Marvel Rivals Fans Will Need More Patience for Switch 2

Marvel Rivals has become one of the year’s most popular competitive shooters, but fans wanting to play it on the Nintendo Switch 2 still can’t.

Other platforms are still receiving seasonal updates and new heroes, but the Switch 2 version has not started development yet, and it is not because of technical problems.

NetEase doesn’t yet have the hardware needed to start working on the game.

Is NetEase Interested in Bringing the Game to Switch 2?

The team behind Marvel Rivals has been open about their interest in bringing the game to Nintendo’s new handheld-console hybrid.

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According to game director Guangyun Chen, the studio is actively working to obtain a development kit for the Switch 2. But as of now, Nintendo hasn’t provided one.

NetEase can’t begin any work to port the game without that kit—not even early testing. This delay isn’t exclusive to Marvel Rivals. Developers everywhere are frustrated with how picky Nintendo has been in handing out Switch 2 development kits.

Even well-established studios have been left waiting, which has slowed down the pipeline of new ports.

Can the Switch 2 Handle Marvel Rivals?

That said, the Switch 2 is more than capable of running a game like Marvel Rivals on paper.

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With upgraded hardware and support for modern rendering techniques like DLSS, it’s a significant step up from its predecessor. However, the developers must still confirm that their game runs well, particularly because Marvel Rivals uses Unreal Engine 5, which is too demanding for the original Switch.

In fact, NetEase had considered bringing Marvel Rivals to the first-gen Switch earlier on but quickly scrapped the idea after confirming the hardware couldn’t deliver a consistent experience.

When Could a Port Actually Happen?

At the soonest, a release might happen by the end of 2025, but early 2026 is the more realistic timeframe if things don’t speed up.

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So, while Switch 2 shows promise, NetEase must first receive the dev kit before starting development. And even then, players will need to stay patient. Porting a modern, competitive shooter to a new console isn’t just a copy-paste job.

The process takes several months of fine-tuning, internal tests, adjusting balance, and maybe redesigning the handheld control interface.
Add in certification and patching, and the timeline stretches even further.

For now, fans will have to enjoy Marvel Rivals on PC, Xbox Series X|S, or PlayStation 5, and keep an eye out for updates. The game obviously has the drive and technical ability to come to Switch 2; it is only a question of when development can start.

Stick with us here at Gfinityesports.com: the best site for Marvel Rivals coverage.