WHY porting on Nintendo Switch

[Alvys34]

Hello,
I know there is a discussion going on right now to ask to developers to port the game on Nintendo Switch.
I'm one of those who thinks investing on Nintendo Switch is really worth it because many other Indie games found their best fits in this New console.
https://www.gamereactor.eu/news/612143/Thimbleweed+Park+and+Wonder+Boy+selling+most+on+Switch/

"old" indie games that were ported on Nintendo Switch found their best success in it.
Moreover, actually there aren't any Strategy games on the switch and I don't think anyone beside THIS game can be ported on switch. (I mean, starcraft or AoE would be really a mess).
So, why not?
Me and my friends are ready to buy it as soon it will be released on Switch :)

Thank you for reading me!
Alvys34

[DuckieMcduck]

They've already addressed it on their trello board
https://trello.com/c/geWsmwMj/807-switch-port

Originally posted by trello:

there are some things to take into account:

• The game has to do well enough to warrant the time and effort that would go into the port. We can't gauge this without at least some amount of time having passed already.
  
• The game would need to be optimized to perform well on the Switch. Even now PS4 performance took a lot of optimization to reach acceptable levels, the Switch is a much weaker device so we'd need to figure out how well things would even work on a device with these specs.

So basically Switch port will ever happen way down the line and if it's financially sound to do so

[shooflypi]

No one needs to convince the devs to port to the Switch, they'd love to do it, it's mostly a matter of determining whether it is feasible.

[Alvys34]

Np :) i was just argumenting! :D i would love to play this game on switch! That's all! :)

Originally posted by shooflypi:

No one needs to convince the devs to port to the Switch, they'd love to do it, it's mostly a matter of determining whether it is feasible.

[Zeriel00]

How much performance does a pixel game really need? The Switch can run Doom, Skyrim, LA Noire and Breath of the Wild. I doubt this game is anywhere close graphics wise.

[shooflypi]

it's not about graphics, but cpu power. Calculating pathing for all the units in an RTS is more computationally intensive than you might think. Also, while the graphics isn't the performance bottleneck, it is worth noting that it is a bit more than "just a pixel game." There are weather effects and shaders and that sort of thing. There's even water reflections.

But all that is beside the point. Pocketwatch Games is a small indie studio (currently only 2 full time devs). They are already working on their next game, so wouldn't have time to spare to work on a port (not to mention they don't have experience developing for the Switch). So they'd have to contract another studio to make the port, but I would guess that isn't economically feasible at the moment.

So yeah, it would be cool, but unfortunately not in the cards as far as I know.

[Shinken]

To be honest:

If you don't port your game to the Switch these days you've failed as an indie dev, because that's where the money is (besides being bought by Epic).

People actually buy these kind of games on that console even for full price while on PC most wait for a deep sale or even a humble bundle because they have so many other options they can play.

This is especially true if your game is already perfectly suited for the controller like Tooth and Tail is. Even indie games that are more suited to mouse input still found moderate success there (like Prison Architect).

And this is super especially true if you can be the only game in a niche on that console. If people ask for an RTS on the Switch (which happens more than you think on the Switch reddit) there's "Bad North" and while Bad North is cool, it's limited game without any multiplayer. Plenty turn based strategy, no substancial real time strategy yet.

Look at "Into The Breach". Of course that's a hit game from Indie superstars, but the PC release went somewhat under the radar for a high profile indie title like that.
On the Switch it's at the top of every turn-based strategy list, often even on top AAA titles like Mario + Rabbids and a massive success.

Of course this is all cool but pointless talk when you're super small and don't have ressources and know-how.
Is this case, I'd say try to get help and arrange for a port. There's no shame in that and if you have a well known, highly-rated title like Tooth and Tail, I bet many folks would love to do that.

Anyway, please port this to Switch! Cut the shaders, they're not that important for actual gameplay, simplify/ optimize pathfinding and put it out there so we can finally have a good real time strategy game on the Switch.