Ubisoft recently announced thatAssassin’s Creed: The Ezio Collectionwas coming to the Switch in February, adding Ezio’s three games to thelist of available mainlineAssassin’s Creedgames on Switch. Ubisoft’s intent with the franchise on the platform isn’t entirely clear, as this addition means there are technically moreACgames available on Switch than there isn’t, but this has been slowly scattered across a few years.
AC3 Remastered, AC4: Black Flag, andAC Roguewere all available before this, and in Japan only (but reasonably, eventually, expanding?),AC Odysseyis even playable on the Switch via the cloud. It’s uncertain when and what the next mainlineACgame on the platform would be, but it makes the most sense for it to beAssassin’s Creed Unity.
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Why AC Unity Should Be The Next Switch Port
The main reason is its popularity compared to otherACgames not on the platform. Yes, there are many who haven’t forgottenAssassin’s Creed Unity’s disastrous launch, but the game has come a long waysince then. Those who haven’t returned to it in any of the years since will find a much betterACexperience, a solid story, a classic Assassin storyline, and excellent parkour (that puts the latest games to shame).
Really,Assassin’s Creed Unitymakes its own case to be on the Switch, but perhaps over otherACgames not on the platform (AC1, AC Syndicate, Origins,andValhalla), it has one more benefit. It would bring some continuity to the platform, of sorts, asAC Rogue’s Shay Patrick Cormacends the game by killing Arno Dorian’s father in his search—which is the momentAC Unitybegins too.
It has a couple of reasons to come to the platform before otherACgames too. First,Assassin’s Creed 1getting the port treatment wouldn’t be bad, but it does show its age. AsAC3 Remasteredwas released on other platformsshortly before the Switch,AC1deserves the remaster/remake treatment alongside a Switch port. And, ultimately, that seems unlikely.
AC Unity on Switch Before Syndicate, Origins, and Valhalla
AC Syndicatehas a pretty strong case too, but it has to be said thatUnitywas released beforeSyndicate. For the latter to be on the Switch first would be odd, though of course there has been no rhyme or reason to the release order on Switch either. Plus, the parkour inUnity, the story structure, and all of that would be best to follow what’s currently on the platform. That’s not anything againstSyndicate,butUnitywould build on the classic experiences already on the Switch better.
OriginsandValhallaseem less likely, if only becauseAC Valhalla’s still releasing DLCfor other platforms. Another team, in theory, could work the port, but as the Switch is currently home to mostly classic experiences, it would be best for Ubisoft to keep pushing that nostalgia for Switch players.
An argument that could be made againstAC Unityon Switch is a classic argument aboutSwitch ports—if they are becoming less and less. One might posit that the Switch would struggle withAC Unity, and it would make some sense. It is a beautiful and demanding game that might very well push the limits of the Switch’s architecture, but ifOdysseycan be made playable via the Cloud on it, thenAC Unityhas that option in terms of size, etc. Plus, there are several as demanding games that are native to the Switch, so that overall argument feels reductive of the Switch’s capabilities.
Either way, it’ll be interesting to see Ubisoft’s plans when it comes to the Switch. At this point, more ports only make sense if for the fact thatThe Ezio Collection (Assassin’s Creed 2, Brotherhood,andRevelations)means the majority of the mainline games are on it in some way, but Ubisoft hasn’t seemed to rush those either. Fingers crossed Arno Dorian’s adventure makes it to the Switch sooner rather than later.
Assassin’s Creed Unityis available on PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One.
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