Overwatch for Switch rumors swirl including release date, merch

The Overwatch community seems poised to grow even larger.

Rumors have been swirling that Overwatch is being ported to the Nintendo Switch. Recently, a weblink to an Amazon listing appeared on Twitter showing what appeared to be Overwatch-themed Nintendo Switch accessories, particularly a hard carrying case that is officially licensed by both Nintendo and Blizzard. The listing was made by PowerA, who have an expansive catalog of video game merchandise.

Though the listing was quickly taken down, screen grabs were made and images of the item were proliferated across social media.

Overwatch Nintendo Switch rumored release date

A few hours after the listing was spotted and removed, another hint at the game’s release appeared on Reddit briefly before being deleted. User Cmac0801 revealed a release schedule for a European video game retailer that operates in France, Switzerland, and Belgium. The piece of paper accurately lists the names and release dates of titles scheduled to launch over the coming months, including Borderlands 3 and FIFA 20. Included on that list is an entry labeled “Overwatch NSW,” which stands for Nintendo Switch. The sheet lists the release date as October 18.

No official statement has been given by either Nintendo or Blizzard on the rumors, but the double dose of leaks makes it seem likely that Overwatch will soon hit a new platform. The game’s developers have said in the past that this is something they are looking into, with the most notable example coming from Overwatch game director Jeff Kaplan after Blizzcon in 2018.

Though the Nintendo Switch lacks the horsepower of the Playstation 4 or Xbox One, developers have already been able to wring a lot out of the console-tablet hybrid. Blizzard should be able to bring a true Overwatch experience to the platform.

What happened to Overwatch 2?

That said, the long-term future of Overwatch remains a bit murky.

Rumors have popped up on Overwatch’s future on a number of occasions. In June, reports circulated that an unannounced StarCraft-themed action shooter had been scrapped by Blizzard in order to divert manpower towards a new Overwatch title that included a “larger PVE element” than the original title.

Blizzard did not confirm or deny the rumors and no news has emerged since.

Big news may be coming to Overwatch in the near future but if these rumors are true, fans should expect a port of the original title rather than an entirely new game.