Cloud Versions of Kingdom Hearts games coming to Switch

[bellydrum]

All three Kingdom Hearts games are coming to Switch:*

KINGDOM HEARTS - HD 1.5 + 2.5 ReMix -
KINGDOM HEARTS HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue
KINGDOM HEARTS III

*as cloud versions



Just announced in the final Sakurai presents.
Unfortunately they are Cloud Versions, so they will not be getting a physical release.

 

[mazi]

so dumb. the collections could easily run on switch natively.

 

[Xavi]

Hard pass

 

[Red Monster]

I’m not happy with this

 

[Bonejack]

You can't spell SQEX without "Dense".

Actually you can, but you shouldn't.

 

[WestEgg]

Are these still on Game Pass? I may eventually get around to trying them, but not via cloud.

 

[ItsBradazHD]

After the success they've had on Switch with locally-running games, this really sucks from SQEX.
KH3 would have been understandable, but the other collections should have been fair game for a native port..

 

[Skittzo]

3 makes sense as a cloud version but the other two? That's absurd.

SE has been making some awfully weird decisions about this.

 

[Tron1]

Hard pass

Easy pass.

 

[Common Knowledge]

Are these….technically demanding games?

 

[Herb Alpert]

Go home square, you're drunk

 

[Dakhil]

So I guess there's a possibility native versions of Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 Remix, Kingdom Hearts 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue, and Kingdom Hearts 3, will be exclusive to the DLSS model*?

 

[SlipperyFishes]

Are these….technically demanding games?

No, not really. Though I suspect if they roll out new hardware you might be able to get a downloadable copy of cloud owned games then?

 

[Elven_Star]

Thanks for not tempting me to buy these games (again).

 

[Yoshifan31]

Hopefully this gets the biggest dislike ratio on Youtube, this is ridiculous

 

[bellydrum]

Are these….technically demanding games?

I highly doubt it from a hardware perspective

However SE has stated in the past that porting these games to the Switch would be "technologically difficult"

So I imagine that the games were coded poorly in such a way that refactoring them for the Switch API would be beyond the scope of a simple port.

That's taking their statement in good faith, which I suggest everyone do.

 

[Dark Cloud]

How the fuck can’t Square get the first 2 running on Switch??? My most requested ports and they do them as cloud versions

 

[Skittzo]

So I guess there's a possibility native versions of Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 Remix, Kingdom Hearts 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue, and Kingdom Hearts 3, will be exclusive to the DLSS model*?

No, no there isn't.

 

[Red Monster]

Kingdom Hearts is one of the most requested series on Switch. It would sell. This is bullshit.

 

[Mbolibombo]

If you give them to me for free as a perk of the next NSO tier, I will play them Square. I really will.

But this is so weird, why wouldnt the first few games be native.. silly

 

[nenned]

This is pretty embarrassing for S-E, especially for 1 & 2. Seems like they don't want to pay for larger cart sizes, port costs, or both.

 

[Dakhil]

Let me remind everyone that Tetsuya Nomura said that Square Enix thought it would be too technologically difficult to port existing Kingdom Hearts games to the Nintendo Switch.

 

[Elven_Star]

Let me remind everyone that Tetsuya Nomura said that Square Enix thought it would be too technologically difficult to port existing Kingdom Hearts games to the Nintendo Switch.

They have to actually make some effort to earn money? Who would have thought?

 

[Mandos]

I’m annoyed on 1.5+2.5 since it’s a ps3 game but shrug I already beat them at the beginning of the year on gamepass anyways

 

[Tlozbj]

Are these….technically demanding games?

The 1.5 + 2 5 Remix collection? Not at all, it is 3 PS2 games and 1 PSP game in HD, plus 2 DS games done as a visual novel. You could maybe make a case for 2.8, but that would only be because of Aqua's side story. The rest is just an HD 3D game and the story of the first mobile game as a movie.

More than anything, this is probably SE not wanting to go for a bigger cartridge, like they did with the FFX/FFX-2 collection in the West.

 

[Red Monster]

Let me remind everyone that Tetsuya Nomura said that Square Enix thought it would be too technologically difficult to port existing Kingdom Hearts games to the Nintendo Switch.

Yeah it’s too hard to port PS2 and PSP games to the Switch. It’s not SE’s fault Nintendo has weak hardware!!

Fucking hell.

 

[tolkir]

Most requested character for Smash and S-E release the games on the Cloud.

 

[Mori Medinayo]

I've been beggind for this since forever. But not this way. NO THANKS.

 

[bellydrum]

Hey, it's our first negative thread!

 

[Dakhil]

Hey, it's our first negative thread!

FamiBoard's first reasonably negative thread.

 

[cw_sasuke]

SE seems to be really on board with Cloud offerings on Switch based on Hitman 3, GotG and co.
Interesting.

Guess thats one option for people that only have a Switch.

 

[Tlozbj]

I've been beggind for this since forever. But not this way. NO THANKS.

X2, the main pro of KH games on Switch was to play them on the go. Yet, if they are just cloud versions, what's the point? Bound to your house, to the whims of the server, and if SE ever decides to take them down early.

