Porting video games to different consoles can be a make-or-break move, and Shiver Entertainment proved long ago that it’s a process that needs a level of passion and dedication that is quite rarely seen nowadays. With some shockingly bad Switch ports (we’re looking at you, Arkham Knight), it’s no wonder that Nintendo wants to be a little more hands-on when it comes to representing big-name titles on its much-loved handheld.
Shiver Entertainment, a Miami-based studio mostly dedicated to transferring IPs to the Switch, is in the process of being completely bought out by Nintendo itself. The acquisition is the Japanese company’s first since Dynamo Pictures back in 2022, and we can’t help but wonder if this is a way to ensure the upcoming Switch 2 has the best of the best.
“By welcoming Shiver’s experienced and accomplished development team, Nintendo aims to secure high-level resources for porting and developing software titles,” Nintendo said in a recent statement. It’s preparing to buy out 100% of Shiver Entertainment’s outstanding shares, so the porting company is a fully owned subsidiary of the Japanese giant, which we can’t help but get excited about because the studio is obviously making moves to prepare for the release of the Switch 2.
Shiver Entertainment has already worked on series like Need For Speed, FIFA, and Guitar Hero, and most recently on the likes of Hogwarts Legacy and Mortal Kombat. The porting pros are due to secure high-level resources for porting and developing software titles, and its focus will remain the same once it nestles comfortably beneath Nintendo’s wings.
With Nintendo making noticeable moves to secure an entire studio dedicated to porting high-profile games, the excitement for the studio’s next move ramps up considerably, especially in the Pocket Tactics office. We still don’t have any news on the next Nintendo Direct, nor do we have any concrete release date for the Switch 2, but what we do have is a decades-long trust for Nintendo, so we must all simply sit back and wait patiently for the time being.
It does make us wonder what games Shiver Entertainment could potentially port to Nintendo’s next console and whether there’ll be enough juice in the handheld to get its joycons on some huge titles like Baldur’s Gate 3 or Fallout. Either way, the acquisition of Shiver Entertainment points in a promising direction for the future of ported IPs.
There are already some really great titles that don’t even need a Switch port, and you can check out our Gori: Cuddly Carnage interview as a prime example of developers keen to release their work on all consoles from launch. Plus, if you’re wondering what else we’re waiting eagerly for, we’ve got a full list of upcoming Switch games. Or, if you want to get stuck in right away, we’ve put together lists of the best ARPGS and the best Soulslike games on Switch and mobile.