EA's new excuse on why they won't support the Switch.

Video Games Chronicle

EA CEO Andrew Wilson has explained the publisher’s lack of support for Nintendo Switch.

The company doesn’t release lot of games on Nintendo’s console (the Switch page on its site lists just four currently available titles) and when it does, they’re often stripped of the headline features available on other platforms.

For example, the Legacy Edition of FIFA 20 being released on Switch this September won’t include any of the “big new features” included in other version of the game such as Volta street football.

During EA’s first quarter earnings call on Tuesday, an analyst said they thought The Sims franchise might be well suited to Switch, but EA’s top executive suggested otherwise.

While his response was largely centred on The Sims, Wilson also claimed that “a great many” Switch owners do play EA games, only they tend to do so on other gaming platforms they own.

“Any time we’re evaluating platform conversations we’re really looking at a couple of things,” he explained. “One, does the game really fit the profile of that platform in terms of the control or the community ecosystem? Two, do we think the community playing on that platform would appreciate the game and go there, or would they prefer to play it somewhere else?

“We have a lot of data that would suggest a great many Switch owners also own a PlayStation 4 or an Xbox One or a PC and very often choose to play the games that we make on those platforms, even though they have a Switch and they enjoy a lot of great content on the Switch.

While Wilson didn’t rule out The Sims ever coming to Nintendo’s console, the chances appear slim.

“I wouldn’t say that The Sims would never go to the Switch, but I think we’re doing really, really well attracting Sims players [to other platforms],” he said.

“We did a promotion in the last couple of months and brought in seven million new Sims players that we expect will engage in that community on a platform that is really tailored to user generated content, creativity and customisation.”

Elsewhere on the call, Wilson said 8-10 million players are engaging with Apex Legends on a weekly basis, ahead of plans to bring the series to mobile devices worldwide, and to launch the game in China, during the company’s next financial year.

He also teased Apex Legends season 3 and confirmed EA’s gearing up to reveal the new Need for Speed game in the coming weeks, while chief financial officer Blake Jorgensen said EA has been working on games for next-gen consoles like Xbox Scarlett and PlayStation 5 “for some time”.

What the hell? What kind of an excuse is that?

I mean, yes EA, I have more than just my Nintendo Switch and Wii U (current gen is XBOX ONE, any PC gaming I do is for older games mostly), but that doesn't mean I don't want to see third parties I support on other consoles develop for the Switch. Far from it as I have plenty of third party titles for it, so by your logic, Ubisoft, WB, Bethesda, Capcom (who to be fair is a JOKE on the Switch with few exceptions), Activision, Tecmo Koei/Team Ninja, SEGA, Namco Bandai (your Japanese counterpart, except with better games), and all these indies shouldn't bother either?

Just admit you dislike Nintendo and be done with it (even though one of your former employees now heads NoA), even Trip Hawkins, one of your co-founders made that clear.

At least we're long past the phase of 'No EA support = failure', because that was REALLY only true with the Dreamcast (the Wii U HAD some EA games). And thankfully, we can deal without them.

XBONE AND ps4 can KEEP EA and their shit games too.

all hail nintendo the king in the north.

the king in the north

the king in the north!

Real reason: Nintendo doesn't want them bankrupting children with microtransactions.

The more and more you work in these types of environments, the more you learn the higher-ups can be outright morons. I've seen dumb-as-shit decisions on a smaller scale, but still just dumb.

I thought sales of EA games were pretty poor on Switch? Plus Switch's limited format scares third parties off too. Don't see why they couldn't at least get a Sims game though.

Should have bought Fifa 19.

And we didn't. Thank the Gods...

Translation: "People aren't buying the handful of shitty ports we've released for the Switch, so to hell with 'em!"

But now no EA games, ever.

Oh no... whatever will I do without all of EA's shit games being on the Switch... play actual good games instead.

@nintendoboy16: I'm not surprised, EA is making too many excuses to not support Nintendo. Well, EA doesn't know they're not important as they think. So fuq'em, and move on.

@Bread_or_Decide This is why you bought your shares for EA?

Why? FIFA 19 was nothing special and didn't have any modes the other versions have.

They do have point in term of sales though. Switch owners not buying to justify a port, it makes sense.

No, it doesn't! The investors sees that the Switch is a success, EA is making an excuse not to put their games in the platform, and that's not a good look for investors to ignore a platform that shows success.

Really?

I would think they would shove the whale mode.

Nope

Oh well, EA's been a joke for almost a decade anyway. Lost me after Sim City 2013.

Most likely.

Half-ass ports won't breed success. It's an issue at the base level.

Must be Nintendos resistance to excessive microtransactions, because the last Fifa game wasnt even a port but version built from the ground up for switch.

Smart move. If you own a Switch, you already own a relevant system. Assuming you’re older than 15, that is.

Basically they are looking for the best way to milk money from gamers as always. Or basically, they see that Nintendo is NOT Political and is not interested in milking their own fan base for money. That's why people got on them about how they made Super Mario Run, They didn't like the fact they allowed people to buy the whole game and get everything, No strings attached. And EA wonders why they are the worst company in the world, because you milk the gamers.

That said, The switch is already getting tons of 3rd party support, so EA’s lack of support isn’t a huge loss to Switch but it does make EA look like a fool cause the Switch is getting more popular. I would love to play Dead Space on the go but oh well.

How devastating, now we'll be forced to play good games.

Best selling 3rd party games on switch is only 2m sold and had mario name attached to it. Make sense to not invest much on switch based on statistics, 3rd party games on switch just don't sell much to warrant a AAA effort.

EA is full of shit and they know this, considering other third parties have done very well on Switch. Take Two, Ubisoft, Square Enix, Bandai Namco all are still willing to give the Switch support, even if most of its owners have other consoles, even Fucking Capcom is willing to throw the Switch bones regularly. They're just trying to weasel their way out of supporting a successful platform because they can. Then again, this is the same company who tried to spin loot boxes as "Surprise Mechanics". What did I really expect at this point.

All major 3rd party support ends when PS5 releases anyway, may as well start early. The sims on anything but PC is a joke as well.

All these alternative theories when the answer was already spelt out in the article. Gamers are silly sometimes.

Well, EA does have this little problem with telling the truth...

You all take this shit too seriously when you treat companies like people.

It won't. There'll still be a lot of Cross-gen and AA games after next gen arrives.

Lol.

They sound salty about Nintendo refunding that guy for his stupid kids buying player packs on FIFA.

Don't throw rocks in glass houses, dude.

LOL. The PS5 is going to get nothing more than mostly cross-gen games with PS4 within 2 or 3 years of it's release, tops.

By the time that they start to get games that aren't cross-gen'd, Nintendo will be out with their Switch successor.

It's a smart move on their part. They're aware that most people will opt out of paying full price, even years later, for an inferior version. Nintendo need to stop that. It's asinine to really think that I'd ever pay $60 to play The Witcher 3 in 540p smh

What I read is "We believe gamers are already playing these games not available on the Switch elsewhere, so why should we put them on the Switch?" My thought is this, duh..if the game isn't available on the Switch, they HAVE to be playing them elsewhere if they are playing them. EA execs are not the most intelligent, I think.

This.

Well that’s EA’s lose then. Regardless of if Switch owners have other systems to play those games on there are there are still those who don’t and those who would prefer to get the version that they can also play on the go. Plus you would also have those who may even double dip and get two versions of a game. Anyway as the sales for the Switch continue to climb investors are going to increasingly wonder why there is no Switch version for many of EA’s games.

I understand EA to a certain extent which doesn't happen often. But I'm sure a madden would sell ok but I suppose ok is not worth the risk.