 

[Colocho]

Finally I can play these games, it seems I'm in the minority who doesn't mind if it's a cloud version

How much are they? I can't find it

 

[Fuffelpups]

I would have bought native Switch versions but i have no interest in a Cloud solution. I can understand that they use the Cloud for KH III but not for the other games.

 

[evilmonkey]

Hardest of passes. If Square isn't willing to put in the effort for the bare minimum they won't be getting my money.

 

[Mori Medinayo]

X2, the main pro of KH games on Switch was to play them on the go. Yet, if they are just cloud versions, what's the point? Bound to your house, to the whims of the server, and if SE ever decides to take them down early.

The point are the fucking Nomura excuses. Excuse me I'm sad.

 

[9-Volt]

Why the fuck Switch is becoming THE place to play Cloud games? It has shitty Wifi and no 5G capabilities.

 

[Stupid Horse]

This franchise's release model is amazing post-KH2. Key story elements hidden in Japanese mobile games and such. KH3 released on Xbox long before the collection of the older games, which were subsequently thrown there at a ludicrous price. They eventually came to PC too, once again at a bonkers price. And now, after years of fans waiting for KH on Switch, they finally release them... as cloud versions. Looking forward to the pricing!

 

[Mori Medinayo]

Why the fuck Switch is becoming THE place to play Cloud games? It has shitty Wifi and no 5G capabilities.

And it plays against the Switch main vission. The freaking portability. No play where, when you want.

 

[Tlozbj]

The point are the fucking Nomura excuses. Excuse me I'm sad.

Yep, the two collections can obviously run, if they worry about cartridge size, just do a limited physical run. While if it is just their code being a mess, then leave it to the team that worked out things for the FFXII remaster. Over here, we are more angry than sad :/.
-----------
Square Enix actually considering this cloud version mess (and I guess that Sora coming to Smash) as the beginning of KH's 20th anniversary celebrations

 

[Dakhil]

Why the fuck Switch is becoming THE place to play Cloud games? It has shitty Wifi and no 5G capabilities.

The OLED model might have better Wi-Fi reception due to using a LDS antenna vs a PCB antenna, which is used on the Nintendo Switch.

 

[Clix]

Welp. What a shame. I understand the 3rd one, but what the hell? Guess I won’t be replaying these games in the near future since I don’t play on the TV much anymore. I have KH 3 for my PS4 unplayed waiting for at least Switch versions of the first few games.

Bummer.

 

[Yoshifan31]

Let me remind everyone that Tetsuya Nomura said that Square Enix thought it would be too technologically difficult to port existing Kingdom Hearts games to the Nintendo Switch.

What if it’s Disney’s fault

I don’t get why Square Enix would make a cloud version for that series but they have otherwise been pretty consistent in terms of supporting the Switch, they ported all of the PS2 FF games and their AA projects have hit Switch. Why are FFX and FFXII native version but not freaking KH1 HD

 

[Donnie]

I honestly don't have the knowledge to judge whether KH3 is too difficult to ship on switch in a good condition, so maybe cloud there is understandable but it's a little disappointing not to see the rest ported natively. I've never played them all the way through either so switch would be a really good avenue for that too.

 

[Jersh]

Finally I can play these games, it seems I'm in the minority who doesn't mind if it's a cloud version

How much are they? I can't find it

Details are unannounced.

 

[9-Volt]

The OLED model might have better Wi-Fi reception due to using a LDS antenna vs a PCB antenna, which is used on the Nintendo Switch.

I still doubt it. Many smartphones has much better wifi receptors than Switch yet 5G is the way to play Cloud games. Wifi just has too much latency.

 

[bellydrum]

Either they are being lazy, cheap, or both.

They have to actually make some effort to earn money? Who would have thought?

If Square isn't willing to put in the effort

Let's.... ease up on calling devs lazy.
The devs are almost certainly not the people making the decision to bring a Cloud version vs. a native version.

I could see this as Square Enix being cheap.
SE also made a statement that porting the games to the Switch would be too technologically difficult, and they may not want to pay for the time it would take to solve it.
It could also be Disney's fault, as @Yoshifan31 suggested.

There is a variety of valid ways this could be the case, but calling devs "lazy" is borne from ignorance about the work that goes into development and just comes across as wanting to insult someone.

 

[Sander RX]

I hope the money they saved from not porting the PS2 and PSP games offsets the loss of sales from those who’d have bought them, but don’t wanna bother with cloud.

My internet isn’t up to par for cloud gaming and any cloud version might as well not exist for me.

 

[Skittzo]

Let's.... ease up on calling devs lazy.
I could see this as Square Enix being cheap, but there is zero reason for anybody to accuse devs as being "lazy" other than just wanting to insult someone and you want to disregard their statement that porting the games to the Switch would be too technologically difficult.
There is a variety of valid ways this could be the case - maybe the games were coded in such a way that the refactor required is far out of scope of a simple port and Square Enix doesn't want to pay for the time it would take to do it.

I'm pissed that these are Cloud Versions, too. I want these games on my shelf. But calling devs "lazy" is borne from ignorance about the work that goes into development.

It's almost assuredly about them not wanting to shell out for higher capacity game cards. I definitely agree that calling devs lazy is awful, it's more often the case that the publisher is being cheap.

 

[Mr_No_U]

Gross.

Then again, I’ll admit I wouldn’t have wasted money on the real thing either.