Following Call of Duty: Black Ops 7's announcement (modeled after the surprise Beyoncé album release strategy), reports indicate both Activision and Nintendo are collaborating to bring the iconic FPS franchise to Switch platforms. But the key question remains: will Black Ops 7 launch on Switch 2?
While the announcement trailer (below) omits platform logos, Activision has confirmed Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and PC via Battle.net and Steam releases. Noticeably absent is any Nintendo Switch 2 mention.
Nintendo fans had reasonable expectations for Switch 2 inclusion, rooted in 2023 commitments. In February 2023, Microsoft signed a decade-long agreement guaranteeing Nintendo gamers would receive Call of Duty "the same day as Xbox, with full feature parity."
This agreement formed part of Microsoft's strategy to secure its $69 billion Activision Blizzard acquisition amidst FTC and global regulatory scrutiny. The deal aimed to demonstrate Microsoft's commitment to broad accessibility, countering concerns about potential PlayStation exclusivity or feature disparities.
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Despite these assurances, the UK's CMA initially blocked the acquisition, citing Switch hardware limitations: "Nintendo consoles currently can't run CoD at comparable quality to Xbox/PlayStation versions in our assessment."
Following Microsoft's eventual acquisition victory, questions remain about the Nintendo commitment. Activision told IGN: "We remain dedicated to bringing Call of Duty to Switch. Development teams from both companies are actively collaborating. Details will follow when finalized."
Xbox Games Series Tier List
Xbox Games Series Tier List
While Black Ops 7 seems improbable for original Switch given its PS4/Xbox One cross-gen status, a Switch 2 version appears more feasible. The last Nintendo Call of Duty release was 2013's Ghosts for Wii U.
Potential announcement timing remains speculative, but a future Nintendo Direct presentation could serve as the ideal venue to confirm this long-awaited franchise return to Nintendo platforms.
