EA sees FIFA 18's Switch port as a test for the popularity of its games on Nintendo's latest console, and is seemingly using it to decide whether to continue releasing games on the platform.
Speaking to Edge Magazine, EA executive vice president Patrick Söderlund explains that, "we want to be a part of the Switch, and help Nintendo grow that installed base [...] But at the same time we have to look at it from a resource standpoint and, at some point, the numbers become a factor.
"So for us it’s about supporting the platform, building technology for the platform, testing it out with big things like FIFA – and maybe a couple of others, we’ll see – and if they go well, I see no reason why we shouldn’t have as much of our portfolio on that platform as possible. I hope we get there, that would be my personal ambition."
It remains to be seen what EA's 'couple of other' big games could be at this point.
There are encouraging and discouraging precedents here. On the one hand, Capcom took a very similar stance with its release of Ultra Street Fighter 2 - and has since said the test was a success.
On the other, EA's release of FIFA on Nintendo's last console, Wii U was clearly deemed unsuccessful, ending what had been called an "unprecedented partnership" between the publisher and console maker until this year.
FIFA 18 on Switch will be released on the same day as all versions of the game - September 29 - but won't include Journey mode and won't run on the Frostbite engine that powers many of the mainline version's big changes this year.
Joe Skrebels is IGN's UK News Editor, and he really wants one of those Switch ports to be A Way Back. Follow him on Twitter.
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