There’s only one FPS I want on the Nintendo Switch 2, and it isn’t COD
As talented developers tinker away with the Nintendo Switch 2 behind closed doors, I’m elated about what it means for Nintendo’s position in the FPS genre. The much-needed hardware bump likely opens the door for genre mammoths like Call of Duty to finally debut on the Nintendo Switch, but Activision’s long-running shooter series isn’t what I want to see debut first on the forthcoming handheld. Embark Studios’ The Finals is the ideal FPS that deserves a slice of on-the-go convenience.
I know, I know. How could an FPS game as inherently chaotic and demanding possibly run on the alleged Nintendo Switch 2 hardware specifications? Well, it isn’t impossible. If initial rumors are to be believed ahead of the Nintendo Switch 2‘s eventual launch, then it’ll reportedly brandish upgrades that it boost the handheld’s performance inline with something like Microsoft’s small-but-mighty Xbox Series S – and that handles The Finals just fine. The Finals’ vibrant, dripped-up game-show shooter concept is a perfect fit within Nintendo’s vast library, and wouldn’t bring the baggage Call of Duty has been carrying for a decade.
There used to be a time when the notion of Call of Duty buddying up with Nintendo was a mouthwatering prospect. But Call of Duty has a last-gen problem, at least in my eyes. Innovation is sorely missing from the franchise, with 2020s Black Ops Cold War holding the title for the ‘last truly great’ game in the series.
Modern Warfare 2 and its divisive sequel have great ideas here and there, but they don’t hold a candle to their 2009 and 2011 predecessors. The Black Ops 6 Direct promised the injection of life COD needs right now, but honestly, Call of Duty Mobile has been running laps on its console counterparts for years as one of the best free mobiles games available.
Transposing Call of Duty Mobile or Call of Duty Warzone Mobile wouldn’t be enough, even if diving into Verdansk pulls on my nostalgia strings. Call of Duty has largely acted as an afterthought on other platforms that aren’t Sony or Xbox, with lackluster games such as Black Ops Declassified failing to match their parent titles. Don’t even get me started on the World at War Nintendo DS port. The Finals is still relatively fresh onto the shooter scene, having surprised dropped during The Game Awards 2023 showcase. Since then, I’ve been infatuated with it, clocking nearly 200 hours in Embark Studios’ fully destructible renditions of Monaco, Seoul, and Las Vegas.
For those of you yet to try it out, The Finals takes place roughly 75 years into the future, where contestants fight with cutting-edge virtual reality tech in a game-show known only as ‘The Finals’. Contestants battle to extract boxes of cash known as ‘vaults’, banking them in stations known as ‘Cash Outs’. That’s the bread and butter of its core mode, but other playlists like Power Shift bring Embark Studios’ creative spin on Overwatch 2-style modes to the table. The developer’s knack for weaving in intricate lore in the background is best-in-class, and the game’s exceptional gameplay is enhanced by the greatest ongoing set of cosmetics in the FPS games space right now.
Its game-show premise is the kind of whimsy you’d find in some of the best Nintendo Switch games like Splatoon 3, although with a gritter edge and enough explosions to make Michael Bay jealous. Diving into newer additions like World Tour mode on-the-go, whether on the train (hotspot or Wi-Fi providing), a friend’s house, or in a hotel room is the kind of gaming experience I want available to me outside of my house.
Sure, you could tinker with the Steam Deck or the best Steam Deck alternatives to get a Call of Duty or The Finals fix, but Nintendo’s streamlined handheld expertise is what I’m looking forward to seeing evolve with the Nintendo Switch 2. And I hope The Finals is there when it happens.
