Microsoft will bring Call of Duty to Nintendo devices if Activision’s deal closes

Nintendo did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A long-running franchise in which players fight in historic, current, and futuristic battles, Call of Duty is a crown jewel in Activision’s portfolio. It generated over $30 billion in revenue. The latest release, Modern Warfare II, grossed over $1 billion in just 10 days.

For Nintendo, adding a violent first-person shooter like Call of Duty to the slew of titles available to play on the Switch would be a surprising departure. The company has long protected the fun, family-friendly brand it’s developed over decades through iconic franchises like Mario, Pokemon, and The Legend of Zelda, though it does offer more mature games.

Sony and Microsoft have often argued over a similar segment of so-called hardcore gamers, who might be more drawn to dark, story-driven games or tough, violent fighting games.

But Nintendo has built an empire marketing adorable candy-colored characters, like squishy pink Kirby and smiling dinosaur Yoshi. At the start of the pandemic, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, a leisurely game in which players build virtual islands, became a smash hit.

Nintendo’s new console, the Switch is significantly cheaper than Sony’s PlayStation 5 or Microsoft’s Xbox Series X, and differs from more expensive, boxier consoles by being small and portable, so gamers can play on the go.

The Switch was a huge hit, selling 114 million units by the end of September. But it has less processing power than the latest Microsoft and Sony consoles, raising questions about the kind of Call of Duty gaming experience on a Nintendo device.

“Nintendo has done a great job of creating a family-friendly platform that can be a hit for all kinds of creators,” Spencer said, adding that there’s “definitely work” to be done to make Call of Duty works well on the Switch. Still, Nintendo already offers shooters on the Switch, like Fortnite, and Call of Duty could appeal to Nintendo users who want a “flexible style of play”, said David Gibson, principal analyst for the Australia-based financier. MST Financial services company. The move, he said, would be “good for Nintendo’s platform for sure”.