The development team behind Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader, Owlcat Games, has recently discussed its new Nintendo Switch 2 port, which was released today (December 11). The Switch 2 version comes just over two years after it was originally released on rival consoles, as well as PC and Mac. The company’s brand manager notes that handheld devices are “good hardware for the genre,” and that came in handy when the time came to develop a version for Nintendo’s latest console.

In an interview with FRVR, brand manager Anton Emelyanov revealed that optimizations previously made for Valve’s Steam Deck “provided a strong foundation for the new port,” and he also notes that the “handheld audience share is growing steadily,” giving the team all the reason to keep optimizing for these systems.

Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader releases today on Nintendo Switch 2

We can look back to patch notes from last year that added foundational upgrades Switch 2 owners now benefit from; the patch added several improvements to the game’s UI and fonts, specifically for the Steam Deck, building a more controller-friendly interface. A trailer for the Switch 2 version was uploaded to YouTube over a month ago.

It helps that the gameplay of Rogue Trade lends itself to the handheld form factor, too, with turn-based gameplay and plenty of reliance on text-based information. Handheld works well for the genre – it’s a form factor that tends to attract much more casual gamers who need to stop and start at any given time.

“CRPGs usually involve long sessions, reading, and turn-based gameplay, which depending on personal preferences works well in a portable format where players can pause at any moment. Handhelds make it easier to commit to large story-driven text-heavy experiences.”

Anton Emelyanov, Owlcat Games Brand Manager

So, all in all, Rogue Traders looks to be incredibly well-suited for the Nintendo Switch 2, and the foundation put in place by Steam Deck optimizations made the transition easier for the devs. It’s worth noting that the game won’t be coming to the original Switch, and it’s fair to say that performance would be pretty shoddy if it ever did.

Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader is now available on the Nintendo eShop for $44.99 – an introductory offer knocks 10% off the asking price, which will be live until Christmas Day.

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Jack Goodall

At PC Guide, Jack is mostly responsible for reporting on hardware deals. He also specializes in monitors, TVs, and headsets and can be found putting his findings together in a review or best-of guide.