As a Keanu Reeves megafan, the John Wick game is a dream come true, but bad news for my Nintendo Switch 2

There are three things the Pocket Tactics teams know very clearly about me: I love Foo Fighters, have an unexpected obsession with Robbie Williams, and adore the John Wick movies. You could say that’s my brand right now, considering I’ve got tattoos for two of those interests. Saber Interactive’s John Wick game looks extremely promising, at least on vibes alone, but early details have me worried about its future on Nintendo Switch 2.

You’re likely seeing clips of Keanu Reeves suiting up in digital glory all over social media, following this week’s State of Play presentation. While Saber Interactive is debuting the game’s initial footage at the PlayStation-centric showcase, details sent over in a press release after the show reveal more about the currently untitled John Wick game. The glaring detail to me is that it’s only targeting PS5, Xbox, and PC as launch platforms. The lack of a Nintendo Switch 2 version is quite disappointing.

I love playing on my PS5 and ROG Ally Z1e, especially the latter, as I tinker away with Bazzite and other useful modifications. But with such a strong focus on third-party developers for the Nintendo Switch 2’s game lineup as of late, I’m genuinely surprised to see John Wick left out of the party. Let’s look at what new Switch games are coming soon, shall we? We’ve got Resident Evil: Requiem, 007 First Light, The Duskbloods, Pragmata, and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.

Last year, we had Cyberpunk 2077 and Hitman: World of Assassination headline the console’s early roster of triple-A titles. Sure, some of these games have been out a while already, but the message is clear: the Nintendo Switch 2 is capable of handling more ambitious games than its predecessor. So why is John Wick not making an appearance on Nintendo’s latest console?

Well, it could be to do with the game’s development timeline. In 2022, Lionsgate, the distributor behind the John Wick movies, announced it would be fielding pitches from developers for a potential triple-A John Wick game. Shortly after that, word of what that project would be quickly went quiet until a brief update in 2023.

In that time, the spin-off movie Ballerina landed in theatres, The Continental TV show was released on Amazon Prime, and a fifth John Wick movie got the greenlight. At this point, Saber Interactive states that the game is “currently in development”, with no release window attached to the first trailer. The lack of a definitive title suggests the game is somewhat early in its development cycle, too. I also get that sense by the trailer itself, which only showcases two locations in the gameplay snippets, with the rest filled out by impressive CGI animatics.

Optimistically, we might see the game land in 2027, but it looks like 2028 is more likely. The superfan in me hopes the game is further along than we’ve been shown. Either way, I’m hoping that word of a Nintendo Switch 2 version comes at some point. Perhaps a post-launch announcement is what Saber Interactive is planning.

Either way, what we’ve seen so far has me over the moon. Saber Interactive seems to have the neo-noir aesthetic down, the ‘heroic bloodshed’ theatrics intact, and more importantly, Keanu Reeves and Chad Stahelski on board the project. According to the developer, it says that “John Wick franchise director Chad Stahelski and star Keanu Reeves are both involved in the game’s production, with Reeves signed on to reprise his iconic character’s look, voice and more.” What could that “and more” be? To me, it sounds like Reeves could be providing motion-capture for the game, giving the combat the authenticity it needs.

There are already glimmers of this in that CGI cutscene. You have Wick flicking his magazine out of his Tarran Tactical Combat Master handguns, using his Jujitsu grapples, and situational awareness to dispatch multiple threats at once. Let’s not forget the inclusion of the Kevlar-lined suits, which could prove to be an incredible mechanic in-game. A detail I think most people are overlooking is that vehicle sequences are confirmed.

Saber Interactive expresses that “hard-hitting gun-fu combat system, jaw-dropping camerawork, intense driving experiences, cinematic storytelling, and a bold range of atmospherically immersive environments” are all part of its ambition for the game. While most of us associated the series with showstopping hand-to-hand fights, the motorcycle chase in Chapter Three and the Arc de Triomphe setpiece in Chapter Four are breathtaking.

There’s a lot of riding on the John Wick game for me, and I’m in danger of setting my expectations too high. But Saber Interactive continues to be a fascinating developer. The Evil Dead Game, while short-lived, was very underrated, and I’ve had my fair share of fun with World War Z. Its port of Ghostbusters: The Video Game is solid. If you’re looking for something to scratch the John Wick itch, then I highly recommend Suit For Hire.

Can Saber Interactive do the John Wick series justice? Yeah, I’m hoping we’re back.