue-city-for-switch-cancelled
  14. ^ https://www.ign.com/articles/robocop-rogue-city-nintendo-switch-version-cancelled
  15. ^ "Sengoku Night Blood Game's Switch Release Cancelled". 26 June 2023.
  16. ^ Craddock, Ryan (9 August 2018). "Ubisoft Has Halted Development Of Steep On Nintendo Switch". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on 19 August 2018. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
  17. ^ "Ubisoft Confirms Steep is No Longer Coming to the Nintendo Switch". 9 August 2018.
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