It's been a big news day for Destiny 2, but it looks like an unannounced Switch port is still on the table. What appears to be a "Legendary Collection" of the game has surfaced online, and the advertisement for it lists availability for PC, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. While that sounds like great news for Nintendo faithful, and the Switch's continued health, there are a few things that make us suspicious.
First off, let's catch up on what Bungie actually does have in store for Destiny 2. Today saw Google host a "Stadia Connect." Basically, it was Google's version of a Nintendo Direct. One of the biggest announcements to come out of it was that Destiny 2 will be the first free game for Stadia's Founder's Edition. That version will even include the new Shadowkeep expansion which launches in September. Also, Destiny 2's base game is going free-to-play.
In addition to all of that, a "cross-save" feature will soon be available. This encourages existing players of the game to hop over to Stadia without having to start over. The free-to-play, meanwhile, will surely help bring in new blood.
With all of this expansion, it seems like the perfect time to invite Switch owners to the party, right? That seems to be the plan, if this tweet proves reliable.
According to KwazyKyle, a mod at DestinyNewsNet, this Legendary Collection will launch in September, around the same time as Shadowkeep and free-to-play. It will include the base game and the first two expansions. And it will bring all of these things to the Nintendo Switch.
At first glance, that does seem believable. Bungie already has two big things planned for Destiny 2 in September. Why not add a third? And KwazyKyle seems like a fairly trustworthy source. However, further thought calls a lot about this Legendary Collection into question.
First is the argument that always comes up with Switch ports of existing games. Can the Switch handle Destiny 2? Is it the kind of game you could, and would want to, play in handheld mode? Also, why does this Legendary Collection not include Shadowkeep, the brand new DLC that seems to be the crowning jewel of Destiny 2 in 2019?
There's also the actually confirmed existence of a free-to-play version of Destiny 2. Would releasing a full collection alongside free-to-play and a new DLC confuse consumers? Focusing on free-to-play seems like the smarter way to entice Switch owners. Finally, there's the issue of the Activision logo on this advertisement. Bungie recently split from Activision. So it seems suspicious for the Activision logo to be displayed on upcoming Destiny 2 products.
All that said, Destiny 2 on Switch isn't impossible. It would actually make for a decent reveal during Nintendo's E3 Direct. We'll take this "leak" with a healthy dose of cautious optimism.